NOTES

Dave Stieb, the backbone of the Toronto pitching staff during all the good and bad years since 1979, was in Atlanta, but his presence was more symbolic than anything else.

Stieb, 35, is not on the active roster for the World Series and is believed to have pitched his last game.

A back injury that required surgery restricted Stieb to nine starts in 1991. He opened the ’92 season on the disabled list while still recovering from the surgery, did not pitch after Aug. 8 because of an elbow injury and went 4-6 in between.

His frustration at not being a factor in the reward of the Blue Jays’ long pennant pursuit was characterized by his departure from the clubhouse victory celebration shortly after it started.

“A lot of guys along the way helped make us better, helped get us here,” General Manager Pat Gillick said in a historical context. “Dave was one of the most important, and I know this (his inability to pitch in Toronto’s first World Series) is very frustrating to him and very disappointing to me.”