A decision to sit burgeoning star player Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is not sitting well with some local fans of the Toronto Blue Jays who made the trip from North Bay.
Guerrero, who has climbed the ranks of the Jays’ farm system, has, after an adjustment period, become more and more comfortable at the plate. Guerrero is the reigning American League Player of the Week, hitting 7-for-21 with four home runs and nine RBIs.
He appeared in all of the games on the Blue Jays’ recent road trip, returned home and was promptly left out of the team’s lineup on Victoria Day afternoon versus the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.
Below is a letter addressed to Mark Shapiro, President & CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays from a frustrated North Bay father whose daughter paid for tickets to take him to see the Jays for his birthday.
Dear Mr. Shapiro,
Someone in your organization owes a young girl an apology.
My daughter used her own hard earned money from babysitting to buy me tickets to see the Blue Jays for my birthday. She’s been playing the game since she was a little girl and has always been a Blue Jays fan. We picked the Victoria Day game against the World Champion Boston Red Sox. A chance for me, a super proud Dad, to hang out for a couple of days with my little girl… just the two of us!!!
We live in North Bay so getting the chance to come down to see a game is no small endeavour. Hotel room, gas, meals etc. On the drive down I got the chance to hear all about Vladamir Guerrero and how excited she is to be able to see him in person. She was so excited and her excitement was contagious. She was so proud that she was able to arrange this experience for us.
We showed up early for the game to experience the atmosphere. Into the Jays shop we went to buy her another Blue Jays hat and shirt because she already had a new jersey from Christmas. It’s getting close to game-time so we decide it’s time to find our seats. She had picked out terrific seats in section 124 just seventeen rows from the field. We stand for the playing of the national anthems and sit back down only to hear that the Jays have decided that Vladimir Guerrero was sitting out that game? Maggie
looked at me… she was devastated. He could have been rested for a game in Chicago. He could have been rested for a night game later in the series.As it turns out she had bought, with her own money, tickets to see a team that was about to lose 12-2.
As it turns out she had bought, with her own money, tickets to see a team that was about to get 3 hits just as they had in eleven of their games this year.
As it turns out she had bought, with her own money, tickets to see a team that is 27th in runs scored, 27th in batting average, I think about the third worst record in the league, a pitcher with an ERA about 8.
As it turns out she had bought, with her own money, tickets to see a game on a holiday with a stadium filled with kids which did not feature Vladimir Guerrero.
As it turns out she had bought, with her own money, tickets to a game in which she asked me if we could leave after the 6th inning. I agreed. It was 8-2 at the time.
We got back to the car. Maggie doffed her jersey and hat and threw them in the backseat. Your team lost more than a game on Victoria Day. Your organization lost a little girl that no longer wants to be a fan.
Sincerely,
A Frustrated Father
