It's Hard Being The Superstar

When you are the best player, highest paid and team leader and something goes wrong, fingers are automatically going to be pointed in your direction. That is what happened this week with the New York Yankees.

Alex Rodriguez is a superstar player who has found himself in a bit of a slump come the playoffs, like many of the other Yanks. However, they aren't the ones that took the brunt of the criticism when the teams play starting going south in the ALCS versus Detroit. It was all on Rodriguez's shoulder. He was the one that got pulled during a crucial late inning at bat and then benched for the remainder of the series. Would the Yankees have won with A-Rod on the field? Doubtful, but it is likely he would have done better than his replacements. Will fans second guess manager Joe Girardi? Probably not, most fans love the fact that the superstar has to ride the pine, but the people that will second guess Girardi is management. Not making it to the World Series is pretty close to a fireable offense in New York.

Girardi has also sealed either his fate or A-Rod's in New York for the 2013 season. With what happened during this post season, it looks like only one of the two can remain in the big apple. There have already been rumours swirling that the Yankees are talking to the Miami Marlins about trading for Rodriguez. Other teams with deep pockets or those in need of a media splash could include the Cubs, the Dodgers or maybe down the street with the Mets. Rodriguez will not be easy to move. He is on the downside of his career, with an ever increasing cost. His play has declined from year to year, but is approaching many career milestones that could be good for turnstile numbers at least.

If it is Girardi that moves on, don't expect him to be unemployed for long. There are several franchises looking for a new bench boss, including the Red Sox and this would be an interesting move to say the least. That Red Sox job might not be open for long though. The Sox are interested in Blue Jays manager John Farrell and the sports news cycle is already saying the Sox and Jays are talking compensation. If that works out, could Girardi end up in Toronto? I don't think Jays fans would be upset with that move.

What could have Rodriguez and Girardi done differently, well for starters hit the ball out of the infield, but basically when you have a star, you can sit him for one game, but if it goes beyond that, you end up creating a situation that you can't reverse. Rodriguez isn't the first victim of this, look at the Roberto Luongo situation. The Canucks benched him and now the coach and fans don't have trust in him, so he needs to be moved. Girardi has created the same situation with Rodriguez and probably Curtis Granderson. However this ends up playing out we will probably see a new look New York next season.

Baseball Playoffs, Almost Always Fantastic!

There aren't many things wrong with the baseball playoffs. There is so much to like between the drama, unsuspecting heroes and champagne celebrations, but there are definitely some things that could use a fresh coat of paint, so to speak...

5. Late start times - much has been made in the past 5-10 years that kids aren't watching as much baseball and young athletes are choosing other sports. Well if a 12 year old can't stay up until 9:35pm to even see the first pitch, how is he going to fall in love with the sport? Also, I can't stay up past the 5th inning!

4. Extra umpires - they don't help at all as witnessed by the botched call in Atlanta and we got through a 162 game schedule with only 4 umpires per game, why change now? We don't add extra refs in hockey just because it is the Stanley Cup or an extra back judge during the Super Bowl. So why do it for baseball?

3. Rally _____ - fill in the blank with whatever ridiculous stunt the team has dreamed up. Whether it is monkeys, squirrels, towels or tomahawk chop, we don't need it. It is so nice to see full stadiums (I dream of this one day again at SkyDome) why do we mess it up with swag

2. Pitchers wearing winter coats on the base paths - no other explanation necessary

1. New York Yankees - has there ever been a team that 90% of fans wanted to see lose more than the Yankees? They have the most championships of any organization, don't you think it is time to give someone else a chance? Their bloated payroll currently features 8 potential Hall of Famers and they robbed the Mariners of Ichiro at the trade deadline. I don't really care who wins the World Series this year (c'mon Oakland), but as long as it isn't the damn Yankees, I'll be happy

Looking Forward To The 2013 Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays are entering another difficult offseason. There was high hopes in Jays Nation that 2012 season would be a good one, full of breakout seasons and meaningful baseball in September and maybe even October. Unfortunately, the season fell apart shortly after the all-star break with some injuries, sloppy baseball and the Orioles not falling apart like we thought they would. Now the team must take stock of the talent and reassess their priorities heading into 2013.

There are several areas that should be set, Jose Bautista in right field, Edwin Encarnacion at first/DH, Colby Rasmus in centrefield, Brett Lawrie at third base and a catcher (either Arencibia or D’Arnaud). The relievers should also be in decent shape going into Dunedin. There are also many question marks, beginning with the starting pitching staff, which has lots of holes and is being held together by Dr. James Andrews surgeries. Left field is still a concern as is the middle infield. The other big question that the Jays might have to face is who will be the bench boss.

John Farrell was brought into manage the Jays with much fanfare. He had done a great job with the Boston Red Sox pitching staff, was known as players manager. In two years on the job he has kept up the rapport with the players and even though he has a pretty poor win loss record (19 games under .500), his former employer has apparently come knocking since the Bobby Valentine experiment didn’t work out.

The Jays are now in a tight spot, they can force their manager to stay and fight the possibility that he doesn’t want to coach the team or they let him go and start the search for a new manager. The Jays need to hope that Farrell decides to stay, not because he is irreplaceable as a manager, but because stability is a key to a winning organization. Farrell in his two years has seen all the players come up to Toronto that will make up the core of the Jays for the next 5-10 years and he should be working closely with general manager Alex Anthopolous to shape the roster.

Hopefully John Farrell is sitting in the corner of the Jays dugout in April and not at Fenway, but if he is, there are several candidates the Anthopolous could consider;

-Jim Tracey (former manager of Colorado who just resigned)

-Ozzie Guillen (soon to be former manager of Miami)

-Sandy Alomar Jr. (currently on the Indians bench, but was overlooked for the Cleveland job)

-Brian Butterfield or Terry Lovello (both on the current Jays staff)

-Ernie Whitt (wants a opportunity to coach at the big league level)

-Omar Vizquel (recently retired and could fit the profile of teams hiring former players, like Robin Venutra)

Whatever happens with the manager situation, this offseason needs to be about adding talent that will propel the Jays forward.

Toronto Blue Jays 2011 Season Preview: A Good Season to be a Fan

The expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays have not been this high since the mid-90’s. With a team that finished 85-77 and in fourth place in a difficult AL East in 2010, which ended up being about 15 wins better than what was supposed to happen, the leap to the next level in 2011 is a dream that fans in Toronto are hoping becomes a reality.

The magic number to make the playoffs in the American League will be 95 wins and for the Jays to improve to that threshold they need to keep doing the things that made them potent in 2010 – hit the ball extremely well for power, hope that the other big three in the AL East stumble slightly and finally play well against the NL during inter-league games.

In 2010 the Jays were led by heavy bats who hit home run after home run and a deep pitching staff. Although the formula for success will be relatively the same for 2011, some of the faces and places have changed.

The pitching staff was the biggest surprise of last season. The young staff was thought to be developing and several of the pitchers who were supposed to lead the team ended up injured but the Jays still managed to put lots of quality starts together. They hope the same will happen this year. With 99% of the pitching staff, including all the starters under the age of 30, there is a bright future in Toronto.

After the trade of Shaun Marcum to the Brewers, Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow will be the top two starters this year. Romero finished 2010 with 14 wins and as the ace of the staff in 2011 he’ll be asked to win at least that many and should oblige. Although Morrow didn’t get the high win totals of some of the other members of the staff last season, he should be able to win at least 14-15 games this season. Morrow arguably has the best ‘stuff’ of anyone on the staff and will provide quite the 1-2 punch with Romero.

The third, fourth and fifth starters this season will probably flux throughout the season depending on injury and innings count. To start the season, the Jays will have top 50 prospect Kyle Drabek make the jump to the majors. A lot is expected of Drabek since he was the key piece of the Roy Halladay deal. Brett Cecil who finished 2010 with the team lead in wins is back and if he can continue his pace the Jays will definitely have a chance at the 95 wins. Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch and Mark Rzepczynski will also all get chances to take the hill for the Jays this season. All are hard throwing, young pitchers who will hopefully be able to give 6-7 innings a start and then make way for the strong bullpen.

The closer spot will only have one question this season, who is going to get the ball? To start the season it will be Jon Rauch taking over from the inconsistent Kevin Gregg. Others that will get the ball at the end of the game will Frank Francisco or Octavio Dotel. In a scenario with everyone healthy, Francisco should be the guy with the ball at the end of the game, but it is always nice to have options. Jason Frasor returns as the set-up man and will be counted on to be a shut down pitcher and hold the lead when called upon.

Other names that fans will see out of the bullpen this year include Shawn Camp, Carlos Villanueva, David Purcey and Casey Janssen.

Now that the pitching staff has been set, the players that will score the runs to protect them need to be covered. The outfield has had the biggest makeover. With the magnificent trade to unload the contract of Vernon Wells there was the open spot in centrefield. Newly acquired Rajai Davis from the Oakland A’s brings speed and enough offence to make up for the year on, year off Wells. Travis Snider has claimed left field as his own. He will need to be more consistent as a young player, but it seems Jays management has confidence in him to be the man going forward. For awhile it seemed like the weak link in the outfield might be in right, but that is no more as manager John Farrell has decided that reigning home run champion and the Jays newly minted face of the franchise, Jose Bautista will be the everyday right fielder. Although it would be nice to see Bautista hit 50 home runs again, it will be tough for him as opposing pitchers will be on the look out for that sweet swing.

In the role of back-up outfielders will be Juan Rivera, Jayson Nix and Cory Patterson. Also, lurking are Scott Posednik and young farm hand Anthony Gose.

The infield defence may be a little inconsistent at times and could cause some pain to the Jays pitching staff. They will probably make up for it with their bats, but the more sure handed they can be, the more likely the Jays are to get closer to that magic 95 wins. Returning to the hot corner is Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion gets a bad rap for his defence but he covers a lot of ground, and as long as he can keep his throws accurate enough he will have a fine season. The person at the other end of EE’s throws is Adam Lind. The young star has moved to first base and has proven himself defensively. He needs to return to his 2009 offensive form again though and that could make him an all-star. The middle of the infield is strong with former all-star Aaron Hill manning second base. Hill is also a player who needs to return to his 2009 offensive form. Hitting for a .206 average despite hitting 26 home runs just isn’t going to cut it. At shortstop is Yunel Escobar. A solid defensive player who also adds some speed on the base paths will turn the double without problems and help keep those ERA’s down.

Behind the plate this year is super prospect JP Arencibia. After making his debut last year with a bang, Arencibia was frustrated at the plate and then was relegated to back-up duty behind Bengie Molina. This year, he is the undisputed starter and needs to make the most of his opportunity. Molina will still get the opportunity to play enough as he will catch Brandon Morrow and probably Jo Jo Reyes.

With all the shifting in positions in the infield, the everyday DH ends up being Juan Rivera. Arriving from the Angels as part of the Vernon Wells deal, Rivera has to be consistent at the plate and provide the protection for the likes of Hill, Lind and Encarnacion and his job will be complete.

There you have the team that will take the field for the Blue Jays this season and try once again to make Canada proud by bringing the playoffs North of the border.

Friday Night Lights

It is not often that MLB can take the spotlight away from the NBA and NFL in the months of January and February, but for one Friday night people were talking baseball.

On Friday, there were 3 major transactions. The first was the Toronto Blue Jays trading former all-star and face of the franchise, Vernon Wells to the Anaheim Angels for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera. Before the blogs and tweets could analyze that deal, the Tampa Bay Rays made a splash by signing not one, but two former AL East rivals - Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon.

The Ramirez and Damon deals seems to smell like a little bit of desperation on the Rays part. The Rays want to be part of the great rivalry conversation in the AL East and what better way to do that then by adding two former rivals to your roster. The Rays don't want to be looked at as third fiddle in the division and by adding the centre of attraction that is Ramirez they will certainly be featured more often in the national media.

What the Rays probably considered before signing the two players and then dismissed the idea was that they have built their team based on draft picks, young talent and smart trades that brought more young talent to Tampa. Signing two veteran players who are on their last legs seems very odd. Ramirez will only be able to DH for this team. His legs won't hold up on the turf at Tropicana Field and the past couple of seasons his hitting hasn't made it worth while to put him in the line-up everyday as the DH. Damon has struggled in New York and Detroit since leaving Boston and that is because what made him dangerous, his speed and recklessness in the outfield are no longer there for him. Damon is not going to be able to replace Carl Crawford and Rays fans should be worried that even though they will get the media attention, they are falling further from the conversation at the top of the AL East.

The "other" team in the AL East, the Toronto Blue Jays seem to be going in the opposite direction. After a surprising 2010 season, Jays fans are hopeful that the team is moving in the right direction and the pieces are in place to make a run at the division or at least the wild card title.

Lots of stars in the making seem to be peppering the Jays line-up, but one position was being held down by a former star - Vernon Wells. Wells and his bloated contracted was holding the Jays hostage. He was deemed un-tradable by many publications, not because of his performance, but because of how bad the contract was. Although, his recent performances didn't help his cause any, Toronto GM Alex Anthopolous still found a trading partner in the Anaheim Angels. The Angels were interested in the inconsistent Wells because they lost out on the big name free agents this winter and apparently have money to burn. The Jays got catcher Mike Napoli who will fill the void as a veteran catcher while JP Arencibia becomes more comfortable in the big leagues and utility man Juan Rivera will be able to play a number of position (OF, 3B, 1B, DH) and wouldn't be considered a liability if he has to play everyday due to injury.

The trade of Wells also opens the door for several other moves. Recently acquired Rajai Davis (from the Oakland A's) will take over in centre field and fans are now anticipating the rapid development of prospect Anthony Gose who was acquired last year from the Astros.

The Jays are on the path that made the Rays successful for the past couple of seasons. Develop your young players, let them mature at the major league level (even if it means some losing) and it will pay off. Now it seems the Rays have forgotten what got them into the conversation in the AL East and it is the Jays who are following the blue print that they created to make themselves into contenders.

Manny being Manny, eh?

It didn't take long for the Toronto Blue Jays new manager to attract players. In his welcome to the team press conference, new Blue Jays manager John Farrell was asked about the chances, and if he would welcome, the addition of Manny Ramirez. Farrell was on board with adding the former all-star slugger who he coached while with the Red Sox.

Although Farrell got to see the best of Ramirez during his Red Sox days (thanks to performance enhancing drugs?) he might not have followed his career all that closely since he left for the left coast. Ramirez struggled in his year and a half in Los Angeles due to injury and then was traded at the deadline last year back to the American League where he could be the DH and not worry about his defense. He didn't fair any better in the windy city and the White Sox actually dropped out of the playoff race once Manny arrived. So would adding the wild Manny Ramirez into the line-up help Toronto?

It wouldn't be terrible. You wouldn't take at-bats away from Adam Lind or Travis Snider as they could play in the field while Manny is the designated hitter. His outgoing personality would certainly draw fans to the ball park. He would also offer some protection for 2010 home run champ Jose Bautista.

The Blue Jays would only have to offer Manny a one year contract and if he succeeds in Toronto, they could use the "money ball" theory and trade him to a contender in August for draft picks or minor league stars. If he struggles, it is a one year experiment and gives all media types something to write and twitter about.

Would you like to see Manny Ramirez at the Rogers Centre player for the Jays come April?

The Shot (No One) Heard 'Round the World

Coming into the 2010 baseball season, there were a handful of teams that looked like legitimate contenders to be in the World Series. It was no coincidence that a few of those teams also had the highest payrolls.

The Yankees, Red Sox and Rays from the American League, along with the long shot Seattle Mariners who made some bold off season moves. Well, the Mariners never got out of the gate and since only two of the three AL East teams could move on to the post-season it seemed likely the Yankees, who made it to the ALCS would represent the AL in the World Series. It turns out the Texas Rangers, who made the mid-season move to acquire pitching ace Cliff Lee when it looked like they had a shot at making the playoffs, are going to represent the AL this year.

In the National League, there was only one thought from the outset – Philadelphia Phillies. They replaced the aforementioned Cliff Lee with Roy Halladay, kept there power in place with Jayson Werth, Ryan Howard and Clint Utley and although they started the season slow, kept winning games while the rest of the division faded. Then to ensure their dominance, they acquired Roy Oswalt to solidify their pitching staff. Many said that no team has ever rolled out a top three starting pitching staff in the playoffs like the Phillies. Unfortunately for the Phils, the Giants didn’t listen. From clinching a playoff spot on the last day of the season, to some great pitching from their ace Tim Lincecum the Giants, San Francisco will represent the senior circuit and try to win their first World Series since moving to the Bay Area.

So the World Series that everyone wanted to see (Yankees vs. Phillies) didn’t happen and we get the series that no one thought we would get (Rangers vs. Giants) and that most people think might be one of the lowest rated in history.

This World Series reminds me of two World Series that when you think back at, you try to remember who exactly played in that series, who won, and who was the MVP. First was the 1997 series between the Florida Marlins and the Cleveland Indians. This one could be remembered as the first championship for the Marlins and the Indians at the time were trying to win there first title since 1948. Still the amount of anonymity in that series is off the charts. The other series was a Los Angeles based series that the rest of America tuned out. It was the 2002 series between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the SF Giants. You may remember this one as the “rally monkey” series, but after that the memories are very fuzzy.

Ten years from now, I think we’ll think of this series the same way. It is the Rangers trying to win their first title, similar to the Marlins and the Giants trying to win their first title since 1954 similar to the Indians. We can just thank our lucky stars that there are no rally monkeys this time, just Barry Bonds.

Do Records Matter Anymore?

61
755
56

These are historical numbers

73
762
262

These are modern numbers

Do you know what they are anymore? Growing up, every baseball fan knew 61 homers in a season, 755 in a career and Joe Dimaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. As a baseball fan, I needed to research the new home run records (add the asterisk if you want) of Barry Bonds for a season (73) and a career (762). The other number on that list – you will never guess, Ichiro’s single season hits record.

So with Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez hitting his 600th home run today, joining an elite group of seven other players, why is everyone shrugging their shoulders at this milestone?

Could it be because he admitted using steroids? Could it be because of his purple lips? Maybe it is just because he plays for the Yankees. Whether it was Rodriguez or some one who is loved like Ken Griffey Jr., the numbers are starting to mean less and less to the fans. What we care about now apparently, is scandals and winning. Give us one or the other, preferably both – c’mon Cincinnati Bengals!

Many things have contributed to the apathy towards modern sports records. The increased length of the season has allowed players a better chance of beating records. Ichiro’s record of 262 hits would never have happened if the season was 10 games shorter. The length of the season is one factor, but the number of teams and players involved in the league also figures into the issue. The expansion of all professional sports has watered down the talent pool to the point where the super star athletes stand out like sore thumbs. It is much easier for someone like Rodriguez to succeed when he is facing sub-par talent 3 out of 5 games (given the benefit of the doubt that teams have two good pitchers).

With players now involved in more games per season and playing against worse competition that helps them get their numbers up, the other factor is length of career. Players are involved at the top level for a much longer period of time. All sports start their recruitment of players in high school, and the best are already playing major roles on pro teams by the time they hit their 20th birthday. With the extended careers, based on age, better physical care by the training staff, better off-season training, not to mention performance enhancing drugs and it turns records into a thing of the past.

Will numbers always matter to the sports fan? For sure they will, but they are changing. A players worth is no longer measured by home runs and runs batted in, it is now OPS and WAR and UZR. These are complicated mathematical formulas to determine the worth of the player to his team, it’s just too bad these don’t translate well to the back of a baseball card.

My Favourite Blue Jay

On Tuesday, I will attend my first Blue Jays game of the season. The last couple of seasons, there was always a reason to attend. Whether it was Doc Halladay on the mound or the chants of “Marco Scutaro” that came from the stands when he strode to the plate.

If I wasn’t going to cheer on Hallady or Scutaro, I was probably there to root against someone. Last year, sitting right behind the Yankees dugout the target was Alex Rodriguez. Every time he came to the plate or had to walk to the dugout we would flash photos of Madonna and author Selena Roberts. Whenever Miguel Tejada comes to town, he gets boo’s rained upon him for deserting Oakland and taking the big money pay day in Baltimore - where he is again this season after playing for Houston for two seasons, and will get booed loudly again when he arrives.

This season though, when attending the Jays game I really want a favourite player to cheer for, not just there to heckle the opposition (by the way, Alex Rios will be the target on Tuesday).So, I am going to choose my favourite Jay player…

Let’s start by eliminating a few of the players to make the choice a little easier.

-Vernon Wells, his contract is too big, he hasn’t performed to a high enough level and I can ignore his 4 home runs to start the season no problems.
-Overbay, Encarnacion and Bautista, all these players are decent, but don’t have long term future with the club. I really don’t want to go through this process every year
-John Buck and Jose Molina, love cheering for catchers, but neither is the future of the club. The Jays have so many catching prospects, just waiting for one of them to break through.
-John McDonald and Randy Ruiz, both will get some playing time this year. McDonald is a great defensive player but I want my favourite player to at least know how to hold a bat. Ruiz probably won’t get enough at bats this year to cheer properly and the games I go to, I want to know my guy is playing.
-Kevin Gregg had a chance, with the glasses and the long hair, but then he lost the closer gig to Jason Frasor. Frasor had a chance but he blew his first save attempt, so they are both out.
-Brian Tallet shaved his mustache, otherwise he would have gotten huge consideration.

So after eliminating half the team from contention, who do I have left to cheer for;
Adam Lind
Aaron Hill
Travis Snider
Shawn Marcum
Ricky Romero
Dana Eveland
Jesse Carlson

Another round of elimination…
-Adam Lind and Aaron Hill are out. Going against the grain is something I pride myself on, so making one of the two best Jays my favourite player just seems wrong.
-Marcum and Romero. Cheering for guys coming back from injury is a great story, and one of them is in line to be the ace for years to come, I just don’t want to choose the wrong guy.
-Jesse Carlson, the tattoos are a huge bonus (cheering for a rebel is cool), but he might have trouble staying with the big club all year even though he is a lefty and Gaston likes him. He won’t get the innings needed to be my favourite unfortunately for him.

THE WINNERS
Travis Snider and Dana Eveland
With the chance to play everyday now, Snider will be considered one of the cornerstones for the Jays. He has a chance to hit 20 home runs this year and he hustles in the field and on the base paths. You can tell by how red his cheeks when he hustles down the line. So when I get my chance to attend games this season, left field is where I will be.

Traded from Oakland for cash considerations in the off-season Dana Eveland had a great spring training to win the 5th starter role ahead of Mark Rzepczynski. His first start for Toronto was a gem and he will give the Jays innings and has a bright future. When I have a chance to see a particular pitcher, I will make sure it is Eveland.

Who do you think I should have picked?

American League Preview - All Rolled Into One

Okay..so I'm cheating a little with my AL preview since the teams got in their first games Sunday and yesterday.

AL WEST

Anaheim Angels - They somehow manage to keep retooling and winning. One of the model franchises that is often overlooked. With perhaps the best 1 thru 5 rotation and it will only get better once Scott Kazmir returns from the DL. The power at the plate replaced one elder with another (Matsui for Guerrero).

Texas Rangers - After that walk-off win in the first game against the Jays could this be there year? Ace Scott Feldman will have to duplicate his 2009 season and Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler will carry the load on offense.

Seattle Mariners - Although they made some power moves in the offseason, they kind of feel like the Washington Redskins. Make a big splash, but get no return for your dollars. Felix Hernandez is the undisputed ace and in my opinion the best pitcher in the AL now that Halladay is gone. Acquiring Cliff Lee was a nice touch. They have both speed and power on the base paths. If Ken Griffey Jr. can keep his weight under control he could have one last hurrah in the city where he started his career.

Oakland A's - The A's have turned into the feeding system for the rest of major league baseball. This year their project is Ben Sheets. If he performs well, just like Matt Holliday last year they will deal him to the highest bidder in September. Other than assigning Jack Cust to the minors, Eric Chavez coming back from injury and, wow...there is nothing else. Welcome to AAA.


AL CENTRAL

Minnesota Twins - The Twinkies have turned the corner. Not even 10 years ago they were tapped by MLB as one of two teams to contract. Now they are an AL power. Led by Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer and supported nicely by the speedy Denard Span in center field and the defensive wizard Orlando Hudson at second, these guys are good. The pitching staff is underated and new closer Jon Rauch has big shoes to fill with the loss of Joe Nathan for the year. If they don't win the division it might not happen as the wild card will probably come from the AL East.

Detroit Tigers - Another team that has spent some money the last couple of seasons, acquiring the likes of Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, Miggy Cabrera and now Johnny Damon. If they can put it together along with rookie CF Austin Jackson, they could do some damage. The pitching staff has been brought along slowly and allowed to develop and the Tigers are finally having it pay off with Verlander, Porcello and Bonderman anchoring the rotation.

Chicago White Sox - Not even Barack Obama can bail these guys out. With the hot headed Ozzie Guillen as manager you never really know what to expect from the South Siders. Some good starting pitching with Jake Peavy and Mark Buehrle and closer Bobby Jenks will be able to close the door in late innings. The line-up is filled
with aging veterans (Andruw Jones, Alex Rios, AJ Pierzynski and Carlos Quentin), but if they can come through, they could challenge the top of the division.

KC Royals - Once an after thought in the division, they now boast one of the top pitchers in the game Zack Greinke. He carried this team last season and will need to repeat his Cy Young performance for the Royals to be contenders. In the field they are nothing special. The player to watch will be Rick Ankiel to see him continue his journey from pitcher to everyday player.

Cleveland Indians - Once the pride of the division, the Indians are now back to playing like they did in Major League the movie. Unfortunately for them ace Jake Westbrook can only start every 5th day. The offense will be carried by Grady Sizemore and DH Travis Hafner. Not much to cheer about.


AL EAST

NY Yankees - A murderer's row of hitters and pitchers await any team that has to face the Yankees this season. Whether you are facing their number 9 hitter or 5th starter it will be a test. I could name you all the players, but just wait for the All-Star game.

Tampa Bay Rays - With a good combination of speed and power, and a chip on their shoulder after missing the playoffs last season, look for a rejuvenated Rays squad. Led by Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford and BJ Upton this will be an exciting team to watch. Rafeal Soriano is the new closer coming over from Atlanta and he will need to adjust to the pressures of the AL East quickly. Also, the continued maturation of David Price will be important to their success.

Boston Red Sox - The Sox made the change from power to defense this year and although Baseball Prospectus people might applaud the move it will be interesting to see if the moves will pay off with wins. The signings of Mike Cameron and Marco Scutaro won't score runs but they will prevent them. Also preventing runs will be the pitching staff. Like the Yankees, starters 1 thru 5 will provide a tough test for opposition batters.

Baltimore Orioles - If they were in any other division they might be contenders, but playing Yankees, Rays and Red Sox 60+ times will give you more losses than you thought. Building around a young core, similar to what the Rays did just a few years ago look for them to compete day in and out. The outfield is one of the best in baseball with Nolan Reimhold, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis. Catcher phenom Matt Wieters is now in his second year and will be able to handle the pitching staff that much better. The pitching staff isn't their strength of the club, but Kevin Millwood is a solid rock at the top of the rotation. Better luck next year.

Toronto Blue Jays - I dread writing this review because they are the home town team. You want them to succeed, make the playoffs and win championships. Unfortunately, the Jays are far from all of those things, especially after trading away their best player in the off-season. Toronto has pitching depth, that is without question, but their starters are no better than a number 3 in most rotations (even with how good Shawn Marcum pitched opening day). The bullpen is stable and with three viable options at closer, manager Cito Gaston should be able to get saves out of one of them. The line-ups lacks real power even though Gaston believes that 6 Jays can hit 20 home runs. Although Gaston isn't known for giving young players much of a chance he needs to try to do that this season. The likes of Travis Snider, Randy Ruiz, Mike McCoy and most of the pitching staff needs to see if they can cut it in the big leagues. GM Alex Anthopolous will win executive of the year if he can find someone to take Vernon Wells of his hands, but this will probably only happen if Wells can repeat his 2006 season. Lyle Overbay, Tony Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion need to be the good veteran presence, while Adam Lind and Aaron Hill continue to play like all-stars. If everything comes together the Jays might be able to avoid 100 losses and 5th place, if not Jays fans will understand the plight of Leafs fans.

National League Preview - NL East

The major league baseball season is just a week away and to get you prepared here is the shallowest preview and predictions you will find. The third and final (thankfully) installment on the National League.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies – The prohibitive favourite from the National League and now the SI pick for World Series champs, the Phillies have what it takes to get back to the show. Led by the newly acquired Roy Halladay who is set to dominate the NL, and backed-up by a formidable pitching staff that includes Cole Hamels (who will no doubt benefit from learning from Halladay), Joe Blanton, JA Happ and the ageless Jamie Moyer. Although, they got rid of Cliff Lee those five can compete with any teams rotation. The bullpen is just as solid with the anchor being closer Brad Lidge, especially if he can get back to 2008 form. The batting order will be a “murder’s row” for the opposition. Whether you want to hit around Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins or Chase Utley, someone will always be behind them to pick up the slack. The one player that has made a splash this spring is Jayson Werth who showed up to training camp with a caveman beard. Fun times for fans in Philly who normally just like to whine and throw batteries at Santa Claus.

NY Mets – Mets fans want to win so badly and this team will take them to brink, but can they break through. A lot will depend if star players can stay healthy and happy. The Mets signed the highest profile free agent of the winter in Jason Bay. He makes his return to the NL, where he had more success than in Boston (although he wasn’t a slouch by any means). He was under intense media pressure in Boston and that won’t change in NY with the tabloids. Backing up Bay will be other superstars that need to produce so the Mets can have a chance at October. Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran all need big seasons for CitiBank Place to stay afloat.

Atlanta Braves – OH MY GAWD its Jason Heyward! If you need to know one name in the National League this season it is Jason Heyward. After quickly progressing through the Braves minor league system the young slugger has done enough in spring training that manager Bobby Cox said he would be stupid if he left Heyward out of the opening day line-up. The Braves look good on paper behind Heyward, but they are getting long in the tooth with Chipper Jones and Troy Glaus minding the corners. Other young stars that need to continue to produce are catcher Brian McCann and CF Nate McClouth. The pitching staff is led by second year man Tommy Hanson, if he can avoid the sophomore slump, he should finish close to 20 wins. Closing games for the Braves will be Billy Wagner, at least until his arm falls off mid-June. The Braves are a trendy pick to challenge for the wild card, but they need some more depth to challenge the top of the division.

Florida Marlins – Only if the owners could keep the team together for more than a season they could challenge for a World Series trophy year after year with the talent that has gone through Miami. This year they are led by NL MVP runner-up Hanley Ramirez. With power, speed and ability to get on base not normally demonstrated by shortstops, Ramirez will be the key to the Marlins. Another player to watch for is centrefielder Cameron Maybin. Coming off surgery, he will have a chance to prove he can play and produce. The pitching staff needs to be consistent this season for the club to avoid a 90 loss season. Jason Johnson and Ricky Nolasco will spearhead the staff and Leo Nunez will reprise his role as the closer for the teal and black. Don’t expect big things from the Marlins this season, but three years from now when their youngsters develop…look out.

Washington Nationals – Remember in the NL Central preview we talked about how the Pirates are the team that nobody recognizes. Say hello to the team that finished second in the ESPN poll – the Washington Nationals. The Nationals have tried to sign free agents the last couple of winters, but unfortunately they haven’t had many takers. The offense is led by first baseman Adam Dunn and aging catcher Ivan Rodriguez. The pitching staff has Jason Marquis as the ace and youngster John Lannan as the number two. Lannan in particular has turned heads and will look to stay on the right side of .500 this season. Meantime, the best pitcher/player, Stephen Strasburg, has been sent down to Double A. Strasburg, the top pick last year had a great spring, but no one is surprised that he is starting his career in the minors, the big question is when he gets the call up. No matter when Strasburg shows up, the odds for the Nationals to win the division (+10000) say all you need to know about their chances this season.

National League Preview - NL Central

The major league baseball season is just a week away and to get you prepared we continue the shallowest preview and predictions you will find.

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals – The class of the NL Central and a good bet to be playing in October, they have one giant cog that makes them tick – Albert Pujols. The slugging first baseman is the most feared hitter in baseball. He makes pitchers make mistakes and those that stay away from him will have to face the other deadly hitters in the Cards lineup, namely Matt Holliday and Ryan Ludwick. The pitching staff is no slouch either. At the top of the rotation is Cy Young candidates Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. They are supported by Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny, a very formidable 4 man rotation. Ryan Franklin will be the teams closer again after finishing with 38 saves last year. The Cardinals are the favorites and if they can avoid injury to their stars, look for at least 100 win season from them.

Chicago Cubs – The lovable losers are back in contention! Although, they might not win the division they will do their best to be in the Wild Card hunt come September. The Cubbies have assembled some decent talent, but the question remains can manager Lou Pinella put it all together to win under the intense pressure that comes in Chicago. The Cubs will be led by those holding down the corners – Aramis Ramirez at third and Derek Lee at first. The outfield is solid with Soriano, Byrd and Fukodome and will get on base and score runs. The pitching staff has had some injury concerns, including those to Ted Lilly. Look for closer Carlos Marmol and ace Carlos Zambrano to anchor the Cubs this season and allow them to contend.

Milwaukee Brewers – These guys are not shy to hit the cover off the ball. I think the Brewers ownership built the team to hit home runs so they could keep Bernie Brewer employed and going down the HR Slide. With the likes of Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun you are likely to see some fireworks when the Brewers play. Those fireworks unfortunately, just won’t be coming from the Brewer bats. An inexperienced pitching staff will keep the Brewers short of the playoffs, no matter how much future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman will keep the 9th inning clean.

Cincinnati Reds – The Reds have some youngsters that they will be counting on heavily this season. Namely, Canadian first baseman Joey Votto. Votto battled depression last season but not even that could keep him from finishing in the NL Top 5 in batting average (.322), OBP (.414) and slugging percentage (.567) in '09. The other bat they will be counting on is LF Jay Bruce. Bruce will have to up his production slightly for the Reds to a chance to move up in the standings. The pitching staff has some “names”, but some of those pitchers are a little passed their best seasons. The Reds will have a tough time finishing near the top of the Central.

Houston Astros – The Astros have long counted on their veterans to produce, all the way back to the Biggio and Bagwell days. This season, they will look to the last remaining ‘B’, Lance Berkman to lead the way. With veterans Cliff Leff, infielder Kaz Matsui and up and coming RF Hunter Pence filling in the rest of the day to day, it will be tough sledding for the Astros this year. The pitching staff is light, with the sole bright spot being Roy Oswalt. Oswalt is fighting injury to start the season, but will be the ace of the staff. The Astros are a good distance from contending in the NL Central.

Pittsburgh Pirates – Memorize these names – Ryan Doumit, Jeff Clement, Akinori Iwamura, Ronny Cedeno, Adam LaRoche, Garrett Jones, Andrew McCutcheon, and Lastings Milledge. If you know these guys you are better than most general managers. The Pirates are the least regonizable franchise according to an ESPN survey and there is a 95% chance that all of these guys will be dealt by September. The ace of the pitching staff is Zach Duke and it will be tough for him to take the hill every 5 days knowing his team doesn’t have much chance of winning. Good luck Bucs fans…

National League Preview - The NL West

Although the National League has taken a backseat to the American League for the last couple seasons, and many people refer to it as “AAAA” baseball, they have taken giant steps forward this season.

With the Phillies trading for the arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Roy Halladay, the Mets signing prized free agent Jason Bay and boasting the elite power hitters in the game, Albert Pujols, Hanley Ramirez, Ryan Howard and Prince Fielder, the NL should definitely be considered stiff opposition during the All-Star Game and the World Series.

The major league baseball season is just a week away and to get you prepared here is the shallowest preview and predictions you will find. First up –

National League West

LA Dodgers – The class of the NL West and they will battle for the NL Pennant when all is said and done. The player that will get the most press will once again be Manny Ramirez, but it will be for his off-field activities rather than his on field actions. The player to watch is center fielder Matt Kemp. Kemp finished among the Top 10 outfielders in runs (97), steals (34) and RBIs (101) in '09. They are solid up the middle with Canadian Russell Martin behind the plate controlling the young pitching staff. Watch for Clayton Kershaw and Chad Billingsley both to come close to 20 wins and Jonathan Broxton is solid as the closer. Enjoy the season Dodger fans!

Colorado Rockies – First baseman and perennial .300 hitter Todd Helton anchor The Rockies. He will get great support around the infield from one of the game’s best shortstops Troy Tulowitzki and the U.S.A catcher from the last World Championship Chris Iannetta. The outfield and offence will lean on Brad Hawpe, who will have lots of chances to drive in runs with the speedy Dextor Fowler taking over full-time in centerfield. The pitching staff is led by the unheralded Ubaldo Jimenez who had 15 wins last season and looks to continue to make a name for himself as a elite pitcher, even if he has to work at Coors Field. Behind Jimenez in the rotation is Aaron Cook and shutting the door at the end of the game is former Oakland closer Huston Street. Street can be shaky but should match his 35 saves from last season. The Rockies have the pieces to make some noise in the NL West but must get all-star seasons from key players to have a chance at the playoffs.

SF Giants – Barry Bonds still hasn’t retired and they could probably use his power (HGH or not). There strength lies with the pitching staff, with ace and reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum at the top of the rotation. Lincecum is followed in the rotation by Barry Zito, who is solid but, will never live up to the huge free agent contract he signed. All-Star catcher Pablo Sandoval has been moved from behind the plate to third base because of the signing of Benji Molina. Three time All-Star Freddy Sanchez escapes from Pittsburgh and will try to continue his fine form in the Bay Area. The Giants need to prey on the weak opponents for a chance to catch the Dodgers/Rockies or claim the Wild Card.

Arizona Diamondbacks – After getting career season from Mark Reynolds, the Dbacks need to hope he can duplicate his form and those around him can step up to contribute. Besides 3B Reynolds, Arizona needs a big season from youngsters Justin Upton (RF) and shortstop Stephen Drew. After playing for teams last season, Adam LaRoche hopes he found a home in the desert and will get lots of opportunity at first base to succeed. The pitching staff is strong and will keep the Dbacks in games. The top of the rotation features Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb and Dan Haren. They are solid in the bullpen with closer Chad Qualls who will continue to get the ball in ninth inning. Not far behind the Rockies and Giants, but will need great seasons from their All-Stars to contend.

SD Padres – In a constant rebuilding mode, the Padres and their fans (are there any?) will be in for a long season. The one bright spot is power first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Unfortunately, it is likely he will be gone before the end of the season to a contender that can pay (Yankees/Red Sox). Another bright spot is young outfielder Will Venable and the return of Tony Gwynn (yes, it is his son) to San Diego. The pitching staff doesn’t have a full-fledged ace, but if they ever have a lead going into the ninth, look for Heath Bell to be the closer and the face of the franchise for the year.

Who To Cheer For This Weekend

This weekend is the calm before the storm. It is like the rogue wave hitting the cruise ship, not the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that lets loose the tsunami.

This weekend you again have a few choices of what to cheer for...you can go for the Oscars. When cheering for the Oscars you have sub-categories of what to cheer for. Best dressed, best speech (shortest or funniest), most drunk and dumbest comment to the ETalk! reporter are all good things to cheer for.

Check back tomorrow to get my picks for Oscar night.

Other stuff you can cheer for this weekend - small conference NCAA basketball championship games. These small conferences teams all fight for the one automatic bid into the March Madness tournament. They all fight till the death for the 13 to 16 seed only to be eliminated on Thursday by 3pm. Still fun to watch them celebrate and not sweat it out like Louisville, Notre Dame or Florida.

If basketball isn't your thing, you can always cheer for Spring Training baseball! Most of the country is experiencing unseasonably high temperatures this weekend (which means it is 5 degrees) so pretend it is April not March and watch some players you will never see in a Major League uniform again. Also,make sure you boo the new spring training hats - what were you thinking New Era?

Over/Under and Other Gambling Notes

As much as I like to make random "bar bets" with friends and the wife on things like the over/under on how much we spent in groceries or how long will it take to drive to a destination, I am not big on putting my money where my mouth is. I'm just of the opinion that no matter how much I think I know about sports, music, food, etc...there is always going to be someone who knows more and I am going to lose my shirt.

This is especially true with Vegas. I know for a fact that they put in every ounce of research into the game so that I lose...but just for the fun of it, here are the MLB over/under on wins for the season courtesy of Bookmaker and Vegas Watch.
Arizona- 82
Atlanta- 86.5
Baltimore- 72.5
Boston- 94
Chicago C- 83
Chicago W- 82
Cincinnati- 78
Cleveland- 73
Colorado- 83
Detroit- 81
Florida- 81
Houston- 77
Kansas City- 71
LA Angels- 84
LA Dodgers- 84
Milwaukee- 80.5
Minnesota- 82
NY Mets- 81
NY Yankees- 94.5
Oakland- 78
Philadelphia- 92
Pittsburgh- 71
St. Louis- 88
San Diego- 71
San Francisco- 83
Seattle- 83
Tampa Bay- 89.5
Texas- 83
Toronto- 71
Washington- 72

Quickly looking at this, Toronto at 71 wins is a good under pick. With a young pitching staff, tough division and both Baltimore and Tampa Bay getting better, the Jays could touch 100 loses this year.

Seattle has made lots of positive changes and 83 is probably really close to what they will attain, but winning the AL West is likely for them and they will do that with more than 83 wins.

Oakland with the under, Washington with the over and Detroit with the over.


Also available are the odds to win the divisions in baseball.



Again, looking at these quickly, I would lay some money on the Tigers, good odds and the AL Central is very unpredictable. Also, the AL West, both the Rangers and Mariners would be worth spending some money on because of how much they have improved the last couple of years and the Angels losing some of their star power (Vlad and Figgins). The one other team that might be worth some dollars is the SF Giants. Great pitching staff (Lincecum and Zito) and with the big competition having Manny Ramirez, the Giants could take the NL West in the end.

First Day of Spring...Training

Well it is the first day of spring...training and it definitely feels like it in Toronto with 10 cm of snow on the ground.

So with the Blue Jays first official workout in the books here is a superficial look at what you can expect from the Jays this season. A more in-depth review of the AL East and the rest of the majors will be coming closer to the season, but the hardcore fan needs to know these important tidbits...

The Jays were named one of the least recognizable teams in baseball in a survey down by ESPN. They came third behind the Pirates and Washington Nationals. Good company.

It looks like the most recognizable Jay, Dirk Hayhurst, also known by his twitter name @TheGarfoose was placed on the 60 Day disabled list the other day. Hayhurst has penned a new book about life in the bullpen and has been making the media rounds to promote it. Unfortunately, the reliever who only had an outside chance to make the club, but would have been a fan favourite, will be sidelined for most of the season after having his shoulder operated on.

The Jays had one, if not the best pitcher in baseball in Roy Halladay. He was dealt in the offseason to the Philadelphia Phillies which brought back prospects, but left a Grand Canyon size hole at the top of the rotation. According to the reports filed by MLB Blue Jays scribe Jordan Bastian, Manager Cito Gaston has an idea of who he projects in the rotation. It's a young rotation to say the least - Marcum, Romero, Tallet, Morrow, Rzepczynski. Jays fans shouldn't expect much this year from these young arms, but hopefully one of them turns into the next Dave Steib, Jimmy Key or Halladay.

Well if the pitching isn't all-star caliber yet, they must have the hitting to keep them in ball games. Well, Jays fans don't get your hopes up. Here is the projected opening day line-up from the same conversation that Bastian had with Cito today;
1. Bautista 2. Hill 3. Lind 4. Wells 5. Overbay 6. Encarnacion 7. Snider 8. Buck 9. Gonzalez. Not exactly murderers row and really, there is no way that Wells should bat fourth and Overbay fifth. This isn't 2003 if Cito hasn't noticed.

If the opening day of spring training is any indication, it could be a long season for the Jays and those 87 losses last year might not seem so bad.

What If...

In his recent book, ESPN.com writer Bill Simmons dedicates a chapter of his Book of Basketball to "what if's". For example, what if the Portland Trail Blazers had drafted Michael Jordan instead of Sam Bowie or what if this or that trade didn't happen, where would players be, how would have championships been handed out differently.

This is a small take on that. What if players could come home again? For some players this happens - look at Allen Iverson this week. After struggling last season with the Pistons and appearing in only three game for the Memphis Grizzlies this season, he was signed by the team he started his career with - the Philadelphia Sixers. Philadelphia has embraced him again and he will work his derriere off for the fans to show his appreciation.

On the flip side of the coin is someone like Roger Clemens. After Clemens worked his way out of favor with Red Sox nation, there was no way the fans at Fenway would ever accept him back, even if a World Series was at stake.

A couple of other examples, you let me know in the comments below if you think they would be welcomed home;

- Barry Bonds: Bonds the home run king was run out of baseball after all the steroid allegations. His original team the Pittsburgh Pirates are in dire straits. They need to attract fans to the ball park and bringing back Bonds would be one way to do this. The fans in San Francisco loved Bonds because he was there bad guy, would fans in Pittsburgh feel the same, I think they would.

- Brett Favre: Favre retired a Packer. Then he retired a NY Jet. Now he is a Minnesota Viking. Although the Packers aren't his original team - the Atlanta Falcons are, many people consider the Packers and Favre inseparable. After all that has transpired with Favre even a one day press conference so he can "retire" a Packer seems to be out of the question.

- Matt Sundin: Had to throw a former Toronto Maple Leaf in the mix. Sundin is another player who retired only to figure out that he still had some juice left in his legs and played his final season with the Vancouver Canucks. Again, the Leafs weren't his original team, but the Quebec Nordiques don't exist anymore. If the Leafs needed someone for a playoff push would they welcome the captain back? With open arms, I say. The blue and white jerseys with number 13 would be all you would see.

- Vince Carter: Do I even have to write this paragraph? After being traded in 2004 to the New Jersey Nets for a bag of pucks, Carter made comments that he didn't give his all while a Raptor and has repeatedly smiled, laughed and "doesn't understand" why Raptors fan boo him whenever he returns to the Air Canada Centre. If a Toronto Raptors General Manager EVER tried to bring him back, he would be punted onto Bay Street faster than you can say "Vincent Lemar Carter"

- Joe Montana and Jerry Rice: Although both are now retired, they finished there storied careers with teams other than the one they made their biggest splash, the San Francisco 49ers. Montana went on to play two seasons with the KC Chiefs, while Rice played bounced around to the Raiders and Seahawks before going to training camp with the Broncos. He never played in a game and then retired (and I guess we have our answer to my quesion) on August 19, 2006 the San Francisco 49ers announced that Rice would sign a contract with them, allowing him to retire as a member of the team where his career began. On August 24, he officially retired as a 49er, signing a one-day contract for $1,985,806.49. The number represented the year Rice was drafted (1985), his number (80), the year he retired (2006), and the 49ers (49). The figure was ceremonial, and Rice received no money. Obviously, Montana and Rice meant alot to the 49ers franchise and both would have been welcomed back at the end of their playing days.

Who else can you think of and would they be welcomed home?

Take Me Out To The Ballgame - Next Year...

Every Tuesday I wait for Gregg Easterbrook to release his Tuesday Morning Quarterback during the NFL season. One of his weekly features is the "Christmas Creep" portion of the column where readers write in to tell him that in the middle of July the local hardware store or Hallmark has set up their Santa Claus displays.

Well apparently Major League Baseball has written in to Easterbrook to try and get in next week's column. Major League Baseball decided to release the 2010 schedule while the 2009 season is still in progress.

No other professional league does this - football releases their schedule in April, basketball and hockey release it in July, so why did baseball have to jump the line? The reason is that baseball is getting pushed to page 6 by the NFL, college football and in Canada the start of hockey season. One way to get attention in this jam packed sports month is to let fans know that you have excitement coming even if nothing, like the playoff races, are exciting at the moment.

Of course the headline was that ESPN's best friends the Yankees and Red Sox will open and close the season against each other. The home town Toronto Blue Jays, whose schedule only matters until about mid-July until they fall apart - open the season on the road vs. Texas and Baltimore and then return to SkyDome for their home opener vs. the Chicago White Sox. Interleague play starts in June with the Jays going to Colorado and San Diego, then play St. Louis, San Francisco and Philadelphia at home. August, just in time for the late season swoon looks like it could be the worst month ever - 6 games vs. the Yankees, 6 vs. the Red Sox, and 5 vs. Tampa Bay and then series vs. Detroit, Oakland and Detroit - OUCH! If they survive August, they finish the season with a homestand vs. Seattle and New York and then the final four are in Minnesota.

Still an eternity away from the first pitch of the 2010 season, but as fans of baseball and the Jays we can always look forward to the first pitch.

2010 schedule

How To Keep the SkyDome Rockin'!

Tuesday was a great day at the ballpark, even if that stadium was SkyDome and the roof was closed.

The game was a great pitchers duel between the student and teacher - Halladay vs. Burnett. What made it even better, beside the win was the fact that 43 000 fans were in attendance. The atmosphere was great, reminiscent of 1989-93. Lots of cheering, the wave, go Jays go chants and of course heckling of the Yankees superstars.

The concern is Wednesday night. The game tonight was attended by about half as many fans, the energy and the walk up crowd just wasn't the same. So how do the Jays continue to get 40 000+ fans to the SkyDome for games?

Here is a top 10 things the Toronto Blue Jays could do to bring the fans out to SkyDome

1. Every game is a bobblehead game
2. Play against the Red Sox and Yankees 82 times a year
3. Give away more chicken wings during the 5th inning
4. Pitch Roy Halladay on 1 day rest
5. Ensure that the opponent always has a former Blue Jay that is hated
6. $2 tickets
7. Wear the throwback baby blue uniforms for every home game
8. Reduce the cost of concessions ($11 for a draught beer, WTF?)
9. Change the name of the stadium back to SkyDome
10. Bring back Diamond the mascot or add cheerleaders!

How to Heckle....The Yankees

How to Heckle will be a guide for fans attending games at the SkyDome this season, given them ammunition on opposing players to use in a fun, law abiding manor.

The Yankees

Kevin Cash - Middle name is Forrest. Only player on the Yankees roster making less than a million dollars. Former Blue Jay, wasn't able to displace Greg Zaun, Greg Myers, Ken Huckaby, or Tom Wilson for playing time.

Mark Texiera - hobbies include hunting and golf. Ask if he shoots like Dick Cheney and swings like Charles Barkley

Robinson Cano - father played in the majors in the 80's - Jose Cano as a pitcher.

Derek Jeter - Under no circumstances are you allowed to heckle Jeter - if you need a reason google "derek jeter sexual conquests" or visit this nice photo essay.

Alex Rodriguez - Too many to mention, but the most current would be to ask A-Rod to sign a copy of Selena Robert's new book.

Melky Cabrera - Nickname is Leche (milk in spanish). Gets driven to the stadium by Robinson Cano. Favorite movie is Scarface, that is a stretch for a latin player.

Nick Swisher - Ask him if he will follow you on twitter. His handle is @NickSwisher

Johnny Damon - shave those sideburns Johnny!

Hideki Matsui - Ask him about about his porn collection. Did he like the newest release from Vivid? Did Giambi return his tapes before he left town?

AJ Burnett - no explanation needed, the former Jay deserves all the booing he can handle.

Andy Petitte - admitted to using steroids and HGH. Ask him if he still talks to
Brian McNamee. Tell him you are looking for some help making the majors.

CC Sabathia - how many pinstripes are on that jersey exactly?