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Top 60 All-Time Jays: #2 Dave Stieb
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David Andrew Stieb | SP | 1979-1992, 1998
I go back and forth on who was the best pitcher in
Blue Jays history. We should have them tied at number one. By bWAR, Stieb is number one. By fWAR,
Roy Halladay is number one. They played in different eras; batters didn’t strike out as much when Stieb pitched, pitchers didn’t complete as many games in Halladay’s time. Stieb was the best AL pitcher of the 1980s, Halladay was the best AL pitcher of the 2000s. Halladay is in the
Hall of Fame. Stieb should be. Stieb pitched 670 more innings, and sometimes I think that should tip the scale in his favor, but both were at the top of the league in innings pitched.
Top 60 All-Time Jays: #5 Tony Fernandez
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Tony Fernandez (born Octavio Antonio Fernandez Castro) was born June 30th, 1962, in
San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Jays in 1979. The Jays, back then, scouted the Dominican pretty thoroughly; we signed several players from there.
The Jays called Tony up when the rosters expanded in September 1983 and got into a handful of games. He was called up to the Jays for good at the end of May 1984, at first splitting time with veteran
Alfredo Griffin and slowly taking over the position as the season went on. He also played some third base. A switch hitter, he had a pretty decent rookie season, hitting .270/.317/.356 in 88 games.
Top 60 All-Time Greatest Jays: #6 Jesse Barfield
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Jesse Lee Barfield | RF | 1981-1989
Jessie Barfield was born on October 29, 1959, in Joliet, Illinois. He is the father of former San Diego and Cleveland infielder
Josh Barfield and
Jeremy Barfield, who was drafted by the Oakland A’s and played for the Vancouver Canadians at one point. The Jays drafted Jesse in the 9th round of the 1977 amateur draft out of Joliet Central High School. 1977 was the first year that Toronto and Seattle were in the amateur draft and got the last two picks of each round, MLB being so kind to folks that paid extravagant expansion fees. None of the Jays’ 6 choices before him made it to the majors.
Top 60 All-Time Jays: #7 Jimmy Key
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James Edward Key | SP | 1984-1992
Jimmy Key was born April 22, 1961, in
Huntsville, Alabama. In the 3rd round of the 1982 amateur Key was drafted by the
Jays out of
Clemson University. He very quickly rose to the Majors, making the Jays out of spring training in 1984. They had him pitch out of the bullpen that season. Back then, the Jays tended to use first-year pitchers in the pen, figuring that was the best way to teach them how to pitch in the majors. He quickly became part of a closer-by-committee group, which manager