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Toronto Blue Jays: the 10 biggest mistakes in Blue Jays history

By David Salituro

DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, COLORADO - SEPTEMBER 18: Starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard #34 of the New York Mets throws in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on September 18, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 27: Michael Young #10 of the Texas Rangers bats against the Oakland Athletics at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington on September 27, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. The Texas Rangers defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-7. (Photo by John Williamson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 27: Michael Young #10 of the Texas Rangers bats against the Oakland Athletics at Rangers Ballpark at Arlington on September 27, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. The Texas Rangers defeated the Oakland Athletics 9-7. (Photo by John Williamson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Blue Jays mistake No. 6: Trading Michael Young

Esteban Loaiza is a cautionary tale of how it can all go wrong for ex-ballplayers.

In February 2018, police traced Loaiza to a townhouse in San Diego County and found 44 pounds of cocaine worth $500,000 inside a Nissan minivan in the garage. The pitcher who earned nearly $44 million in a big league career that lasted between 1995-2008 told prosecutors he was broke. Charged with felony drug possession, Loaiza is currently serving a three-year prison sentence.

Nearly two decades earlier, Loaiza was a hot commodity. The Toronto Blue Jays, sitting just 1.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the AL East, made a deal with the Texas Rangers to acquire the right-hander on July 19, 2000.

Loaiza went 25-28 with an ERA above five in parts of three seasons in Toronto. The Blue Jays didn’t resign him after he became a free agent following the 2002 season. He never lived up to expectations, but the player the Blue Jays sent to Texas for him did.

Michael Young was Toronto’s fifth-round pick in 1997 out of UC-Santa Barbara. He reached as high as AA in the Blue Jays organization before Toronto sent him packing. With the Rangers, though, he blossomed into a star.

Young would make seven All-Star game appearances with the Rangers and hit more than 20 home runs four times between 2004-10. Aaron Hill was the only Blue Jays middle infielder to hit at least 20 home runs in a season during that same span. From 2004-09 he was second among shortstops in RBI behind Miguel Tejada, third in home runs behind Tejada and Jimmy Rollins, and third in batting average, eclipsed only by Derek Jeter and Hanley Ramirez.

The Blue Jays didn’t make the postseason in 2000 or in any season Loaiza pitched for them. The Rangers, though, would make two trips to the World Series with Young playing a central role in their lineup. Loaiza was gone by 2002; Young continued to play for Texas until 2012.

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