Bryan Hayes

We talked about this last hour, and we've talked a lot about it the last few months, you know, to the arrival of the 26th season.

You know, you guys, if you won 78 games and missed the playoffs last year, it probably would have been a different vibe on Friday night, needless to say.

But the attention to detail... Maybe a different person on air.

Possibly a different person.

I don't know.

Do you want to answer that?

Did you feel like you had to win last year, Mark?

No, I'm just...

I hear you.

I'm with you.

But the attention to detail and striking the right chord with the fans.

You mentioned it was a half an hour pregame, but I spoke with a lot of people, a lot of Jays fans who said they really thoroughly enjoyed it and felt like you guys are really connecting with the fan base on that front.

How much time and effort goes into that?

How much of it is organic?

How do you strike the right chord and how important is that for you and your operation?

How much closer are you and Ross and maybe John and the whole staff watching and trying to get a read on the new guys compared to the veterans who have been here for a while, early in the season anyway?

We have Mark Shapiro, Jays, Rockies tonight down at the Rogers Center.

You guys announced a couple weeks ago, I believe it was, the Hall of Excellence is coming up.

to the park, and you've announced Buck Martinez is going to be included in that.

Was this always the plan?