John McDonald celebrates his 52nd birthday today.
John McDonald enjoyed a remarkable career, especially for someone with a lifetime .233/.273/.323 slash line. How does a player last 16 years in the majors with numbers like that? The answer: exceptional defensive ability. Several years ago, I asked Brian Butterfield about Mac.
Last year in Seattle, we watched fielding practice before the game, and John McDonald was out there to the very end. That’s why he’s so good at it?
That’s exactly right, he’s the
best I’ve ever been around. I’ve told several people in the game that he has the best work ethic and gets himself into the right position, which is better than any infield that I’ve ever had. I’ve been blessed to be around some great ones. And it’s not a mistake for me when he makes a play in the hole that brings the house down. I don’t get as excited because it’s something I expect from him, and it’s something he’s rehearsed so many times. He’s rehearsed going into the hole and getting the ball in the air as quickly as he can. He rehearses it. He rehearses it at game speed. When you look at him after he takes ground balls,, he’s got a lather, he’s tired, and practices defense quickly at game speed the way you should. He’s the best.
I watched McDonald take infield practice many times and always enjoyed it. He gave maximum effort every time, making sure to throw every ball straight over the top—never sidearm or three-quarters. While he had natural talent, his greatness as a defensive player was rooted in his relentless work ethic.
That was part of his appeal—he made us believe that with enough effort, we could be like him. Of course, few are willing to work that hard, but the hope is there. It reminds me of a scene in Kill Bill, where Quentin Tarantino’s character explains he prefers Batman to Superman, because Batman represents the idea that anyone could become a hero with enough dedication, while Superman is just born with it.
He played seven seasons for us and quickly became a fan favourite, even though he never started regularly. There’s something about backups—they’re harder to blame when the team loses.
Another reason for his long career—despite his limited bat—is that he’s simply a good guy. Everyone seems to like him. When you see a player stick around longer than his numbers suggest he should, it’s usually because he’s a great teammate. There’s a life lesson in that: skills matter, but being someone everyone likes can only help. If he wanted, he could easily move into coaching or managing.
When Cito Gaston was managing, he worked with McDonald on pulling the ball more aggressively. For a while, it paid off—Mac hit six home runs in 152 at-bats, including a hot streak in August 2010 when he batted .382/.417/.765 with three home runs in 34 at-bats. Pitchers soon adjusted, throwing pitches harder to pull, and his numbers dipped to .200/.222/.300 in September. Still, it was a worthwhile experiment; those six home runs marked a career high. Given more time, I believe Cito could have helped him adjust to outside pitches as well.
John McDonald currently serves as a roving coach for the Cleveland Guardians.
His ‘Father’s Day’ home run remains one of my all-time favourite Blue Jays moments.
Happy birthday, John!
Today marks Jim Acker’s 68th birthday.
Acker served as a reliever for the Blue Jays from 1983 to July 1986, and again from 1989 to 1991. Had he stayed just one more year, he would have earned a World Series ring.
Originally the Braves’ first-round pick (#21 overall) in 1980, he joined the Blue Jays through the Rule 5 draft prior to the 1983 season.
As a Rule 5 pick, Acker remained on the Blue Jays roster throughout 1983 and quickly established himself as one of the team’s more reliable pitchers, finishing with a 5-1 record and a 4.33 ERA over 38 games (5 starts) as a 24-year-old rookie. In 1984, despite some injuries, he appeared in 32 games (3 starts) and posted a 4.38 ERA.
The Blue Jays used a closer-by-committee approach in 1985, and Acker had a strong season: 7-2 record, 3.23 ERA, and 10 saves in 61 appearances (our relievers racked up plenty of wins that year—Dennis Lamp went 11-0).
That season marked the Blue Jays’ first-ever playoff appearance. Jim pitched in two postseason games, covering six innings, and allowed just two hits with no walks and five strikeouts. In July 1986, Acker was traded back to Atlanta for right-handed starter Joe Johnson, who made 29 starts for Toronto over the next two seasons, posting a 10-7 record with a 4.42 ERA.
Acker played for the Braves until August 24, 1989, when they traded him back to Toronto for Francisco Cabrera and Tony Castillo. Cabrera would later become a postseason hero for the Braves with his series-winning hit in the 1992 NLCS, though Atlanta ultimately lost to the Blue Jays in the World Series.
Acker was outstanding down the stretch in 1989, posting a 1.59 ERA over 14 games and 28.1 innings, helping Toronto secure another playoff berth. In the ALCS against the A’s, he pitched in all five games and recorded a 1.42 ERA over 6.1 innings, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out four.
Acker followed up with a solid 1990 campaign (3.82 ERA in 59 games, 91.2 innings). 1991 was less successful, as his ERA rose to 5.20 over 54 games and 88.1 innings. The Blue Jays made the playoffs again, losing to the Twins in the ALCS; Acker appeared in one game.
After the season, he signed with the Mariners and pitched in 17 games, marking the end of his MLB career.
Acker appeared in ten big-league seasons, making 467 appearances (32 starts), with a 4.45 ERA, a 33-49 record, and 30 saves. Seven of those years were spent in Toronto. He wasn’t a strikeout specialist, averaging just 4.8 K/9, but that was a different era—relievers were used for multiple innings and pitched to contact to keep pitch counts down.
Happy birthday, Jim! Hope you have a great day.
Paul Spoljaric is celebrating his 56th birthday today.
Paul was a left-handed reliever for the Blue Jays, born in scenic Kelowna, BC. He joined the team as an amateur free agent, since Canadians were not included in the draft back in 1989.
He made the team out of spring training in 1994 but struggled in his first two appearances and didn’t return until 1996. That year, he fared much better, posting a 3.08 ERA in 28 games.
Spoljaric followed up with a strong 1997, recording a 3.19 ERA in 37 games. That year, the Jays traded him and Mike Timlin to the Mariners for Jose Cruz Jr., a former first-round pick and top prospect. Timlin and Spoljaric helped Seattle reach the playoffs, while Cruz went on to hit 122 home runs for Toronto over six seasons. It may have been Ash’s best trade for the Blue Jays.
After a difficult 1998 season in Seattle (6.48 ERA), Spoljaric was traded to the Phillies before 1999. In May, the Blue Jays brought him back, sending Robert Person to Philadelphia—the same Person Toronto had acquired from the Mets in the John Olerud deal.
Spoljaric appeared in 37 games for Toronto in 1999, making two starts and recording a 4.65 ERA.
After the season, Toronto traded Spoljaric and Pat Hentgen to the Cardinals for Alberto Castillo, Matt DeWitt, and Lance Painter—a trade that ultimately had little impact for the Jays. Spoljaric was released before the 2000 season, then signed with the Royals, where he pitched 13 games to close out his MLB career.
He played six seasons in the majors, including four with the Blue Jays. Across his career, Spoljaric appeared in 195 games (12 starts), posting a 5.52 ERA and recording four saves.
Happy birthday, Paul!
Kevin Millar is celebrating his 55th birthday today.
Millar spent his final big league season with the Blue Jays, brought in for his veteran presence. However, he hit just .223/.311/.363 over 78 games, and as a first baseman/DH, those numbers weren’t enough to secure his role—no matter how good he was in the clubhouse. After he left, it seemed most of his ‘veteran presence’ involved reminiscing about his time with the Red Sox.
He wasn’t one of my favourites.
Millar played 12 seasons in the majors, suiting up for the Marlins (5 years), Red Sox (3), Orioles (3), and Blue Jays. Over 1,427 games, he batted .274/.358/.452 with 170 home runs and a 14.2 bWAR (with -0.7 coming during his time with Toronto).
He earned a World Series ring with the 2004 Red Sox and played a key role in their legendary comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the ALCS. In Game 4’s ninth inning, down by a run, Millar drew a walk off Mariano Rivera. Dave Roberts pinch-ran, stole second, and the rest is history.
Happy birthday, Kevin!
Moisés Sierra turns 38 today.
Moisés was a top Jays prospect a few years back. He ended up playing 97 games with the Jays, over three seasons, hitting .229/.290/.368. We lost him on waivers to the White Sox. From there he went to the Royals, Marlins and Nationals.
