Massive Trade Jays/ Marlins.....Reyes TO bound...Josh Johnson could be
included....Mammoth 12 player deal being worked out between Blue Jays and
Marlins......
I was stunned. My
head was spinning. A quick phone call to
a friend to confirm that yes....this was really happening. Texts from others asking my opinion. For the record I think my opinion at the time
was “HOLY F&CK!!!” followed absolute bewilderment and confusion. In the end the Jays received Jose Reyes, Josh
Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonafacio and John Buck (who would be gone in a
month). This was followed the next week
by the free agent signing of Melky Cabrera.
Then another big move no one saw coming - the trade for, and extension
of, R.A, Dickey one month later.....he just happens to be the reigning Cy Young
award winner. An unbelievable turn of
events....because......
2102 was a shitty, horrible, gut punching, craptacular year
to be a Jays fan:
·
The regression ....I will always love you Travis!
·
The comedy of pitching injuries. Just an unbelievable week in June when three
starters went down in a week
·
The rest of the line-up getting taken out by a
sniper. Bautista, Arencibia, Lawrie.....
·
Omar Vizquel.....the cheerleader who wasn’t very
cheery
·
The pathetic, homophobic, immature Yunel Escobar
·
The Manager who shall not be named jumping
ship. Thanks a lot skip!
Earlier I said it was a bit bewildering and confusing as the
Marlins trade went down. This is because
the emotion I was feeling was so distant and almost foreign to me. It had been over twenty years since I felt
this way about the Jays. It wasn’t a
feeling of hope. Every team and their fans
have hope in the off season and hope on Opening Day. No, this was different. This was not just a feeling of hope. Alex Anthopolous* with one major move had
given Jays fans not only hope....but confidence. Confidence that the Jays
ownership were willing to do what it takes to put a winner on the field. Confidence that the team was being
transformed into a contender. Confidence that 2013 would be different.
This is what confidence looks like
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/team/depth_chart/index.jsp?c_id=tor
It has been a long time since I felt this confidence......
My earliest real recollection of the Jays was actually
attending q game in person, likely in 1983 with my Dad and Uncle Gord. Pretty sure it was against the White Sox and
that it was raining. Sat on the cold wet
bleachers up the first base line at the old Ex.
I was lucky and about to start an incredible ride. 1983 was the first year that the Jays had a
really good team.
I remember 1985 and where I was when George Bell caught the
final out and fell to his knees giving the Jays their first division
title.
I remember 1987, waking up every morning during that last
week, and hearing that the Jays had lost again....I didn’t understand why it
was happening.
I remember being at Game 3 of the ALCS in 1989 when the Dome
was the loudest place on earth. They won
that game.....it was the only game they won that series.
I remember the Jays losing another ALCS in 1991 against
Minnesota and wondering whether they would ever get over the hump.
I remember the excitement and being in Saskatoon
Saskatchewan in 1992 when the Jays traded for David Cone.
I remember Alomar hitting THE Home Run of the Eck and I also
remember being pretty sick and being in bed when Ed Sprague hit his home run that
turned around the World Series. They
won!
I remember being at a rugby club in 1993 as the designated
driver and watching Carter round the bases.
I don’t remember much after that except racing to the van, piling in as many
as we could and racing into Toronto to join the party.
Then 1994.......lost season....and then the strike and then
nothing.....
It has been 20 seasons s since the last Jays team that not
only brought hope, but that brought confidence......20 long fucking years.
I’m ready.
*hereafter referred to as AA because there is no way I am
typing “Anthopolous a thousand times on this blog
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