Season-ticket holder Tanev pulling hard for his beloved Blue Jays in baseball’s post-season
7 years ago
Chris Tanev has made a name for himself in the National
Hockey League as a quiet, confident defenseman whose best attribute may just be
the way he processes the game and executes calmly under pressure. Very little
rattles the 26-year-old. That’s the ‘hockey’ Chris Tanev that Vancouver Canucks
fans have come to know and appreciate.
Hockey League as a quiet, confident defenseman whose best attribute may just be
the way he processes the game and executes calmly under pressure. Very little
rattles the 26-year-old. That’s the ‘hockey’ Chris Tanev that Vancouver Canucks
fans have come to know and appreciate.
Put
Tanev in front of a television watching his beloved Toronto Blue Jays grind out
an extra inning win to advance to the American League Divisional Series as they
did on Tuesday night and it’s a different story. That calm demeanour and those
mild manners go out the window as quickly as Edwin Encarnacion’s three-run walk-off homer left the park.
Tanev in front of a television watching his beloved Toronto Blue Jays grind out
an extra inning win to advance to the American League Divisional Series as they
did on Tuesday night and it’s a different story. That calm demeanour and those
mild manners go out the window as quickly as Edwin Encarnacion’s three-run walk-off homer left the park.
“A few of us were watching the
game and me and Burr are always high and low,” Tanev said with a laugh after
practice at Rogers Arena on Wednesday. “There were a few times where they had
runners on and couldn’t move them or cash them in and we were getting on them
for that. But their pitching was awesome and then Edwin came up and did his
thing.”
game and me and Burr are always high and low,” Tanev said with a laugh after
practice at Rogers Arena on Wednesday. “There were a few times where they had
runners on and couldn’t move them or cash them in and we were getting on them
for that. But their pitching was awesome and then Edwin came up and did his
thing.”
Seeing
the Jays deliver on offense is something Tanev witnessed in person on occasion
throughout his off-season back home. He’s a partial season ticket holder at
Rogers Centre and figures he got to the ball park on a dozen occasions this
summer.
the Jays deliver on offense is something Tanev witnessed in person on occasion
throughout his off-season back home. He’s a partial season ticket holder at
Rogers Centre and figures he got to the ball park on a dozen occasions this
summer.
“I share season tickets with my
buddy’s dad,” he explains. “I used my tickets quite a few times and gave the
rest to my brother and family and friends. We sit behind home plate in the 28th
row. They’re pretty good seats. If you went five rows lower they’d probably be
perfect, but these are pretty good seats.”
buddy’s dad,” he explains. “I used my tickets quite a few times and gave the
rest to my brother and family and friends. We sit behind home plate in the 28th
row. They’re pretty good seats. If you went five rows lower they’d probably be
perfect, but these are pretty good seats.”
Born and
raised in Toronto, Tanev was still in diapers when the Jays won their two World
Series titles in 1992 and again in 1993. So he was alive, but he wasn’t old
enough to recall those glory years. Since becoming a hard core fan as a kid,
Tanev has suffered through two decades of mediocre baseball with far more lows
than highs.
raised in Toronto, Tanev was still in diapers when the Jays won their two World
Series titles in 1992 and again in 1993. So he was alive, but he wasn’t old
enough to recall those glory years. Since becoming a hard core fan as a kid,
Tanev has suffered through two decades of mediocre baseball with far more lows
than highs.
That
changed last year when the Jays advanced to the AL Championship series before
bowing out to eventual World Series champion Kansas City in six games. With the
Blue Jays back in the mix again, Tanev is now allowing his mind to wander to a
place where his favourite team wins it all.
changed last year when the Jays advanced to the AL Championship series before
bowing out to eventual World Series champion Kansas City in six games. With the
Blue Jays back in the mix again, Tanev is now allowing his mind to wander to a
place where his favourite team wins it all.
“It would be awesome,” he says. “Being
from the city and knowing how they weren’t very good for a long period of time,
I think it’s great how the city has rallied around them. They’ve been good for
a couple of years now and it’s great to see the fans get so excited.”
from the city and knowing how they weren’t very good for a long period of time,
I think it’s great how the city has rallied around them. They’ve been good for
a couple of years now and it’s great to see the fans get so excited.”
The
Jays are a team that boasts big bats and even bigger personalities in the form
of Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson. However, and perhaps not a
huge surprise given his understated manner, Tanev finds himself drawn in a
different direction when he watches games.
Jays are a team that boasts big bats and even bigger personalities in the form
of Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson. However, and perhaps not a
huge surprise given his understated manner, Tanev finds himself drawn in a
different direction when he watches games.
Naturally,
he appreciates the Jays defense.
he appreciates the Jays defense.
“I’m a big (Troy) Tulowitzki fan,”
he says of the shortstop that committed only nine errors all season. “I just
like the way he goes about his business. He’s a true professional. You never
see him make a mistake. He’s always doing the right thing to help his teammates
and his team.”
he says of the shortstop that committed only nine errors all season. “I just
like the way he goes about his business. He’s a true professional. You never
see him make a mistake. He’s always doing the right thing to help his teammates
and his team.”
Tanev and the Canucks are in
Toronto for a Saturday night game on November 5th. If it’s needed,
Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for the Tuesday of that week. Tanev’s
not getting ahead of himself, but he liked the idea of being back in his
hometown for a championship parade if things go the way he hopes they do.
Toronto for a Saturday night game on November 5th. If it’s needed,
Game 7 of the World Series is scheduled for the Tuesday of that week. Tanev’s
not getting ahead of himself, but he liked the idea of being back in his
hometown for a championship parade if things go the way he hopes they do.
And
after watching his team come this far, he believes the Blue Jays can win it
all.
after watching his team come this far, he believes the Blue Jays can win it
all.
“If their starting pitchers can
pitch like they have the past couple of weeks, I like their chances,” he says.
pitch like they have the past couple of weeks, I like their chances,” he says.
As the hockey season cranks up,
Chris Tanev has a job to do and that’s to get ready to help the Vancouver
Canucks. When he’s at the rink, he’s a professional athlete. Away from it, he’s
a fan – and a passionate one at that — pulling for his favourite baseball team
and wishing he was in Row 28 to cheer them on in person.
Chris Tanev has a job to do and that’s to get ready to help the Vancouver
Canucks. When he’s at the rink, he’s a professional athlete. Away from it, he’s
a fan – and a passionate one at that — pulling for his favourite baseball team
and wishing he was in Row 28 to cheer them on in person.
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