Tony Fernandez: Number one for the Blue Jays

Tony Fernandez, shortstop of the Toronto Blue Jays, throughout the latter half of the 1980s.
Source: https://theathletic.com/1611195/2020/02/16/
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There were few who could range to their right or left and calmly snap a throw over to first base like Tony Fernandez.

He started his magnificent career with the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1980s, would leave in a blockbuster trade, and return triumphantly to take his rightful place at shortstop in time to win a World Series and set some records in the process.

Earlier this year Tony Fernandez passed away at the age of 57, and the Blue Jays honoured him by wearing his number one on their sleeves.

Waiting in the wings
There was a time I was not a huge fan of Tony Fernandez at all.

It was the mid 1980s, just when the Toronto Blue Jays began to contend in the American League East Division. However, in 1983 and 1984, it became obvious that, as good as their starting pitching, defence and offence were, they still had a weak bullpen. Time and again they would jump out to a lead only to lose late because the bullpen could not hold that lead.

Something had to be done.

Meanwhile in Syracuse, the Triple-A affiliate of the Blue Jays, they had a prospect at shortstop who, as commentator Tony Kubek said, was making more and more major league plays every day. His name was Tony Fernandez.

Yet, the Blue Jays were already set at shortstop with Alfredo Griffin, one-time rookie of the year, and one of the best shortstops in the Major Leagues. He was also one of my favourite players.

All these elements would converge into a move that changed the course of Toronto Blue Jays history forever.

Blockbuster trade
In 1984, the Blue Jays thought they had their closer when they acquired Dennis Lamp from the Chicago White Sox. He was serviceable, and the Jays were in the hunt to the end, but they still finished second.

Then in 1985, general manager Pat Gillick pulled a massive trade. He acquired Bill Caudill from the Oakland A’s, one of the best relief pitchers in the American League. The price was steep though, including Alfred Griffin. The trade was heralded almost as much for finally giving Tony Fernandez a chance to play.

I was happy the Jays got a quality reliever, but sad they gave up Alfredo to do it.

This Fernandez better be good, I thought.

If I only knew the half of it.

Over the top
The Blue Jays did get over the top and win their division in 1985 but, as it turned out, it was not Bill Caudill who provided relief out of the bullpen. The relief came from their own system, in the form of Tom Henke, a pitcher they acquired in the Rule 5 draft. Caudill and Lamp both provided set up for the man who became known as “The Terminator”.

The revelation though was at shortstop, where Tony Fernandez was even better than expected. He was better than Griffin, and could swing the bat too. He wound up winning four straight Gold Gloves, in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989 to end the decade.

He would have six solid seasons, making the all-star game in 1986, 1987, and 1989 as well.

And, in 1986, he had 213 hits, a record at the time, for shortstops.

My outstanding memory of him during this time was in the 1989 American League Championship Series. The Jays had given everything they had to come from behind and win their division so they had little left for the mighty Oakland A’s. Although largely a speed bump for the eventual World Series champions, the only spark the Jays showed was in Game 3. It was keyed by a double from Tony Fernandez that drove in two runs to tie the game at 3-3. He later scored what turned out to be the winning run. Up until then, he had been criticized for being robotic. After that hit, he showed emotion, and it sparked the Jays. They went on to win their lone game of that series. It showed he began to grow as a leader.

However, by 1990, the Blue Jays were no closer to getting to a World Series than they were in 1985.

So, Gillick pulled the trigger on an even bigger trade, that turned the tide again for the Blue Jays.

Blockbuster – trade not video store
After losing out to the Boston Red Sox again in 1990, everyone close to the Blue Jays knew a shake up was needed. Gillick, who had been called “Stand Pat” for years for his reluctance to make big trades, changed the entire make up of the Jays in a few short weeks.

He traded Fernandez and power-hitting first baseman Fred McGriff to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Joe Carter and second baseman Roberto Alomar.

Along with the acquisition of centre fielder Devon White in a trade with the California Angels, the transformation was immediate, and the Jays won the 1991 American League East Division, although they went down in the American League Championship Series to Minnesota. The next year, with the free agent signings of designated hitter Dave Winfield and starter Jack Morris, the Jays won their division, the American League and beat Atlanta in the World Series.

By then, Manuel Lee, who was a player much like Fernandez, had settled in at shortstop. However, after the 1992 World Series Lee became a free agent and left the Blue Jays for the Texas Rangers.

In stepped Dick Schofield, a former California Angel, at shortstop.

The Blue Jays seemed set as they prepared to try and repeat as World Series champions.

The return
Fernandez settled in as a Padre, playing there for the 1991 and 1992 seasons, making his fourth all-star game in 1992.

He was on the move again in 1993. Before the season, the Padres traded him to the New York Mets, where he did not get off to a good start.

Meanwhile, Schofield was settling in with the Blue Jays when he broke his arm.

The Jays, once so deep at shortstop with the likes of Griffin, Fernandez, and Lee, now needed one desperately.

They went back to the future, trading outfield Darrin Jackson to the Mets – for Tony Fernandez.

He played well, like he’d never left, contributing to their playoff run. The Jays won their third straight AL East Division, and second straight American League Championship.

Awaiting them in the World Series were the surging Philadelphia Phillies who shocked the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series.

It would be a series to remember for many players, including Tony Fernandez. The Jays would win in six games, and Fernandez would set a World Series record for shortstops with nine runs batted in.

However, his best performance was in the wildest World Series game I ever saw.

It was Game 4, and the Jays jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top half of the first inning, but the Phillies scored four in the first and two more in the second only to have Toronto answer with four in the top of the third to lead 7-6. The Phillies then scored one in the fourth and five more in the fifth to lead 12-7. The Jays scored twice in the top of the sixth, only to have Philadelphia score one each in the bottom of the sixth and seventh. The Jays then struck the final blow, scoring six unanswered runs in the top of the eighth. It was the last scoring of the game, as Toronto went on to win 15-14. It was incredible, the highest scoring World Series game in history.

Fernandez led the Jays at the plate by driving in five runs.

He would leave the Jays after the 1993 season, but returned twice more, for the 1998 and 1999 seasons, and to finish his career in 2001.

Parting thoughts
It is difficult to describe the impact Tony Fernandez had on the Blue Jays, especially given his start.

It seemed he waited so long at Syracuse for his big break.

I really wasn’t thrilled the Jays traded Alfredo Griffin, one of my favourites, in part to make room for Fernandez. (Interestingly, the Jays brought back both Griffin and Fernandez later, where they both got to experience World Series glory, Griffin in 1992 and Fernandez in 1993.)

Yet, when Fernandez got to Toronto, he truly did seize the day.

Once he hit the Major Leagues, he never looked back, playing for 18 seasons with seven different teams.

Initially, he was quiet, kept to himself, and was viewed as kind of a downer. This also contributed to my initial view of him. Before outfielder George Bell left, he had complained he had no one to socialize with, not even the other Latino players. He tried calling Fernandez to go out, but Tony said he was busy reading his Bible. He was even dubbed by the media as the "Frown Prince of Baseball." His faith, his large family, and working out were what was important to Fernandez.

However, a lot of that was maturity. Another part was that he was still learning to speak English. By the time Fernandez retired, as a Blue Jay in 2001, he was seen as a leader and a role model on and off the field. I recall seeing one of the interviews after his last game and thinking this was not at all the same guy who came up for the first time back in 1983.

That's why he was number one for the Blue Jays – in more ways than one.