Blue Jays History: Jays get fleeced in trade sending fan favorite to the Mets

The Toronto Blue Jays have made some famous trades over the years as they close in on a half-century of existence in Major League Baseball. Trading first baseman John Olerud to the New York Mets for pitcher Robert Person in 1996 is undoubtedly one they’d like to have back.

Known for having one of the sweetest swings in team history and for a memorable summer in 1993 when he flirted with a .400 batting average, Olerud fell out of favor with the Jays’ coaching staff by the mid-90’s. They wanted a power-happy pull-hitter, the big lefty was more of an all-fields, high-average hitter who took plenty of walks.

The first base position is typically associated with big power, Olerud never topped the 24-home run mark he hit during that magical 1993 season that ended in a World Series triumph and a .363 average, the best in the American League. He had become a fan favorite but lacked the kind of power the front office and coaching staff expected.

Olerud’s final two seasons in Hogtown were marred by mechanical adjustments attempting to get the most power out of that graceful lefty swing. There was also considerable competition at first base/DH.

By the end of the 1996 season, a young slugger named Carlos Delgado turned heads among front-office executives with his prodigious power, and aging World Series hero Joe Carter required more time as a designated hitter 

So, there may have been some desire to trade Olerud, but he had shown little regression since his legendary ’93 campaign (combined OPS of .839), and the return was truly insulting. In a one-for-one swap, the Mets offered Robert Person, a then-26-year-old reliever.

Looking back, it’s still hard to justify what the Jays saw in Person that they could pull the trigger on this deal with him being the only return for such a franchise icon. The former 25th-round pick was coming off a mediocre first season in the majors (4-5, 4.52 ERA, 89 ERA+, 76 K’s, 89.2 IP) and it's reasonable to think Toronto could’ve received a more attractive package elsewhere. 

Person was even worse after the trade, sporting a 5.61 ERA in 1997 and a 6.18 ERA over nearly 180 frames across three seasons.  The worst part is that the Blue Jays paid $5M of the $6.5 M owed to Olerud in the final year of his contract.

Once in the Big Apple, Olerud enjoyed some of the best years of his career, hitting .315 with an average of 21 homers and 90+ RBI over three seasons, including .354 with a 7.6 bWAR in 1998.