Vince Horsman, a former left-handed pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, is watching the team’s playoff run with nostalgia. The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, native played in 141 major league games over five seasons, including one with the Blue Jays in 1991. As he observes the current team, he sees a style of baseball reminiscent of earlier eras.

"They still have their thumpers, but they're not afraid to go the other way and use the whole field," Horsman said. He believes the Blue Jays' approach contrasts with the modern trend of relying heavily on analytics and power hitting.

Horsman spoke ahead of Game 2 of the World Series, where the Blue Jays faced the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers evened the series at 1-1 with a 5-1 victory.

Having spent four decades in professional baseball, Horsman transitioned from player to coach. He has coached in various countries, including the United States, Mexico, Italy, and Taiwan, where he currently serves as a pitching coach for the 7-Eleven Unilions in Tainan City. He has also spent 14 years coaching in the Blue Jays' farm system, allowing him to maintain connections with many current coaches.

"I'm happy for them and I'm happy for the people back in Canada because I know how much they support Toronto," Horsman said from his home in Palm Harbor, Florida. "And I hope they do well, I hope they win it."

Horsman's journey to professional baseball began in 1984 during a national tournament for midget players in Moncton, New Brunswick. At just 17, he caught the attention of a Blue Jays scout after striking out 16 of 18 batters in a game. Although the scout fell ill and missed the game, he later offered Horsman a contract.

At that time, Canadian players were classified as international free agents and were not drafted. Horsman had to finish high school before starting his career in the Blue Jays' farm system, which included stops in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and other cities across the United States. He made the leap from Double-A directly to the Blue Jays in 1991, skipping Triple-A.

"But at the end of the day, it was just baseball," Horsman said. "And if you have the ability to kind of control the nerves of pitching in front of a lot of people, everything is just the same. You know, 60 feet, six inches. Good pitches get hitters out."

Horsman is the only Nova Scotian to have played for the Blue Jays and one of a few from the province to reach the majors. He recalls the excitement of pitching in front of large crowds in Toronto, which was a significant change from his hometown.

"It was crazy and electric and exciting and you were anxious and your heart was beating through your neck and all those emotions that are involved in something of that magnitude, but it was incredible," he said.

After his time with the Blue Jays, Horsman pitched for the Oakland Athletics and the Minnesota Twins, concluding his major league career in 1995. He then shifted to coaching, which has allowed him to travel and experience different cultures.

"I've been blessed, I really have," Horsman said. "God has been good to me because I am a kid from Nova Scotia with a high school education."

If he had not pursued baseball, Horsman believes he would have become a school teacher, particularly in history. He has always immersed himself in local history wherever he has lived, enhancing his appreciation for different cultures.

"You get an appreciation of the cultures, so I've been lucky that I'm not just there as a tourist, I'm usually there as part of the fabric of that community," he said.