After it was announced that Dan Shulman will be joining the Toronto Blue Jays broadcast team, the award-winning broadcaster had a busy day as a guest on Sportsnet 590 The Fan joining Dean Blundell & Co. Thursday morning and Prime Time Sports later that evening.
The Toronto native was on air with Prime Time Sports stand-in host Jeff Blair when the announcement was made that Blue Jays’ Josh Donaldson had won the American League MVP award, a result Shulman predicted earlier in the show.
“I think Donaldson wins it in a close one,” said Shulman moments before the announcement.
“If I said to you guys, ‘pick a player to start a team,’ you guys are going to pick (Mike) Trout, before you pick Donaldson. But, who was the most valuable player to his team this year? I think it was Josh Donaldson.”
LISTEN: Dan Shulman on Prime Time Sports
Donaldson was, in fact, named the A.L. MVP, receiving 23 of the 30 votes.
Given the third baseman’s contributions to the Jays on both offensively and defensively, Blair suggested to his guest that Donaldson might be the best all-around player in Toronto since Roberto Alomar.
“Yeah, if you put ‘all around’ in there,” said Shulman. “If you talk about five-tool players, to me, the sixth tool are the tangibles, the grit and the toughness.
“He hit for a good average, he’s got great power, he’s far above average defensively, and he’s a good base runner. So yeah, I think it’s true.”
Shulman, who will call a minimum of 30 Jays’ games in each of the next two years, questioned whether now is the time to lock up the 29-year-old Donaldson long term.
Donaldson is arbitration-eligible and will be in line for a hefty raise whether he comes to terms with Toronto, or proceeds through the arbitration process. The Blue Jays might choose not to sign its MVP to a long-term deal as it has club control through the 2018 season.
“I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but isn’t now the time for the five-year, $110-million deal,” the veteran broadcaster said. “Like, take it off the table and just get that done.
“I think every Blue Jays fan would say, ‘sign me up’ if the Blue Jays could lock him up to a long-term deal right now.”
