The Greatest

Friday, September 26 2003 @ 10:23 AM EDT

Carlos Delgado is the best Blue Jay ever. Craig said it on the game thread, and if anyone else had any doubts, they should be long gone, like the slugger's fourth home run last night.

The picture is from MLB.com, where Spencer Fordin put the accomplishment in perspective.

Carlos Delgado stamped his name on the game Thursday night, showing off his prodigious power in a historic night at SkyDome.

Carlos Tosca agreed.

"The fans are going to leave tonight having seen a tremendous feat that's only been done a handful of times in the history of the game. It's certainly the most amazing exhibition I've ever seen on a baseball field."

No argument from J.P. Ricciardi.

"Today I was a fan. I just watched like everybody else," he said. "We watched history -- it's amazing. Anybody, whether they're a general manager or a coach or whatever, puts their fan hat on at that point. You're just in awe, watching a performance that you know you'll probably never see again."

Also from Fordin on the Official Site, the second best Internet source for Jays fans:

It truly was an amazing night, and Delgado set a number of statistical standards. He finished with six RBIs, a career-high total, which gave him 141 for the season. That also set a new career high, as well as a new single-season record for Toronto. The first baseman set the previous mark -- 137 in 2000 -- and also owns the team's career records in homers (303), RBIs (955) and runs scored (814).

This is going to be one of those times when the (possibly) 13,000 and change in the seats will eventually "grow" with people claiming to be witnesses, until it seems like a packed house. Those of us who watched on TV were mesmerized. Other scribes in attendance were similarly impressed.

Mike Ganter (Toronto Sun): No one player has put himself in the driver's seat ... until perhaps last night.

Carlos Delgado, already a strong candidate for the award, gave MVP voters something else to consider with a game for the ages.

John Lott (National Post): The MVP award usually goes to a player on a playoff team. The U.S. baseball writers who vote tend not to cast their gaze north of the border unless a player's performance is head and shoulders above the rest.

But Delgado's exploits last night served as a timely reminder that he merits serious consideration for the award.

Larry Millson (Globe and Mail): And each home run had significance in a tight game as the Blue Jays won for the 84th time this season. The first one put the Blue Jays into the lead. The next three led off the fourth, sixth and eighth innings respectively with the third and fourth ones each tying the game.

The home runs came on a fastball from Jorge Sosa, a changeup from Sosa, a hanging slider from left-hander Joe Kennedy, who has been tough on Delgado, and a changeup from Devil Rays closer Lance Carter.

Dave Perkins (Toronto Star): Three of the four balls that left the park were returned to his possession and Delgado said No.300 goes into a frame for his trophy room as a great memory.

Which was something he gave us all.

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