A New Method to the Madness

If someone tells you J.P. Ricciardi "completely fucked up the 2009 draft," as happened to me yesterday, please smack your friend upside his or her head, regardless of his or her - clearly - limited mental capacity.

Sea change. That's probably the best way to describe the 2009 draft for the Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, they failed to land the autographs of three of their first five picks on to contracts, but it's not all doom and gloom. (Is it ever, over here? Playoffs!1)

Some have called the happenings "another black hole" for the organization. You know I disagree. As The Southpaw points out, Toronto "went FAR over slot on three players." That's huge; "a substantial shift in philosophy."

Look, I get that the fan base, collectively, is rather pissed off. It's got a right to be. Sixteen years sans playoffs will do that. But, for the first time, the Jays drafted the best players available, regardless of their signability. And that's what they should be doing - taking the best guy. Period. Even if he is, as was the case with James Paxton, a Scott Boras client.

The Toronto Blue Jays have simply not done it this way before. Instead of drafting and signing their first five picks, all decent prospects but not the best ones available, as they have in the past, Toronto finally rolled the dice. The old strategy hasn't exactly worked. (This is where that whole "no playoffs in 16 years" thing comes into play.) I'm all for, as Will Hill wrote on what is essentially his blog over at TSN, "swinging for the fences." Go big or go home. Draft the high risk, high reward guys; the ones with higher ceilings. Even if you may not eventually get your hands on them. The old method, while it has brought results (see Hill, Aaron, and Lind, Adam), hasn't led the team to where it needs to be. (Playoffs!1)

I don't wish ill upon the three guys that got away - James Paxton, Jake Eliopoulos, and Jake Barrett. (I'll leave that to The Tao.) Supplemental draft picks are on their way. We're all good. I only hope the three are drafted again, that the baseball market continues to collapse, and that they're forced to sign for less money than they turned down (Costanza Negotiation 101). Especially the "good Canadian boys."

Chad Jenkins and Jake Marisnick, I'm all about you two. Welcome to the Toronto Blue Jays.

And welcome back, Travis Snider.

Really, I can't say enough about Sniderman. An opposite field home run, and a tribute to the departed Alex Rios in the form of a dropped fly ball in right field. That's respect. Snider gets it. He is the truth.

UPDATE: The fine folks at Batter's Box have graded the 2009 draft an immense failure. While I certainly don't subscribe to that type of negativity, they make some good points. But, in the end, drafts can't be graded until at least five years down the road. Remember when Ricky Romero was a bust?

UPDATE #2: Read this: "'I think [Paxton] wanted to sign and it was just a number that we could not bring ourselves to pay,' Beeston said earlier today. Beeston said the Jays offered money above the slot that is recommended by Major League Baseball. Beeston personally handled the negotiations with Paxton, the top Canadian selected in the draft and his agent is Scott Boras."

2009: We're 0-for-2...

The Toronto Maple Leafs are inquiring into tee times. Yep, it's springtime. 

Chris Bosh is going to have all the time in the world to make crazy awesome ridiculously lame YouTube videos once the Toronto Raptors are eliminated from post-season play. I can't wait.

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to need a miracle of biblical proportions in order to either win the AL East, or win the Wild Card. (I've got faith in Jesus. Dude walked on water, yo. All I'm asking for is the pennant. That's nothing.)

For calendar 2009, my city's hopes and dreams lie on the shoulders of Toronto FC, who begin their quest to make the playoffs (!!!!1) tonight in Kansas City.

The Dwayne De Rosario and Adrian Serioux era is upon us. Finally. And I've got a good feeling beautiful footy music will be made on the BMO pitch this season.

DeRo and Serioux, the local boys representing. Amado Guevara. A healthy Danny Dichio. A full season with Chad Barrett up front. Carl Robinson. A hopefully more confident Rohan Ricketts. Jimmy Brennan. Marco Velez. Greg Sutton. And, last but certainly not least, my man Marvell Wynne.

I don't need to tell you what all those guys above add up to. You know the answer.

Believe in the Reds. They're going to make sure 2009 isn't a complete bust.

(Another) Podcast, Please

My good friend and yours, Stephen Amell, from Searching for '93, had me join him on another podcast to talk some more Toronto Blue Jays baseball. This time, we were betting on the Blue Jays. Well, I was betting on the Jays. Stephen was busy betting against them.

Here's a link to the mp3. Have a listen. I guarantee you will enjoy the song off the top. Anyway, we lay down our bets, talk some hockey, where I admit to the world that I am a New York Islanders dynasty denier, and, brace yourselves, even talk about the weather. In Canadian Celsius of course, my American friends. You know who you are. But, yes, exciting shit.

No, I'm not going to tell you what we bet on. You have to listen to the podcast, silly.

Alright. Fine.

There's eight categories, each being an over/under, and each worth one point, with the exception of the first category; wins. It's worth two points. Whoever accumulates the most points at the end of the season is the victor. Scientific, I know.

Categories:

1. Blue Jays O/U wins: 80.5

2. Vernon Wells O/U games played: 125.5

3. Home opener O/U number of fans: 49,500

4. Roy Halladay O/U wins: 17.5

5. Lyle Overbay & Scott Rolen O/U combined home runs: 35.5

6. Alex Rios O/U home runs: 22.5

7. B.J. Ryan O/U saves: 31.5

8. Total attendance O/U for the season: 2,000,000

I took the over. On all of them. If that surprises you, you're an idiot. I'm nothing if not a fatally optimistic homer. And I probably wouldn't be too good at The Price Is Right.

Logic? You want logic? Look, no Blue Jays team led by the Gastonian one is winning fewer than 81 games. Especially not this one ... Am I worried about Vernon's health? Sure I am. But the way I see it, with his bum hamstring, he's getting the injury over with now ... Will the home opener be a sellout? It better be, Toronto ... Barring injury, Doc's winning 18 games. Actually, more ... Can Overbay and Rolen combine for 36 home runs? Let's just say that's probably the stupidest over I went with, but that doesn't mean it's not going to happen ... Alex Rios is going to be frighteningly good this season. Frighteningly. Good ... If The Beej can save 32 games 10 months post-Tommy John, he can do it again in '09 ... As for total attendance, when the Jays are well on their way to winning the pennant, people will be rushing to the Rogers Centre SkyDome. Daily.

So, there you have it. A cool, crisp $100 is on the line. And I'm sure Stephen and I will update you as to who's closer to glory over the summer. We've also decided that the loser (Stephen, eventually) has to be videotaped getting an autograph from the one and only Mike Wilner. In a perfect world, the loser (Stephen, eventually) will pay me via one of those massive cheques, which will then be presented to me by the one and only Monsieur Wilner. (Let us know, Mike.)

Oh, and I've decided: when Roy Halladay is pitching at home this season, I'm heading downtown. A little walk-up ticket action, please. He's worth the price of admission, every time. And like I said in the podcast, he won't be around forever.

Remember to regularly check out Searching for '93. Stephen's got a new layout, and is doing his thing. Follow him on Twitter (follow me, as well), get him up in your RSS reader, and subscribe to his podcast. He's good people. While it will pain me to take his hard-earned money, it's something I must do.

And if you're interested in getting in on some of the monetary action, I'm still taking bets on the Jays winning more than 80.5 games. If you're foolishly thinking under, holla at ya boy, along with how much you're willing to lose. Want to shit on the Jays? (PPP, I'm looking at you.) Put your money where your mouth is.

For the last fucking time: Blue Jays baseball ... you gotta believe.

UPDATE: PPP is taking the under on wins. $50 on the line. I'm going to be fucking rich come September.

To Do List

Let me guess. You probably thought you'd never live to see a black president.

And that the Tampa Bay Devil Rays would win the pennant last year.

Impossible is nothing. As a Toronto sports fan, and the writer of this here blog, I have no choice but to keep telling myself that.

Frankly, I'm fed up of being told that the Toronto Blue Jays' 2009 season is over before a pitch has been thrown, and a bat has been swung. I'm sick and tired of all the negativity.

It's January. There is absolutely no way my optimism for the upcoming baseball season can be crushed in January. Regardless of how brutal the off-season has been. I will not let it happen.

Blue Jays baseball: You gotta believe. Remember?

If you'd rather not believe, and would prefer to incessantly bitch about J.P. Ricciardi's Rogers-induced flaccid off-season, please, do me a solid: shut the fuck up.

*UPDATE*

My friend, rude-boy, loyal Sports And The City reader, and all-around ill cat, 40, provided a link in the comments section to the video below. Watch it. If it doesn't get you excited about 2009 Blue Jays baseball, you need to check yourself.

Believe...