BWDIK: Delgado, Jenkins, Molitor, Puhl, Stairs, Walker

Toronto Blue Jays legend Carlos Delgado is one of eight finalists on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era ballot which will be voted on today.

December 7, 2025

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Some Canadian baseball news and notes:

Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era Committee to vote today

Chatham, Ont., is well-represented on the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s Contemporary Era committee that will meet today to vote. Two of the 16 members on the committee are from Chatham, Ont. — legendary pitcher Fergie Jenkins and longtime big league executive Doug Melvin.

The committee will debate the merits of the eight Contemporary Era ballot finalists: Carlos Delgado, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, Gary Sheffield and Fernando Valenzuela. Each committee member can vote for three candidates, and a candidate must be named on 12 of the 16 ballots to be elected.

The other members of the Contemporary Era voting committee are former players Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Perez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount. They are joined by ex-MLB executives Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and Terry Ryan, as well as Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno. Baseball writers Tyler Kepner and Jayson Stark round out the committee.

The voting results will be announced on the MLB Network tonight at 7:30 p.m. E.T.

More evidence to support Delgado’s induction

In last week’s column, I provided some compelling evidence that Delgado is worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown.

Here’s another graphic from Just Baseball that supports the Blue Jays great’s case:

Blue Jays signed Molitor 33 years ago today

Speaking of Hall of Famers, it was on this date 33 years ago that the Blue Jays signed Paul Molitor to a three-year, $13-million contract.

Molitor was signed to replace Dave Winfield as the team’s DH. In his sole season with the Blue Jays, Winfield became a fan favourite and helped the team to their first World Series title. But Winfield had turned 41 that October, so the Blue Jays opted to sign Molitor, another Cooperstown-bound, St. Paul, Minn., native who was nearly five years younger.

And while Winfield wanted noise in 1992, Molitor brought poise in 1993 – not to mention his remarkable bat speed and clutch hitting. With the Blue Jays, Molitor would bat third and become a centerpiece of the vaunted WAMCO (White, Alomar, Molitor, Carter, Olerud) offence. And at the age of 36, he put together his best season, setting career-highs with 22 home runs and 111 RBIs. He’d also top the American League in hits (211) and finish second to John Olerud in the AL batting race (.332).

But Blue Jays fans will most remember him for his 12-for-24 performance in the World Series to quietly lead the Blue Jays to their second consecutive championship. For his efforts, he was named World Series MVP.

Though Canadian fans tend to recall Molitor for 1993, he had an even higher batting average in 1994, hitting .341. He then batted .270 in 130 games in his final campaign with the Blue Jays in 1995 before signing with his hometown Twins.

Happy 78th Birthday to Johnny Bench!

Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench was born in Oklahoma City, Okla., on this date in 1947.

Of all the ballparks he played in during his legendary 17-season MLB career, Bench loved to hit at Montreal’s Jarry Park the most.

His stats at Jarry Park:

– 46 games

– .333/.401/.603

– 1.004 OPS

– 12 HRs

– 44 RBIs

Walker was inspired by Puhl

While I was researching my obituary for former big leaguer Tim Harkness, I stumbled upon an article in the May 2, 1990 edition of The Globe and Mail that discussed Montreal Expos outfielder Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) getting to play against Houston Astros outfielder Terry Puhl (Melville, Sask.) in a series at Olympic Stadium. At the time, it was rare for two Canadians to be facing each other in a major league game.

Walker was in first full major league season and Puhl was in his second last. Walker was asked about Puhl’s influence on him.

“You want to know if I ever looked in the box scores to see how Terry Puhl was doing while I was growing up, right?” Walker said to Canadian Press reporter Terry Scott. “Sure I did! The guy’s famous and to be in the majors that long is such a great accomplishment. The fact he’s been here for 14 years is a message to other Canadian kids who are coming up that, if they want to try, they can do it, too.”

Jenkins played for Globetrotters

I knew Fergie Jenkins had a stint with the Harlem Globetrotters, but I never knew how much the Canadian baseball legend actually played for them. So, thank you to baseball historian Dan O’Brien who emailed me an article from the November 23, 1967 edition of the Calgary Herald that provided some details.

“I’m in one of the skits. I play three or four minutes of basketball each game,” Jenkins told the Calgary Herald.

Most of Jenkins’ work was as an “advance man” for the Globetrotters. He would show up in cities in advance of their games to drum up publicity.

“I’m having a great time,” Jenkins said. “There’s a lot of publicity to do, travelling around to newspapers, radio stations and television stations. It’s a little tough on my wife, though. It does get wearying.”

19 years ago, the Blue Jays signed Matt Stairs

It was 19 years ago today that the Blue Jays signed Matt Stairs (Fredericton, N.B.) as a free agent.

Stairs would become the 13th Canadian-born player – and the first to have been born in New Brunswick – to suit up for the Blue Jays.

Stairs batted .289 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs in 125 games for the Blue Jays in 2007. He topped the club in slugging percentage (.549) and OPS (.917).

He returned to the Blue Jays in 2008 and hit .250 with 11 home runs and 44 RBIs in 105 games prior to being dealt to the Phillies on August 30.

Reggie Cleveland traded to the Red Sox 52 years ago

Fifty-two years ago today, the St. Louis Cardinals traded Reggie Cleveland (Swift Current, Sask.), Terry Hughes and Diego Segui to the Boston Red Sox for John Curtis, Lynn McGlothen and Mike Garman.

Over the next five seasons with the Red Sox, Cleveland posted a 46-41 record with a 4.04 ERA in 150 games (88 starts). On October 16, 1975, Cleveland started Game 5 of the World Series to become the first Canadian pitcher to start a World Series game.

Freddie Freeman a good sport for Toronto Sick Kids Foundation

Canadian Ryan Reynolds has produced some hilarious commercials for the Toronto Sick Kids Foundation over the past few years. And he didn’t disappoint this year. The 2025 commercial features Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman and Canadian national team member Freddie Freeman visiting children at the Toronto Sick Kids hospital in the aftermath of the Dodgers’ seven-game World Series win over the Blue Jays.

You can watch how it plays out here:

Rodriguez outrighted off Blue Jays’ 40-man roster

In a surprise move on Saturday, the Blue Jays outrighted right-hander Yariel Rodriguez off their 40-man roster. The reliever cleared waivers and will remain in the organization, likely at the triple-A level.

Rodriguez, who signed a five-year, $32-million contract prior to the 2024 season, struggled in the postseason (10.13 ERA in four relief appearances), but he had been one of the Blue Jays’ most reliable bullpen arms in the regular season, posting a 3.08 ERA in 66 appearances.

The Cuban righty is guaranteed $5 million in 2026 and $6 million in 2027. His contract also includes a $6-million player option for 2028.

With the subtraction of Rodriguez, the Blue Jays now have 37 players on their 40-man roster heading into this week’s Winter Meetings.

Support the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Holiday Silent Auction

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s annual Holiday Silent Auction has started.

You can bid on items ranging from signed balls to bobbleheads to a Toronto Maple Leafs ticket package.

You can view the auction items here.