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Blue Jays: Acquire Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar- 30 Years Later

By David Corcoran

COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Roberto Alomar gives his speech at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2011 in Cooperstown, New York. In 17 major league seasons, Alomar tallied 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBI, a .984 fielding percentage and a .300 batting average. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
COOPERSTOWN, NY - JULY 24: Roberto Alomar gives his speech at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 24, 2011 in Cooperstown, New York. In 17 major league seasons, Alomar tallied 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBI, a .984 fielding percentage and a .300 batting average. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /
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23 Oct 1993: Firrst baseman Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Toronto Sky Dome in Toronto, Canada. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport
23 Oct 1993: Firrst baseman Joe Carter of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates after the World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies at the Toronto Sky Dome in Toronto, Canada. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport /

In Joe Carter, the Blue Jays were acquiring a soon to be 31-year old who was a career Cleveland Indian and had been traded to the Padres just one year prior in another blockbuster trade.  In his one season in San Diego, Carter had his fifth career 20+ home run, 20+ stolen base season.  It looked as though the Blue Jays were getting a player that was a lock to finish in the 25+ home run, 100+ RBI territory.

Carter would become a fan favourite immediately as he was slotted in the clean-up position for his Blue Jays debut.  In his first at-bat he hit a line drive single to left field and finished off the game with a home run in the ninth.  Toronto would end up losing the game, but fans got a taste of what they would get for the next seven seasons.  After his first season, Carter would finish fifth in AL MVP voting when he hit 33 home runs, 108 RBI and steal 20 bases to go with a .273 average.

Carter would be selected to five All-Star Games as a Blue Jay, win two Silver Slugger Awards and hit, what I will call the greatest home run in the history of Major League Baseball with his walk-off home run.  Carter would finish off both World Series wins for the Blue Jays in recording the final out in 1992 World Series, and as said before hit the game winning walk off home run in 1993.

After the 1997 season, the Blue Jays finished 13 games below .500 and last place in the AL East. Many of the players from the glory years were gone and Carter was coming off a career worst .234 batting average.  Coupled with the Blue Jays having a youthful outfield of Shawn Green, Jose Cruz and Shannon Stewart; Carter went to free agency and signed with the Baltimore Orioles for the 1998 season.

Carter would start the season in Baltimore before being traded to San Francisco ahead of the trade deadline.  He would finish the season hitting a combined 18 home runs and 63 RBI, but would call it a career at the end of year.  Carter gets a lot of acknowledgement for his World Series winning home run, but that completely overshadows how good of a player he was in Toronto.  Over seven seasons he averaged 31 doubles, 29 home runs and 105 RBI a season while posting a very respectful .257 batting average.  Carter is still involved at times with the Blue Jays where you can see that always huge smile on his face.

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