Baseball players like to play it cool, but yesterday A.J. Burnett's new teammates were bubbling over with enthusiasm.
"This is absolutely exhilarating for us," first baseman/designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand said after learning that Burnett had signed with the Blue Jays. "To add a player like that on top of signing B.J. (Ryan), it shows that management is committed.
"We're definitely a better team than last year and we're going to win 90-plus games."
Reliever Justin Speier has maintained a friendship with Burnett since the two met in 1998 in the Florida Marlins organization.
"I can't tell you how excited I am about next year already," Speier said. "We have great chemistry on this team and he's going to fit right in.
"I got to know him when he was a young kid in the Marlins organization and he's a good kid, a good guy. He's a little bit of a jokester, he likes having a good time, but when he's on the field he's an intense competitor."
Speier is hoping that the signing of Burnett and Ryan will bring a wave of excitement and more fans to the Rogers Centre.
"The city of Toronto should be excited," Speier said. "We're going to be an exciting team and we're going to give the other teams (Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees) a run for their money."
Vinnie Chulk, a right-handed reliever, says the signing of Ryan and Burnett puts the Jays at the top of the class.
"We had a good bullpen last year, but signing B.J. makes us a lot better," Chulk said. "Then to get Burnett, a guy who throws in the high 90s and a guy who can go nine (innings) any day, well, you put him with (Roy) Halladay and (Ted) Lilly and (Gustavo) Chacin and (Josh) Towers and, man, we've got one of the best pitching staffs in the league."
Chulk said that the phone lines were humming with the news.
"I've been calling around and everybody's excited," Chulk said. "Everybody can't wait to get going because now we know we have a great chance to be in the playoffs. It's a great feeling."
