Joshua Kusnick, Jeremy Jeffress agent contacted us after the Jays traded for Jeremy and offered interviews with him and Jeremy. I talked to Joshua this morning. He mentioned that he told the Jays that Jeremy was looking good, when talking to them after the Jays picked up (and then lost) another of his clients, David Herndon, off waivers. He didn't know how much his word influenced the Jays, but they did pick him up.
What does Jeremy think of joining the Jays?
He was very excited about going to Toronto. His family is from Virginia, which is closer to Toronto, than Kansas City, maybe they will get to come to more games now. And it is the AL East, Yankees and Orioles, he's got family in New York and Baltimore. He has family in Florida and Dunedin is right there. And it's the first time he pitches in spring training outside of Arizona so it is really going to give him a chance to focus on baseball because he spends a lot of his time in Arizona, getting him out of there to a baseball environment like Dunedin is only going to help.
Going to Dunedin is going to be a great thing for him because it will get him out of Arizona, letting him focus on being the best big leaguer he can be, instead of having to worry about about the possibly of going to the minors. He's got the assurance that he is out of options and that the Jays traded for him, he has a good opportunity to make the team. Obviously he still has to pitch well to make the team but it is a more positive situation going into it than it would have been in KC
In KC the situation flipped on him,. He was penciled in to Triple-A there, with Toronto, I would assume, he is penciled into the big leagues and it he goes down it would be a disappointment, whereas in KC that's expected.
Has he been to Canada?
No, the Royals called him up to pitch against the Jays, but he didn't have his passport. That was the problem there, I don't believe he has pitched in Canada yet.
I've been to Canada a lot, I've been to Toronto a lot, I've been to Vancouver. Vancouver is my favorite city in the world, people of Toronto won't like hearing. I don't think BC and Ontario people don't get along and then everyone hates Quebec for some reason. (laughs). I told Jeremy all about Toronto, it is going to be a good place for him to place. It is a place that has a lot of tradition and it's the AL East. It going to be tough for him pitching against those teams, but it's better than a Triple-A Omaha. I rather have him have trouble in the majors than an easy time in the minors. He is elated to be in Toronto. It was a surprise to me, I didn't think he'd be that happy,. He told the Jays I'm not going to screw this up, I take my career seriously, thank you for the opportunity.
I have to ask about the suspensions. I'll admit I'm not one that thinks marijuana should be illegal but then that's the rules.
I'm with you, two more states made it legal for for recreational use. I don't do it, but I lean liberal in those areas.
But there are rules in MLB in place and you have to respect them. It that is your employee's policy, and you want to work, you do it. To clarify, there have been a lot of misconceptions about it on the internet. Jeremy suspended twice, 50 and 100 for drug abuse, not steroids. He entered the drug treatment program which was fantastic for him and they still drug test him for marijuana bi-weekly. Most major leagues don't get tested for that but Jeremy does because he is in the drug treatment program, so he stays off it. He's been good since. I haven't had to handle any grievance or fines or anything. The Royals didn't get rid of him for any off the field reasons.
But the one thing people should know, because he is in the drug treatment program and on a 40-man roster, he is insulated from that 3rd strike, life ban. Even if he was in Triple-A, as long as he is on the 40-man, if, God forbid, he was found to be using, he wouldn't be banned for life. Not that it wouldn't be a problem. He'd only be in danger of that suspension if he were to sign a minor league contract and if that happened, at this point, he has bigger things to worry about than the suspension.
