Why They Hate J.P.

From an article on TSN.ca, about why the Toronto Blue Jays should pass on Marco Scutaro:

"In other words, the Blue Jays need to tread carefully before they offer a contract to a 34-year old player who is coming off what author Malcolm Gladwell would classify as an 'outlier' season - formally known as a career-year. ... To make an example that is recently relevant to the Blue Jays would easily be the signing of Frank Thomas. Let's be clear, I'm not comparing Thomas to Scutaro as players, but rather their circumstances. When the Jays inked Thomas to his two-year, $18 million contract in 2006, he was coming off a rather unexpectedly good season that saw him hit 39 home runs after the Oakland A's picked him up off the scrap heap following a nasty parting of ways with the White Sox. We all know how that story ended in April of 2008, with the Jays releasing the 'Big Hurt' and paying him for the rest of that season."

Now, I'm not saying the Thomas signing was all sunshine and lollipops, but TSN can't publish that article without the fact that Thomas hit .277/.377./.480 in 2007. Twenty-six home runs, and 95 RsBI. Both led the team. An .857 OPS.

I guess Daan De Kerpel just forgot.

Tim Lincecum Is Good

Do you remember that Tim Lincecum guy? Starting pitcher, San Francisco Giants? You know, the guy Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi tried to acquire over the winter, by offering San Fran Alex Rios? Yeah, that guy. He's, uh, doing pretty well this season.

With Lincecum's freakish delivery set to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated this week, and rumours flying around that he's going to be the starting pitcher for the National League at the All-Star game, I thought it might be interesting to see how he's doing over in the Bay Area. Things might certainly be different in T.O. had the Lincecum/Rios trade gone through.

First of all, this post is not meant to demean Alex Rios. I heart Rios. I think he's one of baseball's best up-and-coming stars, and he's got a bright, bright future in the game. I'm more than glad we got his name on a long-term contract.

But Rios, like the rest of his Blue Jays brethren, has severely underperformed this season. His struggles have been well documented. We're 85 games into the campaign and Rios has only four home runs and 33 RsBI. I know, home runs and runs batted it aren't everything, but this was supposed to be Rios' breakout season, where he entrenched himself into baseball's upper echelon of star players. It's been extremely disappointing, as he's looked lost at the plate on too many occasions.

Want to know just how bad it has been for Rios? He's hit one more home run than Frank Thomas in a Blue Jays uniform this season.

And Frank Thomas was released on April 20th.

It simply hasn't happened for Rios this year, and I don't know why. Both his batting average (.284) and on-base percentage (.337) numbers are down from '06 and '07, and he's struck out 77 times already this season, most on the team by a comfortable margin. While he has stolen an impressive 21 bases, at the end of the day his .734 OPS simply isn't cutting it. Rios must improve his numbers in the second half.

As for Tim Lincecum, he's dominating the senior circuit. With all signs pointing to A.J. Burnett being traded before the July 31st trade deadline, or opting out of his contract come season's end, Timothy LeRoy Lincecum would look awfully, awfully, good in a Blue Jays uniform right now, and in the years to come. Oh, what might have been.

In only his second year in the big leagues, Lincecum is making Giants general manager Brian Sabean look like a smart man for holding on to him. And this is the same Sabean who threw a ton of money at Barry Zito. Barry fucking Zito.

Here are Lincecum's 2008 stats:

W-L: 10-1
Innings pitched: 115.2
ERA: 2.49
WHIP: 1.24
Strikeouts: 122
Walks: 44
Opponents batting average: .236

The Ks really stand out. For a scrawny kid with a strange delivery, Lincecum can throw some serious heat.

After his rookie campaign in which he showed so much promise, Lincecum is proving he's the real deal. You've simply got to tip your cap to Sabean and the Giants. They thought long and hard over the Rios deal, but in the end, it looks like they made the right decision.

I leave you with a link to Tom Verducci's excellent Sports Illustrated piece on "The Freak." Verducci is good people. Check out the layout.

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.

Bye Bye Big Hurt

This just in from the Holy Shit Department: Frank Thomas has been released. After benching him yesterday afternoon, the Jays handed The Big Hurt is walking papers this morning. Colour me surprised. And perplexed.

I was going to write about Thomas' benching last night. I even had a title - "Trouble Brewin" - ready to go, in honour of the cancer that Frank was about to become in the Toronto clubhouse. It didn't happen and I woke up this morning, headed over to TSN.ca, and there it was. I guess the Jays had to act fast in order to keep the infection known as the Frank the Tank from spreading.

Thomas' release is all about $$$$$. When he signed his two-year, $18 million deal with Toronto in 2006, it included a $10 million option for 2009 based on plate appearances. Frank was healthy last season and healthy so far this season, and was inching ever so slowly to locking up that $10 million. Heading into game one of the season, he needed only 376 appearances in the batters box to do so.

The Jays will argue that the release is about production, not dollars. They have a point, although I'm not sure it's enough to convince me. Thomas is a notoriously slow starter. He was atrocious last year in April and May, and was up to his same old tricks to start this season. In 16 games, and 60 at-bats, Thomas was batting .167 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in. Eight of those ribbies came in the home-opening series against the Red Sox, when the Jays swept Boston out of town, large in part to Thomas. Other than that series, he's been a non-factor.

Thomas will be 40 years old on May 27. There have been rumours about his decline being permanent and age-induced. His bat speed has simply slowed down, and it's not coming back.

Thomas was livid after yesterday's benching. I can't really blame him.

"They told me that I'm not playing. Gibby told me that he can't guarantee that I'll be in the lineup."

"They do that after 16 games, after 60 at-bats. That's bullshit. We all know what's behind this. What else could be behind this but the money?"

"What the fuck is that, with my track record, they know what I can do. I tried to be the nice guy, the gentleman. I've kept my mouth shut."

"But I know I can hit. One good week and I'd be back on top. I know I haven't hit the ball that well but I'm not the only fucking player. Look at (Gary) Sheffield with Detroit, (David) Ortiz with Boston. I know I can hit, that I can get on fire."

"But I didn't expect this at all. This is a shocker. It's terrible. Don't tell me I can't help this team win. If they don't want me here, then why not just cut me and then they wouldn't have to worry about the $10 million next year?"

Clearly Thomas was pissed. And clearly Thomas can predict the future. His tenure in a Jays jersey is over.

This is a tough one for me to swallow. I think Thomas makes a good point about Sheffield, Ortiz and Jim Thome. He's certainly not the only designated hitter stinking up the joint. I thought Hurt was going to be a big part of a Blue Jays playoff push this season. Not anymore. It looks like Matt Stairs, who is batting a very tidy .333, will take over the DH duties, along with Rod Barajas. And it's assumed that Adam Lind will get the call from Syracuse. Lind has been ripping it up in AAA but if he comes back up to the big club and swings at everything, I'm going to be pissed.

I'm sure this was a tough decision for the Jays brass. At least I hope it was. Tough decisions are easy to look back on. Like, say, picking Shannon Stewart over Reed Johnson. Stewart's batting .235 with only one extra base hit and four runs batted in. Johnson, on the other hand, is enjoying his new surroundings in Chicago, batting .349 with seven runs batted in. At the end of the season if the Jays haven't received 20-plus home runs and 90 RsBI from the DH position, I think this move will have been a mistake. It's cut and dry for me.

There is definitely a sense of urgency when it comes to the 2008 Blue Jays, another reason why Thomas is a goner. They couldn't afford to wait for him to heat up, and that's why he's no longer part of the team. With a record of 9-9 after 18 games, the Jays know they can't fall too far behind in the standings. The Red Sox are already beginning to heat up, 8-and-2 in their last 10, and in first place in the AL East with a 12-7 record.

As you can see, I'm conflicted about Thomas' release. I understand why it was done, but don't agree with it 100% either. What if Scott Rolen gets injured again? What if Stairs can't keep up his pace? What if Lind can't get the job done? These are the questions that haunt me. At the end of the day, the Jays chose to eliminate 26 home runs and 97 runs batted in from their lineup.

And I'm not sure I agree with how they went about it, either. Thomas is a sure-fire Hall of Famer, after all. Does that entitle him to more respect than another player? I'm not sure. That's a tough one. But Thomas is among elite company. He's one of only four players in baseball history to hit for an average of at least .300, swat 500 home runs, score 1,500 RsBI, 1,000 runs, and tally 1,500 walks. The other three? Mel Ott, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams. Elite company, indeed.

No doubt Thomas is going to have a lot to say about his release. And it isn't going to be pretty. It should be interesting to see how it all shakes down today and in the coming days. It's a shame it had to come to this. But I wish him well. Thank you, Frank Thomas. Good luck to you, mate.

I'm So Excited And I Just Can't Hide It

I'm beginning to get super excited about the 2008 Toronto Blue Jays. Sure, the uber-long baseball season is only six games old, but it seems there's something different about this Jays team.

It's true, folks - I'm thinking playoffs. Yes, Already. I've got visions of a pennant dancing in my head.

After playing well in the season-opening series against the New York Yankees but winning only one of three in the Bronx, the Jays came home and swept the road-weary Boston Red Sox right out of town. It was a statement sweep. A "we aren't going to finish third in the AL East" sweep. And I'm pumped up about it.

I was at the home opener on Friday night. It was a doozy. The Rogers Centre was full and the alcohol was certainly flowing. There were half-assed streakers, a few Massholes, and a ton of fights. Up in the 500 level where I was seated, Jays fans were even fighting each other. It was pretty ridiculous. The Jays fans-on-Jays fans violence has to stop.

Anyway, I'm tickled with excitement about the pitching staff. It has come as advertised: one of the best in the American League. Through six games, the Blue Jays sport a team ERA of 2.94. Only the Oakland A's and Kansas City Royals have been better on the mound and, well, we all know that ain't going to last.

To a man, the rotation has been solid. AJ Burnett was downright filthy in his start against New York, as was Dustin McGowan. Shaun Marcum, except for one bad pitch to JD Drew in the opener on Friday night, cut through the Red Sox lineup with disregard, striking out eight while only allowing three hits in seven innings. Even Jesse Litsch contributed. He battled against the Red Sox, gave up two runs in five innings of work and ended up getting the win on Saturday. What more do you want from your fifth starter?

If I'd have told you that Roy Halladay would have given up 15 hits in 15 innings of work in his first two starts, including four home runs, and the Jays would be 4-and-2 after six games against the two Evil Empire's, I think you'd be pretty pleased. I am, especially knowing that even when Doc isn't at the top of his game, the Jays can still pull out a victory.

The Jays have gotten quality starts almost across the board and when the bullpen has had to come in, they've been lights out. Brian Wolfe is the only reliever who's surrendered a run, and that came against New York. In 13 innings of relief the bullpen has allowed only that single run, while striking out 10. And we haven't even seen Brandon League yet.

Are you beginning to see why I'm excited?

The boys are hitting as well. After a sluggish start in New York, Toronto scored 23 runs in three games against Boston. Frank Thomas was the catalyst. He had an absolute monster series and finished with eight RBI.

I'm stoked about big Frank. He hit the game winning double in Friday's home opener, a two-run bomb to dead centre on Saturday afternoon, and added a grand slam in Sunday's series finale. And he looked about excited doing it as I am right now. His eight RBI now lead the American League.

Thomas already looks more comfortable in a Toronto uniform than he did last year, and is taking on more of a leadership role with the team. There was some serious fist-pumpage after his huge double on Friday night and upon entering the dugout after his grand slam on Sunday, Thomas was clearly emotional. He even got a curtain call, and I'm starting to see why those damn Yankee fans love it so much. It was pretty sweet.

Alex Rios and Aaron Hill have picked up where they left off last season, and it's hard not to be excited about their recent contract signings. They're both locked up for years to come and while the future in Toronto is certainly bright, I'm starting to believe that the future is now.

Vernon Wells isn't off to one of his no-no-no-notoriously bad starts, Marco Scutaro has been a pleasant addition and David Eckstein is one hard working dude. Who else sprints to first base on a walk?

And in a tell-tale sign that injuries may not wreak havoc on this team any more than they already have (knock on wood; I'm serious, do it), both John McDonald and Wells were able to stay in the game after a scary collision in centre field on Sunday.

Toronto, at 4-and-2, finds itself one game behind the American League leading Baltimore Orioles. Go ahead, take a second and have a good laugh over that one. It's not often you'll read "Baltimore Orioles" and "American League leading" in the same sentence. If there's ever been a sure bet in life, it's that the Orioles will not win the AL East.

But I digress. What makes Toronto's impressive start all the more encouraging is that the Jays have managed to do all of this without BJ Ryan and Scott Rolen, two very important pieces of the puzzle. I get giddy thinking what this team is going to be like when the two return.

Don't believe me when I tell you I'm excited? While the Jays were completing their sweep of the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon, I, along with my brother and two friends, purchased a 20-game Blue Jays tickets flex pack. But that's not all. Taking a page out of JP Ricciardi's book, we back-ended the flex pack, and bought seats to all the games versus the Red Sox and Yankees at home in September. Why? Because we smell a pennant race. This, my friends, is the year the Toronto Blue Jays return to the MLB playoffs.

In honour of the title of this post, and the Blue Jays' boner-inducing play early on this season, I leave you with a video from my youth. The video first of all proves that everything is available on YouTube. Secondly, it has a lot to do with my relationship with the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Toronto Maple Leafs as well, and the belief that they will make the playoffs every single year. It starts with a whole lot of excitement, leads to substance abuse, and culminates in one major breakdown. Enjoy!

Maybe Next Year

For the Toronto Blue Jays, mission make the playoffs has been replaced by, unfortunately, mission play out the stretch. The dream is dead for 2007, but the Jays are embracing the role of spoiler, and giving hope for 2008.

The Blue Jays started September with a sweep of the Seattle Mariners, and visions of the wildcard were dancing around in my head. Premature, I know. It's been all downhill ever since. The Jays haven't been mathematically eliminated just yet, but even a dreamer like me knows it's all over. They've only got their pride to play for now.

Meanwhile, the stumbling Boston Red Sox have come to town and been beaten twice by the Jays. Shout outs to Frank Thomas for his three homerun game on Monday night. Say what you want about The Big Hurt, but he's done his job. He leads the teams in home runs with 25, and runs batted in with 91. Yes, he may just be the slowest man in baseball, but he solidified the DH spot for this team. He's also managed to stay healthy all year. So don't hate. Thomas still has some juice left in the tank, and the Jays will need him to put the Big in "Big Hurt" next year.

Speaking of the Red Sox, is it possible that they could relinquish the AL East crown after owning it since April? Sure is! Don't look now, but the surging New York Yankees are only 2.5 games behind. Red Sox Nation will not be sleeping easy tonight, or for the next week or so. After the Jays finish their set with the Red Sox, they're off to the Bronx for four with the Yankees. I'm torn as to who to cheer for. I want the Jays to finish the season strong, but I would love to see the Red Sox choke on a division lead that was in double-digits only a month and a half ago.

And how bad has Eric Gagne been since he's donned the Red Sox uniform? He's certainly doing his best Josh Towers impersonation. In 13 innings Gagne has a 7.62 earned run average and batters are hitting the lights out off him, at a clip of .356. Frightening numbers. Josh Towers, eat your heart out.

The upcoming off-season is another important one for the Jays, although most of the team is going to come back. It was good to see B.J. Ryan on the field yesterday tossing a baseball. As great as Jeremy Accardo has been, I miss good old B.J. He's a presence out there.

As for Troy Glaus, I am utterly disgusted by the lack of respect the Blue Jays, and Glaus himself, have shown their fans and the game of baseball. It's just typical that after Glaus is implicated in a steroid scandal, his problematic foot is shut down and he's off for surgery, all before he gets an at-bat at home in Toronto. I was looking forward to him stepping up to the plate at the Rogers Centre and listening to the crowd boo him mercilessly. He deserves nothing less.

The Jays, nor Glaus, didn't even make a statement about the steroid allegations. Glaus gave the usual "no comment" and has left the team until next year. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. It's disgusting on the Jays' behalf. The least they can do is issue some sort of statement. In this situation, silence speaks louder than words, and Glaus is already guilty in my books. He's a disgrace.

The J.P. Ricciardi regime doesn't really seem to give a hoot about the fans. They constantly lie about injuries (B.J. Ryan's back problem turned out to be Tommy John elbow surgery) and their silence on the Glaus situation is ludicrous. The whole act is getting tired.

But, being the true homer that I am, I'm going to give J.P. Ricciardi and co. one more shot. Their last shot. 2008, and that's it. It's a trip to the playoffs or, as Donald Trump would put it, "You're fired!"

I'll be honest, watching a performance like the one by A.J. Burnett last night gives me hope. He was incredible - his fastball was clocked at 97 miles per hour in the 9th inning. In 59 and a third innings pitched since coming off the disabled list in mid-August, Burnett has only given up 13 earned runs. His 9-7 win/loss record, after last night, is deceiving. He's really taken Doc Halladay's lead and pitched his butt off for the Blue Jays. He sports a 3.40 earned run average and batters are hitting just a shade over .200 against him. He's been dominant, as advertised. His one and only goal in 2008 should be to pitch a full season - no more trips to the injured list. If he's healthy, and the offence give him enough support, I truly believe in my heart that he can win 20 games. It's in him, man.

It was also good to see Russ Adams stroke a clutch hit for the Jays. He brought home the go-ahead runs with a pinch hit double in the bottom of the 8th off Gagne. It was only the fourth time in 64 games that the Jays have come back when trailing after seven innings (ouch). Adams has become the forgotten man for the Jays - I feel for the guy. This corner wouldn't mind him playing third base for the Jays next year - that right there should tell you just how much I am disgusted with Troy Glaus.

Eleven more games to go before the book is closed on another third-place finish. J.P. Ricciardi has one more year, one more chance, to deliver a playoff berth. This year I'll let it slide, but third place won't be tolerated anymore. It just isn't good enough.

Here's to the Toronto Blue Jays. They are, after all, my team - for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in good times and in bad times, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part...

Everything Man

Toronto Blue Jays broadcaster Jamie Campbell hit the nail right on the head with this one: "Where would the Toronto Blue Jays be this season without Matt Stairs?"

His signing was an afterthought. It came in December, the middle of the off-season, to no fanfare and certainly no press conference. In fact, it was only a minor league contract worth $850,000.

Yet here we are in September, with the Toronto Blue Jays wrapping up another season, and Matt Stairs has hit two fewer home runs than Frank Thomas, the $10 million dollar man and the Jays' big-ticket signing of the off-season.

Stairs has done everything and more for the Jays this season. He's been phenomenal. At 39 years old, he's hitting a career high .311 with 19 home runs and 55 runs batted in. It's his best statistical output since he clubbed 27 home runs and batted .294 with the Oakland A's back in 1998. It's official, Matt Stairs has found the fountain of youth.

Not bad for a journeyman outfielder who was only supposed to see limited action this season with Toronto. He's actually appeared in over 100 games now, and I'll tell you where the Jays would be without him, Jamie Campbell - in third place in the AL East division. Oh, wait, they are in third place, never mind. In all seriousness, they'd be in a whole lot of trouble without the clutch-hitting Matt Stairs. He and Alex Rios have been the only two sluggers to hit consistently on a team that was supposed to score a lot of runs.

When Reed Johnson had back surgery, Stairs took over in left field. When Lyle Overbay went down with a broken hand, Stairs took over at first base. When Frank Thomas was swinging his bat like a 12-year-old school girl, Stairs gave him the night off. When the Jays needed a pinch hit, Stairs stepped up and delivered.

He's a Canadian boy who always dreamt of playing at home, and he's made the most of his opportunity. He leads the Jays in batting average (.311), on-base percentage (.384), slugging (.611), and OPS (an out of this world .995). I like to think of Stairs as a Frank Catalanotto type hitter, only with power. A "professional hitter." But he's also got a mean streak - and I love a good mean streak. When the Jays and Yankees cleared benches last month, Stairs looked like he was going to bust a cap in A-Rod's $25 million dollar behind. He's fiery, and I dig that.

With the Jays sitting six and a half games out of the wild card, and dreams of the post-season hanging by the thinnest of threads, it's getting harder to support the JP Ricciardi regime. I keep trying to stay positive, and envision a playoff spot, like in "The Secret." If I think about it long enough, it will happen, or so the logic goes, right?

I'll take the positives out of this season, Matt Stairs being one of them, and I know a lot of teams are going to go hard after him when this season is said and done, but Ricciardi better bring back Stairs next year, otherwise he's going to have a lot of 'splainin to do.

Talib Kweli, the world's greatest rapper, has got a track off his new album Eardrum called "Everything Man." I hope my man Matt Stairs gives it a listen.

Give it up for Matt Stairs - in a season full of struggles, he's one of the few guys who deserves it.

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...

Don't Worry, It's On Ted...

Frank Thomas, the newest member of the Toronto Blue Jays. That one certainly came out of left field. Most definitely took me by surprise. It's been about 24 hours since the rumour broke that Thomas and the Jays are close to a deal. Reports out of Florida say that pending a Thomas physical, the deal is all but done and will be announced Friday.

In that case, let me be the first to welcome The Big Hurt to the great city of Toronto. A great place for him to play out the rest of what has been a solid career. Looks like J.P. Ricciardi has surprised Toronto, and the baseball world, once again.

When I first heard the news I was, first of all, very surprised. It was just so unexpected. Once I picked up my jaw off the floor I was able to say, "Yeah, one of the Jays' biggest holes is at designated hitter."

I don't care how old Thomas is - 38 by the way. I don't care that last year was his first injury free season in the last three years. Right now, all I care about is his 37 home runs and 100+ rbi's. Honestly, none of the past matters. Not to me. Not right now, anyway. I'm looking at this signing with pure, 100% optimism. JP just added another big bat to an already potent line-up.

Now most of the comments I've heard in regards to this signing have been negative. The majority of Torontonian's who follow the Jays with a passion are ripping JP for this deal. I've heard all the regular ones:

"He's too old. He's too injury prone. What is JP thinking? Why didn't we get Zito? What about Lilly? Why didn't we keep Delgado a few years ago?"

And my favourite one of all: "How could we give him $10 million!?!?"

I just don't get why people are so fixated on the salary. Really, who cares? Is the money coming out of our pockets? No. Not at all. This is Ted Rogers' money, and if he wants to spend it on putting a solid team together, who are we to argue and complain about the salary. Bob McCown is dead on - the Jays can pay him $20 million for all I care. It doesn't matter.

Now I know I'll get some people saying his salary will be reflected in Jays ticket prices, or concession prices. Something. Anything. But the truth is, even if the Jays raise tickets by $1, is that going to stop you from heading out to the Rogers Centre to watch a game? Give me a break. You know that by going to a game, you're going to spend a certain amount of coin, even if the team is crap. You know how much a ticket goes for, on average, and you know you're going to be paying too much for food. Ticket prices are always going up, and the Jays haven't been to the playoffs since my bloody youth. I'm 24. I'll pay a few extra bucks the one or two times I go watch a game if it means we make the playoffs.

Now I know it's dangerous to manage a team using the Leafs "pick up a veteran 5 years removed from his best season" mentality. It's definitely a gamble. A gamble worth $20 million. But seriously, come up with a better excuse as to why you think Thomas should not be a Blue Jay. Don't mention the money, and we can have a decent discussion on the topic. It's going on Ted's tab, so lets not go crazy over the amount, ok?

Now there are viable viewpoints out there, as to why this is not a good signing. I've heard someone say that the Jays lineup is already strong enough, why add another bat? Now my take on the situation is this: everyone knows pitching is, and always will be, at a premium. It's tough to put together a solid starting rotation. Even the Yankees and Red Sox, who have the deepest pockets in baseball, can't put together a great rotation on the regular. It's simply difficult to do. In light of that, Boston this week payed some Japanese ballclub $51 million just to NEGOTIATE a contract with a Japanese import pitcher, who's clearly the next best thing since sliced bread. That is an absoloutely ridiculous amount of money, and it clearly highlights the problems in baseball's economic system.

The thing that pisses me off is, first of all, that we are stuck in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox. I read an SI piece about how it's incredible that the Red Sox call the Yanks the "Evil Empire" when they conduct business the same way as the boys from NYC. They're both "Evil Empires" and how in hell are the Jays supposed to compete with these guys? It's infuriating. That's one thing I like about JP Ricciardi. He's trying. He's doing all he can. Last year we "overpaid" BJ Ryan and AJ Burnett, but once again, WHO CARES? JP's not creating the market. The market is being set by teams like the Yankees and Red Sox, who pay anyone anything.

The $51 million paid by Boston to the Japanese team WILL NOT COUNT AGAINST THEIR PAYROLL and therefore the Rex Sox will not be taxed for it under baseball's luxury tax system. They just paid an amount that would probably equal the payrolls of both the Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates, to negotiate with a player. And teams like the Royals, Pirates, and Jays, won't see a penny out of that, even though revenue sharing exists. It's absurd. I could go on, but that's my point - baseball spending is out of control, and unless the fans want to watch the team sit around and do NOTHING, we have to pay free agents like Frank Thomas the money the market defines for them. If JP could get Thomas for $5 million, I'm sure he would.

Back to my point - pitching is at a premium. All pitchers get overpaid. Wait and see the amount of money thrown at Ted Lilly, who's nothing more than a 3rd or 4th starter, with a career record hovering around .500. The Jays can't afford to match the Yanks and Red Sox when they offer pitchers ridiculous amounts of money. We just can't do it. Now we've got 2 really good pitchers, and a decent third starter. We'd love to get Lilly back, but the odds are not in our favour. If the pitching is too expensive, we might as well try and assemble the most powerful lineup that we can. The Jays already boasted an incredible offense, and with the hole at DH thanks to the departure of Shea Hillenbrand, who better to fill it than The Big Hurt? Wells, Rios, Glaus, Overbay, Thomas. It's the Toronto BOMB Jays!

We can't afford the best pitchers. We've already got the best in Doc Halladay, and if AJ Burnett can pitch how he did in the final two months of the season, Toronto will have a formidable one-two punch in the rotation. So I applaude JP for going out and signing another big bat. Why the hell not?

JP's still got lots of work to do though. Frank Catalanatto, Justin Speier, Bengie Molina, Ted Lilly and Gregg Zaun are all free agents. Supposedly JP has been talking to Rod Barajas' agent. I wouldn't mind him as our new catcher. I'm good with any of those three - Zaun, Molina or Barajas. My gut tells me Zaun will be back. I was hoping The Cat would be back in the fold but with the signing of Thomas, I doubt it. I think Reed Johnson is ready to play everyday, anyway, so I thank The Cat for his service, and wish him well. I'm really hoping there's someway we can get Speier and Lilly back, although retaining both of them seems difficult. Brandon League was lights out last season, and if Speier does end up with another team, League is going to have to step into the set-up role and take care of business.

There's also the business of assessing the middle infield. Have the Blue Jays given up on Russ Adams? I know a lot of people have. I think I'm one of them, although I don't mind giving him one last shot to become an everyday second basemen.

I love the off-season, for all these reasons and more. I also heard the Jays are interested in Mark Mulder. He'll definitely come cheaper than Ted Lilly, and of what I remember of him from his days in Oakland, I'd love to see him in a Jays uniform.

Will JP resign Vernon long term? I think it's pretty clear the Jays won't be trading him in the off-season. I think that's wise. He's under contract for next year, we might as well keep him. He's amazing. Every night before I turn in, I pray to God that Vernon will sign an extension. But I'm not going to hold my breath.

Frank Thomas, welcome to Toronto. People might be hating, but I'm happy your here.

If you're out there and reading, leave a comment and tell me what you think about the newest member of the Blue Jays family.

Oh, and thanks, Mr. Rogers.

Goodnight, Toronto...