Interior view of Rogers Centre, taken from the upper deck and looking down the 3rd base line
The Rogers Centre, home field of the Blue Jays since June 1989.

The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team based in Toronto, Ontario, and a member of Major League Baseball's (MLB) American League Eastern Division. Since June 5, 1989, the Blue Jays have played in the Rogers Centre (called the "SkyDome" until February 2, 2005).[1] Prior to that, they played at Exhibition Stadium.[2] The name "Blue Jays" was chosen via a contest in 1976 from among more than 4,000 suggestions.[3]

Toronto made their MLB debut in the 1977 baseball season, as an expansion team.[3] After a stretch of unsuccessful years following their debut, the team's fortunes began to turn, resulting in them capturing the American League East Division in 1985. They lost the American League Championship Series (ALCS) to the Kansas City Royals, in a series that went the full seven games.[4] They returned to the playoffs in 1989, where they lost to the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS in five games,[5] and again in 1991, where once more they were defeated in the ALCS in five games, this time by the Minnesota Twins.[6]

In 1992, they became the first Canadian-based team to win the World Series, with a pair of six-game victories over Oakland in the ALCS and the Atlanta Braves in the World Series.[7] In 1993, they repeated their success, with another pair of six-game victories over the Chicago White Sox in the ALCS and the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.[8]

Table key

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ALCS
American League Championship Series
CYA
American League Cy Young Award[9]
Finish
Final position in league or division, excluding post-season play
Games
Number of regular season games played[a]
GB
"Games behind" the first-place team in the division[b]
Losses
Number of regular season losses; regular and post-season records are combined only at the bottom of the list
MLB season
Each year is linked to an article about that particular MLB season
MOY
American League Manager of the Year[10]
MVP
American League Most Valuable Player.[9]
ROY
American League Rookie of the Year[11]
Team season
Each year is linked to an article about that particular Blue Jays season
Win%
Wins as a percentage of games played (regular season); regular and post-season records are combined only at the bottom of the list
Wins
Number of regular season wins; regular and post-season records are combined only at the bottom of the list


Regular season results

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Aaron Hill (2B, 2005–present)
 
Roy Halladay (P, 1998–present)
World Series Champions
American League Champions
Division Champions*
Wild Card Berth§
MLB
season
Team
season
League[12] Division[12] Regular season[13] Post-season Awards
Finish Games Wins Losses Win% GB
1977 1977 AL East 7th 161 54 107 .335 45½
1978 1978 AL East 7th 161 59 102 .366 40
1979 1979 AL East 7th 162 53 109 .327 50½ Alfredo Griffin (Co-ROY)[11]
1980 1980 AL East 7th 162 67 95 .414 36
1981[c] 1981 AL East 7th 58 16 42 .349 23½
7th 48 21 27
1982 1982 AL East 6th 162 78 84 .481 17
1983 1983 AL East 4th 162 89 73 .549 9
1984 1984 AL East 2nd 162 89 73 .549 15
1985 1985 AL East* 1st 161 99 62 .615 Lost ALCS to the Kansas City Royals, 3–4.[4] Bobby Cox (MOY)[10]
1986 1986 AL East 4th 162 86 76 .531
1987 1987 AL East 2nd 162 96 66 .593 2 George Bell (MVP)[9]
1988 1988 AL East 3rd 162 87 75 .537 2
1989 1989[d] AL East* 1st 162 89 73 .549 Lost ALCS to the Oakland Athletics, 1–4.[5]
1990 1990 AL East 2nd 162 86 76 .531 2
1991 1991 AL East* 1st 162 91 71 .562 Lost ALCS to the Minnesota Twins, 1–4.[6]
1992 1992 AL East* 1st 162 96 66 .593 Won ALCS over the Oakland Athletics, 4–2.
Won World Series over the Atlanta Braves, 4–2.[7]
1993 1993 AL East* 1st 162 95 67 .586 Won ALCS over the Chicago White Sox, 4–2.
Won World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies, 4–2.[8]
1994[e] 1994 AL East 3rd 115 55 60 .478 16
1995[f] 1995 AL East 5th 144 56 88 .389 30
1996 1996 AL East 4th 162 74 88 .457 18 Pat Hentgen (CYA)[9]
1997 1997 AL East 5th 162 76 86 .469 22 Roger Clemens (CYA)[9]
1998 1998 AL East 3rd 162 88 74 .543 26 Roger Clemens (CYA)[9]
1999 1999 AL East 3rd 162 84 78 .519 14
2000 2000 AL East 3rd 162 83 79 .512
2001 2001 AL East 3rd 162 80 82 .494 16
2002 2002 AL East 3rd 162 78 84 .481 25½ Eric Hinske (ROY)[11]
2003 2003 AL East 3rd 162 86 76 .531 15 Roy Halladay (CYA)[9]
2004 2004 AL East 5th 161 67 94 .416 33½
2005 2005 AL East 3rd 162 80 82 .494 15
2006 2006 AL East 2nd 162 87 75 .537 10
2007 2007 AL East 3rd 162 83 79 .512 13
2008 2008 AL East 4th 162 86 76 .531 11
Totals Games Wins Losses Win%
5059 2514 2545 .497 All-time regular season record
41 21 20 .512 All-time post-season record
5100 2535 2565 .497 All-time regular and post-season record

Note: These statistics are current as of the end of the 2008 Major League Baseball season.


See also

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Notes

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  • a Although all teams are scheduled for the same number of games each season, variance in the number from year to year is possible due to games that are cancelled or postponed and not played later in the season, or due to tie-breakers played at the end of the season to determine playoff eligibility or seeding.
  • b Determined by taking the difference in wins between this team and the first place team, adding the difference in losses between this team and the first place team, and dividing the sum by two.
  • c The 1981 season was shortened by a players' strike. MLB decided to split the season into two halves, with the division winner of each half playing in a divisional round of the playoffs.[14]
  • d The Blue Jays played their final home game at Exhibition Stadium on May 28, 1989. They began play in the Rogers Centre (then SkyDome) on June 5, 1989.[15]
  • e The 1994 Major League Baseball strike ended the season on August 11, as well as cancelling the entire postseason.
  • f The 1994 Major League Baseball strike caused the shortening of the 1995 season to 144 games.

References

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  1. ^ "Rogers Centre". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  2. ^ "Blue Jays Ballparks". Major League Baseball. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  3. ^ a b "History Highlights 1976–1979". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  4. ^ a b "1985 Toronto Blue Jays Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  5. ^ a b "1989 Toronto Blue Jays Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  6. ^ a b "1991 Toronto Blue Jays Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  7. ^ a b "1992 Toronto Blue Jays Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  8. ^ a b "1993 Toronto Blue Jays Batting, Pitching, & Fielding Statistics". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Most Valuable Player MVP Awards & Cy Young Awards Winners". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  10. ^ a b "Manager of the Year Award Winners". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  11. ^ a b c "Rookie of the Year Awards & Rolaids Relief Award Winners". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2009.
  12. ^ a b "Toronto Blue Jays Team History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  13. ^ "Toronto Blue Jays year-by-year results". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  14. ^ Jim Kaplan (August 10, 1981). "Let The Games Begin". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  15. ^ "History Highlights 1980-1989". Major League Baseball. Retrieved May 17, 2009.