Stealing Home: Baseball in the desert, Part 2

I wrote approximately 6,000 words about my visit to Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ridiculous, I know; hence why I broke the Stealing Home entries into two parts. But it all makes sense, considering all that went down on a sunny afternoon in late May in the desert.

Baseball in the desert, Part 2 is up over at Globe Sports. Have a read. Perhaps the Toronto Blue Jays jersey I saw at Chase Field, which took me back in time, will have the same effect on you. I'll also tell you all about the swimming pool in right-centre field, and the town hall meeting I attended with Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall, then general manager Josh Byrnes, then manager A.J. Hinch, and 150 or so Arizona season-ticket holders.

Diamondbacks second baseman Kelly Johnson's and Alex Anthopoulos' names were linked during that town hall meeting. And I don't know about you, but I want nothing more than for Johnson to trade his Arizona uniform for a Toronto one. His arrival would mean the end of the Edwin Encarnacion era, with Aaron Hill taking E5's place at the hot corner. Think about it: Anthopoulos long desired Anthony Gose. And he got him. I hope the same fate awaits Johnson, his 129 wRC+, and his 4.3 WAR. Even if it means the Jays part with some of their young arms.

I'll never forget Chase Field, largely because of what it did to my "Schlagballbewusstsein." And I hope you enjoy my latest piece.

Also: be a dear, and let me know what you think about the new banner. Personally, I think it looks fantastic.

Heroes

Joe Carter rightfully deserves the title of "World Series Hero." But there is no bigger home run in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays than Roberto Alomar's two-run shot off of Dennis Eckersley on Sunday, October 11, 1992, in the 9th inning of game four of the ALCS.

It was at that moment when the Blue Jays shed the label of chokers and, finally, became the best team in baseball.

Robbie took home the ALCS MVP trophy, and rightfully so. His numbers from the six-game series were outstanding:

26 at-bats, 4 runs, 11 hits, 1 double, 2 home runs, 4 RsBI, 5 stolen bases, 2 walks, 1 strikeout, a .423 batting average, .464 on-base percentage, .692 slugging percentage, and a 1.157 OPS.

Speaking of heroes, the one, the only, Paul Molitor. Check out his numbers from the six-game 1993 World Series:

24 at-bats, an astounding 10 runs scored, 12 hits, 2 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 10 RsBI, 1 stolen base, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts, a .500 batting average, .571 on-base percentage, 1.000 slugging percentage, and a mind-blowing 1.571 OPS.

MVP, indeed.

There were others. In his career in the ALCS, spanning three years (1991, 1992, and 1993), Juan Guzman started five games for the Toronto Blue Jays. He won them all, with an ERA of 2.27; 31.2 innings pitched, only 8 earned runs allowed. He walked a ton of guys, 18, but struck out 22.

Who can forget Jimmy Key's performance in 1992? Pitching from the bullpen during the ALCS, he made his final start as a Blue Jay in game four of the World Series, going 7.2 innings, allowing only one run on five hits, while striking out six. Key threw 91 pitches that night, 57 for strikes. Roy Halladay would have been proud.

It wasn't the last we'd see of Key. He came out of pen in game six to throw an inning and a third of one-hit relief; the winning pitcher of the game in which Toronto was crowned World Series champions for the first time ever in life.

There are so many more performances I could single out. Too many.

Tremendous memories. I'll relive them all tonight, in what will be one massive love fest at the SkyDome. I anticipate never hearing the building louder than it will be tonight. Until the Toronto Blue Jays win another World Series ...