No ...

I don't like this. 

Eight innings pitched; three hits and two earned runs allowed; one walk; nine strikeouts; and a no-hitter into the 7th.

"Everyone in the world thinks about it ... I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't. I had good movement on everything. It just wasn't meant to be."

       - Allan James Burnett

"A.J. really stepped up ... We needed a big performance out of someone with a short bullpen, and A.J. likes that."

       - Joe Girardi

No. I don't like this one bit. Hit the disabled list already, Allan James ...

Deep Thoughts: The Franchise

Travis Snider's two home runs moon shots are still on their way to Winnipeg. I'm sure my good friends Dave and The Ack will let me know when they arrive. The baseball world is beginning to take notice of Sniderman. You know what I love about him? His home run trot. Stay classy, young man ...

One through six in the order (Scutaro, Hill, Rios, Wells, Lind and Rolen), no Toronto Blue Jay is batting less than .300. That Cito Gaston guy can really put together a lineup, eh? ...

Speaking of Marco Scutaro, he leads the league in runs scored and can be the starting shortstop, and leadoff hitter, on my team any day of the week. Viva Scutaro. Viva Venuezela ...

B.J. Ryan threw 12 pitches yesterday; eleven for strikes. That's the B.J. we know. The B.J. we love. Nails? Nails! And I'm sure Brad Arnsberg had something to do with it. "In Arnsberg We Trust" ...

Kevin SLOWey certainly lived up to his name last night, didn't he? Prick ...

I know Jesse Litsch's injury is forearm related but, seriously, would it have killed him to come into camp pink and efficient, but a little less rotund? I'm already feeling like he took his opportunity in 2009 for granted ...

In last night's eighth inning, Scott Downs allowed a leadoff double, and followed with a wild pitch. With none out and a man on third base, he proceeded to strike out the side, like the uber set-up man he is. Did you enjoy his tiny display of emotion after the fact? I sure as hell did. I heart Snakeface. What a hero ...

The Jays are in first place. The Boston Red Sox are in the basement. You're damned right I'm enjoying this ...

Pennant ...

I Don't Like To ...

... dump all over Andrew Raycroft. OK, fine, I do. But you know what? I'll never do it again. I'm getting out of that business. More accurately, I've been forced out of that business.

The NHL's regular season is over and, adding insult to the fact that the Toronto Maple Leafs are once again on the outside looking in at the playoffs (!!!!1), Raycrap finished with a save percentage higher than that of Vesa Toskala's; .001 percentage points higher, to be exact.

Oh, the humanity.

With that, my Raycroft-bashing days are over. I declared that if Toskala was looking up at Raycroft's save percentage come season's end, I'd offer "Razor" an apology, and never talk ill of him again. Well, I'm a man of my word.

It doesn't matter that Raycroft started 27 games compared to Toskala's 53. It doesn't matter that the Colorado Avalanche, as a team, allowed 36 fewer goals than Toronto. It doesn't matter that the Maple Leafs were the worst defensive and penalty killing team in the league.

What matters is that five-on-five Raycroft was better than Toskala, posting a .905 save percentage to Toskala's .903 at even strength. Sure, Toskala's save percentage on the penalty kill was higher than Raycroft's (.841 to .832), but both numbers are downright pathetic, so they cancel each other out.

Ugh. Toskala shouldn't have been playing hurt. Period. No more excuses. I hope he's deeply, deeply ashamed of himself.

The bottom line? Raycroft and Toskala both suck.

That's it, that's all, I'm done. Sorry, Raycroft. I'll see you in hell.

Now, to bring it all back to the title of the post, and to try and erase Raycroft the goalie who shall never again be named from our collective psyches, London, Ontario's own ShadK ...

Housekeeping:

You'll notice that the comments section has changed around here; no more pop-up window. It's all now done within the post. If you loathe change, let me know; we can always return to the good old days. Your feedback would be appreciated. Remember: without you, there would be no blog.

Well, there would be. But no one would be reading it. And what the fuck's the point of that?

Dead Presidents

Last week, The Tao of Stieb opined on Scott Rolen's choice of intro music.

Now, look, I admit it: I like Coldplay. But "Viva la Vida", while strolling up to the plate? I'm with the Tao; abort mission.

I'm also confident that Rolen's choice of intro music is all I'll be criticizing him for in 2009. The Greatest Blue Jay of All Time is batting .348, after all, and will be instrumental in Toronto's efforts to secure the pennant. Cito's boys are playing .714 baseball; we're well on our way, my friends.

And, no, I still don't want to talk about B.J. Ryan. Look, it's during times like these, when our closer is clearly struggling, that we must rally around him. Have some faith; believe in The Beej. Instead of calling for his head, and for him to be shipped to Vegas, trust that the man who saved 32 games for the Blue Jays last year is going to get his shit worked out. Remember, in Brad Arnsberg we trust. 

On an aside, In Arnsberg We Trust should really be on a t-shirt. I'd buy that. And rock it with pride.

Anyway, while I can criticize Rolen for choosing Coldplay, I wouldn't be able to do the same to someone who walks up to home plate with the following playing on the speakers ...

Why?

From Friday's Toronto Star:

"[Vesa] Toskala revealed yesterday he tweaked his groin in Calgary on Nov.11 and played the rest of the season injured until he finally had a pair of surgeries, one to repair his hip, the other his groin. He's got about 10 weeks of rehab still to go. 

"'I started doing more exercise a few days ago, things are going well,' said Toskala, who added he wouldn't have had the surgery had Toronto been in the playoff hunt.

"'At that time, we were 10 points out and it didn't make any sense to keep playing,' he explained. 'I felt I could play and I think I played all right. I wasn't 100 per cent.'"

So, between November 11th, when Toskala was hurt, and March 3rd, the final game he played this season, Curtis Joseph and Justin Pogge started nine games. In a rebuilding year, Ron Wilson's Toronto Maple Leafs trotted out an injured goalie night after night, after night, after night.

Why? Who allowed this?

It's ridiculous. And unbelievably frustrating. Joseph should have played a hell of a lot more. And if the Leafs didn't have enough confidence in him, or Pogge, they should have went out and acquired another goalie. God knows a full season of Joseph and Pogge would have ensured the team a lottery pick in the draft. (Toskala's unreal February totally killed that flex.)

It's true: since 2004, the Maple Leafs can do nothing right. 

My only hope is now that Brian Burke is in charge, the inmates are no longer running the God damn asylum. 

Virtual Raycrap

EA Sports' NHL 09 is, hands down, the most realistic hockey video game. Ever.

Check out the video below (the goalie is none other than my good friend Andrew Raycroft) ...

  

 

I was the Calgary Flames' defenceman, rounding the net. There were but four seconds left on the clock. I fired it. 

And what do you know? Good old Raycrap.

Well done, folks at EA Sports. Well done ...

There are no words ...

Just watch. And make sure you wait for it in slow motion.

Yes. My thoughts exactly.

An absolutely filthy goal, especially that final flick, but it begs the question, especially after yesterday's spankage: what the hell has happened to Bayern Munich?

What was that, Bruce Arthur?

Far be it from me to point out when someone is wrong, considering I'm, uh, not right 98.2% of the time, but the National Post's Bruce Arthur rained all over my optimism/pennant parade with his column on Tuesday, so I've no choice but to let him have it.

Here's some of what Arthur wrote yesterday (my emphasis in bold):

"... Of course, it's like this every Opening Day, even in Toronto, when Roy Halladay is pitching in front of 48,000 fans, and first place in the American League East is not yet conceded. If you could imagine that a healthy Dustin McGowan was following Halladay tonight, and Shaun Marcum was going tomorrow, and more promising young arms would follow after that, then you would be a happy Blue Jays fan, indeed.

"Instead the rotation turns to butter for the rest of the week, and the crowds will probably melt along with it. As one long-time Jays observer put it, 'the worst part about tonight is tomorrow.'"

Well, Bruce, butter David Purcey most certainly is not.

Toronto's new number two starter was certainly up to the task last night. He went seven strong on 101 pitches, striking out five, and giving up three runs - two of them earned - on five hits and three walks.

Yeah, he erred in the 7th inning when he failed to hit catcher Rod Barajas on an intentional walk attempt (the fuck?), and then threw the ball into centre field after the fact, but Scott Rolen and Aaron Hill picked up their pitcher in the home half of the 8th. Because they are heroes. And that's what heroes do - hit home runs.

Speaking of Hill, if he stays healthy this season, it will soon sink in, if it hasn't already, just how significant his loss to injury last season truly was. It gets me all hot and bothered to see him back on the field, and back at the plate. Hill's special.

I know, I know, B.J. Ryan blew the save. Let's not talk about it. Not right now, at least. The Jays picked up the win. Wins in April matter.

Anyway, here's hoping Bruce Arthur shows Purcey some love in his column today. Something along the lines of "I can't believe it's not butter!" would be suffice. He earned a no-decision, but Purcey was effective, even if he did rely almost solely on his fastball. Should the Jays have a prayer in 2009, that's how our friend David will have to pitch. Period.

And I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to tonight; Jesse Litsch, baby. And tomorrow afternoon; the Major League debut of one Ricky Romero. More promising young arms. Well, whatta ya know ...

Pennant.

Yes. Jays.

I'm a little too inebriated to write anything substantial. So, pictures (courtesy of the fine folks at daylife): 

The home opener will forever be a momentous occasion.



Harry Leroy Halladay III: the greatest Toronto Blue Jays pitcher I've ever known.



In all the hype surrounding Travis Snider, I almost forgot about Adam Lind, the unstoppable, 6 RsBI man.



Rod Barajas could get used to this pose.

Careful of Aaron's head, Vernon. Please.

Pennant.

Opening Night

It has proven difficult to escape the copious amounts of negativity - whether in print, on blogs, on radio, and on television - that surrounds the 2009 edition of our Toronto Blue Jays. It is in abundance. It is everywhere. And I'm tired of it. Sick of it. Done with it, actually.

You will find none of it here. No sir. My glass is half full. 

Here you'll find someone who will be on his feet to welcome back Aaron Hill when he steps to the plate for the first time tonight; who can't wait to see what Travis Snider, only 21 years old, can do over the course of a full season; who thinks the Gastonian One can build on his half-season success of 2008; who can't wait to see how the Jays' young arms - Jesse Litsch, David Purcey, Ricky Romero, Casey Janssen, and eventually Brad Mills and Brett Cecil - respond to the monumental challenge at hand; who is looking forward to again watching Scott Rolen patrol the hot corner better than anyone in this city before him; and who will appreciate every single, solitary pitch Roy Halladay throws.

I could go on. I haven't even mentioned Alex Rios, Vernon Wells, or Lyle Overbay. And I won't, because there's really only more thing you need to know; that there's been a slight change to the Toronto Blue Jays' 2009 to do list. Here it is, amended:

Before I depart, I'd like to thank everyone who's taken a second to vote in the "Will the Blue Jays Win the Pennant?" poll currently up and running. I must admit, I'm most pleased with the results so far. It's heartening to know that, somewhere, there exist those who are as bullish on the Jays' chances as I am.

Remember, a little hope never hurt anybody. 

Deep Thoughts ...

It's getting to the point where the fine folks at MLSE might be better served finding a goalie through Monster, or Workopolis. After three games, Toronto FC's Stefan Frei and Greg Sutton leave me wanting more. And I'm usually easily satisfied. Also, you know how I said Brian "Binos" Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs should re-sign Martin Gerber? Abort mission. What I meant was that they shouldn't re-sign Gerber. Because he, too, sucks ...

Look, I know comparing the Leafs to the Boston Bruins, defensively, is certifiably ridiculous. But Toronto allowed 14 goals over the weekend. Fourteen. That's about eight percent of all the goals Boston has surrendered this season (181). Eight percent. In two games. The Leafs have fished the puck out of their net 106 more times than Boston this season. And I'm going crazy because of it ...

The Toronto Raptors' chances of making the playoffs (!!!!1) were officially squashed on Sunday. Thanks to the Knickerbockers. At home, no less. A formality, sure; but it still hurts. The drink of choice to celebrate this momentous occasion? Sapporo ...

Wait, more on the Raptors. If Bryan Colangelo re-signs Shawn Marion, and Pops Mensah-Bonsu, is anyone else willing to give this group of five - Jose Calderon (healthy), Anthony Parker, Marion, Chris Bosh, and Andrea Bargnani - a mulligan? You know I am. Yes, I have issues ...

Check out what Lord Blair has to say about Mikhail Grabovski Mickey Grabs. Kid's a keeper ...

Speaking of Mr. Blair, add him, Stephen Brunt, Jordan Bastian, and Big League Stew's 'Duk to the list of people who are wrong about the 2009 Toronto Blue Jays. Bastian and 'Duk both have the Jays finishing last in the AL East, and Blair thinks "only the Baltimore Orioles are preventing the Jays from being the worst team in the league." I love those guys, and enjoy their work. You should too. And I'm also sure they all thought a youthful 2008 Tampa Bay rotation of James Shields, Edwin Jackson, Andy Sonnanstine, Scott Kazmir, and Matt Garza would propel the DEVIL Rays to the pennant ...

I caught the tail end of a Sportsnet feature on Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, of The Million Dollar Arm fame. Make sure you check it out. About the fairer sex, one of Singh and Patel, I'm not even sure which, had this gem to say: "American women are very dangerous. They want money." ...

Baseball's back, baby. It's a glorious day ...

Bandwagoning

Did you hear that? It was me. Hopping aboard the Vancouver Canucks' bandwagon. Whole-freakin'-heartedly.

The Leafs are done. The dream has been packed up and put away until September, when we shall meet again. Until then, I'm all about Vancouver. Playoffs!!!!1, Canucks style. 

Mats Sundin is going back to the post-season. For the first time since 2004, when I was, like, five years old. It's been a long, long time. Excitement is there.

Mats may not win the Stanley Cup with the Canucks. I know that. I'm just glad he's getting the chance...

PS: It's not Leafs, Sundin, or Canucks related, but remember to vote in the new poll.

Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers

I don't have much to say. The Toronto Maple Leafs have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. I'm in mourning. Sure, they beat the Flyers, but really, who cares? 

Forty Creek. On the rocks. To celebrate the Leafs' futility, that is the drink of choice. For a few days, at least. (Thanks, Michael Knight; 40, you have to have a glass of this with us.) 

Like my man Brian Burke said, not making the playoffs, low expectations be damned, still feels like a kick to the groin.

How about some music, instead?

Jeru the Damaja's verse, the final one, might be my favourite of all-time. It's that good.

I have faith that Brian Burke will most certainly make sure that playing for the Maple Leafs is "survival of the fittest."

Here's to next year, and making the God damn playoffs.

Bring on them Blue Jays ...

Because we could all ...

... use some more Katt Williams in our lives:

One of the Toronto Blue Jays should use that song this year at the Rog.

I was thinking Alex Rios, although he is partial to his Latino beats.

Even B.J. Ryan, 87 MPH heater and all. Because he'll still be hustlin'. Kind of. 

But I've got to go with Vernon Wells. It's a track fitting for the season he is about to have ...

More Pops!!!!1

The legend of Mensah-Bonsu continues to grow ...

Sick, eh? I loved the little stroll Pops went for after he slammed it home. Seriously, how could anyone not like him?

My friends at Hoop Heads North are all about Pops as well. Make sure you check them out during your travels on the information highway; they're good people.

So, four wins in a row for the Craptors. Much like their cousins at the ACC, it's too little, too late. Alas, at least we've got Pops to enjoy ...

Deep Thoughts: The Leafs are the Bruins' Bitches

If there was any doubt that Brian Burke and the Toronto Maple Leafs need to re-sign Martin Gerber, there shouldn't be anymore, not after last night ...

Justin Pogge's .844 save percentage is downright pathetic.  Small sample size be damned. Drafted in 2004, Pogge is still not ready for prime time, and I'm truly beginning to wonder if he ever will be. How he performs for the Toronto Marlies in the playoffs (!!!!1) is going to say a lot about him. The pressure is on ...

The Boston Bruins took five of six from the Leafs this season. I hate the Bs. Especially Milan Lucic. And by "especially Milan Lucic" I mean I'd love to see him in the blue and white ...

The Bruins have allowed 95 fewer goals than the Leafs this season. Ninety-five! Sure, they're the best team in the Eastern Conference, but that's fucked up ...

The Leafs' 271 goals allowed is worst in the NHL. Other than the forever pathetic Atlanta Thrashers, who have allowed 262, no team comes close to that number ...

Some good news: Alex Ponikarovsky scored his career-high 22nd and 23rd goals of the season last night, and Niklas Hagman hit the 20-goal mark with the 100th goal of his career. Both of them are rudeys. My Poni-love post is coming down the pipe. Stay tuned ...

Mikhail Grabovski's Mickey Grabs' personal March Madness (two more assists last night; 14 points in March) has been HUGE for my fantasy hockey team ...

Toronto's won only 14 games at home this season. Only the hapless Tampa Bay Lightning have won fewer games on home ice. For shame ...

Is there a better camera shot than of Brian Burke with his binos, watching Luke Schenn pummel Steve Montador? Burke is boss. Literally ...

You know what really breaks my heart? The fact that the Paul Maurice led Carolina Hurricanes are going to make the playoffs (!!!!1). That's some bullshit ...

After this, another, clusterfuck of a season, I will never again take good goaltending and solid penalty killing for granted. I promise ...

Thieves in the Night

This one's for my man Lloyd the Barber ...

Black Star. Making me choose between it and Reflection Eternal is akin to making me choose between Mats Sundin and Dougie Gilmour, or Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky. There is no right or wrong answer.

The following is from Wikipedia:

The title [Black Star] is a reference to a shipping line founded by Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey ...

The centrepiece of the album, "Thieves in the Night," was inspired by author Toni Morrison's novel The Bluest Eye. In the album's liner notes, Kweli explains that the paragraph "struck me as one of the truest critiques of our society, and I read that in high school when I was 15 years old. I think it is especially true in the world of hip hop, because we get blinded by these illusions." The excerpt interpolated in the song is as follows:

And fantasy it was, for we were not strong, only aggressive; we were not free, merely licensed; we were not compassionate, we were polite; not good but well-behaved. We courted death in order to call ourselves brave, and hid like thieves from life.

And the version on the track:

"Not strong, only aggressive/Not free, we only licensed/Not compassionate, only polite (now who the nicest?)/Not good but well behaved/Chasin' after death so we can call ourselves brave, still livin' like mental slaves/Hiding like thieves in the night from life/Illusions of oasis making you look twice.

Amazing, eh?

There's more. Check out the following. Mos Def and live jazz music is an incredible combination ...

Mos and Kweli released Black Star back in 1998. Should the two of them return to the studio to make another album together, it would be like your favourite team winning a championship, 11 years after their first title. Needless to say, it would be a beautiful thing.

Deep Thoughts...

Chris Bosh, a deadbeat dad? Let's hope not. No matter what happens, his problems will never be as bad as Travis Henry's ...

Rob Iracane of the fine Walkoff Walk, where Lloyd the Barber of Ghostrunner on First fame (read this; I guarantee you'll subscribe to GoF when you're done) resides on the weekends, thinks the Toronto Blue Jays will finish last in the AL East this season. He's wrong. Simple as that ...

Points wise, Jason Blake is having the second-best season of his career. Fist pumps all around. They're on me ...

Dave Feschuk and Michael Grange have written a book called "Leafs AbomiNation." It will be sold for $19.67. Of the two authors, which do you think thought of the sticker price? ...

Sobering statistic alert: Post NHL lockout, I'm talking almost four full seasons, Toronto Maple Leafs goalies have 10 shutouts. Columbus' Steve Mason recorded his tenth of this season last night against Calgary ...

Incredibly joyous statistic alert: Andrew Raycroft allowed four goals on eight shots Wednesday night against Anaheim. Raycrap's save percentage, at .889, is now lower than Vesa Toskala's .891. I told you, the universe is wise ...

I can admit it: I'm officially worried about the Jays' rotation. But Toronto's still winning the pennant. It's going to be quite the fairytale-like story. Something to tell the grand kids ...

I believe Pavel Kubina will still be a Maple Leaf come training camp in September. And I wouldn't be opposed to him wearing the captain's "C"next season ...

The NHL's MVP debate is heating up. I love Alexander Ovechkin, but Geno Malkin gets my meaningless vote ...

Right about now is when I get really sick and tired of spring training. I can't wait until opening day. If you're looking for a ticket, holla at ya boy, I've got plenty ...

The Blast

This blog needs some music.

Every now and again, I'm going to drop some tunes around here via my good friend, YouTube. Music that I'm feeling. And some Toronto-specific content, of course. Why not, right? 

First are foremost, one of the tracks that made me fall in love with hip hop, real hip hop, "The Blast" by Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek, off the most incredible "Reflection Eternal."

I would argue until my final hours that "Reflection" is one of the greatest hip hop albums. Ever. 

Enjoy:

"Even when we suffer losses, I count the victory." Amen, Kweli. I think that's something all of us Toronto sports fans can relate to. 

Trust me, go out and pick up a copy of "Reflection Eternal." Don't download it. Buy it. It's worth every penny.

Leaving on a high note...

In five minutes and 57 seconds of stellar relief work off the bench, followed by a perfect performance in the shootout, Curtis Joseph made up for a season's worth of horrendous backup goaltending.

That wasn't the Cujo of 2008/2009 who replaced Martin Gerber between the pipes last night. No sir. That was Cujo, circa 1998/1999. The Cujo who never finished a season in Toronto with a save percentage lower than .906.

Thrust into a tie game with less than a minute to play in regulation, Joseph made a great save on an Alexander Ovechkin one-timer to send the game to overtime. He then made eight saves in the extra session, a number of them of the difficult variety on a Washington power play.

It was something else. The crowd was on its feet in appreciation of Cujo's heroic efforts. It was 1999 all over again.

In the skills competition to decide the game, Joseph shut the door on Nicklas Backstrom, Alexander Semin, and Ovie. Another standing ovation. Two. On a Tuesday night. Unreal.

Speaking of the shootout, it's been a lot more fun to watch this season, hasn't it? Amazing how much more enjoyable it becomes when the Leafs aren't complete and utter failures at it.

And I'm with the General; loved Gerber's passion last night.

In a perfect world, Curtis Joseph announces his retirement from the NHL today. As Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza taught us, it's all about showmanship. And talk about leaving on a high note.

It's been tough to watch Cujo this season, a shell of the incredible goaltender he once was. But for one more night, he was phenomenal, and I can't think of a better way for him to leave the game behind.

His performance last night; that's how I'll remember Cujo as a Toronto Maple Leaf.

And, most unfortunately...

The good die young. Way too young.

You will be missed, John Brattain. "Best Regards," indeed...