TORONTO — When I attended a Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball game in the press box last week at Rogers Stadium, I naturally looked for a Montreal angle to share with readers of The Suburban. The media relations department was kind enough to give me on field access before the contest and a press pass.
So, are there any Jays players with a Montreal connection? Yes indeed, superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the son of the former Expos superstar of the same name. He was born on March 3, 1999 in Montreal. That was Vlad Sr’s third full season with the Expos. He was at training camp when Riquelma Ramos gave birth to their little boy. Mom learned how to speak French while living here. In 2003, Vlad Sr. received a standing ovation during his final game for the Expos at Olympic Stadium. Four-year-old Vladimir Jr. was there wearing an Expos uniform and many people have seen the photo of him taking off his helmet and waving to the crowd. I was unable to get an interview with Vlad Jr. Last April he signed a 14-year, $500 million extension with the Blue Jays.
There is, however, another member of the Jays entourage with deeper Montreal ties. Twenty-seven year old Sam Greene was hired last winter as the team’s assistant pitching coach. A native of Philadelphia, he graduated from McGill University with a Master’s Degree from the Desautels Faculty of Management in Analytics. During his nearly five years in Montreal (2016 to 2021) he also played for the McGill varsity baseball team and was an intern for CIMA, a consulting and engineering firm. Oh yes, he also speaks fluent French. His mother Marie-France hails from Thetford Mines.
“A large part of my family lives in Quebec,” said Greene, whom I met before the game. “My mother also attended McGill, so it was an attractive option for me because of the baseball and statistics programs. Montreal is a beautiful city. It was a great place to study for four years.”
Greene was initially associated with the Blue Jays in the player research and development department from 2021 to 2024. As for his current responsibilities, he said: “I’m more specialized in advanced statistics, using the data we get from every game. I help improve our pitchers by guiding them, for example, on pitch selection and suggesting ways to attack opposing hitters.”
Although he never came close to reaching the major leagues as a pitcher, he still has some experience on the mound. At McGill, he played four seasons from 2016 to 2020, appearing in 31 games, including 15 starts. “I think it gives the players a certain amount of confidence in me and helps me do my job,” he said. “I can also pitch with the players every day.”
I asked Greene whether he followed the efforts by local businessmen to bring the Expos back to Montreal. “I followed along as much as I could,” he replied. “ I was very supportive of their efforts and was hoping they could do what they set out to accomplish. Montreal is a great baseball city. I do feel as though the people would embrace a big-league team back in the city and 100 percent deserves one. I’d love to see that happen some day soon.”
COHEN CHATTER: What are the odds? When I went for a bite at the Bay St. Kosher Deli concession on the second level at Rogers Centre, a group of Camp B’nai Brith of Montreal youngsters recognized me. I went up to the fifth level to meet their friends.