Encarnacion ‘really excited’ about return to Toronto
• Speaking in the foreign land of the visitors’ dugout at the Rogers Centre on Monday, former Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion talked about moving on with the American League champion Cleveland Indians, but also about the weeks where he was wishing it didn’t happen.
“It took some time, a few weeks, to understand what happened,” Encarnacion said when asked about the disappointment of last offseason when the Jays essentially walked away after their initial offer for four years, US$ 80- million was rejected by the Encarnacion camp.
“It was difficult because I was hopeful that the situation would have been different. But I took the necessary steps to secure my future and things got easier.
“This is a business. ( The Jays) did what they needed to do and then I did my part and went to the door ( that) was open to me.”
There was plenty of blame to go around, really, with the end result being Encarnacion not returning to the team where he hit a minimum of 30 home runs for each of the past five seasons and formed such a dynamic one- two power punch with Jose Bautista.
Perhaps the Jays acted in haste, rushing to sign Kendrys Morales after the initial offer was rejected rather than being left without a viable designated hitter.
Perhaps Encarnacion and his agent Paul Kinzer should have been more patient and open with Jays president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins after summarily dismissing the first volley.
And perhaps both parties should have/could have been more diligent in the their early talks, unless of course the Jays truly were fine with walking away.
But the 300 or so fans that waited about the Indians dugout for Encarnacion almost two and a half hours before opening pitch on Monday had their opinions.
“I’m really excited to be back, I’m not going to lie to you,” Encarnacion said. “This is a city that opened its doors to me and gave me the opportunity to have the career that I had.”
With a lineup hampered with so many walking wounded, Jays manager John Gibbons could surely use a player like En carnacion, although the big man is off to his characteristic slow start with the Indians. And while Gibbons had much bigger issues to worry about with the 11-20 record his team took into Monday’s game, he was hopeful the Toronto crowd would show the parrot man the respect he deserves.
“Eddie did a lot for this town, this franchise, period,” Gibbons said. “And he’s one of the good guys, too.”
Even with Encarnacion’s history to start slow, it doesn’t hurt the beleaguered Jays brain trust that Morales is actually slightly outperforming Encarnacion at this point. Prior to Monday, Encarnacion had just five home runs and 11 RBI while carrying a .217 average. Morales, meanwhile, has six homers, 20 RBI and was batting .246.
“It’s not in my plan to start slow,” Encarnacion said. “I always want to start with 10 or 15 home runs at the beginning of the season, but I’m going to stay positive and keep doing my job.”
MARTIN GOES ON DL
As if the carnage in the Jays training room wasn’t ugly enough, the team announced prior to Monday’s game that catcher Russell Martin is on the disabled list with an inflamed nerve in his left shoulder and neck area.