I am Blue Jays outfielder and 3 time MLB All-Star Jose Bautista, ask me anything!

You're famous in Toronto for your ability to quickly grow very masculine beards. Would you be willing to grow a spectacular Canadian playoff beard if you guys make a playoff run?

Of course. Why wouldn't I?

Who is the toughest pitcher you have faced in the majors?

P.S Mets fan so im pretty much rooting like hell for you guys to win the AL east, good luck this year.

For right-handers it's Jered Weaver. For lefties it's CC Sabathia.

Who can eat more nachos, Travis Snider or Eric Thames?

Travis Snider. By far. Not even close.

How much does "clubhouse chemistry" really matter? Would you prefer an MVP caliber jerk as a teammate or the nicest guy in the world who can't hit .225?

Clubhouse chemistry is important, but it's not the only indicator of success. Also, clubhouse chemistry is not dictated by the attitude of one individual. So, it comes down to having the right mix.

Who is the funniest in the clubhouse?

Brett Lawrie. Not sure he even tries to be funny, but he is hilarious.

Can you hit a homerun off R.A. Dickey?

I don't know, but glad I don't have to try. Happy to have him on my team rather than having to hit against him.

If you could be a professional athlete in any other sport, which sport would you pick?

Best of luck this season from all of us out here in Saskatoon, SK! You've got all of Canada behind you guys!

Probably football. Would love to play WR.

thank you for being a part of this organization. as a canadian, who lives in toronto, and is a lifelong jays fan we are so happy to have you. all i want to know is: what is colby rasmus like to hang out with? [hope the wrist is ok, have a great season]

We all hang out quite a bit. Colby is awesome to hang out with. Loves southern food (which I happen to love as well).

What's your favorite ballpark to play in? (Aside from Rogers Centre)

Fenway. Amazing baseball atmosphere and a ton of history in that park.

Hey Jose! What are some of your favourite spots in Toronto?

ps. GO JAYS!!

For a good steak I usually go to Barberians or Jacobs. For good Italian I usually go to Bucca.

In your opinion, what ballpark has the best tasting food?

Best clubhouse food would be at Yankee stadium. Good variety and quality both pre and post game. Best visitors clubhouse in the MLB.

Would you rather fight 100 Jon Rauch-sized ducks, or 1 horse-sized David Eckstein?

The Eckstein-sized horse...but shouldn't the question be 100 Eckstein sized hoses or 1 Rauch sized duck?

Hey José, thanks for the AMA! With all the monstrous home runs you've hit, do any stand out to you right off the bat? Regardless, best of luck to you and the Jays this season!

Yeah, the most memorable HR I've ever hit was #54 in 2010 off Felix Hernandez in Toronto. One I'll never forget because it was the last one in a magical season.

Hi Jose! I live in Toronto and have seen what you've done for baseball up here, so thank you!

I am also beyond excited for this year's team.

How excited are you for guys like Reyes, Cabrera, Josh Johnson, and Mark Buehrle to join the team? What do you think they will bring to the team that was absent last year?

I, along with the whole organization, are really excited about the upcoming season. Anytime you acquire that kind of talent in the off-season it changes the makeup of the team. We're a confident group and are excited about the upcoming season. At the same time, we know the rest of the league is really good as well, so we still have to execute when it matters.

Hi Jose - thanks for doing an AMA!!

I was wondering how you explain Edwin Encarnacion's transformation last year - it was eerily similar to your own. did you help him along the way at all? is there anyone in the blue jays organization that propelled his or your own success?

Thanks!

I don't think Edwin really had much of a transformation so much as he was given an opportunity to play every day. His talent and work ethic took over from there. The defensive switch also seemed to make him much more comfortable.

Huge Jays fan. Only thing I can ask is, how do you keep the beard looking so fantastic?

I don't do much of anything to it. Just keep it edged up and hope for the best. Glad you like.

How is it taking BP against Dickey?

Luckily for me that hasn't happened yet!

Hey Joey Batts! I've been a Jays fan even before being a Leafs fan (which is saying something in TO). In 92 and 93 my Mom took me out of school to go to the parades, and I just remember how cool they were. So to say I'm excited about this season is an understatement.

My question: What single thing do you think helped the most in your break out year a couple years ago? And if you don't think it was a single thing, then how do you think they all combined together?

Three things really. 1: Adjustments at the plate / swing 2. New and consistent approach to hitting 3. A manager and team that believed in me and gave me a chance

What kind of antics or practical jokes go on in a MLB clubhouse?

The best one I've seen was actually in a minor league clubhouse. A guy lost a bet and as punishment he had to put himself in one of those industrial sized dryers for 1 min (super low heat). Wasn't quite what we'd hoped, he didn't tumble like clothes do, but still hilarious.

Did you enjoy the time you spent playing with the Pirates?

Yep, Pittsburgh was great. Developed a few good friendships with Jose Castillo, Nate McClouth, Freddie Sanchez and Ian Snell.

Jose, what are your favourite shows on tv, right now?

Can't believe I'm writing this, but I'm big fan of Betty White's show Off Their Rockers!

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Really tough question. One of my favorites was actually watching Pedro strike out the side in the All-Star game about 12 years back.

At what point did you realize that you were not only going to make it in the MLB, but actually be one of the most powerful home run hitters in the game? Or did you always know you had that power behind your swing?

I always felt like I had a good chance to make it in the big leagues. That said, even though early on in my career I felt I could contribute more than I was, I never really figured I'd be one of the top HR hitters in the game.

How much fun did you have making that commercial where you're like an old school gangster? Its probably one of my most favourite commercials! Also, good luck to you guys this year, Go Blue Jays!

That was a fun one! Meeting the actors and working on the spoof of the Untouchables was great. I don't think I'm a very good actor, but I had fun with it anyway.

How much does having a packed home stadium effect the performance of a team? Does it matter as much as everyone says?

It certainly helps. I wouldn't say that it necessarily makes a difference between winning or losing any particular game, but in the long-run the home-field advantage is real.

How big do you think your change in swing (believe late 2009) played into your change in results on the field? I looked at the swing myself and it looks like you made quite a few changes.

Are you familiar with "sabermetrics"? How much do players talk about things like OBP, WAR, if at all?

Thanks and good luck this season. I'm a Mets fan so know you have two great additions in Reyes and Dickey.

The swing changes were tremendously helpful. I didn't see the change in results for a while though. I started making the swing changes right after I was traded to the Jays in August 2008, so it took about a year before I was really comfortable with them and started to see results.

Hey Jose, how is your relationship with Brett Lawrie?

Great teammate. Brings TONS of energy to the team. His future is really bright.

If you weren't playing baseball, what do you see yourself doing for a living?

Hard to envision not playing baseball for a living, but if I wasn't I'd want to work in finance.

How did you receive the news of the trade that brought Reyes and company from the Marlins to Toronto? Was there chemistry early, or is it taking time? Was this move a surprise?

Heard about the trade just like everyone else, though the media. Chemistry has been great from day 1. Everyone's just excited about getting ready for the season. The move was a pretty big surprise (a pleasant one of course). You don't typically acquire that much talent so quickly.

What's the hardest thing about playing professional baseball?

Just the competition. Keeping your performance at a high level is incredibly difficult because of the quality of the competition.

Which former Blue Jay do you look up to as an idol? And if it's different, which former Jay do you think your game is most similar to?

I'm a huge Tony Fernandez fan. Growing up he and Ken Griffey Jr were my two favorite players.

Hi Jose!!

Last summer I had some pretty horrible injuries playing baseball (massive concussion, broken femur) but I'm looking to get back when our league starts back up in summer.. been training and looking forward to getting back since I was able to walk again.

So I am just wondering how much of an awesome feeling was it getting back on the field again and gettin the bats going? My comeback won't be so great, but I'd love to hear from you!!

Love to get back on the field. Being away from from baseball from that long was brutal. I'm really enjoying getting back on the field, but also the comradely from teammates and competition from opponents.

What are your favourite toppings for a pizza?

Usually just ham. Nothing too crazy.