Blue Jays memories: 1983, Getting into the race, part two

It was the shot heard round the world for the Toronto Blue Jays. A home run that, as it turned out, signalled the beginning of a collapse that showed the Toronto Blue Jays were just not ready to win the American League East title.

Designated hitter Cliff Johnson of the
1983 Toronto Blue Jays provided
veteran leadership throughout the season.

Source: www.torontopubliclibrary.ca

(may be subject to copyright)

The saga of Lenn Sakata

The Jays hung around in the race for the American League East title, although as the season wore on, their weaknesses became more evident, especially the lack of relief pitching. The starters would give them good outings, and the offence would provide a lead, but the bullpen could not hold it.

Toronto started the month of August at 12-12, but were presented with a golden opportunity. They were going into Baltimore for a three-game set. The Orioles were tied for the division lead, 2.5 games up on the Jays. Oddly the two teams had the same number of wins, but the Orioles had three fewer losses. If the Jays won all three, they would move past Baltimore and likely into the lead.

What transpired was one of the weirdest series I have ever seen, filled with drama and its fair share of karma.

The series opened on Aug. 23 with the Jays sending Luis Leal, their third starter behind ace Dave Stieb and Jim Clancy, to face Mike Flanagan, the Orioles’ ace. That game was highlighted by Blue Jay Shortstop Alfredo Griffin making several great defensive plays. The game was nationally televised in the States, so the whole country got to see Griffin at his best for really the first time.

Leal would go the distance, pitching nine complete innings, allowing three runs, seven hits and striking out four as the Blue Jays won 9-3. The Jays chased Flanagan in the fourth, after scoring seven runs. To make matters worse for Baltimore they shot themselves in the foot, making five errors, including two each by second baseman Lenn Sakata and Flanagan.

Lenn Sakata of the 1983 Baltimore Orioles went
from goat to hero, and became the first in
a long line of Toronto Blue Jay killers.

Source: https://alchetron.com/Lenn-Sakata#-

(may be subject to copyright)

Everything would turn in the next game. It was on CTV’s Wednesday night Blue Jays Baseball, and I will never forget that night or that game. All the talk had been about how great Griffin had played, and what a goat Sakata had been.

Jim Clancy got the start in Game 2, on Aug. 24, and pitched a gem. There was no scoring until the third inning when the Jays got a run off Scott McGregor, only to have the Orioles tie it in the bottom half of the inning. Toronto went up 2-1 in the fifth then tacked on another run in the eighth to lead 3-1 with Baltimore having one last chance in the bottom of the ninth inning.

But the Jays could not hold the lead. The Orioles cashed in two runs to tie the game 3-3 and send it into extra innings.

Things still did not seem dire though. Designated hitter Cliff Johnson promptly it a solo home run to give the Jays a 4-3 lead. Things looked even better when the Jays got another base runner. The Orioles had brought in reliever Tippy Martinez who picked him off. Undeterred, the Jays got another base runner. Martinez picked him off too. Then, incredibly, Toronto put another man on base and Martinez picked him off too!

Years later my best friend of the time Chris Vining said that Martinez’s move was obviously a balk.

Still, the Jays had a one-run lead, three outs away from moving a step closer to first place.

Cal Ripken Junior stepped in and hit a solo homer to again tie the score. The fans were going crazy in Baltimore.

The Jays managed to get two outs and the Orioles put two men on.

So, who steps to the plate? Lenn Sakata, goat from the day before. Baltimore manager Joe Altobelli had had to make so many changes in his line up in his effort to tie the game, that he ran out of catchers. Sakata, had not caught since little league, and was pressed into action behind the plate in extra innings.

There is another theory about Martinez picking off all those base runners. Because the Jays were trying to take advantage of Sakata’s inexperience, they were leading too far off first base, making it easier for Martinez to pick them off. So, Sakata survived that inning behind the plate, and now had a chance to win the game with a base hit.

The Jays brought in Randy Moffitt, after their avowed closer Joey McLaughlin surrendered that home run to Ripken.

Sakata, who was not the best hitter, turned from goat to hero by hitting a three-run, walk-off home run.

Game over.

Roy Lee Jackson was a reliever
with the 1983 Toronto Blue Jays.

Source: www.baseball-reference.com

(may be subject to copyright)

The next night, the Jays concluded that series with a virtual repeat performance. Dave Stieb dueled Storm Davis to a scoreless draw after nine innings. In the top of the tenth, Barry Bonnell hit a solo home run to give Toronto a one-run lead. However, the bull pen blew it again. This time their other ace reliever, Roy Lee Jackson, surrendered two runs in the bottom of the inning, to give Baltimore a 2-1 victory.

The Jays had gone from the possibility of leading the division by half a game, had they won those two extra-inning games, to trailing Baltimore by 3.5 games.

The pattern repeated itself in their next series in Detroit. The Jays lost Game 1 in extra innings then won Game 2. The pivotal third game, if the Jays won, would move them closer to first place. They scored two in third and Detroit got one back in the fourth, to provide all the scoring going into the ninth, and Detroit’s last at-bat. Starter Luis Leal had turned in another quality start for Toronto, turning the lead over to the bull pen. McLaughlin was called in the ninth to nail down the victory.

Joey McLaughlin was a reliever
with the 1983 Toronto Blue Jays.

Source: www.baseball-reference.com

(may be subject to copyright)

This time, it was Chet Lemon who launched a three-run, walk-off home run into the seats to give the Tigers the win in the game and the series.

The Jays were now five games back, and in a bit of a tailspin.

End of the line

The Jays finished August with a 15-19 record, and with faint hopes of winning the division. They rebounded somewhat in September, going 16-10, but only made up one game in the standings. They closed out the season with two games to start October, winning one and losing one against Minnesota.

They finished the year 89-73. They had led the American League East at the all-star break. Although they faded and finished fourth behind the Orioles, it was by far the best record in their history.

Parting thoughts

That collapse in August had exposed the Jays’ biggest weakness – they needed relief pitching. It would be something they would try and address for the next few seasons, ultimately finding just the right combination.

Still, 1983 was a watershed year. The Blue Jays had gone from perennial doormat to contender, almost over night. This season would be the first of 11 straight winning seasons for the Blue Jays. The streak may have been longer, but was ended by a strike in 1994.

The late-season collapse also started a string of heartbreaks and disasters that would haunt the Jays until they finally exorcised their demons by winning the World Series in 1992.

The year also produced its share of moments. Centrefielder Lloyd Moseby was the player of the month for August, and would win a Silver Slugger Award at the end of the season. Dave Stieb had started and won the all-star game.

More than anything, the season created an energy and electricity around the team that would propel it for the next 11 years. The song “Let’s Play Ball” became a mantra for the team. Oddly, it alludes to a seagull, which was a strange coincidence. That year Dave Winfield, then playing for the New York Yankees, killed a seagull accidentally by a throw from the outfield. He was even charged, although the charges were dropped.

It just demonstrated there was a new interest and buzz about the team.

One other odd memory also illustrated the new found excitement around the team. I was watching the Canadian Open tennis tournament on CTV.

Billie-Jean King was doing the colour commentary. I think it was Fergie Olver who was the announcer, and he kept bringing updates from a Jays game going on in Boston. The Jays had trailed badly, but as the match wore on, they mounted a comeback. Olver said Billie-Jean King was going crazy in the booth, jumping up and down with excitement when the Jays took the lead and eventually won the game. Why? Because her brother Randy Moffitt played for the Jays as a relief pitcher.

It was a magical time, because the Jays were the ultimate underdog.

Even though they did not win in the end, they had come so far – and they had set the stage for things to come.

*This is from the vault