The ball shot off Joe Carter's bat, soaring high into the SkyDome night and leading the Toronto Blue Jays to the 1993 World Series title over the Philadelphia Phillies.
That storybook walk-off home run in Game 6, now deeply etched in baseball lore, also ended something else: the Blue Jays' glory years of back-to-back World Series titles and three previous trips to the postseason.
In the nearly 13 years since Carter launched his three-run blast off Mitch Williams, fans in Toronto have had very little to cheer about. Premier players such as Roger Clemens, Jack Morris, Dave Stewart, Paul Molitor and Carlos Delgado have come and gone.
To say this once great franchise has been in a state of financial decay is an understatement. The first season (2001) under the ownership of Ted Rogers and Rogers Communication, the Blue Jays finished 71 million Canadian dollars in the red. The mandate to new general manager J.P. Ricciardi was simple: cut and slash everywhere possible.
Not anymore. The sun is again shining on baseball in Toronto. Fans are excited; season-ticket sales are far ahead of last year.
Blame it on a dizzying winter of spending.
This isn't to say the Blue Jays are favored to finish ahead of the free-spending
New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox in the American League East, but they should contend.
And maybe surprise.
Told he could increase the payroll from $45.6 million in 2005 to about $75 million, Ricciardi left other GMs in his wake during his most productive offseason since he took over the Blue Jays in 2002. He probably overspent on his free-agent signings, but criticism doesn't bother him one bit.
"We're beyond worrying about being criticized," he says. "When the Yankees signed Johnny Damon they didn't worry; they got a good player. We're concerned only about putting a good team on the field, a team that can stay healthy."
'Money' spent, time to play 'ball'
Ricciardi, clad in jeans and a golf shirt, sits behind his desk at Dunedin's Knology Park and bubbles with enthusiasm. He can't wait to see the team he's assembled in action when workouts begin Friday.
The 46-year-old Ricciardi studied under Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane in Oakland, two of the best GMs the game has had. He learned his lessons well.
Consider his offseason:
He signed Baltimore free-agent closer B.J. Ryan to a five-year, $47 million deal that immediately raised the bar for relievers.
Ryan, who struck out 100 in 70&frac_one_third; innings with a 2.43 ERA for the Orioles, is being paid more than the four-year, $40 million the Yanks gave Mariano Rivera before the 2001 season.
With Ryan in the fold, Ricciardi landed
Florida Marlins free agent right-hander A.J. Burnett, luring him with a $55 million, five-year contract.
"This has made me more anxious every day," Burnett said Thursday after a morning workout. "When I first talked to J.P., he said he had some things and ideas going. The next thing I hear is we're getting this guy and that guy. It's exciting, and I'm looking forward to it."
First baseman Lyle Overbay was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee followed by an outstanding deal with Arizona for slugging third baseman Troy Glaus.
Ricciardi put the finishing touches on his winter by signing free agent catcher Bengie Molina for $5 million.
"I think I'm finished," the GM says with a sigh. "In my wildest dreams I didn't think I'd be able to add two arms and three big bats. It's been amazing."
Glaus, MVP in the 2002 World Series won by the Angels, says the "recipe here is the same as it was in Anaheim. Roy Halladay (former Cy Young Award winner) has had great seasons here, but B.J. and A.J. solidify the pitching staff. What J.P. has done is bring in pieces that fit well. We probably won't set home-run records, but we'll do things we have to do to win ballgames."
Ricciardi says, "During the four years I've been here, we've been under some pretty tight restrictions. Three of those four years a third of our payroll was tied up in Delgado. We've had no flexibility. Now I feel the organization is going in the right direction."
The Yankees had a $202 million payroll last year, the Red Sox $126 million.
Ricciardi, as optimistic and enthusiastic as he is, shouldn't realistically think the Blue Jays can finish ahead of those two giants.
"I like this division," he says. "Eventually, you have to play those guys. If you win the AL Central or the AL West, you're going to have to play the Red Sox or the Yankees at some point. So if you can win this division or make the playoffs as a wild card, you've probably eliminated one of those teams."
Beane, of course, taught protege Ricciardi all the elements of Moneyball.
Until this year Ricciardi couldn't afford to play the game. Time will tell if he spent his dollars wisely.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060217/sp_usatoday/bluejaysfinallypreparedtoendlengthydrought
That storybook walk-off home run in Game 6, now deeply etched in baseball lore, also ended something else: the Blue Jays' glory years of back-to-back World Series titles and three previous trips to the postseason.
In the nearly 13 years since Carter launched his three-run blast off Mitch Williams, fans in Toronto have had very little to cheer about. Premier players such as Roger Clemens, Jack Morris, Dave Stewart, Paul Molitor and Carlos Delgado have come and gone.
To say this once great franchise has been in a state of financial decay is an understatement. The first season (2001) under the ownership of Ted Rogers and Rogers Communication, the Blue Jays finished 71 million Canadian dollars in the red. The mandate to new general manager J.P. Ricciardi was simple: cut and slash everywhere possible.
Not anymore. The sun is again shining on baseball in Toronto. Fans are excited; season-ticket sales are far ahead of last year.
Blame it on a dizzying winter of spending.
This isn't to say the Blue Jays are favored to finish ahead of the free-spending
New York Yankees and
Boston Red Sox in the American League East, but they should contend.
And maybe surprise.
Told he could increase the payroll from $45.6 million in 2005 to about $75 million, Ricciardi left other GMs in his wake during his most productive offseason since he took over the Blue Jays in 2002. He probably overspent on his free-agent signings, but criticism doesn't bother him one bit.
"We're beyond worrying about being criticized," he says. "When the Yankees signed Johnny Damon they didn't worry; they got a good player. We're concerned only about putting a good team on the field, a team that can stay healthy."
'Money' spent, time to play 'ball'
Ricciardi, clad in jeans and a golf shirt, sits behind his desk at Dunedin's Knology Park and bubbles with enthusiasm. He can't wait to see the team he's assembled in action when workouts begin Friday.
The 46-year-old Ricciardi studied under Sandy Alderson and Billy Beane in Oakland, two of the best GMs the game has had. He learned his lessons well.
Consider his offseason:
He signed Baltimore free-agent closer B.J. Ryan to a five-year, $47 million deal that immediately raised the bar for relievers.
Ryan, who struck out 100 in 70&frac_one_third; innings with a 2.43 ERA for the Orioles, is being paid more than the four-year, $40 million the Yanks gave Mariano Rivera before the 2001 season.
With Ryan in the fold, Ricciardi landed
Florida Marlins free agent right-hander A.J. Burnett, luring him with a $55 million, five-year contract.
"This has made me more anxious every day," Burnett said Thursday after a morning workout. "When I first talked to J.P., he said he had some things and ideas going. The next thing I hear is we're getting this guy and that guy. It's exciting, and I'm looking forward to it."
First baseman Lyle Overbay was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee followed by an outstanding deal with Arizona for slugging third baseman Troy Glaus.
Ricciardi put the finishing touches on his winter by signing free agent catcher Bengie Molina for $5 million.
"I think I'm finished," the GM says with a sigh. "In my wildest dreams I didn't think I'd be able to add two arms and three big bats. It's been amazing."
Glaus, MVP in the 2002 World Series won by the Angels, says the "recipe here is the same as it was in Anaheim. Roy Halladay (former Cy Young Award winner) has had great seasons here, but B.J. and A.J. solidify the pitching staff. What J.P. has done is bring in pieces that fit well. We probably won't set home-run records, but we'll do things we have to do to win ballgames."
Ricciardi says, "During the four years I've been here, we've been under some pretty tight restrictions. Three of those four years a third of our payroll was tied up in Delgado. We've had no flexibility. Now I feel the organization is going in the right direction."
The Yankees had a $202 million payroll last year, the Red Sox $126 million.
Ricciardi, as optimistic and enthusiastic as he is, shouldn't realistically think the Blue Jays can finish ahead of those two giants.
"I like this division," he says. "Eventually, you have to play those guys. If you win the AL Central or the AL West, you're going to have to play the Red Sox or the Yankees at some point. So if you can win this division or make the playoffs as a wild card, you've probably eliminated one of those teams."
Beane, of course, taught protege Ricciardi all the elements of Moneyball.
Until this year Ricciardi couldn't afford to play the game. Time will tell if he spent his dollars wisely.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20060217/sp_usatoday/bluejaysfinallypreparedtoendlengthydrought
