In honour of Sportsnet Magazine’s The Big Book of Sports Lists, we look back at the 10 greatest Toronto Blue Jays of all-time.
Give us your feedback at the bottom on the list below, which is in no particular order (to be ranked later).
George Bell: The first true big-name Blue Jay. From his spot in left field, Bell anchored a star-studded outfield of the ’80s that included Jessie Barfield and Lloyd Moseby, leading the franchise to its first ever post-season. Bell was no slouch when it came to individual success either, taking home the 1987 American League MVP—the first and only Blue Jay to win the award.
Roberto Alomar: The only player inducted into the Hall of Fame wearing a Blue Jays cap and a critical member of both World Series-championship teams, Alomar was the most complete player to ever suit up for the franchise. But his appeal went well beyond his slick glove, incredible speed and ability to hit for both power and average. Robbie was more than a baseball player; he was an icon, at the centre of countless clutch moments and definitely the only Jay popular enough to etch the phrase “Catch the Taste” into our national consciousness. Robbie is, simply, the greatest Blue Jay ever.
Jose Bautista: A relative unknown plucked from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, this diamond-in-the rough smashed the Blue Jays record for home runs in a single season with 54 during his breakout 2010 campaign. In just three short years, “Joey Bats” has already cemented himself as one of the most popular Jays of all-time: the first to appear in at least four straight All-Star games since Robbie Alomar, and the only one to lead the majors in all-star votes, a feat he accomplished in 2011.
Tony Fernandez: Drop in on a late ‘80s little-league game and you were bound to hear his name ringing through diamonds across Canada as kids did their best Tony impressions. Yelling “Fernandez!” after a sweet snag was as much a celebration of a strong play with the glove as it was a sign of respect for one of the most beloved Jays of his time. For a generation of young ballplayers, Fernandez made defence cool. And that’s no small feat.
Roy Halladay: A tireless workhorse, Halladay finished in the top five in Cy Young voting five times in eight seasons after becoming a full-time starter in 2002. Despite that consistency, the club never made the playoffs in his tenure, and in 2010 the Jays gave their ace a chance to chase a title by trading him to the Philadelphia Phillies. But long after his Cooperstown-worthy career draws to a close, “Doc” will always be known as a Blue Jay.
Carlos Delgado: His sweet stroke and 1,000-watt smile were shining lights during some pretty dark years in Toronto. Delgado is remembered simply as the greatest slugger in franchise history — he retired as the Jays’ all-time leader in a whopping 16 hitting categories. His record 336 career home runs top Vernon Wells’ second-place mark by more than 100.
Pat Hentgen: In 1996, Hentgen became the first Blue Jays pitcher to win the Cy Young Award. But the no-nonsense right-hander had proven his worth to fans long before that, first as a key member of the bullpen en route to the ’92 World Series title, and again as a 19-game winner and anchor of the Jays’ staff when they repeated as champs in ’93.
Roger Clemens: Sure, Clemens only spent two seasons in Toronto and the Blue Jays never finished higher than third in their division while he was in town, but the Jays shook the baseball world when they lured “The Rocket” away from the Red Sox. He then led the league in wins, innings and strikeouts for two years and took home the Cy Young Award in back-to-back seasons to revitalize his career. All while wearing a Blue Jays uniform.
Joe Carter: He touched ’em all, and, no, he never hit a bigger home run in his life. Carter was the heart and soul, and remains the enduring face of the Blue Jays’ glory years. He may have already been a star when he came to Toronto by way of Cleveland and San Diego, but two World Series rings and one pretty memorable home run later, Carter secured his legacy as a Blue Jay for life.
Dave Stieb: Perhaps best known for the unthinkable feat of having two complete-game no-hitters broken up with two out and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth, it always seemed that only Canadian fans appreciated just how good Stieb was during his 14 seasons as a Blue Jay. Case in point: advanced stats weren’t popular in Stieb’s day, but the crafty right hander posted the highest “Wins Above Replacement” of any pitcher during the ’80s with 45.2—ten more than second-place.
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