Top 10 Moments from the 2015 Blue Jays Season

How fun was this season? Here are my top 10 moments from the 2015 Toronto Blue Jays season:

10. Team Bonding

Here's the scenario: AA makes some huge trades, the line up is filled with new players who have never played with each other before, the team's MVP is targeted not once, not twice, but THREE times, the benches clear and said new teammates are sticking up for their new team. I believe this game helped a lot of the new Jays fit in with the new team. You may think this is stupid, but look back to the 2013 Blue Jays, with the additions of Reyes, Dickey, Buehrle and Cabrera all trying to fit in and that season ended up being a disaster. This was a statement game.

Some highlights include Buck Martinez and Pat Tabler being disgusted at Aaron Sanchez getting tossed, and Gibby coming back out when the benches clear after being tossed (Gibby was suspended for 1 game).

9. Russell Martin Clutch Home Run vs. Yankees

Late in a close game, with division winning implications, catcher Russell Martin blasts a three-run shot to give the Jays a 4-0 lead. The Jays would win that game 4-0, but that home run gave the Jays a really comfortable lead. This was a huge win for the Jays after losing game 2 of the series in extra innings. This win was the 1st of 6 striaght the Jays would go on to win. Enjoy every call of that home run.

8. David Price's 1st Game with Blue Jays

We knew Anthopoulos was serious about building a contender when he went against his own rule and traded for a "rental" pitcher. Will Price re-sign with Toronto? That's an entirely different blog post. What I'm talking about here is his incredible 1st start with the Blue Jays: 8 complete innings and 11 strikeouts! An incredible performance which included getting out of a nobody out bases loaded jam unscathed. He didn't perform nearly as well in the postseason, but in the regular season, he was lights out.

7. Edwin's "Hat Trick"

Three home runs in a single game, are you kidding me Edwin? That was the most explosive offensive performance I've seen from one player. The fans throwing the hats on the field was just icing on the cake! A little Canadian spin. Edwin was just a solo shot shy of the home run cycle, which has never been done in the majors (it has happened in double-A), that's the equivalent of being a single shy of the cycle.

It also shouldn't be understated just how much Dioner Navarro enjoyed the fans throwing hats on the field:

6. Donaldson Pulls a Derek Jeter

The only reason this catch wasn't higher was because if he didn't catch it, it wouldn't have been a hit, just a foul ball. Still, an incredible athletic feat. And to show you just how incredible this catch was, let's take a look at the segment ESPN's Sports Science did on it:

5. Pillar is Superman! (Pt. 1)

Would it shock you if I told you Kevin Pillar was up for a Gold Glove award? Pillar has been outstanding all season, starting out in left field, and eventually solidifying a spot in centre field. Spoiler alert: this won't be the only time you see Pillar in this top 10.

4. Pillar is Superman! (Pt. 2)

I say this is "part 2" but this play was from April, before Pillar was moved to CF, before Tulowitzki and Price, back when making the playoffs wasn't a certainty. He has been making plays like that all year! Most impressive is that he had the presence of mind to throw to 2nd to turn the double play, with one out and 2 runners in scoring position. He not only took away a hit, he took away an RBI as well! He was really something this year.

3. Pillar Decides to Become Spiderman

Hands down, Pillar's best catch of the season! He climbs the wall and snags a home run. I was at this game and saw this live. There was a brief silence as he reached over the wall. That was the crowd not realizing what just happened, then a moment later, they erupted.

2. Clinching the AL East

When the Blue Jays clinched their first playoff birth in 22 years, it was very anti-climactic. Mostly because they clinched it by some mathematical technicality that no one realized until about 3 am. Although this game was decided early (Blue Jays won 15-2), when LaTroy Hawkins struck out the final batter, it was exciting. The Blue Jays wouldn't have to play the wild card game and were guaranteed a spot in the ALDS.

1. The Bat Flip Heard Across a Nation

What else did you think #1 would be? I don't need to add anything, just enjoy the 2nd biggest home run hit in Blue Jays history: