The Doctor Is Out (Of Toronto, That Is).

2459.JPGI wasn’t sure how I was going to do this – this being the goodbye post for righthanded pitcher Harry Leroy Halladay, a.k.a. “Doc” to his numerous fans and admirers.  I thought about writing an open letter, which seems a little overwrought and sappy to me – if I’m writing to someone, I mean it for their eyes only.  The fact that you’re reading this now lessens that sentiment – no offence to you all, as I’m glad someone out there is reading anything I write, period.  I thought about analyzing the deal which would net the Blue Jays a few prospects, but that would be done to death by others more well-versed and qualified than I, so that option was out.  I also thought ranting about another star athlete leaving Toronto for so-called greener pastures – Vince Carter, Damon Stoudamire, Mats Sundin, Curtis Joseph, Carlos Delgado and Roger Clemens, I’m looking at all of you – but that would just come off as whiny.  Besides, Doc’s departure was something that was a rarity; the team had to do right for the athlete this time.  A player of his caliber, who had contributed his all to the first team that drafted him, deserved a better fate.  The Blue Jays of recent times aren’t really that competitive, not even within sniffing distance of a postseason, much less winning a title in a city that hasn’t won a major pro sporting championship since 1993. 

What am I going to remember about Halladay in a Blue Jays uniform?  Consistency, excellence and focus.  Every time I saw him pitch, you could count on the game going quite swiftly and the opposition’s bats go silent that night.  If ever I brought someone to a Blue Jays game who was a bit of a neophyte to baseball, I’d try to make sure that game was started by Halladay so that they’d witness a ballplayer at the top of their game.  I’ll also remember that for the longest time, he was the only superstar on the Blue Jays.  Halladay eschewed the spotlight and was quite mum on receiving praise that was so richly deserved for his efforts; his focus was on the game, and not the laurels that followed his performance.

The first game I remember seeing him pitch was the 2002 home opener against the Twins, a 7-2 Blue Jays decision that netted him his first win of the season.  There wasn’t anything special or noteworthy about that game – he didn’t throw a 95+ mph fastball, or strike out over ten batters – he was just coolly efficient, doing enough to win the game.  And that’s the way he pitched during his time in Toronto, regardless of whom else was on his team.  Halladay did enough to win, and that’s all a fan can ask for out of a player.  Unfortunately, his teammates around him didn’t live up to that kind of unnamed edict, and the team was never a playoff contender despite Doc’s burgeoning career in a Blue Jays uniform.

The last game I saw him pitch for Toronto was during the last homestand of the 2009 season against Seattle.  Once again, he was a master of efficiency, shutting out the Mariners in a complete-game 5-0 win.  I remember that ninth inning, standing and cheering, hoping that feeling would never end, along with his career in Toronto.  Reality was soon setting in, with a hint of dread that this may be the last time he would toe the rubber for the Blue Jays.  I thought to myself that the next time I would probably see Doc pitch, it’d be in a visiting uniform.   I was hoping – the inner child in me was hoping – that it wouldn’t be the case in 2010, that I would see this lanky right-hander take the mound on Opening Night in Texas.

But that idea was dashed, with the events of the past 72 hours proclaiming a deal had finally been struck to send Halladay to a playoff contender.  The official announcement of the trade today and which players involved won’t soften the blow of his departure, but it will bring some closure to a process that started about six months ago.  I’m not going to harp on how good the deal is for either the Mariners, Phillies, or Blue Jays – but I’m glad Doc got his due and is bound for a team that has a real chance at winning, something that wasn’t going to take place in Toronto.  So thanks for the memories, Doc – and all of us in Toronto hope to see you get that World Series championship.

Hero/Idol? Actually, neither.

A few weeks ago, my friend Mark and I were walking around downtown Toronto. We were headed to Smoke’s Poutinerie for a bite when he asked me this question (the block parentheses – are that’s what they’re called? – mean I’m paraphrasing his words):

“[I know] you like baseball a lot; [which player] would you say is your hero?”

Now, to those who don’t know the history between Mark and I, the both of us like asking each other hypotheticals and various inane questions that reveal snippets and soupçons of our personalities, while leaving much room for debate. Which Jessica – Biel or Alba – would you prefer; which movie is Will Ferrell’s best one; or which DC character we’re partial to following in their respective graphic novels/trades?  We’ve filled many hours of conversation that way. (For the record, my answers are as follows: Alba, a tie between Step Brothers and Blades Of Glory, and Batgirl [Cassandra Cain].)

Mark really doesn’t care much for baseball; the one baseball game I took him to gave him the snores, back in 2004. Granted, it was a Rays-Jays matchup when both teams were fighting for the cellar, but still…I’ve never asked him to go to a ball game since. But we’re still friends.

Anyways, his “hero” question got me thinking. I told him I couldn’t answer that question. While I hold a high level of respect for what athletes do on the field, I can’t say that their athletic feats, while at times other-worldly, are ultimately heroic or worthy of hero-worship. Sure, they provide thrills and memories…but those are fleeting. I then asked him to define a hero, but he furrowed his brow and pressed his question in a different way:

“Okay, then [which player] do you idolize?”

I told him again, I couldn’t answer that because, personally, I think the word or term, “idol”, is quite dangerous. I try to make it a habit of not putting people on pedestals just because their talents in a certain field are far superior to mine. That’s what I think idolatry stems from – maybe those repeated viewings of The Ten Commandments in my Roman Catholic elementary school really stayed with me. Don’t get me wrong – I can recognize that Ichiro has one of the most beautiful hitting strokes in baseball, and that Mariano Rivera has the most devastating cut fastball, and I am amazed by and respect their talent. But thinking that their ability is ultimately heroic or life-saving? Baseball is only a game, after all, and I take it as such – but it still sucks when the team I cheer for loses.

I gave Mark sort of an answer to his question; I rattled off a number of players I liked as a kid, ones whom I tried to emulate their batting stance. I’ve mentioned in a previous entry I imitated former Blue Jays slugger George Bell, and then there was his contemporary in Minnesota – Puck. Twins centerfielder Kirby Puckett (may he rest in peace, after passing away in 2006) was the Blue Jays’ bane in the 1991 playoffs, guiding his team to an eventual World Series championship after eliminating Toronto. I liked his hustle on the basepaths; his stout, bowling-ball physique (think of Buddha wielding a bat and having a career .300+ batting average), and the fact that he was a heck of a hitter. He seemed like a genial, good-natured fellow; in every photo you’d see of Puckett, he was smiling broadly from ear to ear. I even bought his autobiography! My family affectionately named my younger brother “Kirby” because he resembled the roly-poly player’s mien and mood, not to mention physique.

By now everyone’s heard about Tiger Woods and his domestic troubles; witnessing the coverage since the incident at Woods’ Florida home reminded me of Puckett’s domestic dispute laid for public consumption about six years ago. I remember the day I read the cover story of Puckett’s secret life in Sports Illustrated; I felt quite taken, like I was emotionally conned. I had gotten over the sad way his career had ended (glaucoma in his eye), but during his retirement press conference, he seemed upbeat as ever. I placed a trust in him, and I could say back then I idolized the guy because he seemed great in all facets of his life – not just on the diamond. Puckett, during his playing days, seemed like someone I could look up to and whose example I could follow. After hearing about Puckett’s post-career exploits and reading the SI article, which I still have, I felt betrayed. It was also then I realized that people placed in the public spotlight, while revered and loved for their abilites and talents, are still people at the end of the day. I realized Puckett was just as human as I, and would make gross errors in judgment that I would learn from and not have to follow.

I also learned from Puckett’s transgressions that I had to learn how to separate the performer from the person. I can, for example, still cheer on a one-hitter from “Doc” Halladay and appreciate the talent and effort he puts forth in every appearance. I can’t make a total judgment on the man as a whole because I don’t know him from beyond what he does on the diamond, the sound bites he gives to the radio or print media, or whatever face time he gives the cameras. I also had to put in perspective that while Puck’s baseball ablilities were outstanding, his actions off the field were not. I also wondered to myself, by cheering Puckett on the ballfield, does that mean I give consent to the person’s actions off the field? I’m still not sure on that.   All I know is that Puckett was a great ballplayer, but as a person, he was as far from greatness as anyone could be.

 
After I told Mark my tale of non-idol, non-hero worship, I thought again to myself, maybe he just wanted to know who were the best ballplayers I’d ever watch play (that’s another blog for another day).  If he had asked that in the first place, maybe my mind would never have wandered to thoughts of Puck, I thought, as I chomped down on my prime beef poutine.  Oh, for those not in the know – poutine is a concoction of fries topped with cheese curds and gravy.  Delicious. 

The First Time.

 

navas_camping.jpgWhen did I start becoming a Blue Jays fan, much less a baseball one? Not out of diapers, as most of you would believe. At the time I was a kid who religously followed The Transformers/G.I. Joe hour-long animated series, the WWF and subscribed to Marvel Comics; sports was as foreign to me as my then newly-emigrated Filipino grandmother I called Lola. I didn’t even know what baseball was until 1987 – at the time, the year of the home run. Gopher balls were flying out fast & furious at a pace unprecendented; some rookie on the A’s named Mark McGwire was knocking on Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 61 home runs. Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven would set a record for most homers allowed in a single season by a starting pitcher. And it was upon this backdrop that I remember watching my first Blue Jays game – not in person, but on tv – and George Bell became the player whom I would designate my favourite Blue Jay at that time. As it stands, he’s still up there on that list. And I’ll tell you why; Bell made me discover baseball.

My older brother, who had signed up for baseball, was already a big Blue Jays fan. He had the hats, the pennants, he collected all sorts of material Blue Jays related. He even had the “7-disc called “The Ballad of Tom ‘The Terminator’ Henke” which was a bouncy, country-type number about the lights-out closer of the Toronto bullpen. But it never caught onto me yet, despite how up-and-coming the team was; I was still dreaming up hypotheticals between battles of certain Autobots and Decepticons. I was part of a t-ball team, but I wasn’t really into it.

My Blue Jays discovery happened by accident; they were playing on a mid-August night, against the A’s in Oakland. Seeing as the game was taking place on the West Coast, both my older brother and father were watching the game on The Sports Network (Canada’s only answer to ESPN at the time). Since they got to stay up late to watch the game, I figured I should get in on this night-owl action.

I don’t remember much of the game that took place that night. I don’t even remember who was the starting pitcher for either team. What I did see that night flipped a switch inside of me that would stay turned on during those formative years and remain with me to the present day. All I remember is that the Blue Jays, in their 80’s powder finery, were down 1-0 late in the game against the kelly green, yellow and white of the Athletics. Up strode slugger Bell, in the midst of a season that was MVP-worthy (and it would be, when all was said and done that year). He was facing A’s starter-turned-closer Dennis Eckersley. I didn’t know Eck at the time; I just noticed he threw sidearm and was throwing pellets to the plate. I didn’t know about the dramatics of baseball, and Bell’s eighth-inning at-bat would mark his last chance to come through for the team. Bell, with that crouch and stride, whipped bat through ball and put it over the left field wall. As the TSN caption read at the bottom of the screen whilst Bell trotted around the bases, it was his 37th home run. Before Alomar’s arcing fly in ’92, there was Bell’s bolt in ’87 – both off Eck, and both taking place in Oakland.

At that time, Bell’s late-inning drama set the stage for a nervous ninth inning to watch; “Terminator” Tom Henke would try to close out the game for the Blue Jays. I remember lying in front of that TV, hoping that slim lead would hold against one certain batter: A’s rookie first baseman Mark McGwire. I remember Henke getting two strikes on McGwire, then raring back with that leg kick to blow another high fastball past Big Mac to quell that threat and cap a 2-1 Blue Jays win.

That game was a rush. I knew from that moment, at about 1 a.m. in the morning, that I was a baseball fan. It was also the latest I had ever stayed up, and probably one of the first times that I remember sharing such a happy moment with my brother and father. There would be other future moments that centered around baseball (and not) with my family, but nothing beats that first time. I know it didn’t for me. In my subsequent participation in t-ball and baseball leagues I modeled my batting stance after Bell, but I never matched his hitting prowess or power. No matter, as to this day, if I’m ever in a batter’s box, I’ll always imagine I’m Bell facing Eck on that mid-August night.

Why isn’t there a MLB awards show?

I’ve always wondered, with MLB having a snappy nickname for its World Series (“The Fall Classic”), having an exhibition season no one seems to mind (unlike the other pro team leagues) and an All-Star Game that counts – why can’t it gather its best of the season together for an awards show?  Extending the season by one more day wouldn’t be the worst thing; heck, it’s already going into November now.  It’d be great to hear a live reaction from the awards winners (or losers) save for a pre-recorded sound-bite that only shows their picture on TV.  Plus, the piecemeal way the baseball awards are doled out now, it’s almost Thanksgiving, and the season is no longer really relevant by that time.  

Just imagine seeing Billy Crystal, long-time baseball fan and avid Yankees supporter, hosting this show.   Whichever channel that telecasts this show live – i.e. ESPN or The Baseball Network – will have great ratings, due to the attracting power of the best ballplayers and pop-culture stars (who are also baseball fans) in attendance.  There can be a five-to-ten-minute reel of the regular season & post-season spliced together as the introduction to the show.  Season-ending awards like home-run/RBI/E.R.A. champion can be doled out, while voted-on honors such as the MVP or the Cy Young Award would be presented with the top five nominees present.  Unoffical awards like defensive play of the year, greatest team comeback in a game, and best individual single-game performance would get their due.  And there would be live entertainment, from whichever band or musical artist had the biggest song of the summer.  The end of the show would pay their due to the World Series Champions, with another video retrospective on their road to glory.  The end of the show would also serve to remind that pitchers and catchers will report in x number of weeks & days.

Sure, there would be a few start-up problems – where to hold it and when?  It would be a rotating thing, to be sure, but my guess that the sunny climes of the West Coast would play host for the first few years.  As far as a date goes, well, you don’t want to usurp the NFL or college football season already in full swing, so weekends and Mondays are out.  I would vote on the first Tuesday after the World Series is completed, since it’ll be well before Thanksgiving (though this year was cutting it a little close).  It would take place during the free-agency filing period and the GM’s meetings, which would stir the hot stove lounge even more heading into the offseason.  It’d be just great press for MLB, where the teams and individual players seems to scatter like ants once the last out of the World Series is recorded – or in the case of non-playoff teams, once the final out of the regular season takes place.

I’ve never understood how or why each respective pro sports team league in North America gives out their awards; it’s a rote method, just like balancing your checkbook.  In MLB, it’s well after the postseason, when the regular season is a faint memory.  In the NBA/NFL, they announce it during the playoffs, which is somewhat downplayed by the award winner because they’re in (or not in) the second season.  The NHL – the one league with less cache than the big three – has got it right here, feting their winners with pomp, circumstance, and a red carpet.  Their last awards show was in Las Vegas, where there is no NHL team, but a great celebration nonetheless.

It’s an idea I wish would come one day, because I’m feeling pretty baseball-deprived once the World Series is over.  Watching my ’92-93 Blue Jays dvd is great but gets old real quick, and counting down the days to spring training isn’t enough.  At least an awards show gives me a nice summary to the season that’s passed and will hopefully tide me over until Opening Day.

And of course, award predictions (save for Rookie Of Year, since I was delinquent on that and was announced yesterday):

MVP – Joe Mauer, MIN (AL); Albert Pujols, STL (NL): Mauer gets the nod because he simply willed the team to the AL Central title despite the Twins being seven games out on September 6th and without teammate Justin Morneau for the last three weeks of the season.  Pujols gets it –  ah, what the heck, there’s no great explanation.  Just name the award after him now.  Have you seen him hit?

Cy Young – Zack Greinke, KC (AL); Adam Wainright, STL (NL); Grienke is or at the top in every AL pitching category, save for wins (which was really exceptional on a lousy Royals club).  Wainwright tied for the major league in wins, led the NL in innings pitched and was fourth in the Senior Circuit in strikeouts and E.R.A. 

 


017.JPGManager Of The Year – Mike Scioscia, LAA (AL); Jim Tracy, COL (NL); Scioscia did an exceptional job with a team that suffered personal tragedy, along with the personnel loss of their all-star closer & first baseman, coasting to another AL West title.  Tracy gets the nod for taking a team 10 games below .500 at the end of May and guiding the young ballclub to a wild-card berth.

The Top 5 Games I Saw Roy Halladay Pitch In 2009

 

1452.JPGOut of the 30 some-odd ballgames I went to see this year, about a third of them involved Harry Leroy “Doc” Halladay toeing the rubber for the Toronto side. And he didn’t lose any of the games I saw him pitch – not to think that I was his lucky charm – as he went 10-0 in the 11 starts I was fortunate to be in attendance, including one in Yankee Stadium. The only other start where he didn’t win? An injury shortened outing on June 12th against the Marlins where he subsequently went on the disabled list for two weeks. I didn’t think I was much of a good-luck charm then. Suffice it to say – I’ve seen Doc win his 22nd game, start Opening Days – but this was probably the year to see him pitch. Possibly, given how bad this Blue Jays team was, the best year I’ve seen him pitch. And that includes the Cy Young award-winning year in 2003.

Besides that blip on the radar in June, I have been witness to some outstanding pitching on Doc’s part. I’ve caught three of his major league-leading four shutouts, seen him throw six of his nine complete games (an MLB best) and just rise to the occasion when his team has needed it (whether or not this team deserves him is another blog for another day). Toronto has been spoiled by Doc’s brilliance, just like another underappreciated star playing in Hogtown: Mats Sundin. Unfortunately, Halladay has played to lesser crowds and has less cache than the former Maple Leafs captain, thanks to the fact baseball has taken a back seat in this town. And like long-suffering Maple Leafs fans, who rue their talentless team minus Mats, more sooner than later baseball fans will shudder to think that the Blue Jays will have a Halladay-less squad. Like Joni Mitchell said in ‘Big Yellow Taxi’, “You don’t what you’ve got ’til it’s gone”.

So with that in mind, I’m here to savor the best of Doc at the bump in 2009. I wish I could list all 10 starts that I saw him on the winning side of the ledger, but here are the ones that stand out:

  • May 12 – 9.0 innings pitched (complete game), five hits allowed, one run allowed, no walks and five strikeouts in a 5-1 against the New York Yankees. I’ve mentioned this game as one of the best I saw this year in a previous blog, and not just because I saw former Blue Jay A.J. Burnett get feathered and tarred by the Toronto bats. This game showed Doc rose above the hype of said matchup and pitched to the occasion – a tilt that was, for the moment, between the best two teams in the AL East. Doc, at one point, retired 17 straight batters between Yankee left fielder Johnny Damon’s hits in the first and seventh innings! The only real trouble he was in was after the Yankees had scored to reduce the lead to 3-1, but got out of it by freezing designated hitter Nick Swisher on a called strike three. The largest crowd since opening night – 43,737 in attendance – roared in approval after the final out.
  • June 2 – Another complete game beauty, as Doc strikes out 14 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim batters in a 6-4 win. Doc, in the last few years, has relied on the strikeout as much as a groundball out, and tonight belied the results of that dependance. He retired 13 batters in a row at one point, and struck out an Angel in every inning save the first one. A four-run seventh inning by the visitors was cushioned by a six-run lead Toronto had built up earlier, but Doc managed to wriggle out of the jam by striking out the last Angel looking. In fact, Doc struck out six of the last seven outs, including the final out in Angels’ shortstop Macier Izturis. It was a career high for K’s in a single game for Halladay.
  • July 19 – Doc, despite the distraction of numerous trade rumours, throws a solid complete-game effort and wins 3-1 against the AL East division-leading Boston Red Sox. Another emotionally charged game, but for the wrong reasons. During the All-Star break, Doc expressed interest in exploring his free-agent options after his current contract with the ballclub expires in 2010. Then Toronto General Manager J.P. Ricciardi went on the offensive and mounted his own PR campaign to deal the ace hurler, saying he would explore options that were best for the team, and maybe make a deal with anyone willing to part a king’s ransom. This sent off a media firestorm for Halladay’s future services, which may have irked Roy to no end, as he was the starting pitcher for the American League in the mid-summer classic. This start against Boston, his first after the All-Star Game, had many scouts in attendance plus many Toronto faithful fearing that it would be his last in a Blue Jays uniform. Roy ceded a run in the first inning but that would be all he allowed, scattering six hits in the process. He finished the game with a flourish, retiring the final 10 batters including Boston centre fielder Jacoby Ellsbury on a swinging strikeout. If that was his final start in Toronto, what a way to end it…but it was not, at least for the moment.
  • September 4 – Doc allows the New York Yankees one hit in 6-0 Toronto win. Another brush with perfection for Halladay, as he was perfect for 4 2/3 innings and didn’t give up a hit until backup Yankees shortstop Ramiro Pena lined a double to right field to begin the sixth inning. Funny story – I had witnessed all five hitless innings up to that point but missed the start of the sixth because, well, nature called. When I emerged, I saw on the above monitors that Pena had broken up the no-no. Maybe I should have invested in the Stadium Pal (look it up, you’ll know what I mean). Quite possibly the best game I’ve seen Roy pitch, and that means a lot considering all the ball games I’ve seen him start! Only 22,179 were in attendance, which was a sad turnout. The best pitcher this organization’s produced, and a crowd that isn’t even half full to watch the finest performance of his career.
  • September 25 – Doc throws another shutout in a 5-0 win against their expansion cousins, the Seattle Mariners. Noteworthy because it may have been Doc’s final home start as a Blue Jay, and in the powder blue togs, no less. The game seemed more of a valedictory address to the young turks on the pitching staff: This is how I do it; throw strikes, mix up pitches, set ’em up and keep it on the ground. If it were only that simple, Doc, you wouldn’t be on such a crappy team this year. Anyways, Toronto fans are a smart, sentimental if apathetic bunch; many rose to the occasion in the ninth as the inning started. We all knew this could be it, and who knew what trade winds would bring in the offseason for Doc? My friend and I discussed during the game, that we were in unanimous support of not trading Doc, but reality will eventually trump sentiment if the team ever wants to be a consistent winner again. I’m just wondering, won’t they need the good Doctor then? Again, another 20,000+ crowd, which disappoints. There were almost 40,000 for the final home crowd of the season two days later, but for a guy who’s given his all and pitched his heart out, winning numerous awards and acclaim in the process, couldn’t we give him more people than a Raptors/Maple Leafs playoff game to give him a proper sendoff?

 

1439.JPG

So there you have it, the best of Doc’s best that I was witness to in 2009. I just hope I can repeat this kind of blog next season, and that it won’t be the last of its kind.

A Breakdown Of A User’s 2009 Season Pass

Here is how I used my Season Pass – 2009 edition.  Parentheses indicate Blue Jays won-loss record.

Times 2009 Season Pass used: 38 (24-14) out of 81 home dates.

Times 2009 Season Pass used by me: 30 (19-11) – the other eight times, my father used it or I picked up the ticket and missed out on the game altogether.

Times I actually sat in my proper 500-level seats: 10 (7-3) – Doesn’t necessarily mean I always snuck down to the lower levels; I moved around occasionally on the 500-level as well.

Times I didn’t use the 2009 Season Pass and bought a ticket instead: 4 (3-1) – One instance occured when I went to Sightlines Restaurant, and the other three times took place while sitting in the 200-level.

Games I actually saw to the end: 25 (16-9) – unfortunately, no extra-inning games were in this bunch.

Matinee games I attended with the Season Pass: 13 (9-4) – including Victoria Day, Canada Day and two businessman’s specials [12:37 pm start times].

Evening games I attended with the Season Pass: 17 (10-7)

Month by month:

  • April – 5 games (4-1) out of 10
  • May – 6 games (4-2) out of 15
  • June – 10 games (5-5) out of 17
  • July – 5 games (3-2) out of 10
  • August – 2 games (1-1) out of 14
  • September – 10 games (7-3) out of 15

Days of the week:

  • Sunday – 9 games (8-1)
  • Monday – 4 games(3-1)
  • Tuesday – 6 games (4-2)
  • Wednesday – 4 games (2-2)
  • Thursday – 5 games (1-4)
  • Friday – 7 games (5-2)
  • Saturday – 3 games (1-2)

Players printed on the tickets:

  • Lind – 5 times (4-1)
  • Wells – 12 times (5-7)
  • Rios – 11 times (9-2)
  • Rolen – 2 times (2-0)
  • Halladay – 8 times (4-4)

 


004.JPGGiveaway Days attended: 11 (10-1)

Giveways acquired (of which I was eligible for – some were kids only): 6 – I missed out on the Alex Rios bobblehead, but I later picked it up on my b-day dinner at Sightlines Restaurant.  I missed out on the ACE Visor, the Green & Ross Blue Jays cap, the DQ t-shirt, and the fleece blanket.

The lesson to be learned from reading the breakdown here is: 

Watch a Sunday afternoon game in April, arrive early for the giveaway item, stay in your 500-level seat until the end of the game, and make sure Adam Lind is on the ticket (since Rios and Rolen are no longer here) and the Jays will win!

 

2009 LCS Predictions

Now that the wheat has separated from the chaff – it’s time for me to make my LCS picks.  Once again, giving a bit of a Toronto twist, I will predict that whichever team has the least amount of Blue Jays will win their respective series.

Yankees vs. Angels:  The AL team of the decade will be decided here between these two evenly matched squads.  Yankees field boss Joe Girardi looks like he has his team dialed in at the right time, with one main goal: to win it all.  Girardi also weathered the storm brought upon the Alex Rodriguez PED-admission and injury to lead the Yankees to the best record in Major League Baseball.  Angels manager Mike Scoiscia’s no slouch himself, as he has kept the team focused since the tragic death of rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart earlier in the season.  The Angels have been winnig 64% of their games since June 2, when they were stalled at a 25-25 record.  The Angels have finally beaten their main nemesis in the Red Sox and look like they’re riding a wave of momentum; the Yankees’ search for their first World Series berth since 2003 will continue.  Ex-Jays on the Yankees: A.J. Burnett, Chad Gaudin, Eric Hinske (How does he keep doing this, magically appearing on playoff teams?  This would be Hinske’s third straight playoff, all with different teams, and all in the AL East).  Ex-Jays on the Angels: Kelvim Escobar (not on the playoff roster).  Angels in seven.

Dodgers vs. Phillies:  A rematch of last year’s NLCS, where the Phillies won in five games.  The Phils battled back the second coming of Rocktober in Colorado, where the last two games of that series could have swung either way.  The Phillies bullpen is a scary proposition, and blew leads in Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS against the Rockies.  Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge is nowhere near his 2008 form, where he blew no saves; this year, he has missed 11 save opportunities.  Meanwhile, the Dodgers toyed with the Cardinals and their superb starting staff in two of the three LDS victories, with L.A. slugger – aha! You thought I would say Manny Ramirez – Andre Ethier getting hot at the right time.  Much as I’m rooting for the Phillies to repeat, and considering I picked against Philadelphia last year, I really think the Dodgers will do their part to set up a Freeway Series in California.  Ex-Jays on the Dodgers: Orlando Hudson, Casey Blake.  Ex-Jays on the Phillies: Jayson Werth, Scott Eyre, Matt Stairs, Miguel Cairo. Dodgers in six.

The Top 3 Things I Witnessed About The 2009 Blue Jays

Without re-hashing too much the horrible season that was, here’s my Top 3 lists concering the 2009 Blue Jays (and before you ask why not five – I thought, for this bunch, five items in a list was really reaching):

Top 3 Games I Saw (in no order):

  • May 12 – Blue Jays 5, Yankees 1 (attendance – 43,737): One of the most energized and pent-up crowds I’ve ever been witness to at a sporting event. With good reason; it was Allan James Burnett’s first start at the Rogers Centre since he opted out of his Blue Jays contract and left for the lucre of the Bronx. Many Toronto sports fans – baseball or not – considered this exodus a betrayal of the most personal order. Never mind the fact that Burnett finally figured out how to be a very good pitcher after his first two seasons in Toronto garb were plagued by injury and inconsistency. So it came to pass that the baseball gods would line up Burnett against good friend, former mentor, and Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. The game was a hot ticket, as the walk-up to buy tickets for this game was huge – the lineup to get in from Gate 14 stretched all the way to Front St. from Blue Jays Way. I sat in the 200 level, left field corner (not my usual Toronto Star seats – I had shelled out the gelt because of the matchup, and a few of the boys went with me, including Yves, a Yankees fan), just behind the fair pole. The home side booed Burnett with every chance they got, and the place erupted when the Blue Jays scored three times in the fourth inning. The jeers for Burnett exceeded the vitriol saved for another popular target – Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. The loudest noise for Burnett was saved for his departure in the eighth inning, after giving up a long home run to Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill. All in all, a great day for the home side – I would hold game this up as Exhibit A if one opines that Toronto’s an apathetic baseball town.
  • May 29 – Blue Jays 6, Red Sox 3 (attendance – 32,026): This was the Blue Jays’ first home game back after a nine-game, ten-day road trip that saw them lose every contest and their first-place lead in the division. So to say that the team was looking for a little home cooking was an understatement. A nice coincedence that night – the game took place on my birthday, which was spent at Sightlines Restaurant with the boys, including Movie Mike (an unabashed, freshly indoctrinated member of Red Sox Nation). In addition to the open buffet which included Alberta prime rib and garlic mash, I got an Alex Rios bobblehead (I had missed out on the giveaway earlier that year, and I was offered a Lyle Overbay bobble, which I declined) courtesy of the Sightlines staff. The Red Sox may have been finished after a five-run fifth inning, but my belly was full after the fourth. As for the game itself, the winless streak was snapped thanks to the return of Jays pitcher Casey Janssen, his first home appearance in almost two years. Janssen weaved in and out of trouble, allowing baserunners in every inning he pitched but came away relatively unscathed. The solid outing resulted in his first win after injury had wiped out his 2008 season. Don’t call it a comeback…
  • May 18 – Blue Jays 3, White Sox 2 (attendance 24,206): This Victoria Day matchup was the peak of the 2009 season. The win capped a four-game sweep of the South Side visitors and was a great way to spend the holiday Monday. Too bad the Rogers Centre was closed. Lefty reliever Jesse Carlson provided a harbinger of things to come (in his sophmore year as a Blue Jay) by allowing the Pale Hose to tie it up at 2-2 heading into the eighth inning. This set up some late-inning heroics in the form of slugging right fielder Alex Rios. In probably his last clutch performance in Toronto, Rios laced a two-out triple to drive in the go-ahead run. After the final out was recorded, the PA announcer proudly boasted of the team’s success in the AL East and its 3 1/2 game lead on second-place Boston. Way to jinx a season, guys.

Top 3 Worst Games I Saw (in no order):

  • July 25 – Rays 10, Blue Jays 9 (attendance – 26,527): Even though my ticket says 500 level, I occasionally move down to the 100 level and take in the game from a more aesthetically pleasing view. More often than naught, I don’t get caught (and I won’t reveal my methods here). Suffice it to say, I’m thinking now that every time I do this, I anger the baseball gods, which results in a wacky game for my team. And this game was one of them strange but true bits, as the Jays blew leads of 8-0 and 9-1 to lose a game they had every right to win. The bullpen imploded, allowing five runners to score in the last three innings of regulation. The guilty culprit was injury-prone lefty Scott Downs, who looked like recently released contemporary B.J. Ryan in giving up two home runs to tie the game in the ninth inning. After that, I knew the home side was done, and the loss inevitable; unfortunately, to prolong the agony, it didn’t take place for another three innings. The Rays pushed a run across with some patience and clutch hitting in the 12th inning. In the latter half, the Jays had the former but not the latter, as they walked the bases loaded with one out, but failed to score. I hate to put it on slugging second baseman Hill – who had a career game by whacking two home runs – but when he took a called strike for the second out of the 12th inning, I groaned loudly. To make matters worse, as the win was clinched for Tampa Bay, I was sitting next to a bunch of loud Rays fans who gushed about their team’s grit and perseverance. Sigh. (Note: I still skulk to the 100 level, but I try not to sit there lest I anger the baseball gods again.)
  • August 7 – Orioles 7, Blue Jays 5 (attendance 30,795): Flashback Fridays are nice but sometimes annoying – does anyone really remember Balor Moore? – but this certain Friday took precedence. This was the Friday to honor the back-to-back World Series Champions of 1992 and 1993, as organized by the players themselves. I have to admit, the timing is kind of odd, considering the team presently is not even close to sniffing distance of the postseason. The pomp and ceremony surrounding this event would masquerade another lousy season since the salad days of the early 1990s. These events, though, do bring in the crowds and the problems those present. And sure enough, the lineups were long to get in thanks to pre-game autograph sessions (of which I did not get any, thank you Rogers Centre staff). You would think the team on the field would be pumped, wearing the home duds of those championship squads and seeing their predecessors and the trophies that were won on that very same field. Unfortunately, after five innings, the party went splat. Rookie Ricky Romero pitched five splendid innings – four of them hitless – but surrendered a 3-0 lead when the O’s scored four in the sixth frame. The bullpen, a strength in those championship runs, was a bane for the remainder of the game, allowing the Orioles to pad their lead to 7-3 and making the celebration anti-climatic. To make things worse, word spread that night it was to be Alex Rios’ last appearance in a Toronto uniform this series; his contract along with his underachieving play had been claimed by the Chicago White Sox. And I didn’t get any autographs on my World Series memorabilia…
  • July 23 – Indians 5, Blue Jays 4 (attendance – 32,061): There are losses, and then there are losses to teams that should be beaten like they stole something. This year’s edition of the Cleveland Indians are a team that reflect the latter. But somehow, the 2009 Blue Jays have a way of genuflecting to the opposition and letting them steal a game they have no right in winning. Especially moreso in the last two-thirds of the season. This loss was more galling since the lowly Indians were on the verge of trading their two best and best-paid players in the form of perennial All-Star catcher Victor Martinez and defending AL Cy Young (most outstanding pitcher) winner Cliff Lee. The game was a nice weekday afternoon start, something I cherish since I work late and never get to see a full game in its entirety; that day I stayed from start to finish. I was spewing out curses and epithets by the end of said game, saving my venom for Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay, who struck out LOOKING to end the game with the tying run on third. Hey Lyle – Rogers pays you to swing the bat and drive the run in, not to try and pad your freakin’ on-base percentage. What’s more appaling is that while the Jays had seven of their eight hits go for extra bases (five doubles and a home run), they fell one run short of an Indians team whose lone extra bse hit counted – a two-run triple by Indians rightfilder Shin-Soo Choo (my favorite baseball name at the moment). Terrible, terrible game for the Jays.

Top 3 Single-Game Individual Jays Performances I Saw That Were Not By Roy Halladay (once again, in no order):

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  • April 6 – Adam Lind goes 4-for-5 with six RBI in a 12-5 win against the Detroit Tigers: Opening Day 2009 was Lind’s coming out party, and the beginning of a breakout season that culminated in him leading the Toronto ball club with 114 RBI. Now if they could only find a position for him…left field, first base or DH?
  • June 26 – Ricky Romero tosses a two-hitter over seven innings, striking out seven Phillies in a 6-1 win against the defending World Series Champions from Philadelphia: In quite possibly his best start of the season, rookie Romero had a no-hitter for six innings before it was broken up by a clean line drive to right field by Phillies All-Star second baseman Chase Utley. Left-hander Romero showed impressive control by only walking two hitters. Could he be the ace when Doc departs? That night provided a best-case measure for that scenario.
  • September 15 – Travis Snider hits two tape-measure home runs at the new Yankee Stadium en route to a 10-4 rout of the New York Yankees: Yes, I went to new Yankee Stadium, and to christen my trip, the Jays were the opposition. Nice coincedence, eh? I loved the new place, while wondering how the older place was, and Travis liked it even more. Snider homered in successive innings – the first to tie the game 2-2, and his second padded the Toronto lead to 5-2 – but as befits his inconsistent rookie season, he struck out in the only other at-bat I saw. Like my headline suggests, I only base it on the play I witness; I didn’t see the remainder of his final at-bats, where he struck out both times.

2419.JPGAs per this last list…as sorry as 2009 was, the performances by this core three make the future look bright.  Next posting…I saw a lot of Doc’s starts at home this season, including a road start at new Yankee Stadium. I’ll list the best of the best. This may also double as a requiem to his Blue Jay career. Plus, my ALCS-World Series predictions.

An Open Letter To Toronto Sports Fans

If you’ve watched the Blue Jays in 2009, it’s been a long season since the high-water mark of a 27-14 record on Victoria Day. And if you’re a casual fan or someone who jumped on the bandwagon early on in the season, the team’s summer swoon has probably elicited a “ho-hum, what else is new for this baseball team” reaction. What started as a season of promise and the playoffs has slowly caramelized into another lost year. The decline in play has resulted in the lowest crowds in Rogers Centre, a number not matched in over 30 years.

Players who were critical to the club in 2009 – B.J. Ryan, Alex Rios, Scott Rolen, Dustin McGowan, Jesse Litsch – got injured, performed well below expectations or didn’t want to be with the team any longer. The team’s best player, Roy Halladay, made public intent to be traded to another team; the team’s most expensive player, Vernon Wells, was also its greatest underacheiver. And after the rocket-fuelled start, the season unravelled in a nine-game losing streak that essentially spelled the end of its postseason chances.

So amid all the doom and gloom of 2009, the season comes to a close this Sunday afternoon when their expansion siblings, the Seattle Mariners, pay a visit. It’s a lot to ask the Toronto sports fan, to support a lot that may only get to 70 wins this year AND probably get a reduction in payroll the next season, thus diminishing the team’s prospects even more.

 

018.JPGDespite a season to forget, the place to be this week, and weekend, is the Rogers Centre. Fans can show their appreciation to young ball-strikers – second baseman Aaron Hill and outfielder/designated hitter Adam Lind – for their superb offensive seasons. Both Lind and Hill picked up the slack considerably for sorry sluggers Rios (now Chicago White Sox property) and Wells, who both had horrible seasons at the plate. Another reason to come out is the emergence of possible ace and Rookie of the Year candidate Ricky Romero, the organization’s best home-grown starter since Jimmy Key. The ever-popular John McDonald, whose stalwart defense at the shortstop position provides shock and awe – and web gems for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight – may make his last appearance for the organization, as his contract expires at season’s end. And Friday’s game marks the final start at home for Halladay, which could also double as his final outing ever in front of the Rogers Centre faithful. The trade talks that surrounded “Doc” during the dog days of August will heat up again come November.

 

0006.JPGAnother reason to visit the Rogers Centre this week is to also witness the possible final trip to Canada for Seattle Mariner and future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey Jr. is one of the names not tainted by the performance enhancing drug scandal that has labelled his contemporaries as cheaters. His talent on display was all-natural, as his swing was as graceful and smooth as his play in the outfield. That sweet swing led to 600-plus home runs, and only injury derailed a chance for him to break Hank Aaron’s all-time record. This year looks like Griffey Jr.’s swan song to a career that started 20 years ago in Seattle. Many should flock for one final chance to see this legendary talent, if only to remind all – casual fan or devoted acolyte – the aesthetic beauty of baseball being played right.

Plus, it beats watching exhibition hockey. The regular season hasn’t started yet, Maple Leaf bandwagon jumpers.  There’s also a garage sale on Saturday – selling all knicknacks and giveaways over the last calendar year – along with a giveaway blanket on Sunday (which has Rios on it, unfortunately…)  See you all there.

The Halladay Farewell Tour – brilliance at the bump.

There aren’t enough platitudes to describe Roy Halladay’s performance last night at Rogers Centre.  I will say I was lucky enough to be one of the 22,179 (shame on you Torontonians – I really hope there weren’t more of you at the Kid Rock gig down the street) in attendance to witness such a spectacular outing.

Sitting back in the stands last night, keeping score while Doc mechanically set down the Bronx Bombers lineup, I wondered if this month would be the ace’s last with the team.  It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility, as attempts to trade him reached a fever pitch in July but ultimately never panned out.  It seems the offseason will be a far more appropriate time, with the daily grind of the team out of the spotlight.  And I thought, what would it be like with a world without Doc?  (That’s a thought for a later blog, when he does depart Toronto.)

I plan to enjoy these last five-six starts with Halladay at the bump; whether or not he gets a decision or pitches to his high standards, I’ll be there to watch. 

And Ramiro Pena to break up the no-no?  Uh-uh.  For a guy who gave regular Derek Jeter a game’s rest, he was the unlikeliest of batters to blemish the hit column.  The number nine hitter in the vaunted Bronx Bombers lineup doubled in the sixth for the New York side’s only hit.

And finally, Rogers Centre fans: Give Vernon Wells a break with the heckling.  It’s getting to a point where his booing almost exceeds the ferocity and volume of A-Rod’s jeers (okay, not quite, but they’re getting there).  He’s had a lousy season, and he knows it, and while he may not be worth the money he’s making this year, who in MLB is really worth their riches?