ex-blue jays pitcher vince horsman believes toronto can still pop champagne in world series
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a vince horsman baseball card commemorates his major league baseball debut with the toronto blue jays in 1991. - supplied by canadian baseball network
from a 1984 signing bonus of $2,500 to popping champagne bottles in the 1991 toronto blue jays division-clinching celebration, dartmouth’s vince horsman enjoyed his time with the american league team.
as a rookie pitcher, horsman recalled the thrill of celebration after the blue jays clinched the american league east division title in 1991.
the dartmouth native was called up by the blue jays in september that season and pitched four scoreless innings during the team’s drive for the postseason.
in his major league debut against the cleveland indians, he struck out the first batter he faced, five-time all-star albert belle.
“it was exciting,” said horsman, a left-handed reliever with a 93 mph fastball and a knee-buckling curveball. “every game was important, not like the minor leagues, where they stress development. when i got up there in ’91, it was all about ws (wins). every game was its own battle. the team was good, and i was trying to fit in the best i could.
“we won the division, popped the champagne. it was the first time for that for me; it was crazy.”
horsman didn’t pitch for the jays in those playoffs or in the following year, when he was picked up on waivers by the oakland a’s, who fell to the blue jays in the 1992 al championship series. the blue jays would win the 1992 and 1993 world series.
dartmouth’s vince horsman, shown pitching for the oakland a’s in 1992. – supplied by the nova scotia sports hall of fame
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likes blue jays batters
however, his 141 appearances over a career that spanned five seasons with toronto, oakland and the minnesota twins, and more than two decades as a pitching coach, qualify him to assess the blue jays’ batting prowess.
he likes what he sees in the blue jays’ batters and believes the team has the potential to pop champagne in their world series battle with the los angeles dodgers.
“the jays are balanced offensively. when i watch the games, i see them hitting behind runners and going to the other field. they will run into some balls, too, but it’s the constant pressure they put on you. they are impressive. ”
that pretty much sums up a relentless blue jays offence that led the majors in hitting in the regular season and playoffs.
unfortunately for the blue jays on monday night, they couldn’t find that clutch hit in an epic 18-inning 6-5 loss to the dodgers. the jays pounded out 15 hits and nine walks in the game. the dodgers led the best-of-seven series 2-1 ahead of tuesday night’s game 4.
good memories
horsman said he made many good memories during his time with the blue jays’ organization. he spent seven years in the minor leagues before getting his 1991 mlb call-up. after retiring as a player, horsman worked 14 seasons as a pitching coach in the organization before being let go in his final season at double-aa new hampshire.
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“i think over half of my professional career was with the blue jays,” said horsman from his home in palm harbor, fla. “the jays always hold a very special place in my heart, regardless of the situation when they let me go. when you are in professional sports, it’s a hired-to-get-fired kind of thing. there’s no animosity.
“to watch them have the success, i am happy for them.”
he also has a tie to current sportsnet blue jays’ analyst/broadcaster joe siddall.
horsman was the ace of the dartmouth midget team that faced off against a windsor, ont., team led by siddall in the opening game of the 1984 canadian midget baseball championship in moncton.
it was the game that would elevate horsman to national prominence. horsman struck out 14 windsor batters and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in the game dartmouth would eventually win 2-1 in nine innings.
a few days later, in the semifinal against moncton, horsman came out with another strong outing but lost 3-2 to moncton, the eventual gold medalist. moncton was led by matt stairs and rheal cormier, who both went on to long, illustrious major league careers. dartmouth won the bronze medal.
it wasn’t much longer before the blue jays contacted horsman. at the time, canadian players were not eligible for the mlb draft.
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“doug davis (a toronto scout) reached out and he referred me to (head canadian scout) bob prentice,” said horsman. “about a month later, i signed for a bonus of $2,500 and $700 a month. as a 17-year-old, i’m thinking $700 a month to throw a baseball around, it’s cool.”
in his final major league season in 1995, horsman made $189,000, a far cry from the los angeles dodgers pitching staff that features six pitchers making north of $10 million a year.
coaching again
the 58-year-old returned to coaching last season in the chinese professional baseball league with the 7-eleven unilions in tainan city. horsman said a friend notified him that the unilions were looking for a pitching coach.
“they flew me over, and i was more of an observer, but then i went to the fall program, and they offered me the job. we had a good year but lost in the semifinals of the playoffs.”
horsman said the players on the unilions are a little more stoic than north american players, but he was able to reach them and help the team drop its earned run average by half a run.
“they took to what i was preaching and they had fun doing it.”
and fun is what horsman had in his major league stint. he is one of only a handful of nova scotians to play in the major leagues in the last 100 years.
dartmouth’s vince horsman shows young fan will myrer his curveball grip at his nova scotia sport hall of fame induction ceremony in 2012.
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in 2012, horsman was inducted into the nova scotia sport hall of fame.
“i have been blessed,” he said. “i’m a kid from nova scotia who signed when i was 17 and have been in baseball ever since.”
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