John Farrell's first season in Toronto was filled with plenty of ups and downs, but it also provided some strong building blocks for the future.
The rookie manager guided his team to an 81-81 record despite a roster that had to deal with more than its fair share of injuries and seemed to be in a constant state of flux.
Farrell's managerial debut campaign ended on a positive note with a ninth-inning comeback in a 3-2 victory Wednesday over the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
"If you hadn't seen the first 161 games this year, you could look at this game and somewhat epitomize or wrap up our entire season," Farrell said. "We finished, obviously at an even .500, but it was the characteristic that this team has demonstrated all year long. We don't give up."
The Blue Jays hovered around the .500 mark all season. The club never won more than six consecutive games, but also didn't lose more than four in a row at any point.
Whenever it seemed that the young club might be headed into a tailspin, it was able to bounce back and find solid ground once again.
Part of that had to do with a solid 39-42 record on the road compared to playing just three games above .500 at home. For Farrell, the final tally is a fair indication of the way his team played this season.
"We're a .500 team -- that's not satisfying, that's just, I think where we are right now," Farrell said. "We've gone through a lot of change, and at the same time, because we've played in many stretches very well on the road, this team doesn't shy away from challenges or environments that might be hostile.
"I think that goes hand in hand with the resiliency and the overall characteristics and personality of the team."
The Blue Jays secured at least a .500 record for the fifth time in the past six seasons thanks in part to another come-from-behind victory -- it was the ninth time the club won a game in which it was trailing after the seventh inning.
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