New book explores Blue Jays’ 48-year history
Global News
Toronto Blue Jays brass used all the bells and whistles when they tried to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in the fall of 2023.
TORONTO – Toronto Blue Jays brass used all the bells and whistles when they tried to land two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani in the fall of 2023.
The once-in-a-lifetime pursuit of the Japanese free agent, as author Keegan Matheson writes in his new book, “The Franchise: Toronto Blue Jays,” included taking Ohtani, his agent and interpreter at the time on a tour of the team’s renovated player development complex, complete with a few special touches.
Three lockers in the clubhouse were set aside for Ohtani, along with jerseys, gear, hats, bags and accessories. It was all part of an elaborate effort to sell him on the team.
An impressed Ohtani — whose camp wanted total secrecy throughout the process — walked out of the Dunedin, Fla., facility with bags of team gear and a Blue Jays hat on his head, Matheson writes.
Ohtani stopped to take pictures with his interpreter, who was also sporting some Toronto kit. The superstar’s dog, “Decoy,” came running out to join them in a Canadian dog jacket the Blue Jays had bought for him.
“I think that the presentation they gave Ohtani was incredibly impressive and they were not the No. 2 team just to be strung along and used as the other person at the bargaining table,” said Matheson. “They were No. 2 because they almost signed him.”
The behind-the-scenes colour and details from Matheson’s interviews and descriptions bring an intriguing, memorable and downright surreal chapter in the team’s near half-century history to life.
Ohtani would eventually sign a 10-year, US$700-million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was a big blow for Canada’s lone big-league team and its countrywide contingent of supporters.
