Blue Jays doctor and Beach resident David Lawrence looking forward to World Series

By ALAN SHACKLETON

Beach resident Dr. David Lawrence is taking flight with the Toronto Blue Jays as the team hosts the first game of the World Series tonight.

Lawrence, 37, is the Lead Team Physician for the Blue Jays.

The Major League Baseball team won the American League championship in dramatic fashion on Monday of this week, and will now take on the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. The first two games in the best-of-seven World Series are slated for the Rogers Centre in Toronto on the nights of Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25.

After Saturday night’s game, Lawrence will be on the plane with the Blue Jays as they head to Los Angeles to resume the series on the night of Monday, Oct. 27.

“It’s been a rush of emotions recently and I’m obviously excited for these games and what comes next,” he said in an interview with Beach Metro Community News on Wednesday of this week.

Lawrence, who has been with the Blue Jays in his medical role for the past eight years, said the experiences of winning two American League playoff series and now taking part in the World Series sometimes doesn’t “feel real” as he reflected on what a rare situation he is in.

“It’s so special and such an achievement (for the team). There are a lot of great players and people in baseball who have never been to a World Series, and it doesn’t happen very often in most careers,“ he said.

Lawrence pointed to Jays Head Athletic Trainer Jose Ministral as an example of how difficult and big an achievement it is to reach the World Series. Ministral began his career with the Jays in 2013, and worked for years before that with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and this is his first World Series. Likewise, Jays bench coach Don Mattingly who has had a more than 30-year Major League career as a manager, coach and player (including having his number retired by the New York Yankees) is going to his first World Series this season.

“Some (of the Jays) staff have been around forever and never been to the World Series. It’s so important to them and it is such a special thing. You never know in sports,” said Lawrence.

However, being a part of a team going to the World Series has only been one of Lawrence’s momentous life events this month. His daughter, Dylan Sarah, was born eight days ago – while the Jays were playing Games Three, Four and Five in the American League Championship series in Seattle.

Needless to say, Lawrence did not make the trip to Seattle for those three games. However, he was back with the team in the Rogers Centre on Sunday and Monday of this week for Games Six and Seven; both of which were must-wins for the Jays.

The dramatic Game Seven win, which saw a huge homerun by designated hitter George Springer give the Jays the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, was celebrated by the sold-out crowd and fans across Canada who have taken the team to heart during its incredible run during the last half of the regular season and the playoffs.

“We certainly celebrated the win over Seattle on Monday,” said Lawrence of Jays players and staff. “But after that, we then immediately start the planning for the next series and what we need to do for the World Series.”

Lawrence said he has always been interested in sports medicine, and working for the Jays is both a thrill and an honour.

He said being able to be in New York with the team as the Jays won the American League Division Series was an experience he will always remember.

“I was in New York and that was amazing. Other than winning at home, the second best place to win a series is in Yankee Stadium in front of New York fans,” said Lawrence.

Growing up in the Bathurst and College streets area, Lawrence said he was always interested in sports.

“I grew up playing sports and knew the benefits or participating and living an active lifestyle, so for me it was important to be able to help others stay active,” he said.  “I was also interested in the benefits of sports and being active. There are huge benefits to physical, mental and emotional health.”

Lawrence attended Harbord Collegiate Institute, then Western University for his undergrad before going to medical school at the University of Toronto where he specialized in sports and exercise medicine. He and his wife Caitlin Tino moved to the Beach about three-and-a half years ago.

Caitlin grew up in the Beach, attending St. Denis Catholic School and then Malvern Collegiate. Along with newborn Dylan Sarah, they also have three-year-old son Rowan.

“I swore I’d never live anywhere east of Yonge (Street) but my wife introduced me to the Beach, and I saw it and fell in love with the area,” he said.

Along with his position with the Blue Jays, Lawrence is medical director of the David L. MacIntosh Sports Medicine Clinic at U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education, and an assistant professor in U of T’s Family and Community Medicine Department. He also holds hospital privileges at Mount Sinai Hospital (Sinai Health), Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.

He has been working with athletes, and sports teams, both amateur and professional for more than 10 years. Along with working with athletes at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Lawrence also worked with the Toronto Wolfpack rugby team prior to joining the Jays.

Lawrence said there are certain injuries that are common in all sports, especially hamstrings, but baseball players also face unique challenges that other athletes do not.

“Like any sport, the most common injury is hamstrings. What’s unique to baseball is the elbow and shoulder injuries. You don’t see them in any other sport due to the repetitive nature of pitching and so much throwing,” he said

Taking care of all the players’ arms, but especially the pitchers, is a major focus of baseball teams’ medical and training staffs. “A lot of it is primary prevention and arm care. We want to be optimizing their strengthening and stretching and their overall arm modality.”

Along with looking after the sports medicine needs, Lawrence also serves as the primary physician for the Jays players and their families.

“I’m also the primary family medical care person to the players and their families, kids and family members,” he said. “I’m dealing with it all including kids with ear infections, viruses…”

Lawrence was too young to remember in detail the last time the Jays were in the World Series in 1992 and 1993 (which they won both years). “I had a general awareness something was happening with the baseball team at that time, but not specifics.”

He does remember that when he was a young student at Lord Lansdowne Public School, Blue Jays player Joe Carter came to visit.

Carter hit the most famous home run in Toronto baseball history (so far) as his three-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Philadephia Phillies gave the Jays a walk-off World Series championship in 1993. Carter’s feat remains only the second time in Major League history that a walk-off home run has clinched a World Series championship. The other time was in 1960.

When he was bit older, Lawrence said he would regularly go to Jays games on Saturdays with his family and sit in the $2 upper-level seats.

Lawrence’s long association with the Jays continues, and while he can’t predict how this World Series will turn out, he said this year’s team is a very special one due to the close bonds between the players.

“We’ve played 173 games (so far including regular season and playoffs) and we are grinding. It is the culture of this team down from the players and front office and medical staff. It’s everyone and it’s a special clubhouse this year,” he said.

“What’s different over the eight years is the culture of this team, really. They are special and it really stands out as to how connected they are and the trust they have in each other.”