Save the Jays
As the Blue Jays fell19-1to the Houston Astros on Sunday, the latest in a stream of recent blow-out losses, it seemed clear that the magic that has gripped this city for two years, the communal joy of watching world-class baseball, was starting to dissipate.
At the first pitch, the Rogers Centre was full; by the last out, it was nearly empty.
After back-to-back appearances in American League Championship Series, the Jays head into the All-Star break with the worst record in their division. And despite the rote clubhouse assurances, it’s hard to imagine a road back to the post-season from here.
There have been bright spots. Justin Smoak, the taciturn firstbaseman who last year was brought off the bench occasionally to strike out, is deservedly heading to his first All-Star game. He has been an unexpected gift. The young closer, Roberto Osuna, remains a force. He, too, will appear at the Midsummer Classic.
But the Jays’ record is largely as predicted. Older than most, slower and frailer than most, more butter-fingered than most — this team was not built to win.
This raises a crucial question for the team’s owners, Rogers Communications, and the Jays’ front office as they approach the endof-month trade deadline. Are they willing to make the necessary investments to ensure Toronto doesn’t suffer through a protracted drought? For now, the incentives for doing so may not be obvious. Fans continue to flock to the games. Management may feel they can maintain interest without winning.
But as we saw during the 25 years of largely abysmal ball that followed the back-to-back World Series triumphs of the early ’90s, baseball attendance in Toronto is tied to performance in a way that hockey attendance is not. For more than a decade, Jays games were among the league’s least attended.
It was Josh Donaldson and David Price who brought the fans back. It was Jose Bautista’s beautiful bat-flip and Edwin Encarnacion’s Wild Card-ending dinger. It was the sense that the whole city was in it together.
If they build it, we will come.
For more than a decade, Jays games were among the league’s least attended