DUNEDIN, FLA.—There were times late last season when the spontaneous reactions of rookie Brett Lawrie to personal accomplishments — a primal scream here, an animated fist pump or a bone-crushing high five there — would elicit grins and head shakes from teammates, and less amused reactions from across the field. That fact was brought up at the post-service reception for Gary Carter’s memorial on Friday. Lawrie was compared to the Kid as a young Expos star in 1974-75. It’s an interesting comparison, but perhaps places unfair pressure on the 22-year-old Lawrie in is first full season.

“I take it, obviously, as a plus,” a humbled Lawrie said Saturday. “Anytime you can get recognized in another way with a guy that plays the game like that and you get put in that same spotlight, it’s pretty cool. I’m thankful. I just try to play the game hard. It’s pretty cool.”

Carter was called up late in ’74 to help starting catcher Barry Foote with a heavy load of rescheduled doubleheaders. Carter’s first four starts behind the plate were all in twin bills and, even then, he had his critics. They said he wasn’t quiet enough in setting a target, that he bounced around too much, that pitchers wouldn’t throw to him. Critics didn’t like the way he sprinted to first base on walks, smiled all the time and was so expressive with his emotions. But he had a flair for coming up big in big situations.

Flash forward. When Lawrie was called up to play third base for the Jays last August, he immediately showed similar emotions and an ability to enjoy the glare of the spotlight. Examples? On Aug. 10, down by a run against the A’s, he stroked a grand slam and sprinted around the bases. His dugout celebration was caught on camera. Teammates were smiling and shaking their heads in awe.

“I play the game hard and whatever happens happens,” Lawrie said. “It’s when you stop playing the game hard and do things at a different speed than you usually do them is when things go wrong. So I just go out there and play the game like I always play it. Play hard, but in control. It looks like I’m going a million miles an hour, but at the same time that’s my speed and that’s how I play the game.”

On Aug. 14, the kid took Angels closer Jordan Walden deep in the bottom of the ninth to tie a game the Jays won in extra innings. On Aug. 15 in Seattle, playing in front of his Langley, B.C., family and friends for the first time, he homered off Michael Pineda and followed up the next day with three hits. On Sept. 5 vs. Boston, he homered off Dan Wheeler in the bottom of the 11th for the game’s only run, almost breaking third-base coach Brian Butterfield’s hand with a high five.

“I hope he doesn’t tone it down,” Butterfield said. “He’s got to be himself. He doesn’t show anybody up. He plays with great energy and great exuberance. His teammates gravitate to him, so I just hope he stays who he is. It’s one of the things that John (manager Farrell) mentioned this morning at the meeting. It’s ‘Be who you are.’ We’re all looking forward to him being the same guy.”

There can be no doubting the fact that some opponents have taken notice of the kid’s exuberant celebrations. It will be interesting to see how opposing pitchers handle him the next time around.

“I’m worried about myself and I’m worried about these guys,” Lawrie said. “I’m not worried about who’s across the field. We’re going out there to beat them and at the end of the day, if that’s the way it is, then that’s the way it is. It’s just part of the game and part of the way I play the game. I play the game hard and if it’s misinterpreted — I never do anything to tick somebody off — but if it’s misinterpreted just know that’s not the way it’s supposed to be.”

Lawrie had a few too many at-bats to maintain his rookie status. The sophomore jinx therefore awaits. It hit Carter hard back in ’76 after he was runner-up for NL rookie of the year. That’s an area where the Jays hope comparisons with the original Kid will stop. GM Alex Anthopoulos is aware.

“I’m cautiously optimistic,” Anthopoulos said. “I know from experience with young players that they don’t always just hit the ground running and don’t stop. The league will have to adjust to him. He’ll have to adjust back. Even his last 10 games or so before he got hurt, he started to chase a little bit more, but at the same time he obviously was great. He was great when he came up — defensively, offensively, everything he brings. That being said, I don’t think it’s fair to take the stats he had last year and try to pro-rate them over 500 at-bats. That’s probably not going to happen.”

But even if Lawrie is not able to continue the same high standard of offence over the course of 162 games, there are other areas in which he can improve as a major leaguer and make the Jays better at third base than they were last season — or have been for years.

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“I think he’s got a presence now,” Butterfield enthused. “He know he belongs. You can see it confidence-wise when he takes his groundballs. You can see it confidence-wise when you talk to him, when you interact with him one-on-one. He’s a lot more relaxed, but at the same time he’s really focused. He’s really ready to have a great spring training — and by that I don’t mean numbers. Good preparation and work hard to become a better defender and a better baserunner.”

Whether or not Lawrie ever becomes the contributor that Carter was in the prime of his Hall of Fame career with the Expos and Mets, just being mentioned by some in the same breath is a good start.