Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
With 27 World Series titles to their name, there’s no question that the New York Yankees belong in Major League Baseball, but owner Hal Steinbrenner believes there’s a lot to learn from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Since the Jays’ inception in 1977, no other team has won more than New York, with seven World Series crowns and 21 divisional titles, while Toronto has collected two and seven, respectively.
But this year, it was the Blue Jays who were setting the bar as a team.
For the first time in MLB history, the two divisional rivals faced off in a postseason matchup with the Jays claiming the American League Division Series 3–1, securing an 11–6 record against the Yankees, including the regular season.
Speaking during an offseason media availability on Monday, Steinbrenner was asked if his club could take a page from Toronto’s approach, focusing on a more contact-oriented, defensively strong style of play.
“I think balance in life is everything,” Steinbrenner said. “They also slug the ball. It’s not just putting the ball in play, they definitely slug the ball. Hitting hits hard, especially in the air, not that you’re trying to hit it over the fence, but in the air, statistically, the results speak for themselves, you have a better chance of success when you do that.” Steinbrenner said, according to Mike Petriello of MLB.com.
When asked about Toronto’s rise and what sets them apart this season, the Yankees executive credited the Jays’ all-around approach.
“You can’t just be a slow home run team. They had a great year. I’m interested to see how well they do next year with that roster, assuming it stays mostly intact, but they’re a great team,” Steinbrenner continued. “They definitely played better than us, they handled it better than us, they hit the ball and put it into play better than us, and they pitched better than us, and that’s why they won.”
The next chapter in this growing rivalry will continue in May, when the Blue Jays travel to New York for a four-game series at Yankee Stadium, a matchup Steinbrenner will surely watch closely.
