A SWING AND A DRIVE

A fans perspective on Jose Bautista’s infamous “bat flip” home run during the 2015 ALDS

I’m only able to picture Jose Bautista in a Blue Jay uniform. That’s how I know him and that’s how I want it to stay. When I look at his old baseball cards they seem like weird artifacts that can’t possibly be authentic. Each one looks like someone carefully photoshopped Jose’s head onto the body of a Pittsburgh Pirates batboy. My brain rejects the fact that his career started somewhere else and most likely will finish somewhere other than Toronto.

So instead, I’m going to pretend that his first major league homerun was hit here in Toronto. Let’s say it was a line drive,unleashed to left field and that it was still rising as it hit off the facing of the second deck and as he rounded the bases, fans projected their hopes for the franchise onto this fresh faced rookie third baseman named Jose. In this alternate universe his last home run is also hit in Toronto, during the great playoff run of 2022. I’m inclined to keep rolling with this delusion because I just don’t have the capacity or willingness to imagine what Jose might look like patrolling right field at Dodger stadium or getting a standing ovation from the Fenway faithful just before lacing a ball over the Green Monster. I can’t do it. I won’t do it. If it happens, it happens. I will deal with it. Until then I’m going to enjoy the ride and not look in the rearview.

Except for the bat flip.

Did you seriously think I could write about Bautista and not talk about the bat flip? For years Canadians will still ask “Where were you during the batflip?!” I’ll do one better than that. Here’s where I was the day of the bat flip.

04:45 — My eyes open. There’s a beeping sound coming from under my pillow. I can’t figure out what it is. I’m so tired. Scan the room in the dark. Confusion. Wondering why I set the alarm for a time that rivals birds for early rising. Realization that it’s for work. Right. The compromise with my boss. Work till midnight, come in early, leave early. Another realization. It’s game 5 today. I’m motivated to get up now.

05:45 — On the streetcar. Two coffees and a red bull deep and the sun hasn’t even come up yet.

8:00- First cigarette break. Another coffee and reading about the game on my phone. Lots of chatter about Price being used in the bullpen. He’s likely unavailable for the game. Stroman is the man.

09:30- Starting to feel the excitement. Trying not to make work colleagues jealous. I only tell people I’m going to be at the game if they ask.

11:00 — Realization that my work performance might be suffering. Unable to converse with anyone on topics unrelated to Blue Jays

12:00 — The finish line for work is near and I’m starting to plan my escape. My boss says its cool to leave at 12:30. I check the streetcar schedule and map out the most efficient route home.

14:29 — Home.Texting with my brother to see what time he is coming over. I make myself a redbull and vodka cocktail. I’m acutely aware that this is probably a poor decision but it’s a special occasion and my early awakening has forced me into a Hunter S. Thompson type of maintenance.

15:00 — Showered. Shirted up and watching out the window as massive lineups form outside the Rogers Centre.

15:30 — My brother arrives and we’re off. We cut a swath through the crowd and make it into the stadium. Our seats are down the left field line. We stand and cheer for Stroman as he emerges from the bullpen

16:10 — DeShields doubles to lead off the game and scores on a Fielder groundout.

17:00- Choo yanks one to right and Bautista watches as it sails over the fence. 2–0 Rangers. A collective pit is forming in the stomachs of 50, 000 people

17:15 ish — Bautista doubles in Revere. Jays are on the board and relief spreads from person to person. The nervousness is gone. This is fun now

Sometime around 18:00 — Bottom of the sixth. Encarnacion homers. The game is tied. Everyone is losing their shit. It’s pandemonium.

18:00 or so — Stroman is out. Sanchez is in. Odor is on third with 2 out. Martin is throwing the ball back to the mound and hits Choo’s bat. Umpire calls the play dead but Odor keeps running. Bannister challenges. Odor is ruled safe. The boos are deafening. Things are being thrown from the upperdeck. It feels like the beginning of the riot.

18:30 — Crowd is recovering from the top of the 7th.The negativity has shifted into a kind of determined and angry optimism. Hamels is still pitching. He’s a warrior.

18:40 — It literally feels like the crowd forced Texas into committing three consecutive errors. The bases are loaded with no one out.The stadium is so loud that you have to yell at the person next to you to be heard and they still don’t fully understand what you’re saying.

18:45 — Revere grounds to first. There’s a play at the plate. Pompey is forced out. Hamels out Dyson in.

18:53 ish — Donaldson gets sawed off by Dyson and flares one towards second. His reaction is priceless. He initially thinks it’s an easy out but the ball is misplayed.. Odor takes an initial step in and can’t recover in time. The ball sails over his outstretched glove by a foot and lands in shallow right. It’s pandemonium. Chaos. Pillar scores to tie the game. Goins moves to third. Revere though it was going to be caught as well. He get’s forced out at second.

18:58 — The crowd is riding the wave of relief. The game is tied. Jays are back in the drivers seat. Dyson v Bautista. I feel like if Bautista does anything here it will be a huge bonus. Recovering from the Martin throwing error is enough for now.

18:59 — Bautista does the unthinkable. There are no words for it.

I’m jumping up and down. I’m high fiving and hugging everyone within ten feet of me. It’s pure joy. There’s an elderly couple in front of me that have been keeping score and listening on the radio. The husband is up now and high fives me and it turns into a ten second long over the head handshake. It’s remarkable. The crowd seems to be getting louder. I start chanting Jose — JoseJoseJose — Jose….i’m starting to lose my voice

19:50- Osuna strikes out Will Venable and the Jays done something remarkable. They have come back from a 2–0 deficit to win the series. Their first playoff series win since 1993. Dickey runs down the third baseline in a “Toronto wants it more” t-shirt and he’s patting police officers on the ass as he goes. Navaro is wearing a cops hat and he’s smoking a cigar. It’s a brave new world.

20:00 — we spill out onto the street and it’s just a sea of humanity. It’s incredible. Everyone is walking around stunned. We were just part of something that will be with us forever.

What else is there to say. Recounting that was therapeutic for me. The reality is Jose will probably leave Toronto after this season and I’ll eventually come to terms with it. I’ll never begrudge someone for pursuing opportunity elsewhere. My hope is that amidst all the conversation around his future we will collectively remember one thing; one October evening Jose Bautista gave us a memory that will last a lifetime.

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