R.A. Dickey takes parting shot at Mets

R.A. Dickey was formally introduced as a Toronto Blue Jay Tuesday and went from lobbing a floating knuckleball to a high-and-inside fastball at his former team — the New York Mets. Dickey said he is thankful the Mets did not meet his contract demands and he is thrilled to join the Blue Jays, a team he said is "all in" to win the World Series. The Blue Jays showed off their new pitcher at Rogers Centre after acquiring the National League Cy Young winner from the Mets last month. The 38-year-old knuckleballer admitted the Mets helped him cultivate his pitching style but said he was glad to move on. Dickey, who signed a $30 million, three-year deal, took a backhanded parting shot at the Mets by saying if Toronto doesn't win, it won't be because Alex Anthopoulos didn't try. The Blue Jays general manager had a busy off-season and also acquired high profile studs like shortstop Jose Reyes, and pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buerhle to go with the signing of Dickey. "You can see that he's made all the moves that he made," Dickey said. "If we don't win it won't be because of him." If you think Dickey's comment was a jab at the Mets front office, Anthopoulos added a hook. Speaking about the Mets offer of two years, $20 million to Dickey, the Jays GM told him it was beneath Dickey's dignity to accept such an offer. "I even told him this when I met him," Anthopoulos said.  "I didn't think he got the respect he deserved." Th GM went on to thank the Mets for making Dickey available. "Guys like this don't come around very often," said Anthopoulos. "And  they don't get traded very often." It sounds like Dickey is going to enjoy his six months a year north of the border with the vastly improved Blue Jays. "I think this could be a few special years for this city, this this country and the players," he said.

Original Story: http://ihatelupica.blogspot.com/2013/...