Toronto slugger Jose Bautista doesn’t just want to be a Blue Jay for life, he hopes that his three-run home run during Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS, which was capped by his iconic bat flip, is just one in a highlight reel of memories fans will have of him in a Jays uniform.

“Hopefully, there’s going to be a lot more time with me in that Blue Jays uniform to create more of those moments,” he told Postmedia Network Friday afternoon.

The bat flip was a phenomenon that shook the sports world and created a lasting impression on Jays fans from coast-to-coast. That isn’t lost on the right fielder.

“That moment is a constant reminder of how athletes can impact peoples’ lives in a positive way,” he said. “At that moment, no one was thinking about their problems and any issues they may have been dealing with; everyone was coming together thinking about a championship and hopefully winning and enjoying the moment. Everyone was submerged in that feeling and it was a time out from other stuff. It was as if you were watching a movie.”

Bautista recognizes that the bat flip is a moment that’s likely to cement him in Toronto sports lore forever, just like Joe Carter’s game-winning home run in the 1993 World Series.

“I think a lot of times we take that for granted and we don’t think about it enough – the kind of impact we can have. That, for me, was one of the most important things I took away from that. I keep that at the forefront of my thinking everyday because it’s great to have moments like that where you can create those memories that are ingrained in peoples’ lives for a very long time.”

If a baseball card is not big enough for your Bautista bat flip, we have a poster size too! https://t.co/nhxRisT0Whpic.twitter.com/9bY4Fx9EeH — Topps Company (@toppscards) February 4, 2016

Asked for a runner-up memory he’s had in a Jays uniform, Bautista laughed saying there have been many.

“The 54th home run – that day was huge. Basically every home opener, that’s always a huge deal. I always enjoy seeing the former players being honoured on the field. But if I had to pick a second day, after the bat flip, it would be the day we clinched the playoffs. That was a big moment for us and for my career. It was a long time coming for our fans and me as an individual.”

mark.daniell@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @markhdaniell