Ernie Clement perfectly sums up Blue Jays heartbreak, what makes Toronto special

Ernie Clement was almost this generations' Joe Carter. The Toronto Blue Jays versatile infielder had two chances to bring the World Series trophy back to the Toronto for the first time in over three decades. In both Games' 6 and 7 of the World Series he had a plate appearance where he had a chance to cash in the winning run. Both times he came up just short of that goal.

It's something Clement spoke about from the heart in a touching letter written to Blue Jays fans in the Players Tribune and it perfectly sums up everything about Toronto's run to the World Series in 2025, and what makes Toronto a special place to play.

Clement's players tribune article will hit all Blue Jays fans right in the feels

Clement opens the letter talking about how he's been a life long fan of the game. Not just observing the game, but playing it. He reminiscences about playing backyard whiffle ball with his neighborhood friends and how that turned into a life long goal of wanting to do nothing but just play baseball. Eventually he made it to the majors, but was not having that same kind of success. It wasn't until he was playing with the Buffalo Bison's in Triple-A that he finally had his breakthrough moment. But it wasn't something that happened on the field, it was a conversation with his mother which led to that.

Clement says during a series against Rochester, his hometown, his family had a gathering at his grandmothers house after a game. But Clement, who was struggling mightly at this point on the field, seculded himself to the basement. He says, "Eventually my mom comes down to see what’s wrong. And man … I started crying so hard. '“Why am I like this??”' I asked her. '“Why do I suck?? Why can’t I just enjoy baseball like I used to???”'

I’ll never forget my mom’s response. She was like, '“Ernie…. let’s be honest. You could be done playing baseball tomorrow. I mean, I hope not. It could happen, though, right?? So why not enjoy it??? Like, why spend this time being stressed? Spend it having fun.”'

Clement did that, and hasn't stopped doing that. In Toronto he has found not only a home with a big league team, but a home within the clubhouse. A clubhouse that he finds solace in, where he can be himself, where he and 20+ other people just enjoy being around each other and enjoy playing the game of baseball. He added that's what helped fuel their charge to the World Series, they were a group that just couldn't wait to get back to the field.

Clement wrote, "Our team had the same energy as the energy I felt when I was first falling in love with the game. Because we had this group of guys that played like kids who couldn’t wait to get to the ballpark." He detailed how everyone showed up early to Dodgers Stadium the day after the 18 inning marathon World Series Game 3. He said the team was dialed in. Despite being more exhausted than they had ever been in their lives the Blue Jays weren't willing to use that as an excuse and just fold up for the next two games.

Of course the Blue Jays won the next two games, had a 3-2 series lead heading back to Toronto and in Game 6, Clement had a chance to be the hero. After the Addison Barger ground rule double where the ball got stuck in the wall, the Blue Jays had runners on second and third with nobody out and Clement at the plate but he popped up on a pitch he says he should have done more damage on.

The Blue Jays lost that game, then came Game 7. Right after Isiah Kiner-Falefa is thrown out at home plate, Clement came up, bases loaded, two-out, bottom of the ninth. A moment every kid dreams of, and Clement came oh, so, agonizingly close to possibly pushing Carter aside for perhaps the greatest home run in franchise history.

"In my head I’m like, If it’s first pitch curveball … no matter what … I’m putting my best swing on it. Then he spins the curve right in there. And when I tell you I put my best swing on that pitch? It’s the absolute truth. Off the bat, I thought it might be a home run, I really did. I’ve hit that exact ball in our stadium before. It was earlier in the season, with the roof open, so the ball was carrying more — but I’ve hit it, and it’s been gone. And I hit this one.…. and I see both those dudes running after it….. and I’m like, Alright … that’s off the wall, at least!!! I JUST WALKED US OFF TO WIN THE WORLD SERIES. 
And then they collide…..… and I don’t see the ball….And I’m like, Oh my God. One of them caught it.
Two innings later, it was over."

It is a tremendously well written, heartbreaking, first person point of view of a moment in time many Blue Jays fans will never forget and it's all captured by a guy who, against very big odds, found himself in one of the biggest moments in franchise history. For Clement though, he's etched his name in the record books as the all-time single season postseason hits king, and for that he will forever hold a special place in Blue Jays lore.