Jays host fans at Rogers Centre
01/11/2006TORONTO -- Opening Day is still months away, but the Blue Jays' clubhouse has been a hive of activity the past two nights. Almost 1,000 fans lined up for an inside look at the Jays' nest and a chance to meet pitcher Josh Towers, former manager Cito Gaston, Hall of Fame legend Ferguson Jenkins and former New York Mets infielder Kevin Elster.
The two-night event, held exclusively for Blue Jays Flex Pack holders, showed just how eager everyone is to get the 2006 campaign started after a busy and productive offseason.
Towers signed a two-year, $5.2 million deal in November, just before the real spending spree began. General manager J.P. Ricciardi followed that deal by signing free agent pitchers B.J. Ryan and A.J. Burnett, then trading for first baseman Lyle Overbay and slugging third baseman Troy Glaus in a pre-Christmas bonanza.
"So far it's been my best offseason," said Towers between signing autographs. "The new teammates are pretty exciting. We've got some big boys who can really play the game. We're only getting better."
Gaston, who managed Toronto to back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, expects big things from the 2006 squad.
"The fans are going to be really surprised," said Gaston. "I think they're going to have a great year this year. It should be a lot of fun for the fans and the players, too.
"We've always had great fans here, and I'd certainly like to see them come back and fill this place like it used to be. That would be great."
Longtime fan Patrick O'Neill already has his tickets, and expects the Blue Jays to battle Boston and New York for the American League East crown.
"They'll have a good team this year," said O'Neill. "They've got good relief pitching and starting pitching now, and they've got some bats."
A fan since the team's inception in 1977, O'Neill got Gaston to sign a picture of the 1992 World Series team and called visiting the clubhouse and meeting the players a "fantastic experience."
"They're so personable," he raved. "We had a chance to talk to them for a few minutes, and they took the time to listen to our questions."
After making the 50-mile trip south from Barrie, a beaming, 13-year old Jamie Hutchins could hardly believe his eyes as he looked around at the empty lockers.
"I'm in the locker room. It's awesome," said Hutchins. "I just got a picture under Vernon Wells' locker with my dad. It's great. I can just picture the baseball players coming in here, hanging up their stuff and saying, 'Let's get ready to play, boys. Let's get pumped!' "
Hutchins said that he's happy with the additions of Glaus and Overbay, but sad to see Canadian Corey Koskie traded to Milwaukee. Still, he was philosophical.
"Good things come for old things to go," he said.
Jenkins, who had six straight 20-win seasons with the Chicago Cubs, is the only Canadian-born player in the Hall of Fame. He also pointed to the Glaus deal as a key to Toronto's hopes in 2006.
"If he can duplicate the year he had last year and stay healthy, I think the ballclub will have a good season," said Jenkins.
Of course, as a former hurler, Jenkins knows that Burnett and Ryan will have to play their part if the Jays hope to contend.
"Pitching is the No. 1 thing that people need," he said. "This is a good organization, so with the opportunity to pitch here, in a dome, I think they'll do well."
Elster, whose brother Patrick is the Blue Jays' vice president of ticket sales, was on hand to promote an Interleague series with the Mets from June 23-25. The Jays draw as many as 20 percent of their fans from New York State, including a mix of Yankees and Mets supporters.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home