…but then life got in the way. So I’ll just say this:
Truth is we’ll never know what happened during negotiations. All we have is speculation. I also can’t take anything the Jays and Paul Kinzer have said at face value.
Looking back, I wish Mark Shapiro and Russ Atkins were a little more patient and showed leanency. This wasn’t a subpar player; this was an integral part of the Jays’ lineup. They owed it to Edwin to not rush him and just caught things off. Yes, this is the business part of baseball, but the situation warranted a little flexibility.
In turn, I wish Kinzer focused more on his client’s needs than manipulating the process through the media. Did he honestly think stiring the emotions of the fan base would influence Shapiro and Atkins? He portrayed Edwin as a figure devastated by the fact he wasn’t coming back to Toronto. If the Jays weren’t part of the equation, then the Earth would be scorched.
But again, it’s all based on speculation.
Now we have to move on and get use to Edwin playing for the Tribe. It is my hope that when we look back at Edwin’s illustrious time in Toronto, we fondly remember the great moments on the field and view his departure as a minor footnote.
May the parrot walk on forever.
ER
Definitely Not JaysTalk 