PHENOM’S ARRIVAL SIGNALS THE START OF GRAND NEW ERA
Blue Jays became contenders-in-waiting when Guerrero stepped into batter’s box
This is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. The noise, the hype. Some of it real, some of it media-induced.
There’s a feel around the Blue Jays of optimism and excitement, a feel different than anything that’s been around here in the past. This was the first day of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the major leagues. The first day for the Toronto New Jays, now contenders-in-waiting. Young Guerrero walked in to his first news conference as a bigleague player unlike anyone who has made this walk before. He shook hands with all the media gathered along the side wall, like walking through a reception line at a wedding, not knowing any of those he was extending his right hand to, just feeling, with security in front of him and behind him, that this was how he wanted to begin his time in Toronto. An hour or so later, he walked to the cage to take batting practice for the very first time and he was followed by a cluster of cameras. There has never been a Blue Jay to garner this kind of attention or excitement. Not before playing a game. Truth is, there has never been a Toronto team athlete of any kind who arrived to this kind of greeting, celebration or anticipation. And what everyone seems to say and believe is that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is ready for the big time. “Honest, I’ve never seen anything like this before in baseball, and I’ve been around him in the minor leagues,” said Danny Jansen, the Blue Jays’ catcher. “For a kid to handle what he’s handled, for him to be at ease, I don’t think a lot of young guys could deal with all of this. I’ve watched him up close, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone like him.” This is all brand new for Toronto, new for this sporting market. Years back, the Argos were owned by Bruce McNall, John Candy and Wayne Gretzky when they signed Heisman Trophy winner Rocket Ismail in 1991, just before he was to be the first pick in the National Football League draft. That seemed gigantic at the time, large enough for American television to break in with the news.
That was huge 28 years ago. It was also huge, in 1971, when Joe Theismann played his first game at quarterback for the Argos, huge in 1985 when Wendel Clark suited up for the Maple Leafs for the first time, huge when Norm Ullman and Paul Henderson took their first shifts in Toronto after the Frank Mahovlich trade in 1968.
But nothing quite like this. The headlines weren’t this big. The stories written weren’t this long. The expectations weren’t so large.
When Blue Jays coach John Schneider was asked Friday afternoon who the best hitter he has ever seen in baseball is — anyone he coached, anyone he played with, anyone he’s played against — he said it was Vladdy Jr. Manager Charlie Montoyo was asked the same question, and in fairness, he’s seen only 20 spring training at-bats for Guerrero, but still he answered Guerrero. Vladdy Sr., the hall of famer. Now it’s time for the son of the hall of famer to show his stuff. His beginning. Daddy didn’t come to the big leagues with this kind of notice. Truth is, virtually no one has. And what’s remarkable about all this is that you can’t find anyone who doubts the 20-year-old. He’s more sure thing than can’t miss. Expectations around baseball are that he’ll hit immediately, even if some expect the power to come later. Maybe the crowds will come later, too.
Toronto has never been the kind of sporting city that reacts to singular athletes. They didn’t draw additional fans for Roger Clemens’ two Cy Young seasons. The Maple Leafs sell out in good times and bad. Same with the Raptors. The Argos didn’t draw much when Doug Flutie was winning championships. Guerrero can change that to an extent. In this baseball season with not much to care about, there is now something to care about. This team won’t contend immediately — Guerrero is really the first of the grand prospects to arrive on the scene — but he could elevate the timeline.
In his first big-league at-bat, Guerrero grounded to first base, to a standing ovation. This is what happens with a semi-delirious fan base. But it’s not just fans. The other day, general manger Ross Atkins walked into the Jays’ clubhouse and saw Guerrero for the first time as a Blue Jay. “Just seeing him there put a massive smile on my face.” The smiles grew wider in the ninth inning. After a pair of deep fly outs earlier in the evening, Guerrero led off with a double down the right-field line. He was removed for pinch runner Alen Hanson, who eventually scored on Brandon Drury’s walk-off home run in a 4-2 Jays win.