Few ballplayers earn a nickname from their new team's fans before they even touch down in the city, but the Blue Jays' newest starting pitcher, Miguel Batista, is already firmly entrenched in the local lexicon as "El Artista." I forget who came up with the rhyming moniker -- step forward, forgotten Bauxite! -- but it's as good a description of his passion for poetry, literature and "a great chat" as it is of his crackling fastball and excellent strike-zone command. Thanks to Jason Robar for catching this profile of Batista in the latest Star. "Not everyone in Toronto will like me," predicts Batista -- personally, I can't understand why he won't become one of this city's most popular and sought-after athletes in short order. Bienvenido, Miguel!
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