Toronto Blue Jays: 5 Toronto fantasy sporting events
We look at five fantasy sporting events involving the Toronto Blue Jay, Leafs and other Toronto teams, ranking them from least to most likely to happen.
Who would have thought that a Toronto Blue Jays 22-6 split squad beatdown of the Canadian Junior National Team would be the last live game involving a Toronto franchise for what has felt like an eternity. Alas, with no end in sight to the dunking, doubling and deking drought, it’s time to get fantastical.
Here are five Toronto sporting events to daydream about for when things get back to normal, in order from least to most likely:
5. Toronto Blue Jays at Christie Pits
Alright this is a pretty outrageous suggestion, but hey, these are outrageous times. Currently home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League, Christie Pits hold a unique place in Toronto baseball history.
The Maple Leafs (not to be confused with the hockey team) have played their games at the city-operated park without charging for admission for over 50 years. Anybody who wants to catch a game can simply find a spot on the hill that surrounds the diamond and take in the proceedings.
A tried and true regular season game at the park might be a little much to ask, but MLB has recently been getting quite creative with new venue ideas. On the docket for this season is a game between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox on the site of where the iconic baseball film Field of Dreams was shot in Dyersville, Iowa.
In 2017, MLB started the Little League Classic, a tradition that is now going strong into its fourth year. Going hand in hand with the Little League World Series, the Classic sees two big league teams duke it out in front of about 2,500 fans in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
MLB doesn’t seem to be afraid to go small, but even their temporary setup in Dyersville will likely have more infrastructure associated with it than the current situation at Christie Pits. So, if a full-fledged regular season game isn’t in the cards, then what is?
What I’m envisioning is something like the community skates hosted by the NHL’s Maple Leafs. The team has skated at rinks as small as Withrow Park and Greenwood Park, eventually working their way up to Nathan Phillips Square in recent years.
These events have been a great way to keep the community involved with a team that isn’t always the most accessible for the average Torontonian. The Toronto Blue Jays could hold something similar at Christie Pits, or at other ballparks around the city for that matter.
This would allow the fans improved access to the players. In the process, it would also provide a great marketing opportunity for the Blue Jays ahead of what looks to be a bright future.