Clubhouse leader without Bautista isn’t clear cut
DUNEDIN, FLA.— For a decade, the corner stall at the spring training bivouac has been inhabited by Jose Bautista.
He often controlled the mood of the clubhouse. He usually controlled the music selection. And frequently, from this location-location-location alcove, he’d hold court with reporters, both the local variety and the national baseball journalists who’d come by to pay their respects and fill their notebooks.
That locker now belongs to Troy Tulowitzki.
An interesting symbolic elevation for a player who’s been all hat and no cattle since acquired by the Blue Jays, though he does move —in the locker room —with a kind of magisterial stride.
Marcus Stroman is close alongside, a position — at least in terms of physical proximity to Tulowitzki — formerly occupied by Ryan Goins, acolyte-inchief to the veteran shortstop and among the most polarizing of Blue Jays, certainly as assessed by media interlopers. But Goins wasn’t even tendered a contract by the Jays, which put good buddy Stroman’s nose out of joint (see Twitter), and the utility infielder once valued for his defensive alacrity signed a one-year minor-league contract with the Royals.
Darwin Barney, a useful cog in his Toronto tenure, agreed to a similar pact with the Rangers.
But Barney and Goins were low-wattage Jays, their departure of zero impact. You may have already forgotten they were ever here.
Jose, though. JO-SE, JO-SE, JO-SE. Joey Bats. The straw that stirred the drink for so many years. The man with the swagger and the iconic home runs. As close to a mythical Roy Hobbs as any Jay has been in the post-World Series championship era.
DIMANNO continued on S5
His grievously mutated production from 2017 — .204/.308/ .366, franchise single-season records for lowest batting average ever and most strikeouts — may have been a whammy anomaly, or it might be the shape of future past for a 37year-old who still hasn’t had a whiff of an offer, among the more than 100 outcast free agents looking for a job while MLB claims, heavens, there’s no collusion afoot.
The 23 round-trippers Bautista did rip in his swan-song season could be replaced by Curtis Granderson, who enlivened what’s been a fairly moribund Grapefruit League session by hitting the first pitch he saw out of the ballpark, instantly validating management’s wisdom in signing the 36-year-old to a one-year, $5-million U.S. contract. That left-field platoon scenario with Steve Pearce looks cross-your-fingers ten- uous, however, as the everfragile Pearce suffered a calf tightness owie during warmups on the weekend and is now listed as day-to-day. Which is pretty much always the day-today-way for Pearce.
From all reports, and on the evidence so far, Granderson is a quality guy and clubhouse leader. He holds the highest elected position in the players’ union and, three years ago, received the Roberto Clemente Award for his charitable endeavours off the field. Of equal relevance to his current employer, Granderson cranked 26 homers last season in 449 atbats, despite struggling down the stretch after being traded to the Dodgers from the Mets.
In interviews down here, the amiable Granderson hasn’t been shy about avowing that he will “insert” himself into leadership situations as required, just give him some time to get the lay of the land, feel out his team. There are internal dynamics and pecking orders to grasp.
It says here, though, that the Jays are sorely lacking in clubhouse authority and have been since Bautista was nudged towards the outer circle of patriarchs around the time Tulowitzki hit town (glumly, it should be recalled) via a late 2015 blockbuster trade, and haven’t seen any of those, blockbusters I mean, since Alex Anthopoulos packed up his dolls and dishes.
There’s no doubt that Tulowitzki is deeply respected by his mates. But he’s been a pale imitation of stardom days in Colorado, his offensive numbers probably inflated in that ballpark, his defensive prowess deflating on the Rogers Centre turf, no longer the double-play thing of beauty and acrobatic stalwart rushing into the hole. His breakability is a chronic issue —last season came to a screeching halt on July 28 with a seriously sprained right ankle and ligament damage running to first base. Back-up insurance was obtained in Aledmys Dias (from the Cardinals) and Yangervis Solarte (from the Padres). Fortunate because Tulowitzki is now labouring with a right heel bone spur and is not expected, as per manager John Gibbons, to be ready for opening day.
Leadership is often comprised of intangibles. But it’s a real thing. It matters on a team. What’s not intangible is that the person has to be present in the lineup, and not merely a presence on the roster.
With Bautista a receding memory, who will assume that role on a club purportedly rich in veteran character?
Russell Martin has the personality and the bona fides, but he doesn’t always have the inclination, largely dependent on how his own season is going. Last year, it became clear his interest in motivating the team waned as an unhappy year grinded on. Josh Don- aldson certainly has the onfield veneration but, from what I’ve seen, his leadership virtues emanate from setting a work ethic example. He doesn’t much operate in the grey zone of abstracts. Although, if management could convince J.D. that it is his clubhouse, his sovereignty, that might help propel the third baseman towards a multi-year deal in Toronto.
As for pitchers, well, no moundsman can step up to that plate because starters are out of the fray four out of five days and relievers are in the cameo chorus. Management may want to make it Tulowitzki’s clubhouse but the execs don’t get to foist that distinction on the team, however the cubicles are arranged for effect.
So, whose clubhouse is it? Who commands? Who sets the tone, the collective kinetics?
Here’s a thought: Maybe, finally, it is Gibby’s clubhouse.