Recently-retired infielder John McDonald looks back fondly on his time with the Toronto Blue Jays
Appearing on Sportsnet 590 The Fan Thursday morning, the longtime Blue Jays shortstop explained his tight bond with the city of Toronto and its fans.
“You play to give the fans something,” McDonald told host Jeff Sammut on the Jeff Blair Show. “Not to give you something.
Listen: John McDonald on the Jeff Blair Show
“I really wanted to win a championship in Toronto. I know we fell short there. Having the [overwhelming] support of Blue Jays’ fans — that’s not what you should ever expect.”
McDonald, who officially retired Wednesday, played seven seasons in Toronto in which he became one of the most popular players on the club. Despite posting mostly pedestrian offensive numbers, McDonald developed into a fan favourite because of his blue-collar attitude, Gold Glove-level defence and role in the community.
“We did so much in Toronto as a family,” he explained. “Getting to see the sites and enjoy different parts of [the city]. It was a growing experience for me and my family. You would always see me strolling outside the Rogers Centre with my kids.”
He fit the mold of hard-working players such as Jerome Williams (Raptors), and Tie Domi (Maple Leafs) that many Toronto fans gravitate towards.
McDonald, now 40, said some of his colleagues around the majors struggled to comprehend why the veteran infielder was so well-regarded as a utility player in Toronto.
“There were so many fun things that happened over seven years that (a player) can’t come in from L.A. or something for a couple of days and understand,” he explained.
“When we came back (to Toronto), seeing people at dinners, the hotels, the ballpark, the front office, people who work at the stadium, it felt like I never left.”
Now that he’s finished playing baseball, McDonald could consider broadcasting or joining an MLB organization but nothing is concrete at this point. Conversely, he did add that he’s already held some brief discussions with the Blue Jays.
“I talked to Alex (Anthopoulos) and (vice president of communications) Jay Stenhouse. I have a lot of friends inside the building. I haven’t gotten any offers or anything like that. It’s just dialogue.”
