Oh, I'm sure we'll forget him in a few years... :)

He really did start off well for the Jays...he hit and got on base at a decent pace for a shortstop and did OK work with the glove. Given his age, I felt he would be the regular SS for the Jays for a few years until one of the elite prospects was ready.

...Then I heard his minor-league pedigree wasn't too great and his initial MLB tenure was a 'fluke'. Given his more recent performances, I guess the Jays milked as much as they could out of Woodward. Like you, I'm happy to see a 54th rounder make it as far as he did. (I can't imagine doing 54 rounds of drafting without just picking some random name out of boredom).

With the way Woodward hit in his limited time in AAA in 2000 and 2001, and after he got the starting job in the majors in 2002, I thought he had a decent chance to become one of the better-hitting shortstops in the game in 2003. He was one I was really hoping would succeed, but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be.

I'm definately going to miss Woodward. I live near Syracuse and saw him play often. At one game, I was sitting in the front row and a foul ball came to me. I reached over into the field to get it, and for some reason I dropped it. The ballboy ran by and picked it up and ran to the dugout. The SkyChiefs were in the field at that time and before the next inning Woodward came out and gave me a ball. I guess he saw me drop the ball and wanted me to have a ball. I thanked him at the next game and he was so nice about it. He was one of my favorite Blue Jays and I hope he does really well with the Mets.

With the way Woodward hit in his limited time in AAA in 2000 and 2001

I had the exact same thought - it looked like he had taken a real step forward.

The strange thing about Woodward - he sort of lost his job to Bordick in 2003, and we heard all the time things that seemed to suggest that Woodward didn't work hard enough to improve, or didn't focus well enough when he was in the game.

It's strange because that's exactly how Woodward took the job away from Felipe Lopez in the first place - by making more of less natural ability.

Here is what I said in the Year in Review Roundtable about Woodward:

"He had performed at his 2002 level in Syracuse at age 23-24 in 99-01. Entering 2003, there was every reason to believe that he could hit .270 with medium range pop and acceptable but not great strike zone judgment. His defence (awkward footwork and below average quickness offset by a strong arm) was acceptable. Whether his problem was "concentration issues" or "not being given a fair shot" or a combination, no one knows.

I wish that the team had committed fully to Woodward in 2003. They had no options for 2004, and his development was important to the team. Instead, Tosca started off 2003 with ambivalence towards both Woodward and Hudson, and did not give them the consistent work together that a young and developing double-play combination needs.

Hudson overcame that, but Woodward did not.

Anyways, Woodward clearly needs a change of scenery now. It would not surprise me at all if he ends up as a fine major leaguer, perhaps in the utility infielder role."

Chris now has his change of scenery. He won't put up flashy numbers in pitcher-friendly Shea, but I still believe that he can be a fine major leaguer, and it looks like the utility role is likely to be his calling. I wish him well.

I always thought that Woody was really best suited to a utility role - and, indeed, that's how the Jays were using him before Felipe Lopez imploded. He can play all four infield positions, and I think he has served as an emergency outfielder and emergency catcher. Heck, he'd probably pitch if you asked him. :-)

His problem was that he was a tweener: he didn't field well enough to serve as a Chris Gomez type player, and he didn't hit consistently well enough to serve as an extra bat off the bench. So there wasn't really a role for him. I also don't think he is durable enough to play shortstop every day - he seems to get hurt a lot.

I wish him luck in New York. He could still pull it together, and I would be happy if he did (since the Mets aren't divisional rivals of the Jays :-)).

Even though he projects as a utility player, it's hard to forget Woody. Always seemed like a nice guy. Best of luck with the Mets, Chris.

Interesting to note how Woodward would've been undrafted today as the draft is now limited to 50 rounds. By the time he was drafted in 1994 there would've been 1511 other players picked before Woody I figure (Jays were WS winners, probably had the last pick or 2nd last pick each round with 28 teams in the draft). Each year about 6 players get their first chance with each team, or about 180 total pure rookies each year once MLB got to 30 teams. To have 1500 players picked before you and still be one of just 180 who make the majors from that class (plus players who cannot be drafted ala Ichiro and George Bell) is just amazing. To get as much playing time as he has also just adds to it.

Of course, it still doesn't reach the amazing story of Mike Piazza (62nd round in '88 or around #1600) but is darn impressive.

Woodwards predicament sucked for him. At the start of the 2004 campaign he hit around 300. Then he got injured and never seemed to be able to get back into the groove that he reached during spring training

If Woodward signed a minor league deal with the Mets then why couldn't the Blue Jays signed him to a similar deal? With the understanding that he is one of the untility infielders.

It seems to me that Woody would have been stronger off the bench than McDonald who is clearly an inferior hitter. This on a team with the proverbial pop-gun offence.

I really liked Woodward, and I thought he could have been a solid B contributor at his best, but I don't think he will really amount to much sadly. I don't regret that he is gone save that having him around in a utility role would have been nice.

He seemed like someone who's usefulness was his being a good guy who was paid fairly lowly for a guy on the 25 man roster, exactly the type of guy you don't spend much on in FA. Good work, JP.

I agree that his getting yanked for Bordick and Gomez meant that his chance to be better than a utility infielder evaporated.

Until his injury in 2004, I really thought this year would be a major turnaround for Chris. As a fan of him, it was especially frustrating when he re-injured himself after coming back off the DL.

Hopefully he just needs a fresh start. Better luck to Chris in the future!

I wonder where he ranks among the worst players to hit 3 homers in 1 game?

I wonder where he ranks among the worst players to hit 3 homers in 1 game?

Just ahead of Darnell Coles.

But just behind Tuffy Rhodes.

I was at the 3-dinger game and he was in such a zone that night that it seemed like he might hit one out in every at-bat (and he almost did).

The following quote was taken from an article by Sean McAdam on ESPN.com:

Increased revenues: These differ from market to market, but one universal windfall is the new MLB/XM Satellite Radio deal which resulted in a payout of approximately $4 million to each franchise. That's not enough to land a marquee player, but it's not insignificant either and is a far greater sum than many franchises make with their own local radio rights.

Not even accounting for the increased revenue due to a better Canadian dollar, higher revenue sharing, and increased luxury tax payments. Why wasn't the Jays budget at least increase by $4 million?

Here is the entire Sean McAdam article, which is a worthwhile read.

My boys started actively watching the Jays in the Summer of 2002, the first year they both played organized baseball. Chris Woodward was one of the players that first caught their attention, mostly because the older one (then 7) was usually playing shortstop.

I have a tendency to judge Major Leaguers (as people, not as players) by the way they treat my sons if they meet them. The day before Opening Day 2003, the Jays had an Open House at the Dome. Chris must have spent 15 minutes talking to my boys, listening to their stories of their games and giving them tips. He also signed both of their gloves for them. For that reason, I'll always have a soft spot for Woodward.

I remember watching him struggle and lose his starting job in 2003 and then thinking that up to the point he was injured in 2004 he was becoming a decent Major League shortstop. It was a little bit sad the way that things went.

His best line the day of the Open House in 2003 (remember he had spent the Winter in the GTA) was when someone asked him how he rated the Maple Leafs' chances in the playoffs. He replied: "Oh, do they still play hockey up here?"

Here is my Chris Woodward story. A couple of summers ago, my 9 year old son (then 7) went to his first game every at SkyDome. The Jays were playing the Orioles, and him and his cousin went down to the field to try to get a few autographs in a Jays autograph book they each had. Most of the guys blew buy the kids and into the dugout. Some said they would be right back but never came. Chris Woodward was the only guy that came over and signed for them. And they told him he was now their favorite player - even more so than Derek Jeter! Well, Chris started at short that day and smacked a pair of homers in that game. After the second one, on his way back to the dugout, he pointed to my son and his cousin and gave them the thumbs up.

So last year, while at a Spring Training, we took in a Jays game in Dunedin. Before the game, my son was collecting autographs of all the Blue Jays. Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Eric Hunske, Roy Halliday, he got just about everone. But he really wanted to reunite with Chris Woodward. 2 minutes before the game, Chris came out of the clubhouse and was running bye us for the dugout and my son was crying out, "Chris, please - you are my favorite player!" And he stopped and looked at him and came over and said, "I remember you little guy!" And my son said "You hit two homers for us that day!" And Chris said, "I'll never forget that game!" He signed a ball, two baseball cards and posed for a picture that I'll enclose here.

I can never thank Chris enough for that moment in time. My son will cherish it forever - no matter what becomes of Chris woodward. He made my son a fan of the game that day, and for that, I can never thank him enough. Good luck Chris, we wish you well with the Mets. At least now you are closer to us and we can visit you at Shea next rear!

Hi Chris i am really going to miss you and erin i hope you love new york

Aww...Erin....sweet story

Can someone get me a violin?

Great stories here, especially Kevin's.

I don't pretend to know Chris with any degree of intimacy, but these all sound like very representative tales of the type of person Woodward is.

Chris Woodward is batting .320 (8-25) for the Mets this year. In 12 games, Woody has played 1st, 2nd, Short, 3rd and the outfield. Who would have known he could be so versatile?