9:30AM PST. Orange County, California. A Globemaster 5000 takes off from John Wayne Airport in Orange County en route to Toronto. It is carrying a very rich and very famous man. It will soon become the most tracked plane in the world with over 40,000 souls eagerly awaiting its arrival at Pearson International Airport in Mississauga. The ETA is 4:30PM EST.
Back on flat ground, there's a frenzy of speculation online and in the media. Shohei Ohtani, the modern Babe Ruth, The Unicorn, is a free agent and his signing is the most highly anticipated of all. In recent days, the Blue Jays have emerged as prohibitive favorites to sign him. As word spreads of this mystery plane with call sign N616RH, the question emerges, can this be it? Is Shohei Ohtani leaving Hollywood for Hollywood North?
Later in the day, word leaks out of a dinner reservation for a party of about fifty people at 7PM. Supposedly, it's Yusei Kikuchi, who has a friendly history with Ohtani. Is it to welcome Shohei? Or is it for his wife? And that Instagram story she posted. What does it all mean? Nothing or something?
The flight is now somewhere over the American midwest. A Dodgers beat writer named J.P. Hoornstra tweets out that the Dodgers are out. Anticipation in Toronto is now at a fever pitch. We really are getting him! Then John Morosi tweets out that according to “sources” Shohei is en route to Toronto. Well then.
Nothing yet from Toronto media, or the Jays themselves. It comes out that the plane has been in Croatia before and the call sign contains “RH”, the initials of Dragons Den and Shark Tank businessman Robert Herjavec. He's got property in both Toronto and L.A. after all. His plane? Is he doing his Santa imitation bringing us an early Christmas present? Or is it even his plane?
At around 4PM EST, the plane crosses into Canadian airspace. As the minutes turn to hours, the hardened men of the Great White North prepare their best “girl going mental over her favorite boy band” screams. Hearts beat louder, louder, and still louder as the hand on the clock moves steadily downwards, second by second, minute by minute, tick-tock, tick-tock.
And then, the appointed hour comes. Eyes on the tarmacs! The world is stopping. The Land Of The Setting Sun awaits the man from the Land Of The Rising Sun. The precious cargo all of Canada is awaiting is here. The door cracks open ever so slightly amidst the staggered breathing and the pounding hearts of Canadians, Torontoians especially. The figure of a man becomes slightly visible. As the staircase drops for the man to touch Canadian soil, sports stations in Toronto prepare for the inevitable wall-to-wall coverage.
Sweaty palms rub as he descends from the plane and it is indeed … Robert Herjavec?! It is a rich and famous man, just not the one we’re waiting on. Herjavec is a selective hitter though with a clear track record of punishing bad pitches; in other words, a big money piece added to the fold. He’ll be a good signing for our ballclub.
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