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%) |
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.
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."
And that comeback in 98, against the odds, is the icing on the cake.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
I don't mean to be annoying, but Roger Clemens is the best player to ever wear a Blue Jays uniform, not Alomra.
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...