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By Chase Hadden and PBR Staff
PBR Ontario Scout

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12 Days of Christmas Rundown:
Day 1: A Week In Florida
Day 2: Top Stats of the Year
Day 3: CPBL to Debut in 2016
Day 4: A Look Back at TPG
Day 5: A Look Back at Early Commitments
Day 6: OBJ Success
Day 7: Midget Elite League
Day 8: Futures Team
Day 9: Class of 2018

Ontario 12 Days of Christmas: Blue Jays and Amateur Baseball

The 2015 season was an outstanding year for Canada's only major league team and for the 30 Canadians drafted. And because of all of this, it could mark a new generation of baseball players in Ontario and Canada. The Toronto Blue Jays brought an entire nation to their feet in anticipation for the next pitch.

I grew up on a dairy farm about an hour northeast of Toronto and remember watching the Blue Jays on channel nine on the dial and thinking that catcher Ernie Whitt was my dad (put them beside each other and they look pretty close to identical. It was the mustache). I also remember going to one of my first ball games with my dad when I was about five-years-old at the SkyDome and sitting in the second last row of section 515 in front of a packed house with the roof open and a gentleman sitting in the row in front asked my dad just before the first pitch, “Is he going to last the whole game?” My dad responded with, “He will be quiet from the first pitch to the last out on the edge of his seat.” And he was right. I fell in love with the game at a very young age. Watching games on TV at my grandparents and yelling, “Foul Ball!” every time a ball went out of play, and mimicking Blue Jays all-time saves leader, Tom Henke’s delivery. Growing up in Canada, most kids wanted to be the next hockey superstar like Wayne Gretzky, but even though I did play hockey during the winter, I always looked forward to the spring and summer for baseball season. I wanted to be the next Roberto Alomar or Henke.

The 1992 and 1993 World Series championships set the city and country a blaze. The Dome was packed every single night and was the hottest and most difficult ticket in town. Three big moments came out of those magical seasons. The first is Alomar’s game-tying two-run home run in the top of the ninth of Game Four of the ’92 American League Championship series off Hall of Fame closer Dennis Eckersley and points both index fingers over his head and into the air as he watches a hanging slider sail over the right field fence. This help lead to the first World Series championship with Mike Timlin fielding an Otis Nixon bunt and flip to Joe Carter at first base leaping up and down high into the early Atlanta morning and jumping into the pile of ecstatic Blue Jays teammates around the pitcher’s mound. To Carter’s game-winning home run of the ’93 World Series and the iconic radio call from Tom Cheek “Touch ‘em all Joe! You’ll never hit a bigger home run of your life!” which I am sure, gives many fans that were able to witness that unbelievable moment, chills to this day (I know it still does for me). Do you think these kinds of moments motivated the likes of Russell Martin, Joey Votto (2010 National League MVP), Justin Morneau (2006 American League MVP), Jeff Francis, John Axford, and George Kottaras? Do you think if they already had a passion for the game, maybe these moments were just fuel to the fire?

As we turn to the 2015 edition of the Blue Jays, they started off as a team that was flirting around the .500 mark that had a load of offensive talent, and showed the potential of being a very good team, but just needed a little push. Like all teams, they faced adversity and their depth was challenged when it came to injuries, but the role players stepped up and some really showed that they could not only contribute to the team, but also make a real impact (i.e. Chris Colabello, Ryan Goins). Once the blockbuster trades were made for Troy Tulowitzki, and David Price, an entire country was fired up and could only dream of how far the Blue Jays could go. Well, it lead to meaningful games for the first time in over 20 years and a new generation of baseball fans to experience what my generation got to taste. It felt like the glory days. Rogers Centre was once again the hottest place to be and difficult to get your hands on Blue Jays tickets.

They played hard until the 27th out and had a flare for the dramatics with some memorable walk-off home runs including three from this year’s MVP Josh Donaldson, the last being the final home game of the regular season. Then there was the bizarre play involving Shin-Soo Choo’s bat and Martin’s throw back to the pitcher that I am sure 99 percent of us have never seen and probably did not know what the rule was. That only made the rest of that seventh inning even more memorable, because it leads to the new generations iconic moment. The bat flip.

Jose Bautista in one vicious swing of the bat on a sinker not only lifted years of frustration for himself, but over 20 years for Blue Jays fans with his go-ahead three-run home run in the deciding game of the American League Division series against the Texas Rangers and cemented that moment with a bat flip that has been viewed on YouTube over 500,000 times and forever on the internet in Graphic Interchange Format (GIF). Will a moment like this be the one that ignites a new generation of baseball players? Someone who wants to be the next Bautista, Donaldson, or Marcus Stroman?

The Blue Jays not only have given amateur baseball players moments to emulate at practice or in their backyards with their family and friends, they also do a lot in the community by giving back and help grow the game through the Jays Care Foundation. They developed their own Rookie League that teaches the importance of teamwork, fair play and promote cooperation and self-esteem. Also, through various events and 50/50 draws during their home games, help refurbish ballparks across the country for communities. In addition to these initiatives, Hall of Fame second baseman, Roberto Alomar and the Blue Jays host Tournament 12 at Rogers Centre held annually usually in September (established in 2013) for the top Canadian high school players. It is a fantastic opportunity for these players to show off their talents to professional, division one to division three and junior college scouts.

"I think the success of the Blue Jays on the field will always be a huge factor in the success of Canadian baseball. Traveling the country, I see that the talent is only getting better and better. I think with programs like Tournament 12 and the T12 try-out camps, it’s really having an impact. You can see a desire for these kids to become better players," says Alomar.

Baseball is growing fast in Ontario and Canada. We are not just a hockey province and country anymore. We are producing some talented ball players. More and more baseball grassroots and elite programs have been developed only to keep up with the demand on registration. Baseball Canada has also been busy at the growth and development of players through their junior program. This is a reflection of first-round pick first-baseman Josh Naylor of the Miami Marlins in 2015. He was rated second on the PBR draft list going into the 2015 season, which quickly changed to the number one spot after games began, coming out of the blocks strong and earned being selected 12th overall. That continued in the Gulf Coast League (Class-Rookie) for the Marlins with a .327 average and six extra base hits in 25 games. Outfielder Demi Orimoloye was a fourth-round selection by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015. He was named a High School All-American by Baseball America and was nominated Most Valuable Player at the Area Code Games in Los Angeles. Orimoloye appeared in 33 games for the Arizona Brewers of the Arizona League (Class-Rookie) with a .292 average, six home runs, and 19 stolen bases. Outfielder Cooper Davis of the Ontario Blue Jays is eligible for the 2017 draft and has already committed to Vanderbilt University. He recorded the fastest 60-yard dash at Tournament 12. Speed is his game, but he also showed some power, by hitting a lead-off home run in the first inning against British Columbia during Day Two of the tournament. The baseball program was also successful at the senior level, as you can look at the success of Canada defending its gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games on home soil.

"I also think what Greg Hamilton is doing with the JNT is important too. I continue to be impressed with the program and the opportunities it is creating for Canadian born players to showcase their talents. I think all these things combined are really having a huge impact," says Alomar, a two-time World Series champion.

From what I have seen, the talent in Ontario and across Canada is growing and is only going to become stronger for years to come. Who will be the next Votto, Martin or Morneau? Only time will tell. Maybe those future stars received a bat and glove under the tree for Christmas?