Opening Day is Over-rated in Toronto

Well folks - It's that time of the year again. The time when every team has hope, and a time when every team has the same record. Opening Day! A day when every team is in first place and has dreams of the post-season.

Ok enough of that crap.

I don't have season tickets, never have, and likely never will. I still manage to get to 15-20 games per season, and I am happy with that. However I will never go to the home opener at Rogers Centre, never.

Sure the home opener is the one game we sell out, and the one game when the majority of fans in the centre are under the age of 40, but it just doesn't have appeal to me as it does to most Torontonians.

Lets get serious here; 85% of the people that went to yesterday's game will not go to another game this season. They aren't the hardcore's like you and I, and last night they proved me right again. Look, I am all for having a good time, but when it almost costs the Jays a win that pisses me off, not to mention it makes our city look bad.

You don't go to ballgame and throw crap on the field -- esp. when your team is on the verge of winning a game. Jim Leyland was correct when he took his players off the field, and it really pissed me off how Cito had to apologize to Leyland on behalf of the Toronto "fan."

I just want to say one thing to each and every person who threw something on the field last night....

Go f%$k yourself.

Oh and the Jays won 12-5.

Viva Italia - WBC Update

Canada lost to Italy 6-2 in a game that was anything but exciting.

Justin Morneau had a great game at the dish and Bay was solid, but nothing after that. Pete Orr had a hilariously bad World Baseball Classic.

Call me sappy, but I wanted to see Corey Koskie get a plate appearence in a meaniingful game.

However let's get serious here; No Francis, No Harden, No Bedard, No Dempster = No chance..... not that the bats helped much.

Spring-Time!

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen - It's been a long time!

Spring training has arrived and some very interesting developments have already occurred in Jays land.

Our million dollar man Vernon Wells has hurt his hamstring again. I think it's pretty safe the say that the good Verno's days in CF are numbered. Wells has lost a little step out there (but he is still great mind you), so Rios should be taking over. Add in the fact that Vernon hits more like a corner outfielder then Alex does. However we all know that won't happen quite yet.

Matt Clement is apparently pitching with no pain, while our good friend Mike Morath is determined to pitch through leg ailments all season. Scotty Downs experienced a set back, while Aaron Hill seems to have fully recovered for concussion like symptoms.

Through 9 Spring Training games the Jays are a respectable 5-4, and as we speak are ahead of the Yankees 5-2 moving into the bottom of the 7th.

Some players who have been performing well at the dish so far include; Russ Adams, Jose Bautista, Brad Emaus, Jason Lane, Scott Rolen (good sign!!), Kevin Millar, and Travis Snider (good sign!!).

In other news - Canada lost a heart-breaker to the USA in their first game of the World Baseball Classic 6-5. The Toronto crowd was amazing. I have heard nothing but good things from people who attended the game. This makes me both proud and a little annoyed. Proud for obvious reasons, but a little annoyed because - where are these fans for Jays games!!

Anyways - I am looking forward to opening day. It should be an interesting season in Jays land.

Sleepy Times - News and Notes

Sorry for the lack of posts, but frankly there just hasn't been a heck of a lot of exciting stuff to blog about in Jays land.

Of course the major news in the baseball world is that A-Rod admitted to steroid use, but since that doesn't have much impact on the Jays I decided to ignore it. Unfortunately I have taken the stance that the majority of ball players have experimented with performance enhancing drugs. However I believe it is being done out of necessity. If player X has an edge, then player Y needs that same boost to keep his career moving forward. Basically a domino effect.

Back to the Jays - Toronto's most recent acquisition is that of a player by the name of Matt Bush. Apparently Bush was the 1st overall pick in the 2004 draft (who knew!), but couldn't hit a lick in the minors, which subsequently lead to a failed attempted to turn him into a pitcher. Anyways - he is now in the Jays organization.

The Jays remain the only team not to sign a free-agent to a major league contract this off-season. There are still rumblings of Kevin Millar coming to the Jays, but that again would likely be a minor league signing with an invitation to Spring Training.

In more interesting news former Jays star Roberto Alomar's ex-girlfriend is claiming that Alomar has "full blown AIDS." Here is a link to the my source: http://blogs.usatoday.com/gameon/2009/02/lawsuit-claims.html

"Ilya Dall, the former girlfriend of baseball star Roberto Alomar, claims in a lawsuit that Alomar has full-blown AIDS. Dall, 32, lived with Alomar for three years. The infielder played 17 seasons and had stints with seven teams including the Mets, Baltimore, Toronto and Cleveland. (Photo by Winslow Townson, AP)This from the New York Daily News"

For all of those of us who grew up during the glory years, Mr. Alomar is one of the all-time great Jays and was a extreme fan favorite while playing in Toronto. I am going to hold my opinion to myself until we get more information on these allegations. Hopefully everything works out for all those involved in this situation.

All in all - This has to be the most boring off-season in Jays history.

Putting the Pieces Together

Just briefly - The Jays avoided arbitration with Accardo, Bautista, and Frasor by signing them all to one year deals.

From the Globe and Mail;

The Toronto Blue Jays have avoided arbitration with three more of their players after coming to terms with pitchers Jason Frasor and Jeremy Accardo and infielder Jose Bautista for the 2009 season. Frasor, 31, has agreed to terms on a $1.45-million (all currency U.S.) after posting a 1-2 record in 2008 with a 4.18 earned-run average. Bautista, 28, who was acquired by the Blue Jays on Aug. 21 in a trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates, has agreed to terms on a deal that will pay him $2.4-million. Bautista appeared in 128 games with Toronto and Pittsburgh, hitting 15 home runs with 54 RBI. Accardo, who will earn $900,000 this season.

If it hasn't sunk in yet, it should. The Jays with minor exceptions will be fielding the same team as 2008.

FYI - Shawn Camp and Billy Tallet remain unsigned.

Jays Brass Faces Season Ticket Holders

An interesting meeting happened in Jays land. Appearently it wasn't pretty...

Mr. Beeston and company met with season ticket holders on Tuesday to discuss the current state of the team, and short term plans moving forward.

A quote from The Star link = http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/574495 :

And in the night’s most dramatic moment, another demanded more honesty from Beeston, who began the night with brave talk of competing with the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox only to later say how the team might take a step back in 2009. He drew roaring applause

Over the past few years JP and Godfrey have had the luxury of telling these folks that the team is prepared to increase payroll, but with the team set on a different direction for the upcoming 2009 season there was some explaining to do.

Some specific baseball talk included (again from The Star)

There was some baseball talk, with Ricciardi saying that Casey Janssen will be used as a starter as long as he shows during spring training that his surgically repaired right shoulder is up to the task.Only Roy Halladay, Jesse Litsch and David Purcey are sure things for the rotation.

Season ticket holders are vital to a teams future and they must be listened to in order to keep them around for future investments’. Depending on annual income of course buying season tickets is not a cheap investment.

Hopefully Beeston and the parent company do not take the concerns of season ticket holders lightly.

Princesses and Lollipops

For kicks and giggles I thought I would create a "Best Case Senerio" blog regarding our horrid offence. Remember this is if all the stars come together in a fairy and princess land.

The lineup is no particular order.

Name: Homeruns/RBI/BA/OPS

Hill 15/75/.290/.815
Scutaro 10/55/.290/.785
Rios 28/95/.315/.900
Wells 31/105/.301/.885
Rolen 21/80/.280/.840
Overbay 17/70/.280/.835
Barajas/Barrett 16/55/.265/.760
Lind 18/55/.275/.775

Snider 22/68/.275/.790

*I am living in dream world.