Top Blue Jays Player #2: Carlos
Delgado
Position: First
base
Seasons With the
Jays: 12 (1993-2004)
MLB Awards: Silver
Slugger (1999, 2000, 2003)
All-Star Game
Selection: 2000, 2003
Stats: Games Played 1423 Batting
Average .282
Base Hits 1413 Runs
Scored 889
Home Runs 336 RBIs 1058
Doubles
343 Triples 11
Stolen Bases 9 Walks 827
Without a doubt, Carlos Delgado
is the best slugger in the history of the Blue Jays. He is tops on the club’s
career leaders in slugging percentage (.556), runs scored (889), total bases
(2786), doubles (343), walks (827), and of course home runs (336) and RBIs
(1058). He is also the single-season leader in slugging (.664 in 2000), total
bases (378 in 2000), doubles (57 in 2000) and RBIs (145 in 2003).
So why isn’t he the number one
Blue Jay of all-time? Several reasons, actually. Let’s start with his
club-leading 1242 strike outs, an indication he was always looking to hit the
long ball. His defense was solid, but not spectacular. He never led the Jays to
the postseason. And while he did hit a lot of home runs (eight straight years
with 30 or more), he was always over-shadowed by other power hitters in the league,
as evidenced by his two All-Star Game Selections.
But those strikes against him
aside, Delgado deserves his place as the second-best Blue Jays’ player of
all-time. He was signed by Toronto as an amateur free agent in 1988 (as a
catcher) and made his MLB debut with the Jays in 1993, appearing in two games.
He played in 43 games in 1994 and another 37 in 1995, having converted to first
base by the end of the season.
He became an everyday player in
1996 splitting time at first base with John Olerud, while also being the team’s
designated hitter. In 138 games, Delgado would bat .270 with 25 home runs and
92 RBIs. After Olerud’s departure after the season, Delgado became the everyday
first baseman in 1997, a position he would hold for the rest of his time with
Toronto. That same season would be the first of his 30-plus home run seasons as
well, as he powered exactly 30 over the wall while adding 91 RBIs and batting
.262.
The following year would be his
first 100 RBI season—he finished with 115. He would only have one other season
in Toronto with less than 100 RBIs. In 1998, he also hit 38 homers and batted
.292. He would follow that up in 1999 with a .272 average, 44 home runs and 134
RBIs.
His first of two All-Star season
would happen in 2000 as he hit a career-high .344 batting average. It was also
the first time he played all 162 games (he also did it in 2001) and led the
league with 57 doubles. He hit 41 home runs and added 137 RBIs, good enough to
finish fourth in the voting for the American League’s Most Valuable Player
Award.
His average dropped considerably
in 2001 (.279) but he still hit 39 homers with 111 RBIs. More productive
seasons would follow in 2002 (.277, 33, 108) and 2003 (.302, 42, 145—his RBIs
led the league) but the team wasn’t even close to gaining access to the
postseason. The Jays were usually third or fourth in the AL East, unable to
compete with the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. At the same time,
Delgado was being edged out by Vernon Wells as the best offensive player on the
club.
2004 would prove to be Delgado’s
last year in a Blue Jays’ uniform. He narrowly missed out on another 100 RBI
season (99) and he hit 32 home runs while finishing the year with a .269
batting average. The team finished in last place with a 67-94 record and
changes needed to be made. Delgado was a free-agent and would not return to
Toronto, instead signing with the Florida Marlins.
After playing the 2005 season
with the Marlins, Delgado would spend four years with the Mets before retiring
at the age of 37 after the 2009 season. If you look at his career numbers--.282
batting average, 473 home runs, 1512 RBIs and 1109 walks—Delgado should be more
than eligible for entry into baseball’s Hall of Fame. But while his numbers
would dwarf many of those posted by players already in the Hall, they don’t
match some of those with whom he played against during his 17-year career.
If he is fortunate to make the
Hall of Fame some day, he would become the second player with a Blue Jay hat on
his plaque. It would be a well-deserved honour for the slugging first baseman.
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