Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

... should you choose to accept it, is really quite simple. Doc's gone. Sure, we don't know (at this writing) which of the six hundred seventy-seven versions of the trade we've heard about will (have) happen(ed) ... but we gotta do something about the banner that flies high above the Batter's Box masthead.

We need your suggestions ...

Honestly, we've been kicking it around for a couple of days, hoping we might have something ready to go up right away when The Trade inevitably happened later this off-season. Then, you know, reality barged in and the trade was in place (we think) and now we need to figure out what to do with that banner.

Suggestions internally have included leaving Doc up there as a tribute/memorial (frankly, that strikes me as bit maudlin), going with Snider (too young) or Lind (as yet still unprojectable), doing something that doesn't involve a player (stadium, logo), using Vernon (insert your own favorite irony joke here) ... The new Alex Gonzalez? John McDonald? Alex Anthopolous? A Bell/Moseby/Barfield retrospective to mark the 25th (!) anniversary of the almost-great '85 team?

Seriously, who (or what) is now the "face of the franchise"? Sure, I expect some of the responses will be acidic wisecracks, but this is a real question. (And P.S. if you have artistic mojo and want to design said banner, I volunteer to donate fully 100 percent of my annual Box compensation for your efforts.)

Obviously, we can't promise to use all (or even any!) of the ideas posted here, but we certainly want to have a new banner flying before Opening Day '10, if not sooner ... so offer up your best suggestions, please!

Posted by Mick Doherty on Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 12:21 AM EST.

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Geoff - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 12:56 AM EST (#209636) #

Hmmm...Vernon Wells will likely be with the team for awhile, a homegrown product and had his face out there for the team. Wouldn't he make a perfect fit for this? D'oh, he has almost no respect. No dice.

Maybe Carlos Delgado will return. Or you could use Buck Martinez, the new voice of the Jays. Screw it, get Halladay in a Phillies uni.

I hope that was appropriately acidic. Kind of hard to find a face of hope for the future of the franchise when there isn't much hope out there. As in a guy who could be dominant, win an MVP or Cy Young, and lead the charge against the titans. Odds of that guy emerging by spring training 2010 are slim and on a diet.

westcoast dude - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 12:57 AM EST (#209638) #

I nominate Ricky Romero. He has big shoes to fill, so there's no time like the present to get with the program and fill the breach. It's an Impossible Mission, but somebody's got to do it, just like in Spring Training: sixth inning, bases loaded, nobody out; he made everything stand still. Stand tall, Ricky.

scott77 - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 01:12 AM EST (#209639) #

My suggestion would be a collage of a good player from each team over the years; ranging from Bailor in 1977 to Hill last year.

Obviously this team is looking for leadership and as soon as one steps forward, re-discuss the banner.

I'd go:

Bailor, Mayberry, Griffin, Howell, Clancy, Stieb, Upshaw, Barfield, Bell, Alexander, Key, Moseby, McGriff, Gruber, Mookie (I'm sentimental); Carter, Alomar, Molitor, Olerud, Green, Delgado, Clemens, D. Wells, Koch, Cruz, V. Wells, Halladay, Hudson, Catalanotto, Glaus, Thomas, Burnett, Hill...

Or one good player from each era.... I dunno... something to that effect. Jays through the years.

Just a thought.

Mylegacy - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 01:39 AM EST (#209643) #

Three on the left where Roy is now: Romero, Rzepski and Cecil. Three on the right where Hill is: Hill, Lind, Snider.

Those six guys are either our heart going forward - or - well, we just won't be going forward. AND - all six are our guys - born and raised as Baby Jays and now ready to be fully fledged kick butt Blue Jays. Rock on.

92-93 - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 02:02 AM EST (#209644) #

I'd go with Lind taking a healthy hack until a pitcher proves his mettle.

TamRa - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 02:04 AM EST (#209645) #

I'd put Lind over there as of right now.

Though I could indeed see a collage...but not just of one player a year but true Blue jays legends. Stieb, Fernandez, Key, Alomar, Doc, etc.

Denoit - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 07:14 AM EST (#209648) #

I nominate Ricky Romero

I'll second that

rtcaino - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 07:35 AM EST (#209650) #

Lind.

John Northey - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 09:15 AM EST (#209657) #

Hmm... interesting idea, having a collage of greats.

1977-1982 - the last place years - Bailor
1983-1990 - the 'soooo close' years - Bell & Stieb
1991-1993 - the 'woohoo' years - Carter & Alomar
1994-2001 - the Ash years - Delgado
2002-2009 - the JP years - Halladay
2010 and beyond - ??? - Hill (only lock to be here I suspect - now watch him get traded)

Don't know how we'd fit it all up there though.

youngid - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 09:27 AM EST (#209658) #

I'd go with Lind, or leave it blank until someone comes along and forces his way onto the banner. Someone like Michael Taylor. . .mmmmmm, prospects. . .

Mike Green - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 09:41 AM EST (#209659) #

I like the history collage. Bailor, Stieb, Barfield , Alomar, Delgado, Doc, and Hill would be my choices.

Matthew E - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 09:53 AM EST (#209660) #

Mike Wilner.

Flex - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 10:11 AM EST (#209664) #

I like MG's history collage.

John Northey - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 10:52 AM EST (#209669) #

If we cut down to one per 'era' I'd go with Bailor - Stieb - Alomar - Delgado - Halladay - Hill myself. All except for Hill (so far) have been the 'face of the franchise' for a period of time and the first name you'd think of when thinking 'Blue Jays'. The Stieb and Alomar era's had quite a few others (Bell, Barfield, Whitt, Fernandez, Key, Henke, Ward, Winfield, Carter, White, Olerud, McGriff, ...) but I feel those two were the biggest and best of their times especially given Stieb is in the Hall of Merit and Alomar is likely to be in the Cooperstown HOF shortly.

Mike Green - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 10:54 AM EST (#209670) #

Sure. Jesse's there purely because I liked him, but then I also liked Mulliniks and Magpie liked Henke...

christaylor - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 11:06 AM EST (#209672) #

Veron Wells has one distinct benefit - no need to redesign the banner until 2014 (working with the assumption that Hill's club options are picked up).

I'd go with Lind/Romero. The only way for the team to generate new faces of the franchise is to embrace the younger players -- these things flow from the fan base.

History is nice, but I think the "flashback" button has been hit enough in Blue Jay land. According to some comments it has already started to grate on the players; the fan base can't be too far behind.

Ducey - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 11:45 AM EST (#209678) #

It seems that putting someone on the banner is about the same as making giving them the job as drummer in Spinal Tap (except instead of exploding they get traded or their arm blows up)

I nominate Wells, in the hope the curse continues.

You may want to put someone up there more expendable than Hill though.

How about a picture of the Rogers Center with the CN Tower? It may be old news for the Toronto people, but as someone living outside of Ontario, I see it as a unique and strong symbol of the Jays.

TimberLee - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 02:54 PM EST (#209735) #

Change his cap.

binnister - Tuesday, December 15 2009 @ 07:20 PM EST (#209767) #

Vernon Wells.

Like it or not, he's the 'face' of the franchise for now...

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