Level of Excellence

[Terminator]

The Level of Excellence is an award bestowed by the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club, recognizing tremendous individual achievement.

 

The names and, in some cases, uniform numbers of each of the honourees are displayed on the facing of 500 Level in Rogers Centre. The recipients of this prestigious award are as follows: PAUL BEESTON (April 4, 2008), GEORGE BELL (April 9, 1996), JOE CARTER (July 30, 1999), TOM CHEEK (August 29, 2004), CARLOS DELGADO (July 21, 2013), TONY FERNANDEZ (September 23, 2001), CITO GASTON (July 30, 1999), PAT GILLICK (August 7, 2002), ROY HALLADAY (March 29, 2018) and DAVE STIEB (April 9, 1996).

 

https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/history/records-stats-awards/level-of-excellence

[Terminator]

Bautista is being added on August 12 and he seems like an easy add to me. But in addition to him, who should be in the Level of Excellence and who should be out?

 

Not much criteria is given, other than the organization recognizing "tremendous individual achievement."

[wilko]

Bautista is being added on August 12 and he seems like an easy add to me. But in addition to him, who should be in the Level of Excellence and who should be out?

 

Not much criteria is given, other than the organization recognizing "tremendous individual achievement."

 

Roberto Alomar.

[Terminator]

Roberto Alomar.

 

If it were up to me I would quietly add him back in 10 years. No ceremony or anything just put his name back up there.

[John_Havok]

Vernon Wells, as stated in that other thread. Hes at or near the top of all the important counting stats for hitters as a Jay, ahead of guys that are already up there. He is second all-time for the Blue Jays in career hits, doubles, runs, RBI and total bases, and fourth in home runs.

 

He was a huge fan favorite while he was here, and despite underperforming after signing the big contract, he did bounce back and put up nearly 4 fWAR in his final season as a Jay before AA managed to deal him to the Angels. 3 Gold Gloves, 1 silver Slugger. 3 time All Star as a Jay.

[Laika]

What would the reasonable list of candidates be?

 

Key

Clancy

Guzman

Henke

Hentgen

 

Barfield

Wells

Moseby

Encarnacion

Olerud

Whitt

Donaldson

White

Alomar

McGriff

 

Shapiro

Atkins

 

Wilner

 

edit: Roger Clemens should be here if Donaldson is

edit: Duane Ward sacrificed his arm for the Blue Jays

Edited March 6, 2023 by Laika

[Terminator]

I would pass on Vernon Wells. I respect the argument and on a talent level he's on par with Joe Carter and George Bell, both of whom I'm okay with being in the LoE.

 

But Carter had one of the biggest hits in MLB history to go along with 5 ASG appearances, 2 World Series titles and 2 silver slugger awards. George Bell won an MVP, 3 silver slugger awards and was apart of the 1985 team which won the AL East and was one game away from the World Series. So Carter had an iconic moment to go along with 2 WS titles and George Bell had some team success to go along with an MVP award.

 

Wells has some individual hardware on par with those two (the GGs probably allow him to surpass Carter but Bell's MVP is more impressive) but zero notable team success and zero iconic moments.

 

So if it were up to me I would draw a line where Bell and Carter are in and Wells is out.

[Terminator]

What would the reasonable list of candidates be?

 

Key

Clancy

Guzman

Henke

Hentgen

 

Barfield

Wells

Moseby

Encarnacion

Olerud

Whitt

Donaldson

White

Alomar

McGriff

 

Shapiro

Atkins

 

Wilner

 

Wilner is a lock.

[Laika]

I would pass on Vernon Wells. I respect the argument and on a talent level he's on par with Joe Carter and George Bell, both of whom I'm okay with being in the LoE.

 

But Carter had one of the biggest hits in MLB history to go along with 5 ASG appearances, 2 World Series titles and 2 silver slugger awards. George Bell won an MVP, 3 silver slugger awards and was apart of the 1985 team which won the AL East and was one game away from the World Series. So Carter had an iconic moment to go along with 2 WS titles and George Bell had some team success to go along with an MVP award.

 

Wells has some individual hardware on par with those two (the GGs probably allow him to surpass Carter but Bell's MVP is more impressive) but zero notable team success and zero iconic moments.

 

So if it were up to me I would draw a line where Bell and Carter are in and Wells is out.

 

In 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays were on track to have ZERO players hit 20 home runs.

 

Vernon Wells was sitting at 18 going into the final game of the year. He would hit two home runs that day, driving in 5 runs in a 10-1 win over Baltimore.

 

Legend.

[Terminator]

What would the reasonable list of candidates be?

 

Key

Clancy

Guzman

Henke

Hentgen

 

Barfield

Wells

Moseby

Encarnacion

Olerud

Whitt

Donaldson

White

Alomar

McGriff

 

Shapiro

Atkins

 

Wilner

 

That's a good list. I would probably add Clemens to it.

 

Not sure I would put him in necessarily but if the Level is for "recognizing tremendous individual achievement" then his two Cy Young winning seasons merit some consideration at least.

[Virgil_Hiltz]

What would the reasonable list of candidates be?

 

Key

Clancy

Guzman

Henke

Hentgen

 

Barfield

Wells

Moseby

Encarnacion

Olerud

Whitt

Donaldson

White

Alomar

McGriff

 

Shapiro

Atkins

 

Wilner

 

Agree on Henke and heres another player that should be nominated but Im sure he wont end up on the Level of Excellance but he should get some consideration...Duane Ward.

[Laika]

Duane Ward was a monster. He kind of... sacrificed the longevity of his career in order to be a bulk reliever in his 20s.

 

I bet if you look at his game logs you'd see some spooky stuff. Like pitching 2 innings three days in a row, or throwing 55 pitches in relief then only getting one day off, haha.

Or pitching, I dunno, 19 games in 30 calendar days or whatever.

[Terminator]

I knew Ward was good but not that good. His 1991 season was nuts. He threw 81 games and 107 innings and put up 4.1 WAR.

 

You could count on AT LEAST one inning of elite relief pitching in half of the team's games.

[Virgil_Hiltz]

Regarding McGriff....not sure if his short tenure here warrants his name up on the Level Of Excellance. BUT his "real" career start was with Toronto and he did get elected into the Hall of Fame. I think a player who put in approx 5 yrs with the Jays like McGriff and gets into the HoF should be honoured accordingly up on the LoE. Edited March 6, 2023 by Virgil_Hiltz
spelling typo

[Terminator]

Duane Ward was a monster. He kind of... sacrificed the longevity of his career in order to be a bulk reliever in his 20s.

 

I bet if you look at his game logs you'd see some spooky stuff. Like pitching 2 innings three days in a row, or throwing 55 pitches in relief then only getting one day off, haha.

Or pitching, I dunno, 19 games in 30 calendar days or whatever.

 

Here's an interesting stretch from 1991:

 

8/30: 1 IP

8/31: 1.2 IP

9/1: Got the day off

9/2: 2 IP

9/3: Got the day off

9/4: 2 IP

9/5: Got the day off

9/6: 0.2 IP

 

In those 8 days he threw 7.1 IP with zero runs, 11 Ks, 2 hits, 1 BB and 3 Saves.

 

During that stretch the Jays increased their division lead on the Tigers from 2.5 games to 4. Looks like Henke was dinged up as he didn't pitch during that stretch so Ward stepped up big time.

 

In HoF terms if Billy Wagner is getting consideration for the HoF then Ward should get consideration for the LoE.

[Terminator]

Regarding McGriff....not sure if his short tenure here warrants his name up on the Level Of Excellance. BUT his "real" career start was with Toronto and he did get elected into the Hall of Fame. I think a player who put in approx 5 yrs with the Jays like McGriff and gets into the HoF should be honoured according up on the LoE.

 

I agree. He is going into the HoF with no team cap and the Jays have as much of a claim as any other team.

[glory]

Bautista is a no brainer addition. Hard to believe he was on the team for 9.5 years. Didn't feel that long. I would think Encarnacion is next.

 

As for others, I'm iffy on Wells. It wasn't like he was the best of the best like Halladay was. He was a good player in a completely forgettable era of Blue Jays baseball.

[mellowgold]

I think the Jays have done a really good job of not oversaturating the LoE. After Bautista, I don't think I'd add anyone. Sorry Edwin.

 

One day we'll see Vlad up there.

[keggy]

What would the reasonable list of candidates be?

Shapiro

Atkins

 

Look at Beeston and Gillick's personal and team accolades during their tenure in Toronto.

 

Shapiro and Atkins don't belong in this conversation.

[BCZ]

In 2008 the Toronto Blue Jays were on track to have ZERO players hit 20 home runs.

 

Vernon Wells was sitting at 18 going into the final game of the year. He would hit two home runs that day, driving in 5 runs in a 10-1 win over Baltimore.

 

Legend.

 

No player in the history of Blue Jays caused me more frustration than Vernon well after he signed that mega contract. I have traumatic memories of him popping up and striking out swinging at bad pitches in critical situations over and over and f***ing over again.

[wilko]

I'd say you'd have to put Buck on there at some point.

[Laika]

I'd say you'd have to put Buck on there at some point.

 

blech

[Laika]

Look at Beeston and Gillick's personal and team accolades during their tenure in Toronto.

 

Shapiro and Atkins don't belong in this conversation.

 

just wait

[Laika]

wait, how could we forget Sam Cosentino?

[Brownie19]

wait, how could we forget Sam Cosentino?

 

Is there room for Arash up there?

[wilko]

Is there room for Arash up there?

 

[Laika]

Barry Davis' LinkedIn is cool

 

Experience

Bolton Honda

Sales And Leasing Consultant

Bolton Honda

Jul 2022 - Present 9 months

 

Bolton, Ontario, Canada

 

Sales and Leasing Consultant at Georgetown Honda

Georgetown Honda (905) 873-1818

Apr 2021 - Present 2 years

 

Georgetown, Ontario, Canada

 

Rogers Communications

Blue Jays beat and in game reporter

Rogers Communications

Sep 2002 - Jan 2017 14 years 5 months

[connorp]

Barry Davis' LinkedIn is cool

 

Experience

Bolton Honda

Sales And Leasing Consultant

Bolton Honda

Jul 2022 - Present 9 months

 

Bolton, Ontario, Canada

 

Sales and Leasing Consultant at Georgetown Honda

Georgetown Honda (905) 873-1818

Apr 2021 - Present 2 years

 

Georgetown, Ontario, Canada

 

Rogers Communications

Blue Jays beat and in game reporter

Rogers Communications

Sep 2002 - Jan 2017 14 years 5 months

 

You libs somehow manage to get “elitist” and “champion of the poor”, mixed up sometimes

[Spanky99]

You libs somehow manage to get “elitist” and “champion of the poor”, mixed up sometimes

 

Reported.

[Terminator]

I think the Jays have done a really good job of not oversaturating the LoE. After Bautista, I don't think I'd add anyone. Sorry Edwin.

 

One day we'll see Vlad up there.

 

Good points. I'd still consider McGriff though.