Toronto Blue Jays - The Reagan Years (1977-1989)
 
   
 
Toronto
Home
Click
on Logo		                                                    
        Yr P W L   Yr P W L   Yr P W L               1980  
        1977 7 54 107   1981 x 37 69   1986 4 86 76               Decade  
        1978 7 59 102   1982 6 78 84   1987 2 96 66               Click  
        1979 7 53 109   1983 4 89 73   1988 3 87 75               on Logo  
        1980 7 67 95   1984 2 89 73   1989 1 89 73                  
                    1985 1 99 62                            
                                                             
   
  Titles: Top Blue Jays Players of the Eighties  
  1985 Division (Lost to Kansas City in ALCS)  
  1989 Division (Lost to Oakland ALCS) Pitchers:  
    Dave Stieb (49.8) -   100  
  Ballpark: Jim Clancy (25.1) -   75  
  Exhibition Stadium (1977-1989) Jimmy Key (20.1) -   47  
  SkyDome (1989) Tom Henke (10.7) -   33  
    Doyle Alexander  (13.6) -   28  
  Team Name: Luis Leal (10.7) -   26  
  Blue Jays John Cerutti (6.22) -   15  
  Dave Lemanczyk (3.33) -   15  
  Owner:  Joey McLaughlin (2.87) -   14  
  Consortium of Corporations (LaBatt, Imperial Trust, Imperial Bank) Jerry Garvin (7.24) -   12  
  Mike Flanagan (4.29) -   12  
  General Managers: Mark Eichhorn (9.79) -   12  
  Peter Bavasi (1977) Tom Underwood (5.11) -  11  
  Pat Gillick (1978-1989) Roy Lee Jackson (4.33) -  11  
       
  Managers: Catchers:  
  Roy Hartsfield (1977-1979) Ernie Whitt (19.24) -   58  
  Bobby Mattick (1980-1981) Clifford Johnson (5.46) -   15  
  Bobby Cox (1982-1985) Buck Martinez (3.51) -   14  
  Jimy Williams (1986-1989)    
    First Basemen:  
  Hall of Famers: Willie Upshaw (12.66) -   42  
e Fred McGriff John Mayberry (3.51) -   21  
    Fred McGriff (14.15) -   21  
  Rookie of the Year:  Cecil Fielder (0.26) -   0  
  Alfredo Griffin (1979) Willie Mays Aikens (0.87) -   0  
       
  MVP Second Basemen:  
  George Bell (1987) Damaso Garcia (8.66) -   24  
       
  No Hitters: ShortStop:  
  None Tony Fernandez (23.88) -   48  
    Alfredo Griffin (1.16) -   23  
  Cy Young:    
  None Third Base:  
    Rance Mulliniks (15.04) -   41  
  Notable Events: Kelly Gruber (9.9) -   22  
    Roy Howell (9.3) -   21  
   1977 - Four corporations, led by LaBatt Breweries and Imperial Canadian Bank    
   purchase  the expansion Toronto franchise from the Major Leagues. Outfield:  
   The American League needed to expand due to a law suit brought against the Lloyd Moseby (26.03) -   81  
   league by the city of Seattle. To avoid an uneven number of teams, two were Jesse Barfield (29.51) -   70  
   being added. Toronto, who had come thisclose to getting the San Francisco  George Bell (20.19) -   40  
   Giants moving in the previous year was an obvious choice once the Giants Otto Velez (9.04) -   24  
    deal fell thru.  Barry Bonnell (3.43) -   19  
    Bob Bailor (3.46) -   12  
   1977 - The Blue Jays play in Exhibition Stadium, a mulitpurpose stadium on Rick Bosetti (1.94) -   13  
   Lake Ontario in Toronto. It's not a great baseball venue, but it's Toronto's own  Alvis Woods (1.88) -   15  
  pride and joy and it makes do until a suitable baseball stadium with a much Dave Collins (4.67) -   14  
   needed dome is built. The city spent a substantial sum upgrading the stadium  Rico Carty (1.56) -   12  
  in anticipation of getting a major league club, but, without a dome, that was    
   essentially a stopgap solution.  Notable Events:  
       
  1977 - Peter Bavasi, in his only year as GM, makes a couple of nice selections  1983 - In their seventh season, the Jays have their first over .500 finish.   
   in the expansion draft:  GM Pat Gillick has built a strong young nucleus that will keep the Blue Jays  
  □ 1977 - RHP Jim Clancy, 21, 6th pick of expansion draft from Texas, debut 1977     in the title hunt for the next eleven years. During that span, Toronto will   
  □ 1977 - C Ernie Whitt, 25, 34th pick in Expansion draft from Boston    average a 91-61 mark and never dip below 86-76. Very Impressive.   
    □ Stud ouftielders Barfield, Bell and Moseby are all twenty three   
   1978 - 1989 Pat Gillick becomes General Manager. He architects the excellent □ The infield of Upshaw, Garcia, Griffin and Mulliniks averages twenty   
   Blue Jay teams of the mid eighties thru the mid nineties in his seventeen year   six years of age and there are youngsters Fernandez, 21, and McGriff, 19,   
  tenure. Gillick had been involved in player development early in his career waiting in the wings. Not to mention that Gruber, 22, will be acquired in '84  
   with Houston and the Yankees. Before that, he was a minor league pitcher  □ Catcher Whitt is 31, but it turns out he'll be going strong until he's thirty seven  
  in the Oriole and Pirate organizations. He is one of the best GM's of his era  □ On the mound you've got three aces in Stieb, Clancy and Leal who average   
   and the Blue Jay's made a great hire in getting him. Here's how Gillick went  twenty six years old and in '84, another ace, Jimmy Key, 21, will be joining  
   about building a contender without an ownership group with deep pockets:  the starting rotation  followed by twenty seven year old bullpen stud Henke,  
  □ 1978 - CF Lloyd Moseby, 18, is the 2nd overall pick of the amateur draft,   who will join the staff in '85  
   debut in 1980  
  □ 1978 - RHP Dave Stieb, 20, picked in 5th round of amateur draft, debut 1979     1985 - The Jays win the Division, but lose to eventual World Champ Royals   
  □ 1978 - 1B Willie Upshaw. 21, selected from Yankees in rule 5 draft, debut 1978   in the ALCS It was their best season of the decade with 99 wins.  
  □ 1979 - SS Alfredo Griffin, 21, is stolen from Cleveland in a three player deal  
  □ 1979 - SS Tony Fernandez, 17, signed as an IFA, debuted in 1983 1989 - The SkyDome opens. It's a retractable dome. It also has some nice  
  □ 1979 - RHP Luis Leal, 22, signed as IFA, debut in 1980    features such as a restaurant overlooking the playing field and hotel rooms   
   □ 1979 - RF Jesse Barfield, 19, selected in ninth round of amateur draft, overlooking the playing field - these provide additional entertainent from  
   debuted in 1981  time to time depending on what's going on in the rooms.   
  □ 1980 - 2B Damaso Garcia, 23, is obtained from the Yankees in a six player deal    
   for catcher Rick Cerone . Cerone was the replacement for Thurman  Munson.  1989 - The Jays win the Division in something of a down year, going 89-73,  
  □ 1981 - OF George Bell, 21. selected from the Phillies in the Rule 5 draft  but they'll take it. They're no match for the powerful A's in the ALCS  
   □ 1982 - C Pat Borders, 19, 6th round of amateur draft, debuted in 1988    
  □ 1982 - 3B Rance Mulliniks, 26, stolen from KC in a deal for Phil Huffman  
  □ 1982 - LHP Jimmy Key, 22, 3rd round of amateur draft, debut 1984   
  □ 1983 - RHP Doyle Alexander, 32, signed as FA off the scrap heap from Yankees    
  □ 1983 - 1B Fred McGriff, 19, is stolen from the Yankees in exchange for     
  Dale Murray. He debuts in 1986    
  □ 1983 - 1B Cecil Fielder,19, is stolen from KC in exchange for Leon Roberts.  
   However, due to the logjam at first base, he bolts for Japan in 1988.  
   One that got away    
   □ 1984 - 3B Kelly Gruber, 22, selected from Cleveland in the Rule 5 draft.    
   He had been the tenth overall pick in the 1980 amateur draft by the Indians.  
    Total screwup by Cleveland letting him go.  
   □ 1985 - Ace Righty Reliever Tom Henke, 27, is taken from Texas as a  
   FA Compensation pick  
   □ 1985 - RHP Todd Stottlemyre, 20, 3rd overall pick in amateur draft,  
   debuted in 1988  
  □ 1986 - RHP Pat Hentgen, 17, 5th round. Debuted 1992  
  □ 1987 - RHP Juan Guzman, 20, acquired from LA for 2B Mike Sharperson  
  □ 1988 - 1B Carlos Delgado, 16, is an IFA, he debuted in 1993  
  □ 1989 - 1B John Olerud, 20, is drafted in the 3rd round, he debuts in '89