Always Thinking About the Jays... and Mike McCoy

Turf of Dreams is very busy studying for exams so posts have been scarce.

Quick recap: Home Opener on Monday was... meh; Romero pitched a gem on Tuesday, taking a no-hitter into the 8th; Brandon Morrow and the rest of the team took a night off on Wednesday; Dana Eveland opened some eyes on Thursday with his second great start of this young season. Today is Friday: the Jays open a weekend series against the Angels at home.

While everyone's been talking about Ricky Romero (obviously), Vernon Wells (boo ya!), Travis Snider (monster homer last night), Lyle Overbay (hitting .077) and Aaron Hill (pulled a hammy), Jhonny Walker Red has been talking about Mike McCoy! He wrote a little player profile on our new version of Joe Inglett. Here it is for your reading pleasure:


The career farm league player is a bit of an enigma in baseball. There are a lot more than we know and they all have the same aspirations of making the big show. Some eventually make it, some get a taste and never make it back and some never make it at all. It seems like a fleeting dream but it’s hard not to admire, at least a little bit, a 29 year old who still hasn’t given up on his boyhood dreams. It takes an immense amount of self confidence and self belief to think that after more than a decade of pursuing your dream you're going to make it. In no other career in life would somebody continue to follow, seemingly, wayward dreams.

Mike McCoy was drafted in the 34th round in 2002 by the St Louis Cardinals. He spent 6 seasons in the Cardinals farm system before being traded to Orioles. After a brief stint in Baltimore he was then traded to Colorado. Throughout his career he has gone through the ups and downs that come with being a career minor league player. His low point: being asked to be the bullpen catcher after the backup catcher went down with an injury. Most people would be long gone by that point; McCoy kept waiting for his opportunity. He finally got it, last season in the stretch run for the Rockies push to the playoffs he got his first taste of Major League Baseball. He appeared in 12 games, 5 total plate appearances and no hits. Pretty scarce statistics, but after 7 years in the minors he had finally made it. Now he was too close to give up.
In November the Blue Jays claimed him off waivers from the Colorado Rockies. McCoy was going to have his first real shot at making an opening day roster. The Blue Jays were a perfect situation for him, a rebuilding franchise looking anywhere and everywhere for players. He’s a versatile player, capable of playing 6 positions and he can add some much needed speed to a slow Jays lineup. In all likelihood he will yoyo between Toronto and Las Vegas a few times this season, but for now he is on a major league roster.
On Thursday, Mike McCoy replaced Aaron Hill, a late scratch, and he delivered. He came up with two hits and an RBI, which were the first of his career. He contributed to a 3-1 Jays win over the Texas Rangers. For most, McCoy didn’t really produce more than a blip on the radar, but for him they were milestones that he has spent a lifetime trying to achieve.

Mike McCoy may never be more than a utility player, the 25th man on a 25 man roster, but for one day at least his lifelong dream came to fruition.


Thanks again to Jhonny Walker Red for picking up the slack while Turf of Dreams is slumping. Happy Exam Season to all students!