Toronto Blue Jays x Roberto Alomar [1991-1995]

For this week's jersey, I'm showing my Toronto Blue Jays Roberto Alomar home white uniform. As a Rogers Centre employee, we are entitled to certain perks when it comes to merchandise. Although I had to drop a few more dollars to have it crested the way I wanted, it was worth every penny and I'm blessed to dawn the jersey of my favourite Blue Jays player growing up.



The classic jersey needs the classic cap. This is actually part of the alternate uniform that was worn by the team between 2008-10 for Flashback Fridays.


Roberto Alomar Velazquez's career started as a minor leaguer in 1985 for the San Diego Padres. Already impressing coaches and scouts, he was finally called up to the major league club in 1988. He would make his first All-Star appearance as a reserve in his third professional season. In the winter of 1990, he and fellow teammate Joe Carter were dealt in a trade to the Toronto Blue Jays. It was in this city where his offensive and defensive skills would blossom and place this town on the map for the baseball world.


During his 4 year stint in a blue and white jersey, Roberto Alomar would continue to dominate the league as his batting average was near or above .300, make four All-Star Game appearances, four Gold Gloves, and a Silver Slugger Award. During the 1992 American League Championship Series, he would hit one the biggest home runs of his career to tie the game in extra innings leading to an eventual series win, earning him his first and only ALCS MVP Award.


The Toronto Blue Jays would make their first appearance in the World Series against the Atlanta Braves, making this the first time the championship game was played outside of the United States. They would take out the Atlanta Braves 4 games to 2 capturing their first World Series title. This is also the first time a Canadian team would win baseball's highest prize. There are a lot of "firsts" for the Blue Jays in the 1992 playoffs. In those 6 games, Roberto Alomar batted .206 with 3 runs and 3 stolen bases.


The next season, Toronto would make a second appearance in the World Series and another run at the title against the Philadelphia Philles. It was another historic moment when Joe Carter would hit the second walk-off home run in World Series history defeating the Phillies in 6 games. They were the 8th team to win back to back titles in its 100 year history. Roberto Alomar batted .480 with 12 hits, 5 runs, 6 RBI, and 4 stolen bases.


In 1996, Roberto Alomar would sign with the Baltimore Orioles and would have brief stints with the Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Chicago White Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Signing with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2005, health problems would deteriorate his skills during Spring Training. He would finally call it quits after an outstanding 17 year career in the majors with a .300+ batting average, 210 home runs and 1,134 RBI in 2,379 games. He is 51st all-time with 2,724 career hits


Career Achievements:
2x World Series Champion [1992, 1993], 10× Gold Glove Award winner [1991-1996, 1998-2001], 4× Silver Slugger Award winner [1992, 1996, 1999, 2000], 1992 ALCS MVP, 12x All-Star [1990-2001], All-Star Game MVP [1998], Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee [2010], and Major League Baseball Hall of Fame inductee [2011].
Additionally, his name and number was added to the Toronto Blue Jays Level of Excellence - an honour bestowed upon a former Blue Jay for his contributions to the ball club. He was awarded that prize on my first day working at the Rogers Centre in 2008.


Early this summer, he had a signing at the Jays Shop to promote his clothing line. Because this was a lousy corporate event, photographs with the player were not allowed and only one item was allowed a signature.

As lame as it was, I had the great pleasure of meeting my baseball idol and have him sign an 8x10.

"I'm not only a player of the game. I'm a student of the game. I watch and learn." - Roberto Alomar