The Basement

Below are the updated AL East standings. Read em. And weep. Weep profusely. As I have been.

After yesterday's loss to the lowly Baltimore Orioles, the Blue Jays are back in the basement. Uh, I guess that makes us the lowly ones doesn't it? Fuck.

What makes all of this so difficult is that the Jays have allowed the fewest runs against - 396 - in the division. They've also scored the fewest - 416. Damn, pathetic, useless, offence.

And might it be time to send young Jesse Litsch down to Syracuse? He's looked Josh Towers-awful the last two months. Damn, pathetic, useless, Josh Towers.

Anyway, the series with the O's continues tonight, and I'll be in attendance at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, in the dangerous (or so I'm told by people who watch The Wire) city of Baltimore, Maryland. I'm looking forward to taking in the ball game at one of baseball's finest parks. Just pray to whomever it is you pray to that it doesn't rain, people. Thank you. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

My second-favourite Blue Jays pitcher Shaun "North of Steeles" Marcum is back from the disabled list and will be on the mound tonight. As much as I'd love to, I can't take credit for that gem of a nickname. That's all the inebriated ones at Drunk Jays Fans. Here's hoping Marcum puts on a show, bitch slaps the Orioles, and sends me home happy.

Steroids!?!? What Steroids!?!?

It's time to weigh in, my friends. Here's what's on the dish, and it's baseball heavy: the Mitchell Report, Greg Zaun, Alex Rios, Josh Towers, David Eckstein, T.J. Ford and our dinosaurs of the hard court the Toronto Raptors, and Bates Battaglia. And maybe some more. You'll have to read on to find out!

The Mitchell Report (cue dramatic music):

So, uh, baseball's got a steroids problem. Who's surprised? Who cares? This isn't news. Every one's known for quite some time that all baseball players are, or have been, on the juice. A most credible source - one Jose Canseco - told all of us years ago.

So why all this fuss over the Mitchell report? Leave it to baseball to let a director of the Boston Red Sox lead an investigation into drug use in the sport. In an absolutely shocking turn of events, no Red Sox were named on the list.

If you haven't seen it already, here's the report. It was actually a rather enjoyable experience to skim through it. If you're looking for a list of names, here you go.

Long story short - baseball players have been juicing for years and the Mitchell report named some names.

A few big names did come out of the report. Barry Bonds took steroids?!?! Like, no way! On a more serious note, the real big names were: Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Eric Gagne and Miguel Tejada. And Toronto's own Greg Zaun! Give it up for Zauner!

Clemens, it was reported, took his first injections, in the buttocks no less, in our great city of Toronto, while he was dominating the American League for none other than the Toronto Blue Jays. I feel, kind of, honored. I always thought Clemens was some sort of freak of nature who could pitch, pitch and pitch some more. But now it's come to light that he's a steroid-using douche bag. Oh well, his couple of years in Toronto were still great, although he does deserve a swift kick to the nuts.

As for Gagne, Pettitte, and Tejada, I can't really say I'm surprised. If you were surprised by the Mitchell report, you've been living under a rock. Baseball's been juicing for a long, long time. Deal with it.

Greg Zaun:

Clemens as a Blue Jay wasn't the only connection from the Mitchell report to my, our should I say our, beloved Toronto Blue Jays. Like I said, it looks like good ol' Greg Zaun is a steroid user and abuser. I have, after a few hours reflection, already forgiven him. Like I said, everyone was juicing. Zaun's been a borderline major leaguer for, pretty much, ever. If I was Zaun and I saw the dude I was battling against for a job taking steroids, I probably would have done the same. Can't blame the guy.

I do, however, have some advice for Zaun, and a number of other idiots who were named in the Mitchell report thanks to evidence that they paid for their steroids by cheque. If you're going to buy the stuff, pay with cash, morons. That's all.

Zaun even had the nerve to trash the Mitchell report to the National Post before it got released yesterday. Not smart, Zauner, not smart. Especially when you're in it! Oh well, you live and you learn. Zaun, a recovering alcoholic, probably needed a drink last night. I wonder what he'll say today?

Troy Glaus:

Still on the Jays and steroids, super douche Troy Glaus was named in the report as well. Not a surprise, as he was linked to steroids at the end of last season. Major League Baseball has, however, cleared him of any wrong doing because there apparently isn't enough evidence that Glaus used steroids. He just bought them, that's all, and what? Did he sit on his couch and stare at them? Talk about getting off easy, eh? Give me a break. The Glaus story is exactly what is wrong with Major League Baseball. Now Glaus will never have to explain his steroid controversy, and that just pisses me right off. I'm still off Glaus, huge...

Alex Rios and Tim Lincecum:

Enough about steroids. The San Francisco Giants yesterday signed Aaron Rowand to a five-year deal. The free-agent signing took Tim Lincecum off the table, and that means Alex Rios is going to remain a Blue Jay, at least for the time being. At the end of the day, the Giants couldn't part with Lincecum's arm, and I can't really blame them. The kid's going to be special. At the same time, I can't be mad or disappointed, because Alex Rios is a rude boy and still a Blue Jay. I think the Jays should now make a whole-hearted effort to get Rios' name on a contract extension before they explore trading him again.

Here's hoping that Rios doesn't take the attempt to trade him personally. It was strictly a business decision, especially in light of the "cha-ching" Rios will soon be hearing. The smart money (that would be me) says that Rios does end up taking it personally. However, I'm not all that smart, nor do I have much money, so what the hell do I know...

Josh Towers:

Jeff Blair at The Globe, and millions of other Jays fans, were given an early Festivus present by JPeezy last night. Josh Towers was not tendered a contract. He is officially a free agent. His career with the Blue Jays is officially done. Finally. No more Josh Towers. Say it with me. It feels so good. Yes, that is dancing in the streets you're hearing.

Towers was god-awful the last two years. I know it, you know it, and even he knows it. I would quote Towers and his reaction to becoming a free agent but, really, who gives a shit what he has to say? He made more than $5 million the last two seasons. I feel like he stole the money, because god knows he didn't deserve it.

I will give some credit, though, to Josh Towers. He's a millionaire. And he stinks. Therefore he's the reason my unborn son will become a major league pitcher. So thanks, Josh, for something, at least.

David Eckstein:

Still on the Jays, they announced the free-agent signing of David Eckstein yesterday afternoon. Welcome to Toronto, Mr. X Factor. It's a one-year deal for $4.5 million and Eckstein will, at that price, surely be the starting shortstop come April.

I definitely didn't see this one coming, especially after JPeezy went out and acquired Marco Scutaro to backup John McDonald. I feel for Johnny Mac. It seemed like he finally had the starting job locked up, and now this. He's a backup once again. At the same time, I can't be mad at JPeezy for going out and signing Eckstein, who will be batting in the lead-off spot (making Reed Johnson expendable?). Worst comes to worst, the Jays have another decent guy on their bench, either Johnny Mac or Eckstein. If there was one glaring weakness for the Jays last year it was their abysmal bench. Now it's much better, and supreme jobbers like Howie Clarke, Hector Luna and Ray Olmedo can go back to the minors where they belong...

T.J. Ford:

My man T.J. Ford is doing alright after he was mugged by Al Horford in Atlanta on Tuesday night. The Raptors came up big a night later, with T.J. in attendance in street clothes on the bench, against the Dallas Mavericks.

I got a bunch of feedback about my comments about the Ford incident and how I thought one of Ford's teammates should have stepped up and had a word with Horford. Some people disagreed because Horford was quick to show remorse, while others said that someone should have at least had a word with the Atlanta rook.

Horford was definitely remorseful after his bonehead play on Ford. He went to the hospital after the game on Tuesday night to talk to Ford and to make sure he was alright. The Atlanta rookie spent more than two hours at the hospital. Good on him, because it was the right thing to do.

I, however, stand by my decision. I appreciate Horford going to the hospital, but I made it clear that I knew Horford didn't mean to hurt T.J. Ford. Of course he didn't. But that doesn't change the fact that someone has got to get in his face and at least ask him what the hell he was thinking. There's a way to foul a guy, and it certainly doesn't involve smacking wildly at a guy's head. Again, I know it was an accident, but still. Maybe it's the hockey attitude in me, I don't know, but regardless of the intentions, Horford needed a word. Just a word. Not a punch, or a fight, or a shove. Just a word.

As for Ford, it looks like he's going to miss at least a week of action, if not more. He flew back to Toronto Wednesday morning, after his charter plane made a pit stop in Baltimore. Why Baltimore, you ask? To pick up injured Raptor Jorge Garbajosa, who had surgery on his ankle and leg. Gotta love the service, eh? Only for a Toronto team suffering from the Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment injury plague does a plane go around picking up injured guys across North America. Unbelievable. Get well soon, boys...

Bates Battaglia:

To some hockey news. My man Bates Battaglia has been waived by the Toronto Maple Leafs and will now report to the Toronto Marlies. Battaglia has watched most of the season from the press box and when he has played, his ice time has averaged less than five minutes a game. It sucks, because I like Battaglia and what he brought to the Leafs last year. He was productive, with over 30 points, and he played around 10 to 12 minutes a game.

This year, he's been a casualty to the Leafs depth and it's unfortunate because he finally seemed to be getting his career back on track. The Leafs should try and trade him because Battaglia is not an AHL hockey player. He can play in the NHL, there's no doubt about it. It's a shame he loses a roster spot to someone like Wade Belak, who scores one goal every four years, and is the toast of Toronto.

Here's hoping Bates lands back on his feet.

Peace out, Toronto.

Deep Thoughts

For my loyal readers - yes, all two of you - I'm pleased to report that The Poni Express has officially arrived. I got paid. $100 cool, crisp, easily-earned dollars. Well, I wouldn't say too easily. It came down to the wire. Thanks to my boy 40, for being a man of his word, and thanks to my main man Alexei Ponikarovsky for coming through with 21 goals. I believe in the Poni. He's gonna pot 30 this year.

Anyways, much has been going on in the sporting world recently - it's almost been overwhelming. It's time for SportsAndTheCity to weigh in with his two cents on the happenings in the sporting world.

I think Michael Vick is one of the dumbest men on the planet. The dog fighting scandal, which could potentially take away his freedom, will, if it hasn't already, become his legacy. Vick got himself into this situation, and is therefore an idiot. He deserves whatever the justice system throws at him, including jail time and a prolonged suspension from the NFL, if he is found guilty. I am by no means a fan of dogs, or pets for that matter, but even I wouldn't do what he supposedly did to the dogs mentioned his indictment. Idiot...

I think the Toronto Blue Jays season is officially over. The Jays won five in a row before embarking on a six-game road trip to the south side of Chicago and sunny Florida. Six games against the lowly White Sox and the ever-pathetic Devil Rays. This was prime time for the Jays to make their run. I'm talking Deion Sanders "Primetime" - you know, hopping into the end zone. But the Jays went two-and-four on the trip. Losing two of three to the White Sox I can understand, but dropping two of three to the Devil Rays is absolutely unacceptable, especially at this time of the season. The Jays scored eight runs in three games against Tampa Bay, whose pitchers own the worst E.R.A. in all of baseball. Pathetic. Bring out the salami and cheese Chuck Swirsky, this baseball season is over mama...

I think Josh Towers is the ultimate tool. This guy's got some nerve calling out his teammates and the coaching staff, which he did in Chicago last week. I don't care how competitive Towers is, a man that owns a 5-8 win-loss record and a horrific 5.17 E.R.A. has absolutely no right calling out anybody. Not even Royce freakin' Clayton. Take a look in the God damn mirror, Towers. I wish I could take a vaudevillian hook and just yank Towers off the Blue Jays' roster. If you don't know what a vaudevillian hook is, Google it...

I think, uh oh, the Boston Celtics are going to be mighty good this coming season. Celtic pride? Yeah, I'd say so. I'm not ready, however, to hand them the Atlantic Division title. Like Jerry told George when George wanted to be his Latex Salesman - "I don't think so." Not after my Toronto Raptors worked their asses off to claim the title last year. Regardless of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce (say it with the Boston accent with me - Powl Pieeeeaace) in Beantown, this is still the Raptors' division to lose. Allen and Pierce are historically injury prone, so one of them is bound to go down. And I don't know what everyone else is thinking, but there's only one ball to go around for those three all-stars. That could pose a problem. The Raptors have the deepest bench in the Eastern Conference and that is their strength. The Celtics, meanwhile, have no bench. They traded everyone away to land The Big Ticket - Kevin Garnett. Great nickname, by the way. Anyhow, the Raps' bench will step up and deliver Toronto its second-straight division title. You heard it here first, my friends...

I think I hate Barry Bonds. Actually check that, I know I hate him. It hasn't set in that Bonds - the "big-headed one" as Pete McGentegart of Sports Illustrated's the 10 Spot calls him - is only one home run away from Hark Aarons hallowed 755. Bonds has been a jerk to the media and the fans his entire career, is a full-fledged cheater, was already destined to go to the Hall of Fame before he started juicing, and is just a miserable individual to be around. He doesn't appreciate that he is a man playing a boy's game. He's ungrateful, and that's the worst trait a professional athlete can possess, in my humble opinion. I know it's terrible, but here's hoping Barry Bonds meets with an unfortunate accident before he hits number 756...

I think I don't understand what the rest of Toronto sees in Matt Stajan. There was an article in The Star saying that if Mike Peca stays with the Leafs, then Matt Stajan goes. Now that headline made me put on my dancing shoes, like R. Kelly. Everyday I log onto The Star's website hoping to learn that Stajan has finally been traded. It seems, however, that I'm in the minority when it comes to this dream. A recent poll in the Toronto Star showed that 69% of Torontonians would choose Matt Stajan over Mike Peca. The results of the poll are mind-boggling to me. All I can ask is - like Jerry Seinfeld asked the girl whom he was seeing when he found out she had gone out with Newman, with an exasperated look on his face - "why!?" And I don't want to hear "because he's younger." Stajan's age - he'll be 24 this December, while Peca is 33 - doesn't make him skate any faster, give him a harder slapshot, or make him a better hockey player. Someone please tell me what Stajan has to offer to next season's Leafs squad? Peca is a better all-around player who I have no doubt can score as many goals as Stajan did last year - 10. Peca is also a better face-off man, a better defensive player, a grittier player, and a better penalty killer. Forget about their respective ages, and there's no way anyone can tell me that Matt Stajan offers more to the Leafs than Mike Peca. 2079 people would rather have Stajan, compared to only 929 who want Peca, in The Star poll. Basically, 69% of Leafs fans are out of their minds. I hate Stajan...

I think it would be an absolute travesty if David Beckham doesn't play in this weekends match in Toronto, with the L.A. Galaxy in town to visit Toronto FC. Scalpers are selling tickets to the game for billions, and it just wouldn't be right for people to shell out so much coin and not see Beckham spend a minute on the pitch. I understand that he's injured, but without playing a single regular season game he is already the face of the league, and has a responsibility to his team, the league and it's fans. Eight out of the sixteen sellouts in Major League Soccer this year are courtesy of Toronto FC fans. I had a chance to visit BMO Field for Toronto's friendly with English club Aston Villa, and I must say the atmosphere is great. The sight lines in the stadium are all good, and it's clear to me why soccer is already a hit in this city. The MLS All-Star game is coming to Toronto next year, and rightfully so. Come one Beckham, make like a hockey player, suck it up, and get your ass in the lineup...

I think I love fantasy sports. We held our draft tonight for the keeper hockey league I'm in, and it was a blast. My brother is the commissioner of the fantasy league we all devote so much time to, and he's done a fabulous job, I must say. A lot of work goes into a keeper league, but it's great fun, and an even better time-waster. I finished second last year, and traded away most my draft picks for this coming season in the process. I gave up the farm, as they say. My newly drafted team stinks, but the rebuilding process won't be long, I hope. I'm blessed to have the wonder-boy Sidney Crosby, so hopefully my stay at the bottom of the league won't last long. It's unbelievable that fantasy sports are a $1 billion dollar industry today. Although it certainly isn't surprising. It's the closest I'll ever get to managing my own hockey team...

I think the Boston Red Sox are the team to beat in the American League. Their bullpen is off the heezy, with Hideki Okajima, the newly acquired Canadian Eric Gagne, and Jonathan Papelbon. Their staff E.R.A. is the best in the game, and now innings seven, eight and nine will be lights out 95% of the time. A great trade to land Gagne, I must say. The Red Sox and Yankees know no limits. Boston is the team to beat. I'm jealous. Sigh... I think it's extremely interesting that no one Jose Canseco accused of taking steriods/performance-enhancing drugs in his book last year has even tried to sue him. Cough! - I'm lookin at you Barry Bonds - Cough! Usually, when someone says an author or person has lied, they sue him or her for libel. Yet Canseco has no subpoena's to deal with, and is getting ready to publish his second book. I think that's bait... I think I'm tired, and it's time for bed...

Goodnight, Toronto.

Rock Bottom, Already?

Do you hear that sound? Listen carefully. It's the sound of bodies hitting the ground, jumping off the Blue Jays bandwagon. And fast.

The Toronto Blue Jays limped out of April with a 13-12 record. Not exactly a blazing start out the gate, but considering all the injuries they had to deal with in the first month of the season, it was a good month. The Jays knew what they had to do - simply tread water, and play .500 baseball until the healthy bodies of Reed Johnson, Troy Glaus, BJ Ryan, Gustavo Chacin, Brandon League and Gregg Zaun returned.

Well, we're 10 days into May, only Troy Glaus is back, and the Jays still have 13 wins. It's been a nightmare-ish couple of weeks. The Jays are mired in an eight game losing streak, which included a franchise record-tying six game winless road trip. Even Doc Halladay, the streak-stopper himself, was lit up by the Texas Rangers.

Going into tonight's finale of three game set with Boston at the Rogers Centre, the Jays are an astounding 9.5 games out of first place, behind those damn Red Sox. Nine and a half games, already, and we're not even half way through May. Oh mylanta. Somebody pass me the Tums.

The pitching staff, which somehow managed to keep it's ERA below 4.00 in April, has imploded. The starting pitching is terrible, and the bullpen is even worse. The loss of BJ Ryan has proved to be a huge one, as we all knew it would be. Josh Towers has been moved to the bullpen and Victor Zambrano has been hit and hit hard in his first two starts.

After last night's 9-3 spankage at the hands of Dice-K, I thought the Jays hit rock bottom. Things couldn't possibly get worse, I told myself.

Oh, but they have. I think it might be time to bring out the salami and cheese, Chuck Swirsky style, because this season might be over, mama.

News broke a couple of hours ago that BJ Ryan has had successful Tommy John surgery. See ya next year, BJ. He's done for the season.

No one can blame BJ. This is the first time he's gone on the DL in his nine year career. That's remarkable for a guy who throws as hard as he does.

I'm not exactly sure what the deal is behind Ryan's elbow injury, and whether the Jays knew it was this serious all along. JP Ricciardi came out and said that Ryan's apparent back injury in spring training was a lie, and that it was his elbow all along. The Jays placed Ryan on the disabled list on April 15th and said a couple of days later that there were no tears in his elbow, and that he didn't need Tommy John surgery. So what's the freakin' deal?

If the Jays didn't hit rock bottom last night, they sure as hell did this afternoon.

This team's in big trouble.

I was optimistic that the Jays would be able to compete this year. I'm not sure what I was smoking when I wrote a post about Tomo Ohka being a more than decent replacement for Ted Lilly. I really believed that Ohka, Victor Zambrano and John Thomson could do the job. This blog was also used to display my confidence in Jason Frasor and his ability to close out games for the injured BJ Ryan. Well, Frasor stinks. He's managed to lose the closer's job in only three weeks. The Jays don't have a closer right now. Manager John Gibbons said so himself.

Ohka's been pretty brutal, Zambrano's been even worse, and Thomson is still injured and pitching in AA ball.

Ted Lilly, on the other hand, has a 2.78 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP over in Chicago with the Cubs. Poor Lilly. Poor Blue Jays. Janet Jackson was right, you really don't know what you've got til it's gone. I miss ya, Ted.

The one thing about Lilly that made him so special was his ability to pitch, and pitch well, against the Evil Empires - the Yankees and Red Sox. Lilly had some of his best games against Boston during his tenure with the Jays. His competitive edge is sorely missed.

Even Gil Meche, the other pitcher the Jays offered a boat load of money to, is ripping it in Kansas City. Meche has a 2.15 ERA and two of his three wins came against the Red Sox and Angels, both first place teams.

JP Ricciardi also announced today that Zambrano is headed to the DL and Shaun Marcum is going to start in his place. Clearly the Jays have run out of patience with Josh Towers. He's going to be coming out of the 'pen for the rest of the season and he's looked just as crappy in the bullpen as he did as a starter. He leaves way too many pitches over the plate and has given up a team-high eight home runs in only 31 innings pitched. This will definitely be Towers' last season in a Jays uniform. At least there's something to look forward to.

Frankly, I'm getting pretty tired of JP Ricciardi's nonsense. The fact that he lied about Ryan's injury is just ridiculous. It shows a complete lack of respect to all the fans of the Toronto Blue Jays. Ricciardi clearly thinks he's untouchable and doesn't have any sense of accountability. The only good decision he's made recently was calling up Dustin McGowan, and giving him a spot in the rotation for the rest of the year. It's make or break time for McGowan, and the Jays have nothing to lose now anyways.

Personally, I don't think Marcum should be joining the rotation either. Casey Janssen has been lights out from the bullpen and I think he should be given a shot. Marcum, although he throws hard and racks up the K's, also has a tendency to leave balls out over the plate which lead to home runs. I guess the Jays' rationale is that Janssen has been so good out of the bullpen that they don't want to mess up what he has going right now.

I've always been a staunch JP Ricciardi supporter, but the first six weeks of this season are causing me to question everything I've ever known. This is the seventh year of JP's infamous "Seven Year Plan" and the post-season looks as far away as ever. The only good prospect to come out of the system since JP arrived is Aaron Hill. Russ Adams is struggling in Triple-A, and is clearly no longer in the Jays long term plans. That's a big drop for a guy who was pegged to be Toronto's shortstop of the future.

JP, smarten up man. Make a trade. Fire somebody. Gibbons, I'm looking at you. I know the manager can only be held accountable for so much, but this losing streak needs to stop. The attitude just isn't right in the Jays clubhouse right now, but it's still early. A move by JP could stop the bleeding and save the season. This is a good ball club, with a formidable line-up, but they are clearly not playing to their potential.

The injuries aren't helping. Why? Why does this have to happen to every Toronto sports team? Maybe I was crazy to think the Jays could actually make the playoffs, or maybe the Jays marketing strategy really works, because coming into this season, I really did believe.

Hindsight is 20-20, of course, but I'm starting to wonder if signing Vernon Wells long term was the right decision after all. That money, all $127 million of it, could have brought some solid pitching to the Jays, and that is clearly what's lacking from this team. Alex Rios, at this point of the season, has more home runs and rbi's than Wells. If Wells is making $127 million, and we all know he is, he's got to be the best player on this team, hands down. I could have swore I saw him go easy on a fly ball the other night, and let it drop. It was a ball I've become accustomed to seeing Vernon Wells and his Gold Glove always get to, or at least try to catch. If Wells isn't playing as hard as he should be, the Blue Jays' problems go deeper than even I can imagine.

Here's my to-do list for you, JP, and listen up, because you're really starting to get on my nerves:

1) Make Jeremy Accardo the closer. He's been fantastic this year, and considering greatness is always expected of Roy Halladay, he's probably been the biggest surprise on the team.

2) Make a trade. Fire somebody. Do something. Don't just sit back and watch the season slip away.

3) Slap AJ Burnett for me. $55 million for this crap? Come on.

4) Stop the lying.

5) Screw Marcum and put Janssen in the starting rotation.

The Jays play in the toughest division in baseball, and everyone's got to deal with injuries. On that note though, it's amazing how healthy the Red Sox have been this year, while the Jays and Yankees have seen guys go down at an alarming rate. It looks like the Wildcard winner is going to come from the Central division, so that means the Jays have to beat the Yanks and BoSox, who've already got quite the head start. It's an uphill battle, that's for damn sure. I'm talking uphill like Mount Everest. Lord help us.

I get the feeling however, that patience is quickly starting to wear thin in this city. Nobody wants to hear about how the Jays play in the toughest division in baseball anymore. The Jays now have a payroll that almost equals $100 million. We're playing with the big boys now. When JP came to Toronto in 2000 it was all about moneyball and retooling the farm. Now he's got Ted Rogers' deep pockets at his disposal, the team still stinks, and the farm isn't producing. So what gives? Mediocrity has been the norm for the last 14 years, and we won't stand for it much longer!

Although JP is signed through to the 2010 season, it really might be time for him to go. Lying to the press and the fans is clearly a sign of a guy who's getting a little too comfortable. It looks like JP Ricciardi might have overstayed his welcome here in Toronto.

As I finish this up, the Jays are down 8-0 to Red Sox in the 4th inning. Halladay, rocked again. Unbelievable. The losing streak will most certainly hit nine games, their longest since 2002.

Blue Jays Baseball, You Gotta Believe.

Yeah, right...

O(h)K(a), Blue Jays!

First things first - I've got to shoutout another one of my faithful international readers (if you're counting, this is number two...of two), Karan Raina, repping the great city of New York. He's been waiting for his Sports And The City shoutout. He and a few of my other buddies went down to the NHL All-Star festivities in Dallas earlier this week. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend, and missed a chance to schmooze with the Magnificent One Mario Lemieux (pictured), Evgeni Malkin, Carlton the Bear and Gary Bettman. Karan and the boys had a private box for the Skills Competition and seats 10 rows behind the glass for the All-Star game. Ridiculous.

The boys also ran into a Mr. John Ferguson Jr., who guaranteed a Leafs' playoff birth. Ferguson clearly must have been drunk. I'd have a drinking problem if I were him.

Now let's get down to blogging business. I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome the newest member of the Toronto Blue Jays to our great, and insanely cold, city.

Tomo Ohka, welcome to the T Dot.

JP Ricciardi and the Jays announced Wednesday that Ohka has signed a one year deal with the club, at $1.5 million. The deal could be worth as much as $3 million, with incentives based on the number of starts Ohka makes.

But I don't care about the money.

I think this is a really good signing by JP, even though it was met with no fanfare. There was no big press conference, no pictures; nothing. Only a press release.

Talk about a hit to Ohka's pride eh? I guess in baseball terms, he pretty much is a nobody. But at the end of the day, he's less of a nobody than that weasel Josh Towers, and that's why I'm excited. The more arms JP adds to the starting rotation, the more likely it is that Josh Towers will spend the season in Triple A, where he belongs. It's all about addition by subtraction, my friends. No Josh Towers improves this baseball club.

However, if you look a little deeper into the Ohka signing, it could work out extremely well, especially considering Ohka's salary.

In losing Ted Lilly, the Jays lost about 180 innings. JP's main focus is to eat up those innings, hence the signings of John Thomson and Ohka. These guys are penciled in as the fourth and fifth starters - basically the back end of the rotation. It's Doc Halladay, AJ Burnett, Gustavo Chacin, Ohka, and Thomson. Ohka could even be spotted in the three spot, because Chacin is just a five inning wonder. He throws the most pitches, it's ridiculous. Through 5 innings he'll be up around 100 pitches. It's tough on the bullpen.

Anyways, the point that I'm taking so long to make is that Ohka's numbers are astonishingly similar to Ted Lilly's - yes the same Ted Lilly whom JP offered $10 million a season to stay in Toronto.

Both guys are going to be 31 in the 2007 season, and here are their career stats:

Ted Lilly

Career Starts: 160

Innings Pitched: 936

ERA: 4.60

Overall Record: 59-58

Tomo Ohka

Career Starts: 162
Innings Pitched: 943

ERA: 4.04

Overall Record: 48-58

Ohka has pitched more innings, albeit only by a few, but his ERA is significantly lower than Lilly's. They've both lost 58 games, and Lilly's got more wins because he's played on a Jays team that has had a great offense. Ohka spent a couple of seasons with Montreal, and some time with Washington and Milwaukee - not exactly offensive juggernauts. He's just never been blessed enough to play on a team that actually gives him some run support - until now. This guy could easily win 15 games like Lilly did last year.

Ohka's agent even said that when Ohka and Milwaukee went to arbitration last year, he compared Ohka's stats to Lilly's in the actual hearing.

Of course, with any investment, there is some risk. Ohka spent significant time on the DL last season. He needs to stay healthy in order to payoff. A brilliant statement, I know. But Lilly spent his fair share of time on the DL in the last two years as well. With any pitcher there is significant risk. It's the nature of the beast.

But wouldn't you rather invest $3 million, rather than $10 million, on an arm that might give you the same results? I would. Props out to JP Ricciardi.

Remember, I believe in JP.

"O(h)K(a) Blue Jays, Let's Play Ball!"

Sing it. Loud and proud.

I'm looking forward to baseball season - can you tell?

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Random Musings:

- Huge shoutout to ALL-STAR STARTER Chris Bosh. He's most deserving of that title and it's good to see that people are starting to recognize him. Maybe playing basketball in Toronto isn't so bad, eh? The Raptors really needed Bosh to repair the tarnished image of basketball in Canada that Vince Carter left behind. Rob Babcock didn't help much either. But alas, the past is the past. Bosh and Colangelo have righted the ship.

- The Leafs dominated Montreal once again, and have points in every game against the Habs this season. If only the Leafs could play Montreal all the time. Pavel Kubina had 2 goals and 1 assist, and it looks like he's finally healthy and confident. It took way too long for this guy to get going. I credit Kaberle. As soon as Kubina started playing wit Kabby, he's been much better.

- Back to the NBA All-Star starting line-up. How the HELL did Steve Nash not get voted in? That's absurd. He's going to win his third straight MVP, and solidify his legacy as one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game. Kid Canada, baby.

- Great point by Toronto Star writer Dave Perkins about pessimism being in the eye of the beholder. Both the Leafs and Raptors are around .500 (winning percentages). The Leafs and their fans are up in arms at their state, while the Raptors are beaming about not being so pathetic anymore. Perkins is dead-on in saying that both teams are in similar situations as to their performance, but that for the Leafs the glass is half empty, while for the Raps it's half full. So true.

- Rumour has it the Colorado Rockies might trade Todd Helton to the Boston Red Sox. That is horrendous news for Jays fans, if it's true. Woe is I - such is life in the American League East.

I think that's it.

Goodnight, Toronto...

What Does It All Mean...?

It's an exciting time for sports fans in Toronto. The Leafs are well into the hockey season, the Raptors have played 15 games, and J.P. Ricciardi is probably one of the busiest men on the sports planet as the Jays have come out swinging again in baseball's offseason.

First things first, let me officially welcome Frank Thomas to Toronto. He talked about looking forward to playing in baseball's "glory division", the American League East, and that sits well with me. This division ain't no joke, and a healthy and productive Thomas will be crucial for the Jays to continue up the AL East ladder. The Jays made the Rogers Centre a home run haven last season, and here's to Thomas joining the party.

Gregg Zaun is also officially back in the mix for the Jays, and that didn't look like it was going to happen a couple of days ago. The Jays had an agreement in principle with Rod Barajas, but it broke down Tuesday night, after Barajas apparently backed out of the deal. Now I wasn't too sure why JP and the Jays had all this interest in Barajas. He's not even that good. He's a tad bit younger than Zauner, and throws out a few more guys, but other than that Zaun's a much better player.

I'm really glad Zauner is back in the fold. I logged onto tsn.ca late Tuesday night and saw that the Barajas deal fell through and I was pretty shocked, but happy, about it. Sort of like George Costanza - restrained jubilation. It just didn't make sense, because Barajas was supposed to just take a physical, and would be introduced at the same press conference as The Big Hurt.

Now I've heard that Barajas got cold feet, fired his agent and then wanted to renegotiate. I also heard that the MLB Players Association also gave him a call, and asked him what in God's name he was doing taking a paycut as a free agent. Either way, something happened, he backed out of the deal. JP got pissed, called Zaun, and they were able to hammer out a deal. I read in the Star that Zaun had cancelled his cell phone service and was to go to New York to talk to the Yankees about joining them as a backup catcher. That says a lot. He totally believed his time with the Jays was done. But Zaun's back, and he's glad to be back. I like Zauner. He's a patient hitter, he takes walks and his on-base percentage is way higher than Barajas'. And Zaun wants to be here - he likes the team and the city. He's one of the more vocal guys on the team and is definitely a leader.

I like to root for guys like Zaun. He was a backup catcher his whole career, and never really gave a damn about anything. He started drinking and became possessed by the demons of alcohol. A serious drinking problem and terrible attitude pretty much killed his baseball career and he was released by the Expos in 2004. He signed on as a backup catcher with the Jays, gave up the alcohol, and changed his attitude. He got to play due to injuries with the Jays, and really made his mark. He didn't complain once when the Jays screwed him and signed Molina last season. He just said he would put the team first, and he did his job pretty damn well. He put up solid numbers and proved he should be a starter. He supposedly stood up to Shea Hillenbrand during the whole Hillend-gate fiasco, he works well with the pitching staff, and he's a good role model for the young players. It's pretty uncommon to turn a career, on life support, around at age 32. Props out to my man Zauner.

JP wasn't done there. He's supposedly signed Royce Clayton to a one year, $1.5 million contract. Clayton's not a very good hitter, but he's good with the glove. This means Hill is the everyday second baseman, and this kid's only going to bet bettter, so its nice to see he'll have some stability on the field. I don't mind Clayton. JP tried to get Adam Kennedy, but he went to St. Louis. Either way, the question mark that existed in the middle infield, no longer exists.

JP's also been wooing Gil Meche. He was in town and was treated to dinner and a Leafs game. In a perfect world, the Jays could resign Lilly and pick up Meche, but the chances of that are slim. I wouldn't mind either one of those two pitchers, although I'd probably like to have the southpaw Lilly a bit more.

Speaking of pitchers, I wonder what the Jays are going to do with Josh Towers? He's still under contract next year at over $2 million. That bastard.

Anywho, what does it all mean? It means the JP and the Jays are really trying to take the next step, and I commend them for that. In JP Ricciardi I trust - it's been my motto for a few years now. The guy just looks like he knows what he's doing. Baseball's annual Winter Meetings get started on Friday, and there's definitely going to be some fireworks, and hopefully we'll have a pitcher, or two, by the time this weekend is through. Good luck JP, bring home the bacon!

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Back to back losses on home ice for the Leafs against the Bruins. Not exactly what the team was looking for, eh? What makes it more disheartening is that the Leafs had Sunday and Monday to watch film and figure out how to beat those bloody Bruins. They trapped it up again but the Leafs can't be faulted for their effort. They had 46 shots, I beleaf, on Tim Thomas. In Washington, everything went in. Against Boston, nothing went in. What can you do? That's how it goes, especially in a game of inches. Just got to keep on skating and firing pucks to the net.

Big game tomorrow night in the A-town facing the Trashers. The Leafs have lost three of their last four. Any prolonged 8 or 10 game losing stretch will cost a team a playoff spot this year. Consistency is the only way of getting into the playoffs. The Leafs went on a big losing streak last year in January, and that's why they missed the dance. I'm interested in seeing how this team bounces back from a few losses, especially a difficult one on Tuesday against Boston. Paul Maurice has to prepare this team. He's got to make sure everyone knows what is at stake. Certain players, like Mats, and Kabby, and Darcy have to make sure this team doesn't slide into a prolonged funk. This team simply can't afford it.

I read before Tuesday's game that some players on Boston were going to shoot up high on Raycroft, because they know his tendencies. Wouldn't you know it, the first two goals by the B's were up high, glove side. Raycroft's got to be a little more solid in the net for the Leafs, and when the team is down 2-1, he just has to make sure he keeps the score that way.

Oh, and JFJ made a trade! Mikael Tellqvist for a 4th round pick and agitator Tyson Nash. This trade doesn't mean all that much. Tellqvist had his chance last year, to become the goalie of the present for the Leafs, but he blew his chance. Aubin came in, and the rest is history. I'm not sure he'll ever be more than a backup goalie in the NHL, but I wish him well, and thank him for his service. As for Nash, he'll be joining the Marlies, where he should be staying. He's annoying, and just takes penalties. And isn't that what Wade Belak is for? I'll take the 4th round draft pick for Tellqvist anyday.

Oh, one more thing. Does anyone else find it extremely exruciating to watch Alex Steen struggle so mightily? He had 45 points last year. Now he's on pace for 4 goals. Brutality is there.

What does it all mean? It means that the next couple of games will really test the mental fortitude of this Leafs team. The Leafs were taught a valuable lesson last year when their losing slide cost them a playoff spot. Here's hoping they learned it.

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The Raptors lost to the Dallas Mavericks tonight, a game they didn't have a prayer winning.

I haven't written about the Raptors yet, but they've now completed their first month of the season, with a record of five wins and ten losses. Last November, they won one game. Like I always tell my girlfriend, I'm all about progress. Four more wins! We're going in the right direction. The best part is, the Raps are only one game out of first place in the division. New Jersey, along with the ultimate bitch Vince Carter, lead the division with a fantastic 6-9 record. That's just pathetic, but great for the Raptors.

It's hard to imagine where this team would be without Chris Bosh. He's averaging a double-double a night, and has turned into a force in this league. Only in his early twenties, he's the face of the franchise and a leader on the court. His maturation process has been quick and smooth, and it's been a pleasure watching him develop into the player he is today. He really could turn out to be the next Kevin Garnett, and that's music to my ears. There was a game against Golden State earlier on in the year, where Bosh went ballistic on #1 draft pick Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani got beaten on defense on back-to-back possessions and Bosh just let him have it. It was great to see Bosh getting emotional and trying to set a fire under Bargnani. Props to Bosh, for signing a contract extension and leading the way for the Raptors.

I like what Bryan Colangelo has done with this team. I'll devote a post to the Raptors soon enough.

Calderon is playing great and with 25 x the confidence he had last year. I like Garbajosa, he's a blue collar guy who fights under the glass. Rasho Nesterovic provides inner defence the Raptors so badly need, and another big body under the glass. Anthony Parker hasn't really got his offensive game going yet, but he's a solid defender, and you can never have too many of those. Fred Jones has been inconsistent, but he's got the ability to take the ball to the rack, and he'll be successful when he does that on a regular basis. TJ Ford has come as advertised - he's quick as hell. Sometimes too quick for his own good, as he gets under the rim so fast that it's like he doesn't know what to do once he gets there. He likes to pass the ball though, and that's refreshing. He had a game where he picked up 20 assists, and that's certainly encouraging. He's also so young, and Colangelo has locked him up for a few years, which is good to see. The foundation is there.

Speaking of foundation, how about my main man Andrea Bargnani? This kid has been, pardon my Italian, mucho bella! After riding the bench to start the season, Mitchell has increased the kids floor time and he's proving it to be a good decision. Bargnani is 7 foot 1, but he can put the ball on the floor and drive, or pull up for a jumper. He's got fantastic range and also isn't afraid to jack it up from behind the arc. I'm really tickled with excitement about this kid. He really does seem to have limitless potential, and although I know it's early, just like my man JP Ricciardi, I trust in Bryan Colangelo. Just look at the way he dresses. Always in an immaculate suit and looking fly. How can you not trust a man that looks that good and that confident? Do your thing Colangelo.

Interesting tidbit. The Raps were down about 20 points tonight in the 4th quarter, and their streak of hitting a three ball in 628 straight games was about to end. They got the ball with about 15 seconds to go and Derek Martin was dribbling out the clock. With about half a second left, he jacked up a three ball and SWISH! I found it rather amusing that in a game the Raps lost 117-98, Chuck Swirsky ended the game yelling "OH MY GOODNESS ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!? ONIONS BABY ONIONS!!"

Such are the times in Raptor-land.

What does it all mean? It means five wins is better than one, and that the Raptors are getting better. It means Chris Bosh is still only 22. It means for Andrea Bargnani, the sky is the limit. It means we have to be patient. As of tonight, we're only a game out of first place. I can't complain about that.

Goodnight, Toronto...