We'll Never Be Royals but we'll Always Be Blue Jays

After a season filled with winning streaks, heart-pumping trades and magic numbers, the Toronto Blue Jays finished strong with a ticket to the playoffs as American League East Division Champions. It was a short month ago that Toronto saw their beloved baseball team advance past the regular season for the first time since winning the World Series in 1993. The country was charged up and fans were hopeful for a continuation of what had been an extraordinary season.

The Blue Jays’ run in the post-season wasn’t as smooth, but it kept Canadians on the edge of their seats during work and school days, Thanksgiving, and the federal election. Baseball never took a back seat in this city, despite many close losses and early-series losing streaks.

After trailing in the first two games at home and winning the next two in Arlington, Texas, one wondered if the “home field advantage” was true to its name. But once Game Five hit town and the crowd roared over the commentators, it was scientifically (almost) proven that the fans in the Rogers Centre contributed to the game in one way or another. Whether it was the cheers that grew louder after every strikeout or the yells and bottle-throwing that came after a controversial Texas scoring play, the fans let the world know that they were just as much a part of the game as the players themselves. Their energy fueled José Bautista’s legendary homerun, which allowed the Jays to win 6-3 and advance to the American League Championship Series against the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City was a town of déjà vu, but after two losses and a heartbreaking dropped ball in the Jays’ outfield, Toronto came back strong on the home stage, much to the delight of another, yet significantly more peaceful, rowdy crowd. The Blue Jays entered Game Four with high hopes and excited fans, but after a collective 11 pitchers, 22 hits, and 16 runs, the game saw itself a 14-2 score, pro-Kansas City. The Jays ended up with Cliff Pennington, a usual infielder, on the pitcher’s mound in the 9th inning, becoming the first position player to pitch in a post-season game. This was probably the Blue Jays’ biggest accomplishment all night.

This loss put the Blue Jays on the brink of elimination with every upcoming game. Still, they managed a fantastic Game Five thanks to Marco Estrada, who pitched the Jays to a 7-1 win and secured the team a trip to Kansas City to try and finish it off. David Price, the Blue Jays’ ace pitcher, started Game Six and finished six innings with eight strikeouts and two allowed runs. Toronto responded with Bautista homers in the 4th and the 8th to tie it up, 3-3. This brought on thunder and rain (literally) in Kansas City, and the game was delayed for roughly 45 minutes. In the bottom of the 8th the Royals scored a run and took the lead, but the Jays fought back with three stolen bases and found themselves in the perfect position: two men on second and third and no outs. Fans all over the country held their breath as the next two batters stepped up to the plate, but struck out. All-Star Josh Donaldson went up next with hopes of saving the day, but after a couple of balls and a strike, he hit the ball right to the third baseman, resulting in the third and final out for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Since then, Kansas City has gone on to play against the New York Mets and take the World Series title. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who has been credited for the outstanding season due to his feisty trades which obtained Ben Revere, Troy Tulowitzki, and David Price, has decided to leave the Blue Jays, which has left many in the city heartbroken and worried. But after a period of mourning, Toronto stood back up and looked back on the whole season, realizing how grateful they are for all that the Jays had done for them and for the city as a whole. A good portion of people still walk around in baseball caps and jerseys, and Mayor John Tory had even named October 27th “Blue Jays Appreciation Day.” But Toronto didn’t need a single day to celebrate the Blue Jays; it had been doing that since April. After witnessing such a thrilling season and post-season, some fans will surely go through an intense period of withdrawal, though others will enjoy a break from nail-biting games and heart-stopping plays. All that there is to do now is look forward to many hopeful seasons ahead and look back on the 2015 team that captured the hearts of many Torontonians and made the city #ComeTogether.

Photo credit: http://www.toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/

#PastYears