Not long after the final out was recorded
David Eckstein was called into the office. He didn't need to wonder why, or who might be waiting inside. He's been around far too long for that.
And though he didn't even last a full season and has seen his playing time taper off dramatically, Eckstein always did any and everything the
Toronto Blue Jays asked of him.
But that didn't stop him from feeling a little disappointed.
Eckstein, who signed a one-year deal with the Blue Jays before the 2008 season with designs on being an everyday shortstop, saw early on that his future in Toronto was limited and on Sunday, just moments after the Jays sealed a 6-2 victory in their final game at Yankee Stadium, he was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Baseball can, at times, be an unemotional game, but in the visitor's clubhouse teammates eagerly hugged the diminutive infielder and shook his hand. Some bid him a fond farewell, others congratulated him on having landed on a first-place club with World Series potential.
But Eckstein just nodded and smiled, as classy heading out the door as he was coming through it. Much too classy to celebrate even after being shipped off to a contender.
"The ultimate goal was to bring a championship here to Toronto and in that sense it was definitely very disappointing," he said. "But having the opportunity to go to Arizona, it's nice." Eckstein was in the starting lineup for the final two games against the Yankees, something he couldn't say since the earliest stretch of the season, losing out game after game to Marco Scutaro and John McDonald.
But he never complained, never asked for a trade. Did you, David?
"No sir, no way," he said.
It wasn't hard to read his suddenly former Jays mates' reactions to his departure as heartfelt and sincere.
"I'm happy for him," manager Cito Gaston added.
"He's one of the classiest individuals I've ever had here. He's going to go play for a first-place team and maybe have a chance to play in the playoffs."
General manager J.P. Ricciardi said the move - which brought pitcher and former Jays draft pick Chad Beck into the organization - was made partially with the well-liked 33-year-old veteran in mind.
"We tried to put him in a spot where he's a) going to go to the playoffs and b) going to get a chance to play, which is what he wants to do more than anything." And play he likely will, at least more than he did in Toronto. Even a consummate pro like Eckstein couldn't deny the value in that.
"When you play this game you play for a World Championship, that's the only reason why you show up," he said.
That Eckstein's departure coincided with the Jays' final trip to Yankee Stadium and that he got to suit up in the final two contests was just icing on the cake, only one of the many reasons why the former World Series MVP couldn't find a bad thing to say about his short Toronto career.
"Everyone here, the fans, everyone treated me and my wife so well," he said with a nod.
And in his brief time north of the border he treated fans, media and members of the Jays organization just as nicely which is why, standings be damned, none among them is the least bit disappointed.
aaron.miller@citynews.ca
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