Toronto Blue Jays

TORONTO BLUE JAYS

Although they reside in our northern neighbor of Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays have proudly represented the American League since their creation as an expansion team in 1977.  Always housed in Toronto and known as the Blue Jays, the club became the fastest expansion team to win a World Series in 1992 in just their 16^th year of existence.  While competitiveness remains a challenge residing in the challenging AL East (also home to the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox), the Blue Jays are a team that always puts on a good show and have had their moment in Major League Baseball.

With the improvements made on Exhibition Stadium, it was clear that Toronto was pushing for an MLB baseball team in the late 70s.  Unfortunately, a failed attempt to recruit the San Francisco Giants delayed the arrival of such a team.  Nevertheless, in 1977 the Toronto Blue Jays were finally created! 

The challenges of Canadian baseball were made clear in the franchise’s first game, where a pre-game snowstorm graciously welcomed the sport into the northern nation!  But as summer persisted the games would be welcomed with warm sunshine throughout that first summer.  However, the early seasons were disappointing for the Blue Jays, who would consistently finish in last place.  But as the decade waned signs of improvement began to show, led by great players like Alfredo Griffin, John Mayberry, and Jim Clancy.  In 1982, the Blue Jays became competitive under manager Bobby Cox.  A great nucleus of players began to form, including Dave Stieb, Lloyd Moseby, and Willie Upshaw.  In 1983 Toronto had their first winning season!

As the 80s continued the Blue Jays began to contend.  Great players like Tony Fernandez and Jesse Barfield would be key to their success.  They won the AL East in 1985, but fell to the Kansas City Royals in the ALCS.  Throughout the rest of the decade more success came, but it wouldn’t be until the 1990s when the ultimate glory came to Toronto!

With a brilliant new stadium coined the SkyDome (now the Rogers Centre), the Blue Jays continued their winning ways.  In 1992, a World Series championship became feasible.  Led by wonderful players like Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Juan Guzman, and Jack Morris, the team won 96 games and looked poised for greatness! In the playoffs the team beat the Oakland Athletics and then the Atlanta Braves in the World Series, earning their first title and winning the first World Series for a non-American baseball club. 

Incredibly, the Blue Jays would repeat the feat in 1993, aided by incoming players like Paul Molitor and Dave Stewart.  This time they would defeat the Chicago White Sox and the Philadelphia Phillies in the playoffs, bringing back-to-back World Series titles to Canada!

Since then though the club has struggled, and there hasn’t been a playoff appearance since.  Some great players have passed through their team, including Roy Halladay and Frank Thomas, but the team has yet to win any major accolades since those glory days of the early 90s.  However, the Toronto Blue Jays are often a decent team and will surely one day return to the heights of the playoffs and the World Series!