Former Blue Jay J.A. Happ surprised no one by being classy and courteous in his final moments as a member of the 2018 New York Yankees.
Everyone who has even casually followed the Blue Jays knows what an outstanding, polite, and genuine human being J.A. Happ is. The big lefty, a native of Peru, Illinois, is calm and collected not just on the mound, but also off the field.
Recently, Happ and his New York Yankee teammates suffered a rather disappointing defeat at the hands of the rival Boston Red Sox. In his typical fashion, Happ responded eloquently.
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According to Arash Madani of Sportsnet, who was in New York, Happ was “embracing” his Yankee teammates and clubhouse staff, telling some of them: “thanks for letting me be a part of this”.
Even in defeat, Happ remained polite, friendly and appreciative of the opportunity provided for him this summer. Having only been a member of the Yankees since late-July, he got the chance to experience a genuine playoff race with an exciting team.
Though he struggled, this postseason (and the tail end of the regular season) should prove to be valuable for Happ as he tries once again to snag a big deal in free agency. For many Blue Jays fans, this act of class was just another reason to potentially bring him back for this squad to mentor and aid in the development of a bevy of young hurlers.
Regardless, it’s nice to see that while Happ is no longer a member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, he’s still making tons of fans in this city, continuing his concrete tradition of being a classy and well-spoken individual. With a decent season under his belt, Happ should secure a healthy contract in the offseason.