National Post (National Edition)
Happ now bracing for inevitable
If a call or text comes through J.A. Happ’s cellphone from a mystery number these days, his heart flutters just a little.
With two agonizing weeks remaining until major league baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline, the Blue Jays all-star lefty is a hot commodity.
It’s why at Monday’s media day for this year’s Midsummer Classic reporters came in waves from all parts of the big leagues to get some Intel on the 35-yearold Toronto starter.
Would New York be a fit? How about returning to Philadelphia (where he started his career)? Do you think your familiarity with the A.L. East makes you more attractive? And on it went for nearly 40 minutes.
“If it’s an unknown number, I’m wondering,” Happ said Monday, looking sharp in a Jays uniform affixed with the all-star game crest. “There’s a couple more weeks to go and we’ll see where it ends up, but I’m certainly happy to be with the Toronto Blue Jays.”
Happy being relative, of course.
The personable Happ is well aware of the disaster this season has become, including a particularly demoralizing weekend in Boston to lead into the allstar break. The competitor in him wants to be a winner and he might just get the chance if he’s dealt to a team like the potential front-runner in trade talks, the Yankees.
On the other hand, Happ and his wife Morgan have grown attached to Toronto and the upheaval would be more of a headache than his three previous trades given there are two young children in the clan.
“I’m trying to do my best to let it run its course,” Happ said. “There’s a couple of weeks left. I either get moved or I don’t. Those are the choices.
“I can handle the rumours. I’ve been traded before. The biggest thing is the stuff people don’t see. I’ve been in Toronto for three years. I physically have a lot of things there. My wife and kids are there. The whole process of having to uproot, that is some of the anxiety involved. The playing part I can take care of.”
For so many reasons, the all-star break is an ideal for tonic. Happ has already enjoyed rubbing shoulders with hitters that have done damage to him over the years and is appreciating the opportunity that has come later in his career.
And for four days at least, he can take his mind off the troubles with the Jays, a developing debacle that boiled over on Sunday night with Marcus Stroman’s profanitylaced rant.
“It was tough this weekend, certainly,” Happ said. “Honestly, I think the group is pretty resilient. I think our mindset is all right. It’s one of those things that’s hard to pinpoint. Your focus and intensity needs to be there all the time to be a winning club. It’s difficult to do that.”
Off the field, Happ says Jays management has been helpful, at least in terms of taming the anxiousness. General manager Ross Atkins had a recent conversation with him and while no contract talks were involved, Happ appreciated it.
“It was him reaching out and seeing how I’m feeling,” Happ said. “It was nice to have that conversation.
“(Manager John) Gibbons has been really good, especially these last few weeks. He’s called me into his office just to talk and see how I’m feeling. He’s easy to talk to and has a really good perspective.”
Happ isn’t certain he’ll get to pitch in Tuesday’s all-star game — that call is in the hands of American League manager A.J. Hinch, who will go with the one-two punch of Chris Sale (Red Sox) and the Luis Severino (Yankees) to start the game.
“I’ll be ready if something happens,” said Happ, who scrapped a planned family vacation to Cape Cod when the all-star game beckoned. “The game of baseball is crazy. Just being on the side for a night is the biggest excitement. It’s something I’m going to be super proud of.”