Flightless

Back in 1999, the Toronto Blue Jays canned B.J. Birdie. (Is it "Birdie," or "Birdy"?) Ten years later, it seems the same fate awaits another flightless bird, B.J. Ryan.

Seriously, I can't imagine it's worth it for J.P. Ricciardi to use valuable Rogers daytime minutes to call another team about The Beej. He'd be laughed off the phone, time and time again.

As general manager of the Blue Jays, I think Ricciardi has done more good than bad over the years. But in hindsight, which is easy for me to use, pantless from my mother's basement, Ryan's signing might go down as J.P.'s worst.

It was tough to watch Ryan, the $12 million dollar once-dominant closer, come into yesterday's game in the fourth inning, the first man out of the bullpen to try and hold an 8-to-7 lead against New York. He failed. Miserably. Of the five relievers who tossed four-and-a-third innings of relief on Sunday, Ryan was the only one to allow any runs. The fact he walked two Yankees, his eleventh and twelfth walks in only nine innings pitched on the road (a 2.89 WHIP away from the SkyDome, egads!), was the tipping point.

The Beej is finished, yo.

I don't envy the person who had to give B.J. Birdie his walking papers back in the day. It couldn't have been easy. Ryan's remaining salary be damned, someone's eventually going to have to make the tough call on him, too. Delegate to your heart's content, Ricciardi.

The Yankees have had their way with the Jays, and Toronto's now seven games back. Worse yet, Cito's boys are only one game above .500. A game above water. Hard to believe, really. I thought all that .500 talk left town with John Gibbons.

After starting the season 27-and-14, the Jays have gone 15-and-27. From the highest high, to the lowest low, to right back where they started.

Half a season remains, and there's no reason to believe the Jays can't win 27 of their next 41 games. (Actually, that's not the case; there are a bevy of reasons, but fuck discussing them.) Sure, they'll have to do it against better quality opposition, using less experienced pitchers, and with a completely useless David Dellucci in left field, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.

UPDATE: Oh yeah, the All-Star game. Doc and Aaron Hill are on their way. That's not news. We knew they were all-stars a month and a half ago. Scott Rolen and Marco Scutaro, while not officially, are all-stars in my books. Same with Scott Downs. And vote for Adam Lind. He'd vote for you.

It's Over...but Travis Snider has arrived!

It's official, I've pulled the plug. Rest easy, 2008 Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, it was over long before last night, but Carl Pavano, Carl fucking Pavano, drove the final nail into the Toronto coffin.

Whatever was ailing the Blue Jays under the John Gibbons regime has returned. With a vengeance. Toronto pitching held the first place Tampa Bay DEVIL Rays - yes, it's still hella weird to say they're in first place - to only six runs over three games, but the Jays left Tampa for New York with only one win.

Last night, A.J. Burnett pitched a complete game, seven-hitter in the Bronx, and he took the 2-1 loss. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it cannot be fun to pitch for this group of hitters.

Speaking of the anemic offence, Jays fans got a glimpse of the future last night, as Travis Snider made his major league debut. I don't know about you, but I had a hard on when he came up to the plate for the first time.

The kid didn't disappoint. He stroked a ball deep into centre field for a double his second time up, and scored the Jays' only run of the ball game. He's only 20 years old, but Snider is going to make playing out the stretch a lot more interesting and fun to watch.

Snider's arrival was paved thanks to the trade-age of Matt Stairs to the Philadelphia Phillies. Stairs is, as my main man Steve Paikin always says, a great Canadian. We all knew he wore that Toronto Blue Jays jersey with a hell of a lot of pride, and I'm definitely sad to see him go. He had some great things to say about Toronto, and you can read all about it at the Thullard Jays Fans website.

Stairsy's on his way to a contender, and I don't doubt that he'll help the Phillies in their quest to make the playoffs. His career is winding down, and I think it's great that he gets to finish it with a team like the Phillies, instead of riding the pine here in Toronto, as we're clearly going with more of a youth movement. Thanks for the memories, Stairsy.

I'm looking forward to new ones from Travis Snider.

The More Things Change...

I guess it doesn't matter who's managing the Toronto Blue Jays. They simply cannot score runs. The second Cito Gaston era began last night, and the result was one that Gaston's predecessor John Gibbons was all too familiar with: a 1-0 extra innings loss.

God damn this set of Blue Jays hitters. They are ridiculously inept. Not only could they not win one for their new manager, they couldn't even plate a run in 12 innings. Against Zach Duke and the fucking Pittsburgh Pirates! Not one.

I'm sure John Gibbons felt Cito's pain last night, for it was the same old story: great pitching, zero execution, runners left on base, and another loss. The losses are adding up. That's why Gibby, and half his staff, weren't in the dugout yesterday, replaced by the old guard. Last night's loss was the Jays' sixth in a row, and pushed their June record to 4-and-13. Shit's ugly right now. We're last in the AL East, 10.5 games behind the Red Sox, and 9.5 games out of the wild card (I need a hug).

To make matters worse, Roy Halladay, who was dominant again last night, took a line drive off the side of his head in the 7th inning. Facing a two-out, based loaded jam, Doc took a screamer off his temple, and the ball then ricocheted right into the glove of Scott Rolen to end the inning. It was a frightening play, although Halladay was able to walk off the field under his own power. The Jays are saying he's day-to-day, so look for Doc to be out of the lineup until September. Remember, Aaron Hill was only supposed to miss a couple of days after he hurt his noggin, and he's not coming back any time soon.

As for the unemployed John Gibbons, he's a great human being. Even after he was given the pink slip by his good friend J.P. Ricciardi, he had nothing but good things to say about the franchise and team, thanking the organization for the opportunity to manage and wishing the players well because he's "still a big fan of these guys and I want to see them succeed." Stay classy, Gibby.

I'm going to miss the laid-back Texan. He was a good manager and, ironically, he leaves with an even 305-305 record as Blue Jays manager. It seemed as though the Jays were always treading water with him behind the wheel. Never a push-over squad, but never one that truly competed either. And I didn't realize it until I read it somewhere, but turns out Gibbons had the third-longest tenure as Jays manager in franchise history.

Hopefully there now will be some serious soul-searchage going on in the club house. It's time for the hitters, one through nine, to look in the mirror and realize that four quality baseball people are out of work because of their inability to get the job done.

Does the return of Cito Gaston and a new batting coach mean that the Jays are suddenly going to start hitting and scoring some runners when they're 90 or 180 feet away from home plate? If last night was any indication, the answer is a resounding no. Yesterday's bullshit game simply proved that Gibbons' firing was not because Gibbons wasn't getting the job done, but rather a move to shake up the team.

The thullards over at Drunk Jays Fans can't believe that Cito's back, and think J.P. Ricciardi made the move in order to take the heat off himself after he publicly dissed Adam Dunn. I couldn't disagree more. Clearly, this move was in the works for at least a couple of days. It was only a matter of time until it had to be done, as the Jays are at least going to make an attempt at salvaging this season.

While I am a sucker for nostalgia, I don't think bringing back Cito is about trying "to bribe its fan base into having restored interest in the team by trying to capture a piece of its long-passed glory years." What other manager is out there with two World Series rings on his resume and who has some knowledge of the Jays current roster? Nobody but Cito. It's about damned time he got another gig as an MLB manager. And he said it himself, his heart has always been in Toronto.

I do agree, though, that this does reek of some desperation on J.P.'s part. And I'm fine with that. He should be desperate. The team he put together is sucking complete ass and if this ship doesn't get turned around, it's likely that these are also Ricciardi's final months as general manager of the Jays. As they should be. This was supposed to be a playoff team. At the very least, a competitive team.

When it comes to the Jays' offense, there's really not much I can say about it that hasn't already been said. Getting shutout by the Pittsburgh Pirates, in 12 innings, is simply inexcusable.

You know what I do miss, though? The home run. The Jays have hit 49 home runs this season, good for 28th in the league. Alex Rios, who's only hit three bombs this season, last touched them all on May 1st. May fucking 1st. (For more on how much Alex Rios sucks this year, check out The Mockingbird.) Scotty Rolen has only hit three jacks in 51 games. Don't get me wrong, he's been great, but the Jays need more power production from everybody in the lineup, especially Rolen, Rios, Wells and Overbay.

I was extremely excited about last night's ball game. It was great to see Gaston in the dugout. But when the game ended I was left with a foul taste in my mouth, thinking that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

A manager, whether its Gibby or Cito, and his staff can only do so much. Wake up Blue Jays hitters. Please.

*UPDATE*: Interesting column by Dave Perkins at The Star about Cito. Perkins calls him "a player's manager" who made "good players play." Perkins also gives an interesting history lesson. Cito, in his first go round in Toronto, took over a struggling Jays squad back in May 1989. The team was 12 games under .500 when Cito arrived. The 1989 Toronto Blue Jays ended up making the playoffs...

Bouncing Off The Walls

What a day it has been, and it’s only 4:00 pm! For my beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, tonight is the dawning of a new era. Perhaps the post-Mats Sundin era. For my beloved Toronto Blue Jays, what was once old is brand new again.

This morning I learned that the Maple Leafs have acquired local boy Jamal Mayers for a third-round draft choice. Trading a draft pick for a 33-year-old checking line winger probably doesn’t make a lot of sense for the rebuilding Leafs, but I’ve always liked Mayers. He brings some sandpaper to the table and is an above average penalty killer. He can help tutor the Steen’s, Stajan’s, Tlusty’s, and Wellwood’s on how to be accountable defensive hockey players and decent penalty killers.

At around 1:30 pm I began to bounce off the walls of my cubicle. Why? Cito Gaston is back. The Blue Jays have fired manager John Gibbons, hitting coach Gary Denbo, first base coach (and Toronto legend) Ernie Whitt, and third base coach Marty Pevey.

Definitely file this one in the “Holy Shit” department.

It’s not that I, and all Jays fans, didn’t see it coming. The writing for Gibbons was on the wall. His firing is a tough one. He’s the scapegoat for one severely underachieving ball club. Now that he’s gone, I’m $20 richer.

I made a bet with my brother that if the Jays were swept by the pathetic Milwaukee Brewers, the axe would fall on Gibbons and he’d be looking for a new job. Well, voila, that’s exactly what happened (do I have my pulse on this shit, or what?). I just didn't expect half his coaching staff to be handed their papers along with him. Nor did I expect Cito Gaston – Cito freaking Gaston! - to be handed the reigns. Clearly, this had been in the works for some time. You don’t fire half your coaching staff and find replacements in a few hours.

Cito’s back in the dugout with some old friends, too. Continuing the “blast from the past” theme, welcome back Nick Leyva and Gene Tenace. Both are from the Blue Jays heyday, the 1992 and 1993 championship years.

I must admit I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read the release on TSN. It was shocking yet, at the same time, unbelievably exciting. I’m eagerly anticipating tonight’s contest between the Jays and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Emotions will definitely be high when I see Cito back in uniform and back with the Blue Jays. It’s been a long time coming. He’s always been deserving of another shot and I’m glad he’s getting it again in Toronto. I haven’t been this excited to watch the Jays in a long time.

Cito freaking Gaston! I still can’t believe it.

The Jays totally stole some of the NHL entry draft’s thunder. For me, at least. Draft day always tickles me the right way, and I’m still stoked about it, especially in light of the fact that the Leafs are selecting 7^th overall, their highest selection in the draft in, well, a bloody long time. It’s not about who they’re going to select, it’s about which poor sap is going to have the weight of the franchise flung on his shoulders the minute he dons the blue and white.

The draft is always full of rumours and trades and it will be interesting to see if Patrick Marleau or Mike Cammelleri end up with new addresses tonight.

In utterly depressing news, the Maple Leafs have granted the Montreal Canadiens permission to speak with Mats Sundin’s agent. While I continue to be in severe denial, it seems that Sundin’s career in Toronto is truly winding down. I simply don’t want to believe it, and won’t until it actually happens.

What a day, and there’s still plenty more to come. Stay tuned, mon amies.

.500

The Toronto Blue Jays continue to dance with mediocrity, and in the process are testing my patience. After dropping two of three to the lowly Seattle Mariners, I'm almost at my breaking point.

It's been an incredibly frustrating two and a half months of the season so far, and I must confess that I've got a good reason as to why I haven't been blogging about the trials and tribulations of our beloved feathered flock as often as I should. My excuse? I've been reading so many of the fine Blue Jays blogs that exist on the interweb. I'm too lazy to link to them in the post but you know which ones I'm talking about. The usual suspects: The Southpaw, The Tao of Stieb, The Mockingbird, Miked Up, Jeff Blair's Globe on Baseball, and the thullards at DJF. Check the blogroll, player.

Anyway, that doesn't mean I haven't been watching the birds closely. Trust me, I have, and they're really pushing my buttons.

After a tough west coast road trip followed by a stop in the Bronx the Jays returned home last Friday for what was to be a soft spot in their schedule, three dates each with the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners. The worst team in the league Seattle Mariners.

I went to the ball game last Friday night with a colleague from work who happens to be an Orioles fan. Yes, they do exist. Shaun Marcum pitched a gem and handed the bullpen a 4-0 lead which they proceeded to fuck up royally. Let's just say I left the Rogers Centre an unhappy man. Inebriated, but unhappy nonetheless. It was a solemn ride home on the TTC.

On top of Friday's debacle, I was still perturbed by what happened last Thursday in the series finale with the Yankees. The Jays squandered leads of 7-2 (7-fucking-2!) and 8-6, culminating in a monster walk-off home run by the titan of douchebags Jason "Dirty Stache" Giambi. Hopefully the Giambi nightmares will stop soon.

The Jays finished their road trip 4-5, dropped two of three to the Orioles and only managed to beat the pathetic Mariners once in three tries after suffering a 2-1 defeat in yesterday afternoon's finale.

The Mariners? Seriously? What the fuck?

Seattle came into the series with a 22-41 record, the third-worst ERA in the American League (4.67), and only eight wins on the road. Yet the Jays made them look like pennant winners. The Jays "offense" - and I use the term lightly - managed a putrid six runs in the three game set. On Tuesday night, down a single run in the 10th inning, the Jays loaded the bases twice but couldn't plate a run. Yesterday the Jays wasted another gem of an outing from Shaun Marcum and again, of course, failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position. The frustrating matinee affair was a microcosm of the 2008 season: great pitching, opportunities to cash runners in, and an incredible lack of execution.

And what the hell is wrong with BJ Ryan? He walked another two batters yesterday, his fourth free pass in his last inning and two thirds, and took the loss for the third time in five appearances. Ryan was lights out in May and deserves mad respect for how he's come off the Tommy John, but it looks like he's hit a wall. He is seriously scuffling out there. I wasn't concerned last week when he blew back-to-back saves - shit happens - but I'm officially worried now.

If BJ's not healthy, or is feeling the slightest effects from the Tommy John surgery, he shouldn't be out there. Who does he think he is, Darcy Tucker?

Much has been made of the Jays struggles. They're hitting for average, they're getting on base, but they just can't score runs. And boy are they ever hitting into a ton of double plays. It's laughable.

Vernon Wells fractured his wrist May 9 in Cleveland and was inserted back into the lineup on June 7th. He's driven in three runs since his return and still leads Toronto with 27 RsBI. Alex Rios and Lyle Overbay are tied for second on the team with 25, and they've played 25 more games than Vernon. I'm not sure whether that makes me want to cry or laugh. Such ineptitude is only matched by perennial doormats the Washington Nationals. Ryan Zimmerman leads the Nats with 27 RsBI and he last played on May 25.

On the flipside, the pitching staff has been phenomenal. Both the rotation and the bullpen. Both have been at or near the top of the league all season. Halladay's already thrown over 100 innings, Jesse Litsch has seven wins (!), Dustin McGowan is unhittable at home, and Shaun Marcum should be going to the all-star game next month. For the record, I am in love with Shaun Marcum. Scott Downs, Jesse Carlson, Brian Tallet, and BJ Ryan, up until last week, have been pretty much lights out in the pen. One cannot ask for more from the mound.

On an aside, Scott Rolen is the greatest defensive third basemen the Toronto Blue Jays have ever employed. Greatest. Ever. Wow.

And the gentlemen over at The Southpaw have long been calling for Adam Lind to take over left field. At first I was all for a combination of Shannon Stewart, Kevin Mench, and Brad Wilkerson to play left field, but enough is enough. What's the point? The Jays are a .500 team and I'd rather be a .500 team with Adam Lind than any of those three in the lineup. It's that simple. Get Lind up here, JP. Please.

I think everyone would agree that the Jays are better than their .500 record. And, no, it's not fucking John Gibbons' fault. It's not his fault his players can't execute the fundamentals. No, it's not. Stop it.

The Jays are off today and welcome the first-place Chicago Cubs to town tomorrow. We're seven games behind the Red Sox, and five behind the wild-card leading Tampa Bay Rays. Yep, the Rays. I know, I don't believe it either. It's time to pull up the socks before we get left behind.

Baseball's a funny game. You can't coach or teach execution. Toronto's 10-16 record in one-run ball games, worst in the league, is most to blame for their current predicament. Jeff Blair is right, with all the excuses these guys are beginning to sound a lot like the Maple Leafs. Something has got to give...

Happy Birthday, Harry

Harry "Doc" Halladay celebrated his 31st birthday yesterday and his Blue Jays teammates finally gave him what he's been longing for: run support. And a win! A very happy birthday indeed for The Doctor.

After a brutal start to their road trip that saw them score only four runs in a four game set against Cleveland, the Jays have suddenly put together some wins. Last night over the Twins made it three in a row and it came when Halladay was not at his best. He grinded out the "W" and it was good to see the Jays offense bail him out for once.

On too many nights Doc has been masterful while the bats have let him down. He's already thrown four complete games, two more than anyone else in the American League, and has unbelievably lost three of them.

The Jays offense - I know, the word "offense" is an incredible stretch - has averaged a putrid 3.14 runs per Halladay outing. Not good enough. Last night, Matt Stairs made sure to better that in the first inning, when he hit the eleventh grand slam of his career to spot Doc four runs before he even threw a pitch (happy birthday!). Doc needed every last run the Jays gave him, but he was due for a victory. Harry's been his usual fly self so far this season and his 4-5 win-loss record should read more like 7-3.

Speaking of Stairs, he is a rudey. Nice little feature about him from Robert Macleod at The Globe and Mail. Stairsy is proving that if Frank Thomas is losing bat speed as he gets older, the pride of New Brunswick is doing the opposite. He can still turn on a fastball and boy did he ever last night. Stairs leads the team in home runs (6), batting average (.306), and is second behind Scott Rolen with a .828 OPS. And he respects the game. Even when he bitch slaps a ball into the upper deck for a grand slam, like he did last night, he puts his head down and runs the bases. No admiration of his moon shot, no silly ManRam-style hand gestures, nothing. He's a true Canadian hero. Stay classy, Matt.

And if you haven't heard already, Scott Rolen is the Best Blue Jay Ever. It's tough to argue with. The more I watch Rolen play, the more I fall in love. I can't believe I actually used to be a big Troy Glaus fan. I feel all dirty inside, like a cheap hooker. Glaus has nothing, absolutely nothing, on Rolen. What a gamer. Much has been made about Rolen's 15-pitch at-bat on Tuesday night, and he was at it again in the first inning yesterday, walking to load the bases for Stairs after an 11-pitch battle. Rolen is quite Godly. Quite. "The Third Base Jesus," as The Tao said.

Some quick (bong) hits:

I don't know what the Blue Jays did or have done to anger the baseball God's, but the injuries rained down with a vengeance last week. In a two-day span Vernon Wells, John McDonald, David Eckstein and Jeremy Accardo landed on the disabled list. My dream of just one God damn relatively healthy season was violently killed, execution style...

Jesse "Son of a" Litsch is leading the team in wins with five, the Jays are in last place in the American League East, and the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place. Ain't nobody can tell me they saw all that shit coming...

Jesse Carlson is the Blue Jays' Jamario Moon. What a find...

B.J. Ryan, touch wood, has been great coming off the Tommy John. While he hasn't been overpowering, he's yet to allow a run in 11 innings, has struck out 13 douchebags, and said douchebags are only batting .179 off him. I said touch wood so, please, do it...

How amazingly awesome is Shaun Marcum? A man crush is quickly developing. And I'm not the only one. In over 56 innings of work Marcum is sporting a 2.22 ERA and, even more impressive, a .151 opponents batting average. Nobody can hit him right now...

Toronto's offensive struggles have been well documented. Over the weekend, when the Jays didn't score a run in over 30 innings (!!!), it got to the point where it was more comical than frustrating. A ridiculous inability to hit with runners in scoring position, errors, unassisted triple plays, you name it, the Jays have been through it. It has been a strange opening two months of the season. While for many the "Fire John Gibbons" watch has begun, I'm of the opinion that he should remain manager of the Jays for entire season. For once, it is time to hold the players, not the manager, accountable. Gibbons isn't the one who's up there unable to get the job done...

So, J.P. Ricciardi released Reed Johnson for Shannon Stewart. Hasn't really worked out too well. Stew's struggling, so welcome to Toronto Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson. Is it still unacceptable to say that releasing Johnson was a mistake?...

And Ricciardi released Frank Thomas because Adam Lind was ready, so we were told. But he's back in the minors, so he's not ready. Now, I have no problem with Lind getting his cuts in the minors. I guess I just don't like being lied to. In the end, I'm the idiot. No sports team in this city is honest, yet honesty is all I continue to expect...

I'm Off Disney World, Huge

I'm beginning to hate Orlando. And I've never even been there. The city has not been kind to my Toronto Raptors or Toronto Blue Jays in recent days. I thought Disney World was where dreams come true?

I don't know about you, but I'm still having nightmares from the first quarter of game one between the Raptors and Orlando Magic. You know, when Orlando scored 43 points on 80 percent - 80 freaking percent - shooting from the floor, including nine of 11 from deep. I'm still waking up in a cold sweat after seeing Maurice Evans, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson drain three-ball after three-ball after three-ball in my sleep. What a frightening 12 minutes of basketball.

You could take that first quarter and label it "How Not To Play Defense". Make it an instructional video, or something.

Toronto, unbelievably, got off to another porous start on Tuesday night, allowing 35 first quarter points. It's an improvement on 43, but unacceptable nonetheless. While many are quick to blame Sam Mitchell for the team's apparent lack of preparation, I can't do that. He's not on the floor.

Thankfully, the Raps did wake up in the second quarter and dropped 39 on the Magic. It was a see-saw battle the rest of the way but, most unfortunately, the dream of splitting the first two games on the road in Disney World ended when Chris Bosh's jump shot with 1.9 seconds left on the clock hit rim. 104-103 final, Orlando.

I'll give the dinosaurs some credit. They did make a game of it. But this is the playoffs, and moral victories count for nothing in the second season.

What did you think of the final play? Would you have drawn it up the same? It was another Jose Calderon/CB4 special and, just like last year in game six of the playoffs against the Nets with the season on the line, it didn't work. No disrespect towards Bosh. Dude was unconscious on Tuesday. But he's the obvious play. Why not look for Jason Kapono, who was dynamite off the bench in each of the first two games? If the Raptors were going to give it to Bosh, and they did, I'd much rather him drive and try to draw a foul instead of settle for the jump shot. Alas, you live and learn.

Speaking of learning, SMitch has made it clear that there will be changes in the starting lineup tonight for game three. And by changes I'm sure he means Calderon will start at point guard and T.J. Ford will come off the bench. At least that's what I'm assuming. I am, of course, usually wrong, but in my humble opinion Calderon can no longer be allowed to play Mr. Nice Guy. He's the better point guard, he's playing better than Ford right now, and the Raps are a better team when he's on the floor running the offense. So he should start, n'est-ce pas?

Here's the line on Ford after two games: he's two (2!) of 17 from the floor for a whopping 11.8 field goal percentage, seven of seven from the stripe, and he's totalled seven rebounds, 12 assists and 4 turnovers. I'm not saying that Ford is the reason we're down two-nothing in this series, because Jose was just as bad in game one, but Ford and Moon were abysmal in game two. Ford was one for eight from the floor on Tuesday and his turnovers in the first quarter (three of them, I think) and his lazy coverage of Jameer Nelson really hurt the Raptors. Until he finds his game and his confidence, Jose's got to carry the load.

As for Moon, well, he should just be banned from shooting the jump shot. He was one for seven Tuesday night and Orlando has simply stopped guarding him. They're letting him have the long jumper because, well, they know he can't make it. And they're right. Jamario simply has to be more aggressive and take the ball to the rim. He's too athletic and has too much hops to be chucking. I know it's important for him to have confidence in his jumper, but we need him to be rebounding and drawing fouls, not chilling on the perimeter and tossing up bricks.

I'm not going to say much about the heartbreak kid Andrea Bargnani. I thought he was pretty brutal in game one and so-so in game two. One thing, though. He played a touch over 18 minutes on Tuesday night and picked up one rebound. One rebound.

Huge shoutouts to Kapono and Carlos Delfino. Kapono, the forgotten man, came back with a vengeance in Orlando, shooting 67% from the floor, and 67% from beyond the arc. The sweet-shooting JKap has playoff experience and boy did it ever show. The Raptors are going to need him to come up just as big if they want to get back in this damn thing. Same goes for Delfino. He played almost thirty minutes Tuesday night and picked up 16 points, six boards and three dimes. Most importantly, he was aggressive. He didn't settle for the jump shot (I'm looking at you, Jamario).

And, umm, that Dwight Howard guy, umm, yeah, he's good. Twenty-twenty two games in a row? Ridiculous. He's a freak. Superman is a most fitting nickname.

Oh yeah, if you're looking for anything and everything Raptors-related, check out my man Chris Black at T.Jose Caldeford. Dude's been featured on Michael Grange's blog, From Deep, at The Globe and Mail and he is, needless to say, on point.

The Raptors cannot under any, ANY, circumstances come out flat tonight in the first quarter at the The Hangar. The fans are going to be rocking the red, Washington Capitals style, and a big opening 12 minutes is vital if the Raptors want to get back in this series. Come on Raptors. Orlando took care of business on their home court, we must do the same.

As for the Blue Jays and their series with Tampa Bay at Disney World (literally), Toronto lost on Tuesday and again last night. Give the series victory to Tampa Bay. The Jays are clearly struggling. When they lose a series to Tampa Bay, that pretty much goes without saying.

If there's one team I can't handle the Jays losing to, it's the Rays. They are the definition of pathetic. And, well, last place. Since their birth in 1998 the Rays have finished last in the American League East every year except for 2004, when they finished fourth with 70 wins (yes, the Jays finished last that year with 67 wins...*shudder*).

Everyone knows what ails the Jays. They can't hit with runners in scoring position. They were zero for eight tonight and are eight for their last 69. Yikes. Until that changes, the losses will continue to pile up. It is still early but the Red Sox, those fucking Boston Red Sox, are already beginning to heat up. The Jays need not take a page out of the Raptors book and dig themselves a hole too deep to get out of.

I listened to last night's post-game show with Mike Wilner, and J.P. Ricciardi made his first appearance on the program. It was riveting stuff, as always. I love the fact that J.P. makes himself available and takes questions from the fans once a week.

J.P., like me, like you, and most Jays fans, is frustrated. He knows the team isn't hitting and, in a classy move, is holding himself accountable. He said the calls for John Gibbons' head aren't warranted because Gibbons isn't out there hacking at the plate. Ricciardi said if the Jays don't hit, it's his fault, because he put this team together. And he's right.

He also touched on the Frank Thomas situation. To me, the situation stinks because it seems like it's only about dollars. The Jays didn't want to pay Frank $10 million next year so they let him walk. Of course, it isn't as simple as that. Ricciardi touched on the fact that Thomas was not in the dugout and didn't come out to high-five his teammates on Saturday, the day he was benched. J.P. said Thomas' actions showed his state of mind and that the Jays, with a sulking Thomas, were a team of 24, rather than 25. It's a mighty good point. I wonder if T.J. Ford and Frank Thomas hang out?

Ricciardi also spoke about the big-headed one, Barry Bonds. While he said the Jays have thought about it, it isn't something that is likely to happen. And not because Ricciardi doesn't want it to happen. It sounded like he does. I hate Bonds, but I'm a hypocrite and would take him on my team right this very moment. Why? Because he'd make the Jays a better team, and that's all that matters to me. Ricciardi sees what all Jays fans do out there, that Bonds would help this team immensely. He's not stupid. He just can't make the move because Ted Rogers won't sign off on it. That's the bottom line. Don't blame J.P. Ricciardi for Bonds not becoming a Blue Jay. Blame Ted Rogers. He's not willing to make it happen. If he was, Bonds would be a Blue Jay tomorrow. Think about it, you know, every time you pay Ted Rogers that God damn system access fee.

Before I forget, there have been a number of baseball blog additions to the blogroll. I urge you to check them out: The Mockingbird, where Jon Hale satisfies all your pitch f/x needs; The Tao of Stieb, because more people need to know that Dave Stieb pitched a remarkable 103 career complete games; Miked Up, because Mike Wilner is a whole lot of awesome; Fire Joe Morgan, because they write some of the funniest stuff on the web; and Major League Bastian, because he actually gets paid to cover the Jays. And don't forget the always reliable, and thullied, Drunk Jays Fans, who have officially sold out and who will be taking over the world in the days to come. Oh yeah, and the grumpy dude, Jeff Blair.

You know, Tuesday night was pretty awful on a number of fronts, now that I think about it. Every team, and person, I was cheering for lost. My Raps dropped a heart breaker; The Capitals went down in game seven, in overtime no less, to those damn Philly Flyers; San Jose pummeled Calgary in their game seven (what the hell has happened to Miikka Kiprusoff? Pulled twice in the series? Oh my.); the Jays lost; and my main man Barack Obama lost the Pennsylvania primary. Brutal.

Ahh, I told myself I'd make this post short. I swore I would. Once again, I have failed. Miserably. If you've made it this far, cheers. Your dedication is nothing short of exemplary.

Anyway, I hate the Rays. And the Magic. Fuck Disney World.

A New Season

Every year, it seems, baseball season has this strange way of sneaking up on me. I've got my eye on spring training. I know the regular season is coming. But every April I find myself saying "What the fuck? The Blue Jays are back already?" Well, game one is in the books, and it ended like too many did in 2007.

I must admit, I was eagerly anticipating opening day on Monday, especially with the Maple Laughs now booking tee times (seriously, the Maple Leafs golfing jokes never get old; keep 'em coming, douche bags!). An afternoon contest, I was stoked to take in the game at work. Unfortunately, the weather didn't cooperate, and Mother Nature ruined my Monday, already the most difficult day of the week, bar none.

Opening day Monday afternoon became opening night on Tuesday, and the Jays and Yankees played the final home opener in the history of the great Yankee Stadium last night.

There's nothing quite like opening night, be it at home or on the road. Harry "Doc" Halladay on the mound, a clean slate for those who struggled in 2007, and visions of a pennant dancing around in my head. The hope and anticipation of a new season literally puts a spring in my step, no pun intended. I go into every season thinking this is the year the Blue Jays will break their playoff drought. Do I believe the Jays are playoff-bound this season? Absolutely, although my track record isn't all that good (14 years and counting since Joe Carter was told to "touch 'em all" - I still get goosebumps when I hear the late, great Tom Cheek's call - in the Jays' last playoff game). Even after yesterday's disappointing 3-2 loss to the hated Yankees, I'm still calling the Jays to win the wild-card.

If you're thinking whether there exists a Toronto sports franchise whom I think will not make the playoffs in any given season, the answer is a resounding no.

While I will be singing the praises of the Blue Jays time and time again this spring and summer, and hopefully fall, I am pretty pissed off about last night's contest. The Blue Jays played much like they did last season: they made bonehead plays, left a ton of runners on base in scoring position, and were unable to deliver the big hit. So much for displaying an "urgency to win" and doing all "the little things."

OK, I've got to calm down a bit, and pour myself a drink. There, that's better. Thanks, Johnnie. Anyway, it was only one game, for Christ's sake, the Jays lost by one run, and they pretty much beat themselves. Harry was solid on the mound in seven innings and I will say this: the Yankees have one formidable lineup. I guess a payroll north of $200 God damn million dollars will get you some decent hitters, although it was Melky freakin' Cabrera who did the most damage last night, both in the batter's box and in the field. Damn Melky Way.

Alright, before I continue I've got a grievance I must air. If New York City is one of the mecca's of baseball, what the fuck is up with the rampant abuse of the curtain call? Everyone and their mother gets a curtain call in New York. It is completely out of control. Melky Way hits a solo home run that barely clears the short porch in right field (314 feet, give me a break) and he gets a curtain call? Wow. This one-curtain-call-a-game insanity in New York has to stop.

Enough about the Yankees. What the hell was Alex Rios thinking in the first inning when he was doubled off on a broken-bat liner to second base? I'm going to go out on a limb here, but he was probably thinking about how to spend $65 million bucks. It's mistakes like Rios' that the Jays simply can't afford to make in spades this year. If the Jays want to be taken seriously, they've got to play the part. No more mental errors. As Jeff Blair wrote, in a beauty of a feature from Saturday's Globe and Mail, "It's time."

There are a number of new faces on the 2008 Blue Jays. Welcome to town David Eckstein, Scott Rolen, Marco Scutaro, Rod Barajas, Randy Wells and Buck Coats (best name on the team, hands down). Welcome back, Shannon Stewart. While it's great to see Stewart back in a Jays uniform, he came at the expense of Reed Johnson, a personal favourite of mine the last few years. Johnson was, for lack of a better analogy, a grinder. A blue-collar guy who always did whatever needed to be done to get on base. He played the game hard and the right way, and he will be missed around these parts. His release, while not a shock, still stung. It's good to see he landed right on his feet with the Cubs, and I wish him well.

Toronto, with the addition of guys like Eckstein, Barajas, Stewart and Scutaro, have a much deeper bench than they did last year. It's already coming in handy. Injuries, as usual, have already made their mark on this team. Scott Rolen won't be in the lineup until May, Casey Janssen is done for the season with a torn labrum, Matt Stairs is nursing a sore hip (he's 40 years old, slack needs to be cut), and BJ Ryan is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Scutaro got the start at third base last night and was, in my opinion, the most effective Blue Jay not named Halladay. He got on base twice via a walk and a fielder's choice, he stole second base twice, and scored a run. It was a delight to see Scutaro's thievery on the base path's. The Jays simply do not steal enough, and I'd love to see that become more a part of their game.

I have made a vow, however, not to use injuries as an excuse this year. I did it about a week ago, just before Rolen went down thanks to a freak injury to his finger nail. My logic behind the vow? If guys like Lyle Overbay, Reed Johnson, Gus Chacin, Troy Glaus, BJ Ryan, Roy Halladay, and AJ Burnett didn't go down with injuries last year, and guys like Josh Towers, Tomo Ohka and Victor Zambrano didn't suck so good, the Jays wouldn't have gotten the performances they did last season from Matt Stairs, Jeremy Accardo, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum, John McDonald, and Jesse Litsch. Injuries helped the Toronto Blue Jays in 2007.

Guys stepped up last year. I'm hoping the trend will continue. Janssen's out? Fine, life goes on. Brandon League is back and looking like he did two years ago and I'm confident he can eat Casey's innings. BJ's not ready? No big deal, there's no rush. Accardo proved he can close out games in the American League East, and that's no easy task. Scott Rolen's out four-to-six weeks? It sucks, but what can you do? This is why JP Ricciardi went out and signed David Eckstein and Marco Scutaro, and don't forget the serviceable John McDonald on the bench, who played out of his mind last season. Matt Stairs is nursing a sore hip? Stew, a career .300 hitter and one half of the left field platoon, can play everyday if he has to.

Injuries are a part of baseball. I think I've finally come to terms with that. The good teams don't bitch about it. They overcome.

At the same time, I'm scared. What if McGowan, Marcum and Litsch can't duplicate their success from last season? The Jays need these three kids like a crackhead needs a hit. And if AJ Burnett doesn't put together a healthy season, I'm hoping he opts-out of his contract and finds work elsewhere. Like every team in the big's, the questions are plentiful when it comes to the starting rotation. If, however, the kids pitch the way they did last year, and improve, the Jays boast one of the best rotations, and bullpens, in the American League.

The pitching, I pray, will be fine, and do what they did last year, again. It's the hitting that must get better. If Vernon Wells doesn't improve on his 2007 statistics, I will be sick to my stomach in regards to the seven-year, $119 million dollar extension the Jays signed him to last year. Lyle Overbay also needs to bounce back from a brutal 2007 campaign. The pressure is on, as it should be.

While David Eckstein didn't impress me too much in the leadoff position last night - he was 0-for-4 and left a couple of runner's on base - he's a proven hitter who can get on base. He's also a proven winner.

It's more than just one individual hitter, though. Last night, as I wrote above, the Jays beat themselves. As a team, Toronto left 13 runners on base, and went a pathetic 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. That isn't going to get the job done, not against a team like New York. Vernon, although I hate to single him out, was brutal. He went 0-for-4 in the clean up spot and left four men on base. Come on Vernon. I need you right now.

What makes the loss a bit easier to swallow is that the game was there for the taking last night. The Jays owned a 2-1 lead and had they tacked on a couple of insurance runs, and they certainly had their chances, they could have spoiled the party in the Bronx last night.

Don't get me wrong, there were positives. The Jays stole three bases, two by Scutaro and one by Alex Rios. On the flip side, Gregg Zaun, he of the noodle arm, threw out Derek Jeter trying to steal second base. That doesn't happen everyday, folks.

AJ Burnett takes the ball for the Blue Jays tomorrow night, looking to tie the three-game set at one's. For Burnett, and for manager John Gibbons and GM Ricciardi, this season is a big one. Hell, it's a big one for everyone involved. If the Jays are serious about contending come September, they've got to start the season off on the right foot.

One game down, only 161 to go.

And remember: Blue Jays Baseball. You Gotta Believe.

The Weigh In

When news of Jason Blake's cancer diagnosis broke, it put a lot of things in perspective. Professional sports, in general, are quite meaningless. Blake is a young man - only 34 - and a father of three. His health, not hockey, is the only thing that matters now......It's amazing that only five or six years ago the disease - chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) - was uniformly fatal. Thanks to a pill called Gleevac, it now has a survival rate of 85 to 90 per cent. Jason Blake is going to live a long and healthy life, God willing. The lesson of the day? Cancer research, boys and girls. It's for real, and it's money well spent. Let's keep on donating......So, it looks like the end of the line for Joe Torre in New York. I think George Steinbrenner is actually morphing into his Seinfeld character - he's going straight loco! Is there not enough pressure to be a New York Yankee, coach or player, than for Big Stein to come out and publicly say that if the Yankees didn't come back to beat the Cleveland Indians that Torre would be fired? Give me a break. Give Torre a break. He deserved better than that. Sure, there's an insane amount of talent on that team, but Torre never once missed the playoffs as coach of the Bronx Bombers. Steinbrenner's losing it, man......Speaking of Torre, I had a dream last night he was wearing a Blue Jays uniform and sitting in the dugout at the Rogers Centre, the newest manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. Wouldn't it be something? As much as I love John Gibbons, if the Jays can get Torre, see ya Gibby! Sure, Torre will come at a ridiculous price tag, but my main man Ted Rogers can afford it. He's a baller. I know, some of you probably think I'm going loco, but hey, a man can dream......Keeping it on baseball, great column by Dan Wetzel over at Yahoo! Sports. The Yankees, with their $200 million plus payroll, once again failed to make it past the division series. Money a championship does not buy. There are four teams left standing in baseball's playoffs and only one of them has a payroll in the top 12 in baseball - the Boston Red Sox ($143 million). Cleveland checks in at #23, the Colorado Rockies at #25 and the Arizona Diamondbacks at #26. Add up the payrolls for Cleveland, Colorado and Arizona and you get $168.2 million - substantially less than that of the New York Yankees. That is absolutely ridiculous. And I wondered why Big Stein was losing it......Oh, those poor, poor fans of the Buffalo Bills. When will their suffering end? In what SI's Peter King called "The best 24 minutes in sports in 2007" the Bills were once again silenced by the Dallas Cowboys, this time in a Monday Night Football game for the ages. Tony Romo was intercepted five times, but it wasn't enough. How a team can win when their quarterback gets intercepted five times is beyond me, but the Cowboys pulled off a miracle. Numerous official reviews, an onside kick, two 53-yard field goals - it was drama at its finest. The Bills led all the way until the end and they were, oh, so close, but as always, they lost. If you've got a heart, you feel for the city of Buffalo and its citizens. Forever losers, and it's got to be rough......Speaking of the Cowboys, they've got a date with the New England Patriots next week, in a match-up of undefeated teams. Tom Brady vs Tony Romo. Already talk has begun of New England possibly going 16-0. Premature? You're damn right. Impossible? No way. If anyone can do it again, Tom Brady can. He's Superman. And Batman. If you need me on Sunday at 4:15 pm eastern time, I'll be on the couch......Back to the Yankees for a second. It's looking like Alex Rodriguez is going to opt-out of the final three years of his contract with New York. Seven years ago when he signed his mammoth contract it was believed that his would be the most expensive contract in baseball history at $25 million a season. Now his agent thinks he can get $30 million. After the season A-Rod had, he will undoubtedly be named American League MVP, I wouldn't be surprised if he got $35 million a year. I thought baseball was out of control back in the day. Some things will just never change......What's up with Lebron James wearing a Yankees hat at the game in Cleveland? He's just asking for trouble. Witness!......Word has it that Rasho Nesterovic has shown up to Toronto Raptors training camp in great shape. Maybe it's premature to hand Andrea Bargnani the starting centre job. A little healthy competition never hurt nobody......Classy move by Jacques Villeneuve in his NASCAR debut at Talladega Superspeedway over the weekend. A number of drivers, including a vocal Jeff Gordon, made it known they weren't happy with Villeneuve making his debut on NASCAR's biggest and fastest track, during the NEXTEL Cup Chase (I still have no idea what that is). Villeneuve, however, held his own and qualified sixth for the race. Before the green flag dropped, though, he voluntarily moved to the back of the field. He caused no accidents, didn't piss anybody off, and said the 500 miles were a great learning experience. Attaboy, Jacques. That's how we Canadians roll......How God-awful were the Leafs last night? A 7-1 loss early in the season on home ice can't be a good thing. The Leafs have a number of home games in October and need to get the ship on course, and fast. I can't even blame Vesa Toskola for his performance, because none of the Leafs showed up. I guess they should have evacuated before Hurricane Carolina showed up at their front door...

Sundin or Alfredsson?

Now that the Ottawa Senators are on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals - wow, that actually hurts just writing it - an interesting question comes to mind.

Mats Sundin or Daniel Alfredsson. Who would you rather have as your captain?

The Senators, led by Alfredsson, are off to the place no Maple Leafs team has travelled in the modern era of the NHL. Sundin and the Leafs have never made it out of the third round of the grind known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Alfredsson has been a man possessed the last few weeks. He's playing, undoubtedly, the best hockey of his career and has been the driving the bus for his team. He's finally playing like a captain, something he'd never really done in the playoffs before. I thought it was fitting that Alffy was the man to score the game winner in overtime of game five to knock out the Sabres. It was Alffy who was burned by Jason Pominville, one year ago, in overtime of game five when Buffalo sent the Senators home. Justin Timberlake was right, the clever entertainer that he is. What goes around, goes around, goes around comes all the way back around.

Alfredsson is the first European captain of a team in the Stanley Cup Finals. Funny, I always believed Mats Sundin would hold that distinction. Alas, it has yet to be for Sundin and Toronto's beloved, but clearly cursed, hockey team. Will Alfredsson become the first European captain to win the Stanley Cup?

Alfredsson has turned it up a notch in the playoffs this time around. He's played solid two-way hockey, while racking up 10 goals and seven assists. Four of those goals have been game winners. The Sens have won 12 games in the second season, so Alffy's won a third of them for his team. That's clutch. He's even added a physical element to his game, something he certainly hasn't been known for before.

Statistically during the regular season over their respective careers, Sundin holds a slight edge over Alfredsson when it comes to points-per-game. Sundin has averaged 1.01 points a game over his career, while Alffy comes in at 0.97. Advantage Sundin.

Sundin is also the better playoff performer, averaging 0.89 points a game in 83 career playoff games. Alfredsson has played 94 career playoff games and averages 0.80 points-per-game. Advantage Sundin, again.

I'm not sure one solid playoff run, on a very talented and deep Ottawa Senators team, vaults Alfredsson past Sundin. Alfredsson is playing on a line with Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza right now, two all-world superstars. Mats Sundin goes to bed at night dreaming of playing with guys of that calibre. Other than the Alexander Mogilny days in Toronto, I'd say Alfredsson has always played with more talented players beside him.

All I know is that this city is full of Mats Sundin haters. The haters are saying Sundin shouldn't be resigned. That he's overpaid, and not worthy of the "C". I'll vouch with the overpaid part, but don't believe for a second that he isn't a superb captain and player. The Leafs need him, straight up.

The fact that Alfredsson is now playing for the most beautiful piece of hardware I have ever seen in my life, the Stanley Cup, is not going to help Sundin's cause, especially when he's on the verge of signing a new two-year contract with the Leafs.

Clearly, I'm no Sundin hater. I love the man. I'm going to give Alfredsson his props on his playoff performance right now, but I'll take Mats Sundin as my captain any day of the week over Alffy.
I'd love to know what you think.

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Jesse Litsch, welcome back down to earth.

The Jays lost another close one tonight as youngster Litsch made his third start in the big leagues, against a tough Minnesota Twins lineup.

After his phenomenal start about ten days ago, Litsch has struggled in his last two outings. He's allowed to struggle, though. The kid is up from AA ball, after all, and he's only 22. It's not an easy transition, Casey Janssen can attest to that. Litsch gave up three runs and eight hits in only four and a third innings tonight. He's done a good job filling in, but it's time to get back on the bus and head down to Syracuse. Harry Halladay - I think I'm going to refer to him as Harry for the rest of the season - could return as early as May 31st, and Litsch will benefit from some time in Triple-A. It looks like he's got a bright future.

My main man Scott Downs took the loss tonight. He made a costly error in the bottom of the seventh when he couldn't handle Justin Morneau's nibbler. It was only the sixth run he's given up all year.

I've got to admit that I'm just waiting for the Jays' lights-out bullpen trio's bubble to burst. The trio of Accardo, Janssen and Downs. Downs looks like he's ready to pop, as he's given up three runs in his last two outings. Accardo is still going strong on his scoreless innings streak, and I'm still not sure how Casey Janssen is doing what he's doing.

Janssen hasn't been overpowering. He's given up 21 hits in 24 plus innings, while striking out ten. Yet he's only given up two runs. Those stats show that he's not getting fazed when runners get aboard. That's a great quality for a pitcher to have. Duh. Hard to believe Janssen was also pitching for New Hampshire in Double-A just a year ago.

This way of thinking - waiting for the bubble to burst - is the way I function. All negativity, all the time! Instead of enjoying the success of the Jays bullpen, I'm waiting for it all to come crashing down.

Peculiar decision by John Gibbons to let Scott Downs pitch to Torii Hunter tonight, with two outs and runners on the corners in a tie ball game. Hunter has been eating up left-handed pitching all year, and Jason Frasor was ready in the bullpen. This is what I mean when I say that John Gibbons makes some stupid decisions. Play the numbers. Bring in Frasor. Downs has been great, but you've got to respect Hunter's bat. Downs' first pitch was poked into right field, 4-3 Twins, and it turned out to be the winning run. Good call.

Random thought - it's hard to believe JP Ricciardi has been around for seven seasons, and John Gibbons for four, already. Wow. Time flies when you're finishing in third!

Tomo Ohka takes the mound for the Jays tomorrow. It's almost official, he sucks. If he loses tomorrow, it will be official. I'm off Ohka, huge.

-------------------------------------------------

I just saw Maggie the Monkey pick the Senators to win it all on Sportscentre. I'm not sure how Maggie's done with her picks this year, but I hope she's wrong. As much as I want a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, I would much rather it have been Calgary or Edmonton in the last few years. Not Ottawa. I can take them making it to the finals, but winning it is going to be a bit much for me to swallow. The fact that Alfredsson is the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe isn't sitting too well either.

It's true, I wanted the Sens to beat the Sabres. Ottawa's never beaten the Leafs in the playoffs, while Buffalo has. There's my justification. And a part of me likes to laugh at the inability of Buffalo's pro sports teams to get the job done. Buffalo is a city of losers, and I wanted that losing to continue. They did and I'm happy, but that's all now. Come on Ducks. Do the Flying V. Do whatever it takes, but don't let the Senators win it all.

Karma should be on the side of the Ducks. Scott Niedermayer didn't even come within a foot of the Western Conference Championship trophy. Half of the Ducks were already gone to the dressing room during the presentation. That's the way it should be done. Nobody cares about that trophy, nobody wants to touch it, and nobody wants to take a picture with it. That is not the trophy one plays for. Niedermayer did the right thing. If you want to win the Stanley Cup, it's known that you don't touch the Conference Championship trophy. As absurd as this tradition has become, I absolutely love it. There's no other trophy like the Stanley Cup and it's aura results in ridiculous superstitions like this.

Alfredsson, Wade Redden and the Senators, however, were all over the Eastern Conference Championship trophy. Redden even skated around with it! That's a no-no. It will cost the Senators, dearly.

Ducks in seven. Book it.

Apologies

Apologies are in store.

In the midst of the Jays' nine game losing streak, I lost sight of the bigger picture. And in baseball that bigger picture is, well, pretty damn big. 162 games big.

The baseball season is long and arduous. It's important to keep the highs and lows of the six month season in perspective. As fans, we have to maintain an even keel, and I didn't do that. I panicked. Big time.

There I was, calling for heads to roll and for people to get fired. A nine game losing streak in May isn't the end of the world. It certainly may do irrefutable damage to the 2007 Jays season, but by no means is the season over, as was written by me, and by several members of the Toronto media.

After taking some time to reflect on the state of Toronto's beloved Blue Jays, I realized that clearly it's not fair to fire anyone when approximately $29 million in Jays salaries are currently on the disabled list. Injuries are a part of baseball, what the hell can you do? Call it bad luck, or karma, or anything for that matter, it doesn't matter, because the Jays still have 120 odd games left to play. The games must go on. The team doesn't have the option of Jerry Seinfeld - "I choose not to run!"

The losing streak is now in the past. It's forgotten. The Jays have won six of eight and sit seven games out of the Wild Card. Daunting? Yes. Impossible? Certainly not. Crazier stuff has happened before. Two years ago, when the Astros made the final, they were 10 games out of it in July. So to say it can't be done, and that the Jays are done, is wrong, straight up. Sure, the Astros had Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Roy Oswalt. That certainly helped their cause, but I'll be damned if I declare the Jays dead before June has even begun.

Before I get into my repentance, I learned, as George Costanza would say, an interesting nugget of information last week, after Doc Halladay went on the disabled list with acute appendicitis. His real name is Leroy Harry Halladay. When word broke that Doc was going under the knife, A.J. Burnett, who was pitching that night, sent his buddy a text message - "This one's for you, Harry."

They actually call him Harry! That's just strange to me, for some reason. He looks like a Roy!

First of all, I'm sorry A.J. Burnett. Burnett has really stepped up in the absence of Halladay. He's taken the job of staff ace to heart and has pitched two magnificent ballgames since Doc, err Harry, went down. In his last two starts Burnett has pitched 15 and 2/3's innings, given up only two earned runs while striking out 20. His last game, Wednesday versus the Orioles, was probably as dominant a performance he's had since donning the Jays uniform. His ERA is now a tidy 3.99 and he's stepped up when this team and organization has needed him the most. He's vocal in the club house, is the team's pie-in-the-face guy along with Vernon Wells, and is fast becoming one of the leader's of this team. A healthy and on-point Burnett is so important to salvaging this season.

I'm sorry Shaun Marcum. I said he didn't deserve to be put into the starting rotation. I even said he was a bit like Josh Towers. Ouch. When you get compared to Josh Towers, you know you've got problems. Marcum, in his two games since joining the rotation, has been lights out. Twelve inning's pitched and only two earned runs. Marcum's going to stay in the rotation, and he deserves to right now.

I'm sorry John Gibbons. You're the Manager, and just because the team is struggling and missing so many regulars doesn't mean you should lose your job. Like I said, I panicked. I like Gibbons, and although he does make questionable decisions at times, he seems to have the respect of his troops. A lot has been made about his public scuffles with Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly, but I read an interesting column in the Star which said that if Gibbon's wasn't respected by the players, would Wells have signed his huge contract to stay in Toronto? It made me think. The Jays have for too long used a carousel of coaches. This is Gibbons' team and he's got to be given a chance to run with it.

I'm sorry JP Ricciardi. For the first time in seven years, since JP came aboard, did I ever question him. I hadn't seen the Jays go through such a tailspin in so long, I forgot how to handle it. If I'm frustrated by all the injuries, imagine what JP is going through? The life of a General Manager is a stressful one. Just when I was calling out JP on the lack of depth in the Jays system, up comes youngster Jesse Litsch, 22 years old and tearing up AA ball. He throws eight and two-thirds against the Orioles and gives up only one run, which came in the first inning when the kid was clearly nervous to be on the mound in the big's.

Litsch got his first big league win, and it came on his dad's birthday, who happened to be in the crowd all the way from Florida. Talk about a perfect debut. It was exactly what the Jays needed too. Injuries equals opportunities for other players, and Litsch seized his, that's for sure. What was supposed to be just a one-game call up has turned into a few more starts for the youngster. He's freaking almost three years younger than me. Ridiculous.

I also have to give JP his props on the Shea Hillendbrand for Jeremy Accardo deal last season. It's certainly looking like a steal. Shea was up for unrestricted free agency and was going to leave anyways, before Hillend-gate went down. JP swung him to San Francisco for Accardo, the young, hard-throwing right-hander. Accardo's been money this season. Eighteen innings pitched and nary a run has been scored on him. He's only given up nine hits, while striking out 19. Accardo has picked up three saves in the absence of BJ Ryan, and is the closer for the rest of this season. At this rate, Accardo's a shoe-in for the All-Star game. He's having a phenomenal season and has really stepped up in the absences of Brandon League and BJ Ryan. Another guy seizing an opportunity. Coming into training camp there were a lot of questions surrounding Accardo and his role on this team. Now he's one of the more valuable players on this year's team.

In light of all the struggles with the Jays, it's interesting to note that the Jays have three of the American League's top relievers in their bullpen. Really. I'm not lying. Casey Janssen, Scott Downs, and Jeremy Accardo. The three have pitched a combined 53 innings so far, and have only let up five runs, while striking out 46 batters. Lights out, baby. Justin Speier who?

Marcum, Litsch and Janssen are Ricciardi draft picks. Accardo is the product of a Ricciardi trade. Clearly, the farm is producing Major League talent, and Ricciardi is making good deals. I'm sorry to have doubted you JP. I was way out of line.

I've also got to apologize to Troy Glaus. I'm always complaining about how he's often injured, but the guy has been so clutch when he's been in the lineup that I'm not sure where the Jays would be without him. In the three-game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, Glaus drove in the winning run every night. Game one - a moon shot of a home run in the 8th inning. Game two - a single to left field that drove in the winning run. Game three - another single that drove in Rios with the winning run.

Glaus is playing with a golf-ball sized bone spur in his right foot. That can't be comfortable. Especially for the hulking Glaus, who is 6-5" and weighs 240 pounds. That's a lot of weight coming down on that bone spur. Glaus has been a warrior and is playing through the pain, and will continue to do so for the rest of the season. You've got to admire his competitiveness. Atta boy, Troy.

I'm sorry Vernon Wells. I'd like to say I was drinking when I questioned whether the Jays should have signed Wells to the long-term deal. I was drunk, but it wasn't the alcohol. I was drunk off all the losing. It took its toll. Vernon Wells represents Toronto Blue Jays baseball. He made a commitment to this team and to this city, and although that commitment came with a few Brinx trucks full of money, I shouldn't be questioning that contract only 40 games into it. Once again, I was out of line. Wells is a fierce competitor and there's no way he's not giving his all out there in centre field, I just refuse to believe it.

V-Dubbs has been a notoriously slow starter in April, and that has been the case again this year. But, like I said earlier, it's a long season and I'm confident Wells will rebound and have a solid season. He's paid like a superstar because he is a superstar.

Last, but certainly not least, I'm sorry Blue Jays marketing department. I bought into what you've been selling the last couple of years, and no nine game losing streak is going to spoil years of hard work.

Seven games, that's it. The Red Sox are bound to go into a slump. I refuse to believe they can play .700 baseball all season long. They will have their injuries as well. Case in point, Josh Beckett has landed on the DL. Josh Beckett, he of the 7-0 record. Baseball season is not 40 games long.

I refuse to believe that the Jays will go quietly into the night. This team has heart. This team will not quit. The 2007 season still can be a special one. I can't throw in the towel. I don't have it in me.

Blue Jays Baseball, I still believe. I urge you to do the same.