Ernie Clement

I wanted the Blue Jays to win.

I wanted Ernie Clement to win.

I wanted the local guy to win the World Series and potentially win World Series MVP.

That had me on the edge of my seat.

I mean, if you really...

It depends on how you feel about Ernie Clement in the second base situation because...

That's another area like, you know, I know Brandon Lau's name has been mentioned a ton, but that's left-handed bat, hits for power, who plays every day, who posts and is pretty decent at the position and has done it for a while.

You know, I think that's another appealing spot, but the corners feel like where it's more likely to happen, right? It's a say a Suzuki, a Randy, a Rosarena type, like that type of player feels more attainable and realistic for the Jays.

And I look at the guy next to me.

And it was Ernie Clement, the shortstop second baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Yeah, who I covered in the World Series this time last year.

So he just kind of elbows me and says, how you doing? And I'm thinking, oh, my gosh, Ernie is in street clothes and he's going down to the field, Jeff, to interview players.

And I like this guy a lot.

Like, I like Ernie Clement a lot.

I do.

I do.

But Ernie Clement is working with MLB as a reporter and a personality.

And he's getting some post-game stuff.

Like he talked to Palacios of the Rays last night and they posted it on MLB's social media accounts.

And Ernie Clement's down in Tampa.

So with that being said, 30 million, probably in the realm of possibility.

Yeah, and if you get somebody like Jazz, then that means, and it kind of frees up Ernie Clement a little bit.

Now Ernie Clement can be that platoon role that I think we want to transition and move him into.

Moving over to the starting pitching side of things, our perfect offseason would continue by going out and getting Michael King.

Now, this is the cream of the crop, okay? You're not getting Tarek Skubal, but you could make a strong argument that the next best guy available is Michael King.

pretty crazy.

was horrible this year.

George Springer was horrible.

He was brutal.

Ernie Clement hit nine.

Andres Jimenez hit nine.

That is three infielders combining for only 27 home runs.

When the GM says that after a last place finish, the next thing he usually does is make a big move.

And one thing I've talked about the entire offseason has been about the about upgrading second base.

If you're going to have Andres Jimenez out there who is a below average bat, but an elite fielder, you need to have power at the second base position because Ernie Clements at 107 games.

And let's not forget, Ross Atkins said he's going to have to earn his everyday spot.

Every fan base is like that.

And we thought the Jays had a shot this year because it was basically, you know, the same team, but then injuries to the pitching staff, Vladdy having an off year, Ernie Clement not even coming close to what he was the year prior.

kirk broke his thumb george springer was hurt for chunks of the year it it just wasn't meant to be and that's the way it goes like i say only one team wins and the rest of us have to just shake our heads and walk away

Yeah, I mean, obviously for us on this side of the pond, watching the World Series middle of the night as ever for those evening games and yeah, had conversations with friends during that last seventh inning, sorry, seventh game and just, you know, even feeling it from all these, you know, hundreds of miles away as we're watching it through the broadcast and what you guys are presenting to us and that sense of, Well, that was so close.

I mean, what was the sort of psychology as well as the sort of literal physical stuff that's happening in terms of players injuries and so on?

Well, I mean, there was definitely a World Series hangover for sure because when guys played more baseball, the pitchers threw more pitches than they had ever thrown in one season in 2025.

And so – You know, it was like little things like when I think back to Ernie Clement, who had such a brilliant World Series with all those hits and stuff.

Unfortunately, in the offseason, I was seeing him popping up at hockey games and football games.