But what always made me sit up and take notice was, usually a half hour before the game, when the Jays took defensive practice. Ground balls around the infield, a lot of throws zipping from base to base. We also got to watch the outfielders throw to second, third and home, a good way to see just how good the arms were. Many of us were lucky enough to watch Jesse Barfield go about his business. Arguably the strongest and most accurate arm of his era, one had to marvel at the gun that he possessed.
But we’re not here to talk about the good old days, folks.
If you are around this game long enough, things tend to resurface.
Witness on Thursday afternoon, when I arrived at the Rogers Centre to find the Blue Jays, basically the entire roster, taking infield/outfield practice. Now that is something not seen in these parts since the early late 1980s.
I remember because back in the day, when I paid to go to games on a regular basis, I would always arrive at the park when the gates opened to go in and watch batting practice. It was a great chance to get down close to the field, hopefully score an autograph or two, and maybe get a shot at grabbing an errant ball.
With Alex Anthopoulos’ massive overhaul of the withering scouting department that he inherited, a clear plan is now in place to develop enough Major League talent – and control them for the maximum amount of time – to create an evolving core from year to year and stay highly competitive over many seasons, much like the Twins model has produced.
That’s what I took away from Thursday’s pre-game workout. This franchise is serious about putting a sustainable winner on the field. Clearly that’s what it’s going to take to bring back the fans. The second and third games on the 2010 home schedule have produced the two smallest crowds in the history of SkyDome/Rogers Centre with the team sitting in first place. I realize that last season’s collapse after 41 games turned a lot of you off and I can’t blame you.
Just know that many better days lay ahead.
No, what impressed me most about watching the Jays take defence, under the tutelage of the tireless Brian Butterfield, was that it sure seemed to me that the country club days of the Godfrey/Ricciardi era are now over. Over the last few years – and quite frankly they all started to blend together so I can’t give y’all an exact number – I would walk into the broadcast booth on the 400 level and look down onto a field with any number of children getting pitched to by their fathers. I’ve been around the ballpark in some capacity since 1977 and I always thought that the time before regular b.p. was for early b.p. when players needing to work on something got in their extra hacks. Apparently that was not so important with the team spinning its’ wheels over the past eight seasons.
Thankfully, the attention to detail that now envelopes this team should get even you fringe fans excited about what could be coming over the next few seasons. The Blue Jays have gone back to adopting a franchise philosophy that will be followed from the lowest rung in the minors all the way up to Toronto. It’s the same plan that has kept the Twins in the playoff hunt in five of the past eight years. Players are brought through the minors taught to play a certain way, and rarely arrive before they are "Major League Ready." That way they don’t waste a lot of time in utility roles hoping for their chance. It’s why Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau have been productive, full-time players for over five years. They were taught to play the 2010 World Cup Jerseys game right and the learning curve at the game’s top level wasn’t very steep.
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