Those cut from the original longer list of candidates, in no particular order, were Fred McGriff, Vernon Wells (maybe before all the hubbub this year), Lloyd Moseby, Ernie Whitt, Jesse Barfield, Willie Upshaw, Devon White, Shawn Green, Duane Ward, Pat Hentgen, Jim Clancy, Jimmy Key and Paul Quantrill. 
 
IMNSHO, Roger Clemens, Jack Morris and Paul Molitor were not in TO long enough to warrant consideration.
 
The final changes to the poll, on the advice of other Batter's Box  "Roster" members, were Olerud for McGriff and Bell for Barfield. To me, Barfield was the toughest cut.

I think Carlos has to be the pick, unless it's Stieb, but, man, did I ever want to vote for Tony Fernandez...

I'm right with you there. I voted for Stieb but my heart was with Tony.

From 1980 to 1990 Stieb started at least 31 games a year, aside from 81 when he had 25 starts and still pitched 183 innings.  From 82 to 85 he pitched at least 265 innings a year, winning 64 games with an era that never went above 3.25 and a WHIP that topped out at 1.2.  He's the all-time leader in wins, innings, strikeouts, opponents batting average and crazy missed no-hitters.   Remember the near perfect game against the Yanks, broken up by Roberto Kelly with 2 outs in the 9th?  I've never seen a better curveball in baseball than the one he used that inning to strike out Ken Phelps.  And what about that comeback after five years away from the game?  I love Fernandez, but it's gotta be Stieb.

On a side note, did all those innings pitched lead to his flaming out in 1991 while at the top of his game?  He pitched 242 major league innings in his THIRD season of pro ball. 

I'm surprised Alomar is getting that much support...he was only around for 5 admittedly great years. I guess he's the best representative of the championship years though.

I voted Delgado (post WS) over Stieb (pre-WS), in pretty much a straight tossup.  I'm sure that a similar poll question has been asked before, but I haven't been able to find the results. Does anyone recall who Da' Box thought was best in years past?

Imagine what Stieb's career stats would have been like had he pitched for a half decent team in the early 80's.

Steib would certainly have a couple of 20 win seasons under his belt and possibly a Cy Young if he'd been on a good team.  And just imagine how good our two world series teams would've been if he hadn't had his career damaged by injuries.

Speaking strictly as an outsider here, I expected Fernandez and Halladay to do much better than they have so far; not suggesting either one should win or come close, but it's odd to see them each languishing in single digits.

Imagine what Stieb's career stats would have been like had he pitched for a half decent team in the early 80's.

I voted for Delgado, but it's possible that no one has looked at Stieb's Blue Jays career in deeper detail than my not-so-humble self (go here for the exhaustive, and exhausting, details. Be prepared to set aside some time- this is the very first full-length Magpie Epic!).

Actually, the most remarkable, head-scratcher of a season was actually 1985. Stieb led the league with a 2.48 ERA, and his team won 99 games.  He received almost league average run support (160 runs in 35 starts).

Somehow - and it still seems incredible - he went 14-13.

A look at the grisly details reveales that seven times he turned a lead over to the bullpen, which couldn't hold it. If his luck had been just average, he would have gone 18-9; if his luck had actually been good, he could won won 21 or 22 games.

His 11-10 record during the strike year of 1981 is also worthy of notice. That was one awful, awful team. They scored a grand total of 68 runs in Stieb's 25 starts - yup, less than 3 runs per game. When the Jays were able to give him just two runs or more - he went 11-3. When they scored 0 or 1 run, he went 0-7.

I voted Tony. No question heart over head.

Stieb. No question.

By the way, Magpie, when is the next time you'll do something like that Stieb article? Last thing I remember that was as long as that was the two-piece on Home Field Advantage. But I like articles on players better.

Halladay does have the potential to later on be widely considered the greatest Blue Jay but it is still early on in his life as a Jay and as far as I am concerned he isn't nearly done with the best part of his career.

I voted Carter just because of the legacy he has and the fact that he was an all around great player during his years with the Blue Jays and not just in the World Series. But he did step up when it counted most for the whole franchise. He was involved in the last plays of both the World Series' for god sakes. Maybe if I was older my vote would be different.