Visions of '83
Jim Turner - March 28, 2003

2003 marks the twentieth anniversary of the first good year in Toronto Blue Jays history. While 1985 and 1992-3 are obviously more famous, the 1983 season stands as the club's most pivotal. It marked the first time the team was a threat to contend and the first of 11 straight .500 seasons, an impressive achievement in the parity filled anybody-can-win 80s and early 90s. The 1983 Jays were an exciting young team that generated 89 wins and whole host of new fans.

In 2003, the Jays are poised to field another exciting young team, and would like nothing better than to once again rise to prominence in the AL East and create a new generation of fans. Can they duplicate the success of twenty years ago? There are some intriguing and encouraging similarities between the two.

Catcher
1983: Ernie Whitt/Buck Martinez
2003: Huckaby/Myers/Wilson/Cash?

1983 was a banner year for the Whitt/Martinez platoon, as they combined to crank out 27 HR and 89 RBI. Carlos Tosca won't get that kind of production from his 3-headed backstop unless Kevin Cash is promoted and goes Piazza for a month or two. Cash's promotion, which will happen this season barring a disaster at Syracuse, will spell the end for at least one of the team's law firm of catchers.

First Base
1983: Willie Upshaw
2003: Carlos Delgado

26-year-old Willie Upshaw enjoyed his finest major league season, hitting 304/.373/.515, and becoming the first Blue Jay to drive in 100 runs, actually the first to drive in more than 82. If the 2003 Jays can get a career year out of their first baseman, well, that will be quite a year. Delgado is the best hitter in club history, and out hits Upshaw's career year every season, even in the context of today's high offense environment. He'll do it again this year.

Second Base
1983: Damaso Garcia
2003: Orlando Hudson

Garcia was essentially a healthy Homer Bush, hitting .307/.336/.390 and swiping 31 bases. Batting average and speed were all Garcia had to offer offensively, but he rode those skills to consecutive All-Star appearances in '84 and '85 in a world devoid of Alfonso Sorianos. Hudson won't be making any All-Star games and he likely won't match Garcia's .307, but he's solid in all aspects of the game and a better overall player than Damaso. Now all he has to do is prove it for a full season at the big league level.

Third Base
1983: Rance Mulliniks/Garth Iorg
2003: Eric Hinske

You’d think Hinske would have it all over Mullinorg, but Rance's ability to draw walks and belt a double every 10 at-bats propelled him to a Hinskesque .275/.373/.467. The difference is that Hinske has a good shot at improving, maybe a lot. There's always the chance of the dreaded sophomore slump. Then again, Hinske's numbers as a 24-year-old look an awful lot like those of Jason Giambi at 25…

Shortstop
1983: Alfredo Griffin
2003: Chris Woodward

It's hard to imagine two more different shortstops than Griffin and Woodward. Griffin was a light-hitting glove wizard, while Woodward, an adequate defender, has a job this season because he just might hit 20 home runs given a full season of at-bats. The thing that Griffin and Woodward might share is longevity at the position. Griffin would have just one more year as the Jays' regular shortstop, before giving way to some guy named Octavio. Woodward may just be keeping the position warm for Russ Adams. Or he could be one of those guys who's supposed to lose his job every spring, only to keep it for the next half-dozen years.

Left Field
1983: Barry Bonnell
2003: Shannon Stewart

You'd hardly think that these two have anything in common, but hold on. Bonnell was 29 in 1983. Stewart is 29 this season. 1983 was Bonnell's last as a Blue Jay. Stewart becomes a free agent at season's end. Ability-wise, the two aren't close, but Bonnell enjoyed a career year under Bobby Cox's platoon system, hitting .318/.369/.469, numbers very similar to those that Stewart will likely take into free agency, unless he’s traded first, which is a strong possibility. He'll be replaced by Jayson Werth, Gabe Gross, John-Ford Griffin or whoever the team receives for Stewart. Jays' brass will be turning handsprings if any of them hit remotely as well as Bonnell's successor, one George Bell.

Centre Field
1983: Lloyd Moseby
2003: Vernon Wells

Twenty years ago, 23-year-old Lloyd Moseby rewarded the Blue Jays patience with a breakout season. Last season, 23-year-old Vernon Wells rewarded the Blue Jays patience with a breakout season. Well, almost. Moseby's season was far superior to that of Wells, who didn't reach base all that often, but when you drive in 100 runs, people tend to ignore your shortcomings. Wells did improve after the All-Star break, and should continue to get better. It would be a great disappointment if he peaked at 23, as Moseby did.

Right Field
1983: Jesse Barfield
2003: Frank Catalanotto

Any comparison here would be a bit of a stretch. Catalanotto's a veteran, Barfield was a sophomore. Catalanotto's a lefty who hits for average, Barfield was a right-handed masher. Catalanotto's a converted second baseman, Barfield was a converted howitzer. Barfield was still pretty raw in '83, belting out 27 homers, but not contributing much else. If Catalanotto bats at the top of the order all season, he'll score 100 runs. Barfield would go on to be a cornerstone of the Blue Jays for five more seasons. Catalanotto won't, but a two-year contract extension might make sense, perhaps to replace Shannon Stewart in left field.

Designated Hitter
1983: Cliff Johnson
2003: Josh Phelps

The 35-year-old and much-beloved Johnson had a solid year - .265/.373/.489 at DH. Phelps hasn't shown Cliff's veteran patience yet, but his upside has Jays fans salivating. It might be too early to predict 40 homers. Then again, it might not.

Bench

The ’83 team featured a deep, well-rounded bench, a necessity under the Bobby Cox platoon system. Dave Collins (31 steals) was a true fourth outfielder, racking up more than 400 AB. Garth Iorg (.275), Buck Martinez and Jorge Orta (10 HRs each) all had more than 200 AB.

In today's world of 11 and 12-man pitching staffs, benches have been somewhat neglected, especially in the American League. The 2003 bench will be hampered by carrying both a 12th pitcher and a 3rd catcher. The Jays have a lot of young everyday players, so it may not be an issue, but the team splits versus lefties last season were almost universally wretched. Having another potent right-handed bat on the bench couldn't hurt.

Starting Rotation
1983:
Dave Stieb
Jim Clancy
Luis Leal
Jim Gott
Doyle Alexander

2003:
Roy Halladay
Cory Lidle
Mark Hendrickson
Tanyon Sturtze
Justin Miller

The '83 Jays boasted a 25-year-old ace coming off an all-star season. The 2K3 Jays boast a 25-year-old ace coming off an all-star season. The '83 club also had a #2 starter fresh from an All-Star appearance in Jim Clancy, and the venerable right-hander delivered a solid season: 15-11, 3.91. It's hard to imagine anyone in the current rotation other than Halladay posting such numbers, but the league ERA in '83 was just 4.06, so it's possible that Cory Lidle, having posted a 3.90 ERA himself last year, could approach Clancyism.

In the #3 spot, Luis Leal tossed 200 innings and kept his ERA within shouting distance of league average, which is all the Jays are asking of Tanyon Sturtze.

The fourth starter twenty years ago was a big righty, Jim Gott, in just his second year in the majors. Gott took his lumps, 4.74 ERA, but stayed in the rotation and showed promise, 121 Ks in 176 IP. This season the team will look to an even bigger lefty in just his second season. Everything Mark Hendrickson has done so far has been promising, but can he sustain that promise over a full season?

Outside of Stieb, the '83 rotation wasn't stellar, but it was solid, consistently keeping the team in games and allowing the #3 offense in the league to go to work. The 2003 rotation is full of question marks after Halladay and Lidle. Hendrickson and Miller might break through, but they might have to take their lumps first. Jason Arnold and Corey Thurman might see some time in the rotation this season, but both are better bets for 2004. If the Jays get very lucky, the rotation will churn out the same type of workmanlike performance as their 1983 counterparts. Oh, and Roy Halladay will win the Cy Young.

Bullpen

Neither group is going to make anyone forget the Nasty Boys, but the 1983 pen was particularly weak. Where was the patented Bobby Cox bullpen we've come to know and love throughout the 90s? Put any of his Atlanta pens with this team and they win the division. Randy Moffitt was the ace of the '83 pen, and the only reliever to keep his ERA below league average. The 2K3 pen has a good reliever in Escobar, a great (and highly underrated) reliever in Cliff Politte and a wildcard in Aquilino Lopez. Lopez was great in Triple-A last year, and there's really no reason he can't have similar success at the big league level. Pete Walker and Doug Linton (for as long as he lasts) should prove useful swingmen. Hopefully they won't have too many mopup assignments.

The 1983 Blue Jays offense was very good. The 2003 offense has a chance to be even better, and could boast above average production at all nine positions, even catcher, where the competition around the AL is fairly weak. The bullpen is serviceable. The bench is weak, but shouldn't play a huge factor in the team's fortunes. The success of the 2003 Blue Jays rests with the team's greatest unanswered question, the rotation. On the bright side, they aren't relying on a group of veteran retreads, a la the Albie Lopezes and Tony Castillos of the world, but a group of exciting, if unproven young hurlers. This may just be off-season optimism talking, but personally, I like their chances. One thing is certain, unlike 1983 the 2003 Jays won't win 89 games and finish fourth.