Trade: Josh Donaldson traded to Cleveland

GIN ANTONIC

Registered User
Aug 19, 2007
18,786
14,617
Toronto, ON
Donaldson already has a higher WAR than Bautista and is only 7 behind Delgado. Guys certainly left more of a mark wrt how the fans view them and on field team accomplishments, but few compare to his overall impact in such a short amount of time.

I thought you were talking about just the players time with the Jays, not whole careers. If you take JD's 3 best seasons with the Jays and Joey Bats 3 best seasons with the Jays they are like 22 WAR vs. 21 WAR. Halladay's top 3 is around 21 WAR. Delgado is further away at 18.5 WAR. Clemens is at 19 WAR in only 2 seasons!

Obviously making it 4 years hurts JD since he didn't play at all this year. What he does have that others don't is 3 great consecutive years, so I guess if you want to go that route then yes, JD had the best peak of any Blue Jay.
 
Last edited:

blueandgoldguy

Registered User
Oct 8, 2010
5,240
2,470
Greg's River Heights
The best peak of any Blue Jay was Roger Clemens. In both the 96 and 97 season he led the league in strikeouts, wins and ERA. He won back-to-back Cy Youngs.

1996 WAR - 11.9 - best of Clemens career
1997 WAR - 8.1

20 WAR in 2 seasons.

The best 3 - year peak of any Blue Jay is Dave Stieb. From 1982 - 84 he had a 22.7 WAR and had the highest WAR for pitchers each one of those seasons. Factor in Stieb's high level of excellence for most of his career with the Jays and he is arguably the greatest Jay of all-time next to Halladay.

Speaking of Jays pitchers, Jimmy Key needs to be put on the Jays Level of Excellence right away. Underrated pitcher.
 

GIN ANTONIC

Registered User
Aug 19, 2007
18,786
14,617
Toronto, ON
The best peak of any Blue Jay was Roger Clemens. In both the 96 and 97 season he led the league in strikeouts, wins and ERA. He won back-to-back Cy Youngs.

1996 WAR - 11.9 - best of Clemens career
1997 WAR - 8.1

20 WAR in 2 seasons.

The best 3 - year peak of any Blue Jay is Dave Stieb. From 1982 - 84 he had a 22.7 WAR and had the highest WAR for pitchers each one of those seasons. Factor in Stieb's high level of excellence for most of his career with the Jays and he is arguably the greatest Jay of all-time next to Halladay.

Speaking of Jays pitchers, Jimmy Key needs to be put on the Jays Level of Excellence right away. Underrated pitcher.

Yeah, forgot about Stieb. So, like I said. JD is up there in select company but he's not alone for sure.

EDIT: Wait. Where are you getting those numbers for Stieb? Fangraphs has him at 4.8, 5.1, 5.6 during those years which is still really good but not upper echelon stuff. Are you using BRef?
 
Last edited:

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,959
64,167
I still lament that Gord Ash/Ricciardi weren't able to surround Delgado and Green with a good pitching staff.
 

Quid Pro Clowe

Registered User
Dec 28, 2008
52,293
9,161
530
I thought you were talking about just the players time with the Jays, not whole careers. If you take JD's 3 best seasons with the Jays and Joey Bats 3 best seasons with the Jays they are like 22 WAR vs. 21 WAR. Halladay's top 3 is around 21 WAR. Delgado is further away at 18.5 WAR. Clemens is at 19 WAR in only 2 seasons!

Obviously making it 4 years hurts JD since he didn't play at all this year. What he does have that others don't is 3 great consecutive years, so I guess if you want to go that route then yes, JD had the best peak of any Blue Jay.
He was just about to hit his peak when he went to Toronto, and I associate him more with them then the A's now.

Either way it's a fun discussion to have. If coolness was the deciding factor it would definitely be John Olerud. The way he hit plus that helmet at 1b made him so unique.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Terry Yake

GIN ANTONIC

Registered User
Aug 19, 2007
18,786
14,617
Toronto, ON
He was just about to hit his peak when he went to Toronto, and I associate him more with them then the A's now.

Either way it's a fun discussion to have. If coolness was the deciding factor it would definitely be John Olerud. The way he hit plus that helmet at 1b made him so unique.

My dad's favourite player to this day is Rance Mullinks. Yes, the guy who looks like Napolean Dynamite's brother.

1990 Donruss #607 Rance Mulliniks - NM-MT
1990-donruss-607-rance-mulliniks_14470205
 

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->