Kazuma Okamoto press conference with Blue Jays shows exactly what Yankees are missing

The New York Yankees franchise used to be the gold standard for MLB organizations, the undisputed king of the sport, and the world’s greatest baseball brand. That throne has now passed to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but are the Toronto Blue Jays also surpassing the Yankees in global appeal?

This would have been an outrageous question to ask at any point dating back to the Blue Jays’ founding in 1977, but times are a-changin'. The present offseason has been as potent a symbol as any that the Jays are positioning themselves to fight toe-to-toe with the Yankees in regard to international image, with Kazuma Okamoto’s recent press conference emphasizing that symbolism quite vividly.

Kazuma Okamoto’s introductory press conference with the Blue Jays had Yankees fans missing the ‘90s

Okamoto’s introductory presser was “packed” (per Keegan Matheson) and all abuzz with Japanese outlets crowding the scene, an obvious indicator that the Jays have just enhanced their global appeal significantly. Okamoto said that he was impressed by Blue Jays fans during the postseason. He also said that his daughter chose the Blue Jays’ logo when she was presented with a graphic of all 30 MLB team logos, and Okamoto took this as a sign.

The daughter anecdote has franchise legend potential, especially if Okamoto produces for Toronto. Just as Okamoto’s daughter saw the Jays’ logo as superior to the rest, Toronto’s brand visibility is rising above the tide these days, and it’s not an accident.

Toronto’s various moves this offseason — ranging from a blockbuster $210 million expenditure to cheaper, tasteful additions — have shown a Jays franchise willing to do more than the Yankees and other rivals to improve their roster. There’s more to the hustle, too — Toronto is interested in enhancing its image while “old guard” franchises like the Yanks rest on their laurels. The Okamoto deal was as much a brand play as a baseball one. 

Okamoto is a darn good baseball player, but the Blue Jays don’t need him. They are planning to use him as a super-utility player, which is in many ways the greatest indicator that a club’s roster is already well-balanced and full of talent. But Toronto went out and snagged Okamoto because they can, which is what behemoths like the current Dodgers have a lovely habit of doing. Remember the Yankees used to do that?

The Blue Jays signed Okamoto because they’re on a mission to rise above clubs like the Yankees, not only on the diamond and in the standings, but in the marketing sector. The offseason used to be a time for the Yankees to hold packed press conferences for the winter’s biggest free agent. The buzziest stories in baseball used to surround the Bronx like bees to honey every January, but nowadays it feels like the press room has been hollow.