BLUE JAYS PECKING ORDER 101

For those that may wonder how the totem pole of seniority works in a major-league clubhouse with regards to the interaction between superstars and rookies, this morning's Jays' clubhouse provided a beautiful, hilarious example.

The Jays' No. 1 everything, Roy Halladay, was on his way out the front door to the field when he was called back. He reached into a loaded bucket of individually wrapped Double Bubble to grab one. As he turned back he inadvertently pulled the bucket and it crashed to the floor sending the wrapped gum scattering all across the entrance like a candy carpet and even under a wire rack.

The next player out behind Doc was rookie Travis Snider who had observed what happened. He stopped and put his equipment bag down, getting onto his hands and knees trying to get all the gum back into the bucket beside him on the floor.

An amused press corps watched as Halladay came back from his brief meeting, passing Snider with a huge grin on his face. "Thanks," he said as Snider reached under the table like Camilo Villegas lining up a putt. Doc stepped over the mess and pushed his way through the door.

As Snider finished his dirty work, he looked up and smiled. "I know my place," he said. "At least Doc will like me today."

Then Snider gathered his stuff and headed out to the field, returning back inside seconds later ahead of (two-year bench coach) Brian Butterfield who had pointed out to him that he, in fact, didn't need to be out there for stretch for another half hour since he was going to Clearwater on the bus.

"D-ohh!" Oh well, at least Doc liked him for a day.

      

Comments

[Dave]

Sounds more like clubhouse arrogance to me.

[Plinkosucks]

Really? Sounds totally normal and how it should be to me. You have to work your way up. Snider is the low man on the totem pole.

[Dan Grant]

Sounds like you've never played organized sports there, Dave. Halladay didnt ask him to do this favour; he simply did it out of respect. In an age of young, entitled superstars, it's good to see that Snider is a team first guy and that some traditions still live.

[Don Ross]

With a grown man with a name like Chipper, who cares what he thinks.

[bob@bib.com]

good story rich, and then you found $5?

[R-Griff]

Most of you guys have it right. The clubhouse is way different than life its own self. There is no arrogance in Roy Halladay and the big smile that flashed across his face when he realized that the rookie was cleaning up his mess was genuine and refreshing. I love it.
R-Griff