Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

As we explore answers for all major league teams, who is "Mr. Blue Jay"? (And tell us why!)

Robbie Alomar 19 (5.88%)
Joe Carter 48 (14.86%)
Carlos Delgado 23 (7.12%)
Tony Fernandez 73 (22.60%)
Cito Gaston 30 (9.29%)
Pat Gillick 8 (2.48%)
Roy Halladay 72 (22.29%)
Tom Henke 2 (0.62%)
Dave Stieb 42 (13.00%)
Other - Who? 6 (1.86%)
As we explore answers for all major league teams, who is "Mr. Blue Jay"? (And tell us why!) | 20 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
John Northey - Tuesday, November 25 2008 @ 07:28 PM EST (#194383) #
Stieb was the face of the Jays for years so a case could be made there.  Alomar, Carter, Henke, Delgado, and even Tony Fernandez had good years elsewhere (as much as I wish Tony was only a Jay).  Gillick?  Nah, he left just as the strike hit.  Halladay?  Too soon. 

Cito is my choice.  He was here from the early 80's as a hitting coach, to the face of the team during its peak, to being attacked while dealing with the ugly part of the 90's, to hitting coach again, to manager again.  He lives in Toronto year round, loves it here, belongs here.  Cito is the face of the Jays and imo will always be.

CeeBee - Tuesday, November 25 2008 @ 07:42 PM EST (#194384) #
Gotta be Cito for all of the reasons John posted.
Hal - Tuesday, November 25 2008 @ 08:16 PM EST (#194389) #
Other: Tom Cheek
Matthew E - Tuesday, November 25 2008 @ 10:35 PM EST (#194393) #
Other: Ernie Whitt.
TamRa - Wednesday, November 26 2008 @ 12:42 AM EST (#194397) #
I went with Tony Fernandez. He was here for the first string of success and we was back for a ring. He was never as important to anyone else as he was to the jays.


Mylegacy - Wednesday, November 26 2008 @ 02:04 AM EST (#194398) #
I voted for Alomar - BUT I felt like a traitor. I love all those guys and am happy to pick them all in a tie.

The reason for Alomar was his homer off the Eckster. When he hit it; Eck knew, Robbie knew, I knew and millions of Jays fans KNEW - we could really, honestly, for sure, WIN. The look on his face as he rounded the bases was amazing. His look said we can do this - yes we can. Like when Obama won.

It was a transformational moment between being "good" and knowing you could be a "champion."

John Northey - Wednesday, November 26 2008 @ 08:15 AM EST (#194401) #
Yeah, that Alomar HR was the moment we all knew the Jays were finally going all the way. Up until then the frustration of 85/87/89/91 told us they were going to come up short but hitting a homer off Eck was it.
jerjapan - Wednesday, November 26 2008 @ 10:52 AM EST (#194402) #
For me, growing up as a kid in the 80s means watching Dave Stieb pitch.  The back-to-back one hitters should have a greater place in baseball mythology than they currently do - which is the story of Stieb's career really.  His true dominance throughout the 80s flew under the radar somewhat, and he was the foundation of our emergence as a contending team.  Too bad all those innings pitched caught up with him just before we won the back to back titles.

And that comeback in 98, against the odds, is the icing on the cake. 

electric carrot - Wednesday, November 26 2008 @ 08:56 PM EST (#194416) #
I really do honestly believe that there is only one correct answer to this question and it is Garth Iorg. Alomar was an import/export. Carter was an import. Delgado I think is the next best choice but now that he's a Met. I love Fernandez but he was an export/import/export/import. Gaston? I don't think so. Gillick, no way. Halladay, yes in a few years. Stieb, the guy was too much of jerk to be Mr. Blue Jay. Iorg, on the other hand, was really a pretty bad player, but he was the underdog guy you could pull for, he was a blue jay his whole career, and you just knew there was no way he was getting a hit as the last batsman of the disastrous finish of 1987. Let's face it, the blue jays are if nothing else (but for a blip in 92/93) going to be underdogs playing America's game in Canada (and in the AL East against 2 of its most storied franchises.) I say mr. blue jay should personify that and should at minimum have played his whole career in Toronto. And so because of his grit, determination, small stature and questionable set of natural born baseball skills, I say it's Garth Iorg.
rikley - Thursday, November 27 2008 @ 01:08 AM EST (#194420) #

Who was the last person to touch the baseball to clinch the 92' World series? And, this same man was obviously the last man to TOUCH the ball to clinch the 93' World Series!

That to me mean justifies the coronating of Joe Carter as Mr. Blue Jay!

Jevant - Thursday, November 27 2008 @ 01:14 PM EST (#194428) #
As has been pointed out, there was one person involved in the two greatest moments in Jays history, one of which happens to be one of the greatest moments in MLB history.

I'm pretty sure that Carter will always be remembered as a Jay, first, foremost and always, and until someone else can capture the franchise the way he did there, I think it's gotta be him.

If not for him, I'd have to say it would probably be Fernandez.  If he stays for his entire career and wins a WS at some point, Halladay might be able to be in the discussion too.

But Carter captured not only Jays fans but the entire MLB's attention in both 1992, and especially 1993.

jerjapan - Thursday, November 27 2008 @ 04:59 PM EST (#194431) #
lots of great arguments for lots of great Jays here ... but none are better than this argument:

And so because of his grit, determination, small stature and questionable set of natural born baseball skills, I say it's Garth Iorg.

Love it!

Denoit - Thursday, November 27 2008 @ 06:52 PM EST (#194432) #

I voted for Alomar because he is the best player to ever wear a Jays uniform.

Carter would have to be my second vote just because his homerun was something Ill always remember.

SheldonL - Thursday, November 27 2008 @ 11:42 PM EST (#194433) #
I think if you go to the average Torontonian, and ask them to name a Blue Jay, they'll answer Carlos Delgado.
If you tell them that he's not a Jay, they'll be taken aback... I think Delgado won not only baseball fans over with his awesome personality but also non-baseball fans with his winning smile.

I really hope that we bring him back for one year as a homecoming retirement package. Hell, maybe if he hits really well this season, we can repatriate him for the 2010 season for something more than a bench player!
I know it won't be the soundest baseball move but as a fan, I think it'll be great! (Hopefully, not as great as the Hentgen repatriation :p)

PS: I really think its a shame that people(like the average Torontonian) don't know who Roy Halladay is... because he's really more deserving than anybody to be Mr. Blue Jay!

VBF - Friday, November 28 2008 @ 01:36 AM EST (#194434) #
I think the average Torontonian does know Roy Halladay.

Anyways, I don't think Halladay wins it if he retired today, but given the real possibility that he finishes his career with the Blue Jays, I would think he'd probably get it then. The best Blue Jay ever who played for the team longer than two seasons has to unquestionably be Alomar, but I don't think he gets the honour. I think that should be reserved for Tony Fernandez given a combination of the time he spent here, his success, and his overall dedication to the team and relationship with the fans.
rtcaino - Friday, November 28 2008 @ 07:13 AM EST (#194435) #
This list really demonstrates how many quality individuals have been involved with this organization. You can't ask for better people than Tony F, Cito, Halladay and Tom Cheek.
Paul D - Friday, November 28 2008 @ 12:18 PM EST (#194440) #

 

I don't mean to be annoying, but Roger Clemens is the best player to ever wear a Blue Jays uniform, not Alomra.

zeppelinkm - Friday, November 28 2008 @ 12:54 PM EST (#194441) #

I don't mean to be annoying either, but he did specify "the best player to play for more then 2 seasons" which would seem to acknowledge that yes, Clemans is the best ever to wear the uniform, but Alomar the best to do so for more then 2 seasons.  A little quick on the trigger...

 

 

Shrike - Saturday, November 29 2008 @ 01:37 AM EST (#194448) #
I didn't have much difficulty in voting for Dave Stieb, who in my mind is a Hall of Famer (I am aware he was voted into the Hall of Merit), with the caveat that Doc might deserve the title in a few years.
Glevin - Monday, December 01 2008 @ 11:27 AM EST (#194473) #
Again, because Alomar was here during such a high point for the Jays, people seem to think he was here for longer than he was. However, Alomar was only a Jay for five years. Delgado was a Jay for 11 seasons. Delgado has 133 HRs more than any other Jay, 318 more RBI, 121 more runs, 219 more XBH, 52 more 2Bs, is second in OBP, 1st in SLG, and 1st in OPS. In other words, Delgado has been EASILY the best Blue Jays hitter ever. Alomar is nowhere near the top all-time of most of the important catagories. And while he will be the first HOFer to go in as a Jay, he has not been the best Jay by a long shot. Combine that with the major differences in the two players personalities, I cannot seen a decent argument for Alomar being Mr. Blue Jay.
As we explore answers for all major league teams, who is "Mr. Blue Jay"? (And tell us why!) | 20 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.