John Schneider does not hold back on his players in day 1 of Spring Training
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Victor William
Feb 17, 2026 (5:40 PM)
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Photo credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
John Schneider delivered his first spring message today and the Toronto Blue Jays are officially on a mission for revenge.
Losing Game 7 of the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers leaves a deep scar. You do not just brush off coming that close to the ultimate prize.
The pain of watching another team celebrate on your field lingers all winter. That kind of heartbreak can either break a clubhouse or build a monster.
But the manager walked into camp with a crystal clear mindset for this group. He knows exactly what buttons to push to get them fired up.
He stood in front of the room and told them to forget about last year. They are starting from zero.
Hazel Mae captured the raw intensity of his morning press conference perfectly on social media.
The skipper made it obvious that the boys are not resting on their laurels. You cannot win a championship by staring in the rearview mirror.
Finishing with a 94-68 record and taking the American League pennant was incredibly special. The Rogers Centre was rocking like it was 1993 all over again.
Schneider refuses to look backward
We are all feeling that desperate hunger for a ring right now. Just getting to the dance is no longer enough for this fanbase.
The manager noted that nobody is simply defending the division title. He wants his guys in pure attack mode from the very first pitch in Dunedin.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is coming off a massive bounce back year. Vladdy posted a stellar .292 AVG and hit 23 HR while terrorizing opposing pitchers.
Now he has to carry an even heavier load in the lineup. The departure of Bo Bichette leaves a massive hole to fill.
Seeing our former homegrown shortstop sign with the New York Mets stings quite a bit. But baseball is a ruthless business.
Yet this roster still has the elite firepower required to steamroll the competition. The front office trusts this core to execute.
Schneider earned his extension because he knows how to keep this team grounded. He demands a relentless pursuit of greatness every single day.
His message laid out the exact reality for this clubhouse. He declared they are not defending the American League, they are attacking 2026.
The ultimate goal is perfectly clear. When you try to win the division, you are trying to win the World Series.
The pitching staff is already putting in the sweat on the back fields to make it happen. You can feel the focus radiating from the complex.
It is time to finish the job and bring the trophy back to Canada. The revenge tour starts today.
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