"6 Days To Wait...I loooooove you..."

Okay, so that's a really sad rendition of "Eight Days A Week" by the Beatles...but like everybody else in baseball, I'm just getting back into the swing of things.

There's only just over 6 days left until the first Grapefruit/Cactus League games. It's kind of weird because this time last year, I was preparing for my first Spring Training trip. Even though this season is shaping up to be AMAZING for me personally, it's strange not going back. Someday I will make the trip every year. Someday.

But, back to actual baseball business. Today was the full team's first workout. Big reports from yesterday included David Eckstein and Matt Stairs.

So far everyone who had surgery last year is looking good. Vernon's getting back to full strength, Rolen feels better than ever, Lyle's been working well, BJ's been pitching great. Even Chacin seems to be making a pretty good impression post shoulder surgery.

I thought this article about BJ's surgery was pretty cool. Arnie talks about what it was like when he had the same surgery in '89. Give it a read.

Another article from the MLB site that I highly enjoyed was about this upcoming season, reviewing how the Jays are looking in all areas. I'm already looking forward to this season more than I ever have before, but having it all laid out there in the article makes the prospect of this season even greater.

As per the Mitchell Report and Roger Clemens, part of me does feel that he's almost not even worth the typing anymore. I kind of considered that Roger Clemens left the game when he retired, then signed with Houston. The Clemens since then is just some...I don't know, clone or droid.

It's one thing to be a player-in-demand or a successful player who plays with a lot of teams, but that's not what Clemens has been since after the '03 season. I have a hard time believing that someone is actually interested in being a professional baseball player when they don't travel with the team on road trips they're not playing in. I guess I kind of have a problem with someone being a baseball mercenary. In my heart of baseball hearts I realise I might be an idealist and expect that everyone wants to play because they love the game. I'm not saying I don't get going to the highest bidder, but at least when A-Rod did, you can't really doubt his desire to win a World Series, to be the best player he can be, and to compete and win at all costs. (Hence his "Mine!" shenanigans from last season.) It's not just all about the money. With this Rocket Roger clone/droid, I have those doubts. I have since he left New York for big ol' Texas and I always will. And it has nothing to do with the findings of the Mitchell Report.

Do I believe Roger Clemens used HGH or steroids? I don't really care. His career is what it is. Everyone's career that was a part of the "Steroids Era" is what it is. We can't go back and change it. It's stupid to * everything, all the numbers, all the records. It happened. Live with it. Can we please stop standing still, still? Let's stop looking back and pointing fingers and FINALLY move forward from this whole thing. Steroids already claimed enough time in baseball, why let it have any more?

With attendance and revenue steadily growing season after season things are only looking up for Major League Baseball. So...keep it going. With the climate the way it is, drug testing getting better and more reliable, and testing for HGH hopefully going to be incorporated soon, I would think any baseball player would be dumber than a post to take anything banned or illegal.

On the other side of things, it might only be my personal belief, and not be able to be backed up by anything concrete, but it's not hard to see why pro baseball players would juice up. As contract amounts steadily grew, more importance was put on the kinds of numbers you put up every season. In guys who I would believe are naturally competitive, is it so hard to believe that even though they're teammates and union members they would be competitive with each other for how much money they got? So, if the option was available to you to boost your performance, that wasn't against any rule, and the only place it was illegal was in the court of baseball traditionalism...why not? If it wasn't banned and wasn't tested for, who would know? How would you get caught? And all the while...you'd be smiling all the way to the bank. Part of me would hope there would be at least a little piece of them felt a little guilty for (yes I'm going to write it) sullying the purist competition of the game of baseball.

By no means am I saying it's okay or that I would even do the same thing myself, but I can't hate the players who did it. I can't even be mad at them really. It might be an ugly part of the game's past, but so was pre-integration. All that's really left now is moving forward. Can we just get on with it, please!

I must say, I've never really been the biggest Jason Giami fan, but I do respect him for his comments towards the whole Mitchell Rreport/Andy Pettitte situation.

And as usual, I agree with Mr. Carson. Same with Mr. Campbell. Especially with Mr. Campbell.

YAY!

Enjoy Spring Break next week if you're so inclined. Otherwise, enjoy the countdown to Spring Training Games like I will be.
Bye for now!
JaysGirl5

P.S. Looks like the Jays will win the World Series again...I posted again. WOO! lol.

There's Always Next Year!...and now it is.

Considering pitchers and catchers report in less than 5 days, I thought it was about time I (gulp!) acknowledged the end of last season.

I know, I know. It’s been…almost 5 ½ months since the 2007 regular season ended, but it’s a hard thing to type aloud to cyber space for me. As long as I don’t admit that the season is over, a part of me can get through the wonderful Canadian winter and hockey season. Mind you, neither one has been terribly bad so far.

It’s winding up to be an exciting season. The lineup is looking good, and although I have some questions regarding Mr. Johnny Mac and his playing time, I’m really, really looking forward to seeing what this team will be able to do.

I must say, I pretty much agree with all the deals that were made this winter for the Jays. Yes, I was looking forward to having Mactasticness in every game, but Eckstein does give a slight offensive boost without losing too much defence. If the lineup can produce like it was designed to, even before the Rolen and Eckstein additions, you could take the average hit where Johnny is concerned. I realise it’s hard to say whether Johnny Mac’s clutch hits (especially with the bases loaded) will continue this season, but considering he was training with Travis Hafner (I believe) this off-season, you gotta believe he’s been working hard-core on his batting.

As for the Mitchell Report, well, hallelujah! I don’t mean that for the results or for the names mentioned, but just for the fact that the thing is finally released. Now the baseball world can quit concentrating on who’s name is going to pop up next in the investigations to put the report together, but can move forward to dealing with the whole steroids era and move forward from it. I’m going to have some more personal thoughts on the whole “is taking steroids, etc. when they weren’t illegal in the game still cheating” question later. I figure for my first post, post season 2007 I’ll take it easy. All I will say, is that once I again I totally agree with Scott Carson. I'll also have some more thoughts on Clemens, too...but not many. Don't really know if he's worth it anymore.

Let the countdown official begin and continue for Spring Training, the Regular season, and my first/last pilgrimage to the House that Ruth Built later this summer.

Just a note, I do believe Dustin McGowan has shaved the chops. I saw him at the Flex Pack autograph signing, and although I wasn’t specifically looking for them, I don’t recall seeing them either. Who knows…maybe he’ll grow them back throughout the season. Or…maybe he’s just waiting for some March Mustache Madness. Stranger things have happened.

I’ll post again soon, cross my heart, hope to die, may the Jays never win the Series again if I don’t!
JaysGirl5