The 2003 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 27th season of Major League Baseball. It resulted in the Blue Jays finishing third in the American League East with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses. It was the team's final season with Diamond as one of the mascots, as she was removed at the end of the season, leaving Ace as the sole mascot of the Blue Jays.
Transactions Transactions by the Toronto Blue Jays during the off-season before the 2003 season. October 2002 Released Chris Carpenter. Brandon Lyon selected off of waivers by the Boston Red Sox. Joe Lawrence granted free agency (signed with Milwaukee Brewers to a contract on December 11, 2002). Brian Lesher granted free agency (signed with Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a contract on December 18, 2002). Chad Mottola granted free agency (signed with Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a contract on November 1, 2002). Luke Prokopec granted free agency (signed with Los Angeles Dodgers to a one-year, $390,000 contract on November 4, 2002). Pedro Swann granted free agency (signed with Baltimore Orioles to a one-year contract on February 3, 2003). Scott Winchester granted free agency (signed with Los Angeles Dodgers to a one-year contract on January 29, 2003). Signed free agent Doug Linton from the Atlanta Braves to a one-year, $350,000 contract. Félix Heredia granted free agency (signed with Cincinnati Reds to a one-year, $600,000 contract on January 7, 2003). Steve Parris granted free agency (signed with Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a one-year, $400,000 contract. Signed free agent Doug Creek from the Seattle Mariners to a one-year, $700,000 contract. Esteban Loaiza granted free agency (signed with Chicago White Sox to a one-year, $500,000 contract on January 24, 2003).
November 2002 Signed free agent Jeff Tam from the Oakland Athletics to a one-year, $600,000 contract. Signed free agent Howie Clark from the Baltimore Orioles to a contract. Signed free agent Trever Miller from the Cincinnati Reds to a one-year, $305,000 contract. Acquired Cory Lidle from the Oakland Athletics for Mike Rouse and Chris Mowday. Signed free agent Mike Moriarty from the Baltimore Orioles to a contract. Signed free agent Rob Ryan from the Boston Red Sox to a contract. Signed free agent Tim Young from the Cleveland Indians to a contract. Signed free agent Josh Towers from the Baltimore Orioles to a contract.
December 2002 Signed free agent Bruce Aven from the Philadelphia Phillies to a one-year contract. As part of four-team trade: traded Felipe López to the Cincinnati Reds. Received a player to be named later from the Oakland Athletics (Jason Arnold on December 16, 2002). In addition, Arizona Diamondbacks sent Erubiel Durazo to the Oakland Athletics; and the Cincinnati Reds sent Elmer Dessens and cash to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Re-signed Dave Berg to a two-year, $1.5 million contract. Drafted Jason Dubois from the Chicago Cubs in the 2002 MLB Rule 5 draft. Matt Ford drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2002 MLB Rule 5 draft. Drafted Aquilino López from the Seattle Mariners in the 2002 MLB Rule 5 draft. Frank Gracesqui selected by the Florida Marlins in the 2002 Minor League Draft. Drafted Gary Majewski from the Chicago White Sox in the 2002 Minor League Draft. Signed free agent Greg Myers from the Oakland Athletics to a one-year, $800,000 contract. Signed free agent Mike Bordick from the Baltimore Orioles to a one-year, $1 million contract. José Cruz Jr. granted free agency (signed with San Francisco Giants to a one-year, $2.5 million contract on January 28, 2003). Signed free agent Tanyon Sturtze from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a one-year, $1 million contract. Signed free agent Mike Colangelo from the Oakland Athletics to a one-year contract. Signed free agent Frank Catalanotto from the Texas Rangers to a one-year, $2.2 million contract.
January 2003 Re-signed Chris Woodward to a one-year, $775,000 contract. Re-signed Cliff Politte to a one-year, $845,000 contract. Re-signed Roy Halladay to a one-year, $3.8 million contract. Acquired John-Ford Griffin from the Oakland Athletics for a player to be named later (Jason Perry on June 23, 2003). Re-signed Kelvim Escobar to a one-year, $3.9 million contract.
February 2003 Re-signed Shannon Stewart to a one-year, $6.2 million contract.
March 2003 Released Pasqual Coco. Returned Jason Dubois to the Chicago Cubs. Returned Gary Majewski to the Chicago White Sox. Re-signed Eric Hinske to a five-year, $14.75 million contract. Re-signed Vernon Wells to a five-year, $14.7 million contract. Signed free agent Dan Reichert from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a one-year contract. Selected Kevin Frederick from the Minnesota Twins off of waivers.
Regular season
Summary The 2003 season was a surprise to both team management and baseball analysts. After a poor April, the team had its most successful month ever in May. The offense was mainly responsible for the stunning turnaround. Delgado took over the major league lead in runs batted in, followed closely by Wells. The middle infield positions remained a gametime decision – Bordick played shortstop and third base, Dave Berg second base and third base, Chris Woodward shortstop and Orlando Hudson second base. Minor league call-up Howie Clark entered the mix as a utility player after Hinske underwent surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand, which he had tried to play through for the first six weeks.
Despite their hitting successes, poor pitching continued to plague the team. Roy Halladay was spectacular in winning his first Cy Young Award, going 22–7, with a 3.25 ERA, but he didn't get much help from his fellow pitchers, although he had a poor start himself. Rookie Aquilino López was a pleasant surprise out of the bullpen. Kelvim Escobar and former NBA player Mark Hendrickson were inserted into the rotation with their places in the bullpen filled by waiver acquisitions Doug Davis and Josh Towers, who went 8–1 after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse. The closer role was a season-long revolving door, with nobody able to take hold of the reins. Trade speculation had focussed on the acquisitions of pitching at the expense of hitters, but in the end the team simply divested itself of impending free agent Shannon Stewart without getting a pitcher in return. Instead Bobby Kielty, another outfielder with a much lower batting average than Stewart's, was obtained from the Minnesota Twins and later traded in November 2003 to the Oakland Athletics for starter Ted Lilly. The top four pitchers for the projected 2004 rotation would include Halladay, Lilly, free agent Miguel Batista, and the return of Pat Hentgen.
After the spectacular turnaround in May 2003, which helped the team move to just few games behind the wildcard leading Boston Red Sox, team performance slowly returned to reality, as predicted by team management. Carlos Delgado was second in the voting for the American League MVP Award, although the Jays were in third place in their division. The Jays also announced that a new logo, and new uniforms, would be used as of January 1, 2004.
Opening Day starters Frank Catalanotto Carlos Delgado Roy Halladay Eric Hinske Ken Huckaby Orlando Hudson Josh Phelps Shannon Stewart Vernon Wells Chris Woodward
Season standings
Record vs. opponents
Transactions Transactions for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2003 regular season. April 2003 Doug Davis selected off of waivers from the Texas Rangers.
June 2003 Released Tim Young. Selected Scott Service off of waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Signed free agent Juan Acevedo from the New York Yankees to a contract. Released Rob Ryan. Released Mike Moriarty.
July 2003 Acquired John Wasdin from the Pittsburgh Pirates for Rich Thompson. Doug Davis granted free agency (signed with Milwaukee Brewers to a contract on July 14, 2003). Acquired Bobby Kielty from the Minnesota Twins for Shannon Stewart and a player to be named later (Dave Gassner on December 15, 2003). Signed amateur free agent Luis Pérez to a contract.
August 2003 Signed free agent Anthony Sanders from the Chicago White Sox to a one-year contract. Released Juan Acevedo. Released Scott Service.
September 2003 Released Jeff Tam.
2003 draft picks Source
The 2003 MLB draft was held on June 3–4. Round Pick Player Position College/School Nationality Signed 1 13 Aaron Hill SS Louisiana State 2003–06–17 2 50 Josh Banks RHP Florida International 2003–06–04 3 80 Shaun Marcum RHP Missouri State 2003–06–23 4 110 Kurt Isenberg LHP James Madison – 5 140 Justin James RHP Missouri – 6 170 Christian Snavely OF Ohio State – 7 200 Danny Core RHP Florida Atlantic – 8 230 Chad Mulholland RHP Missouri State – 9 260 Jamie Vermilyea RHP New Mexico 2003–06–05 11 320 Tom Mastny RHP Furman University 18 530 Ryan Roberts 3B Texas 2003–06–05
Roster 2003 Toronto Blue Jays Roster Pitchers Catchers
Infielders OutfieldersManager
Coaches (hitting) (third base) (first base) (pitching) (bullpen)
Game log
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || March 31 || Yankees || 8–4 || Clemens (1–0) || Halladay (0–1) || || 50,119 || 0–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 1 || Yankees || 10–1 || Pettitte (1–0) || Lidle (0–1) || || 15,176 || 0–2 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 2 || Yankees || 9–7 || Mussina (1–0) || Hendrickson (0–1) || Acevedo (1) || 16,222 || 0–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || April 4 || @ Twins || 7–2 || Sturtze (1–0) || Reed (0–1) || || 48,617 || 1–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 5 || April 5 || @ Twins || 4–3 (11) || Walker (1–0) || Guardado (0–1) || Escobar (1) || 31,421 || 2–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || April 6 || @ Twins || 8–1 || Lidle (1–1) || Radke (1–1) || || 23,549 || 3–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 7 || April 8 || Red Sox || 8–4 || Hendrickson (1–1) || Lowe (1–1) || || 13,147 || 4–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 9 || Red Sox || 10–5 || Sturtze (2–0) || Fossum (1–1) || || 13,099 || 5–3 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 10 || Red Sox || 8–7 || Timlin (1–0) || Politte (0–1) || || 13,779 || 5–4 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 11 || Twins || 6–4 || Rogers (1–0) || Lidle (1–2) || Guardado (3) || 13,237 || 5–5 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 12 || Twins || 9–6 || Hawkins (1–0) || Escobar (0–1) || Guardado (4) || 14,118 || 5–6 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 13 || Twins || 9–3 || Mays (2–1) || Hendrickson (1–2) || || 13,333 || 5–7 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 13 || April 14 || @ Yankees || 10–9 || Contreras (1–0) || López (0–1) || Hammond (1) || 30,761 || 5–8 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 15 || @ Yankees || 5–0 || Mussina (3–0) || Halladay (0–2) || || 33,833 || 5–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || April 16 || @ Yankees || 7–6 || Lidle (2–2) || Hitchcock (0–1) || Escobar (2) || 25,831 || 6–9 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 16 || April 17 || @ Yankees || 4–0 || Weaver (1–0) || Walker (1–1) || || 32,057 || 6–10 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 17 || April 18 || @ Red Sox || 7–3 || Wakefield (2–0) || Tam (0–1) || || 31,440 || 6–11 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 18 || April 19 || @ Red Sox || 7–2 || Lowe (3–1) || Sturtze (2–1) || || 32,329 || 6–12 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 20 || @ Red Sox || 6–5 || Timlin (3–0) || Politte (0–2) || || 29,579 || 6–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 20 || April 21 || @ Red Sox || 11–6 || Lidle (3–2) || Burkett (1–1) || || 34,370 || 7–13 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 21 || April 22 || @ Devil Rays || 4–3 || Kennedy (1–1) || Kershner (0–1) || Carter (2) || 10,013 || 7–14 |- align="center" bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 23 || @ Devil Rays || 4–3 || Venafro (1–0) || Hendrickson (1–3) || Carter (3) || 9,221 || 7–15 |- align="center" bgcolor="bbffbb" | 23 || April 24 || @ Devil Rays || 5–3 || Sturtze (3–1) || Sosa (1–2) || Escobar (3) || 8,618 || 8–15