Blue Jays: Who had the best offensive three-year stretch?

TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 8: A new banner is unveiled above the jumbotron marking the Toronto Blue Jays division championship after winning the American League East title before the start of action against the Texas Rangers in Game One of the American League Division Series during the 2015 MLB Playoffs at Rogers Centre on October 8, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - OCTOBER 8: A new banner is unveiled above the jumbotron marking the Toronto Blue Jays division championship after winning the American League East title before the start of action against the Texas Rangers in Game One of the American League Division Series during the 2015 MLB Playoffs at Rogers Centre on October 8, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 10
Next
OAKLAND, CA – 1988: George Bell #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during a 1988 game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA – 1988: George Bell #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during a 1988 game against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /

8. George Bell (1985-1987)

The first player in franchise history to win the AL-MVP award was George Bell back in 1987, a season in which he hit 47 home runs and had a league-leading 134 RBI while posting a slash line of .308/.352/.605.  That year, Bell would win his third consecutive Silver Slugger Award and he would finally take home the MVP award after finishing fourth and eighth in voting the previous two seasons.

Bell is often remembered for that power-hitting season in 1987 and what is usually forgotten is what he did in 1985, when he and teammate Jesse Barfield became the first Blue Jays to have a 20-20 season, in which they collected 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

Bell was never known as a speedster and only had 33 stolen bases total over those three seasons, but the power numbers were there as he hit 106 home runs, which is the fifth most in franchise history over a three-year time frame.  During that span, Bell averaged 35 home runs, 112 RBI and a slash line of .298/.343/.539.