1993 Toronto Blue Jays season

MLB yearly infobox
name = Toronto Blue Jays
season = 1993
misc = 1993 AL East Champions
1993 AL Champions
1993 World Series Champions

current league = American League
y1 = 1977
division = Eastern Division
y2 = 1977
Uniform logo =
ballpark = SkyDome
y4 = 1989
city = Toronto, Ontario
y5 = 1977
owners = Labatt Breweries,
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
genmanagers = Pat Gillick
managers = Cito Gaston
television = CFTO-TV/CBLT (TV)
(Don Chevrier, Brian Williams, Fergie Olver, Jim Hughson)
The Sports Network
(Buck Martinez, Jim Hughson)
radio = CJCL (AM)
(Jerry Howarth, Tom Cheek)|

The by|1993 Toronto Blue Jays season involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses. [cite web |url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/1993.shtml |title=1993 Toronto Blue Jays at Baseball-Reference |accessdate=2007-07-11 |format= |work= ] They were shut out only once in 162 regular-season games. The Blue Jays would repeat as World Champions and become the first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees of 1977-1978. The American League Championship Series would see the Blue Jays play the Chicago White Sox. After defeating the White Sox, the Blue Jays would beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.

This season marked the first time that a manager from the Blue Jays would manage the American League in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was the 64th Mid-Summer Classic and was played on July 13 at Camden Yards in Baltimore with Cito Gaston leading the American League squad. John Olerud,Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, and Paul Molitor were all starters for the American League. Pat Hentgen, Duane Ward and Devon White were named as reserves to the American League team. The American League defeated the National League by a score of 9-3.

Offseason

*October 26, 1992: Mike Maksudian was selected off waivers by the Minnesota Twins from the Toronto Blue Jays. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/maksumi01.shtml]
*November 27, 1992: Darnell Coles was signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/colesda01.shtml Darnell Coles Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 7, 1992: Paul Molitor was signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/molitpa01.shtml Paul Molitor Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 8, 1992: Dave Stewart was signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/stewada01.shtml Dave Stewart Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 8, 1992: Kelly Gruber was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays with cash to the California Angels for Luis Sojo. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/grubeke01.shtml Kelly Gruber Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
*December 8, 1992: Danny Cox was signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. [http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/coxda01.shtml]
*January 15, 1993: Dick Schofield was signed as a Free Agent with the Toronto Blue Jays. [ [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/schofdi02.shtml Dick Schofield Statistics - Baseball-Reference.com ] ]
* March 30, 1993: The Toronto Blue Jays traded Derek Bell to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Darrin Jackson.
* March 30, 1993: The Toronto Blue Jays released David Wells.

Regular season

* Paul Molitor would finish as the runner-up in the American League MVP voting.

eason standings

Roster

[ http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TOR/1993.shtml]

Starting pitchers

The ALCS opened at Comiskey Park with a battle of aces, as Toronto threw Juan Guzmán against Chicago's Jack McDowell, the eventual 1993 American League Cy Young Award winner. The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth, when Jays third baseman Ed Sprague stroked a triple to right field that scored John Olerud and Paul Molitor. The White Sox took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth with RBI base hits by Ozzie Guillén and Tim Raines, but Toronto stormed back in its half of the fifth with a two-run double by Olerud and a run-scoring single by Molitor. The Jays' designated hitter added a two-run homer in the seventh that finally chased McDowell, and the Chicago batters could muster nothing more against Toronto's bullpen as the Jays took the game 7-3 and a 1-0 lead in the series.

Game Two

October 6, Comiskey Park

In the fourth game, the ChiSox sent Jason Bere to the hill against the Jays' Todd Stottlemyre. The South Siders took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second thanks to a home run by Johnson, but Toronto came back in the third with an RBI double from Alomar and a two-run single by Joe Carter, after which Pale Hose skipper Gene Lamont yanked Bere and replaced him with Tim Belcher. Chicago reclaimed its two-run advantage in the sixth when Frank Thomas tattooed a solo homer and Johnson tripled to center, scoring Burks and Bo Jackson. In the bottom of the inning, another RBI double from Alomar cut the lead to one, but the White Sox again restored their two-run lead in the seventh with a groundout from Joey Cora that scored Guillén and then extended it to three runs in the ninth with a single by Ventura. Roberto Hernández shut the door on the Jays in the bottom half of the inning, and the series was tied at two games apiece.

Game Five

October 10, SkyDome

Game 2

October 17, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, Canada

In the second game of the series, Dave Stewart was on the mound for Toronto and Terry Mulholland started for Philadelphia. Philadelphia jumped out to an early lead: in the third inning, Jim Eisenreich followed John Kruk and Dave Hollins RBI singles with a three-run home run to deep right-centre. Toronto got on the scoreboard in the fourth inning courtesy of a Joe Carter two-run home run to left (his second most important home run of the series by a wide margin), but the Jays were unable to mount a significant offensive push later in the game. Philadelphia held on to win 6-4. Terry Mulholland pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing 3 earned runs, for the win.

Game 5

October 21, 1993 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The offenses were due for an off-day, and it came in Game 5 courtesy of a Curt Schilling (Philadelphia) and Juan Guzman (Toronto) pitching duel. Schilling shut down the previously unstoppable Toronto offense, limiting the team to just five hits and no runs. Guzman pitched well in a losing effort, allowing only two runs and five hits in seven innings of work.

The two runs scored as a result of scrappy play from the Philadelphia offense. In the first inning, Lenny Dykstra walked, stole second, moved to third on a Pat Borders throwing error, and scored on a John Kruk ground out. In the second inning, Darren Daulton opened with a double, took third on a ground out, and scored on a Kevin Stocker single.

Game 6

October 23, 1993 at SkyDome in Toronto, Canada

[http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/baseballs_best/mlb_bb_gamepage.jsp?story_page=bb_93ws_gm6_phitor]

The sixth game in the series was a rematch between Game 2 starters Terry Mulholland and Dave Stewart, who would have similar results. Toronto opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first with a run-scoring Paul Molitor triple, Joe Carter sacrifice fly, and Roberto Alomar RBI single. Molitor added a solo home run in the 5th inning, bringing the score to 5-1 for Toronto.

In the 7th inning, Philadelphia fought back with five runs to take a 6-5 lead. Lenny Dykstra hit a three-run home run, Dave Hollins had an RBI single and Pete Incaviglia hit a sacrifice fly. The inning brought an end to Dave Stewart's night, leaving the game with 6 innings pitched and 4 runs given up.

Philadelphia closer Mitch Williams came on to the pitch the bottom of the 9th with Philadelphia clinging to a 6-5 lead. After beginning the inning by walking Rickey Henderson, Williams tried to counter Henderson's speed by pitching out of a slide-step style of pitching delivery. Prior to Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, Williams never used the slide-step delivery in his career. This may have cut back on the velocity of the hard throwing Williams. The walk to Henderson was followedy by a Devon White fly out and a single by Paul Molitor. Joe Carter came up next and, on a two strike pitch, he hit an inside pitch just over the left field fence, giving the Blue Jays a come-from-behind 8-6 victory, and the World Series crown.

Awards and Honors

* John Olerud, 1B, AL Batting Champion, .363 Batting Average
* John Olerud, 1B, Player of the Month Award, April
* John Olerud, 1B, Player of the Month Award, June
* Paul Molitor, DH, Babe Ruth Award
* Paul Molitor, DH, Player of the Month Award, May
* Paul Molitor, DH, Silver Slugger Award
* Paul Molitor, OF-DH, World Series MVP
* Dave Stewart, P, ALCS MVP
* Devon White, OF, Gold Glove Award

All-Star Game
* John Olerud, 1B, Starter
* Roberto Alomar, 2B, Starter
* Joe Carter, OF, Starter
* Paul Molitor, DH, Starter

* Pat Hentgen, P, Reserve
* Duane Ward, P, Reserve
* Devon White, OF, Reserve
* Cito Gaston, Manager [ [http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/history/all_stars.jsp Blue Jays All-Stars | bluejays.com: History ] ]

References

* [http://baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/roster.php?y=1993&t=TOR 1993 Toronto Blue Jays team page at www.baseball-almanac.com]
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1993_WS.shtml 1993 WS page at Baseball Reference]
* [http://bluejayway.ca/2004/up-close-with-hentgen * Blue Jay Way Interview]

succession box
title = AL East Championship Season
years = 1993
before =Toronto Blue Jays
1992
after = New York Yankees
1994succession box
title = American League Championship
years = 1993
before = Toronto Blue Jays
1992
after = Cleveland Indians
1995succession box
title = World Series Champions
Toronto Blue Jays
years = 1993
before = Toronto Blue Jays
1992
after = Atlanta Braves
1995