"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

In this "Happy, happy, joy, joy" week...

Okay, so maybe the last week of the season as a Jays' fan isn't exactly as the subject line suggests...because, well, they're not in the playoffs. But I think we're finally getting a look at the very bright future the Jays have to look forward to. Yes, a lot of everyday guys are gone right now...which makes the fact they played the way they have in the last week even better.

Granted, this past weekend in NY (except for Monday) was almost an abomination. Read here for more on this topic, by the wonderful Scott Carson. I agree whole-heartedly, and for more reasons than Scotty mentions in his column.

Two "Rock On"s to distribute today:

• Jesse Litsch for making a great spot start on Monday; and,
• Aaron Hill for tying Roberto Alomar's 17 homerun mark for a Jays' second baseman.

I should mention here that math and I are not friends. In my last post, I said there were 7 surgeries this year, but listed 9 names who've gone under the knife. Yeah...I can't count. But it doesn't matter because the surgery total has gone up again. It's now at 11 surgeries during the season, and 12 during the 2007 calendar year for the Jays.

To review, the following Jays have had or will have surgery by the end of the 2007 regular season: Johnson, Ryan, Zaun, Overbay, Halladay, Glaus, Chacin, Wells, Overbay again, Marcum, Fasano. You can add Johnny Mac to that list to make it an even dozen before 2007 is through, as he'll be having surgery to repair a sports hernia.

As my sadness settles in because there's only 5 games left (2 of which I'm attending against the Rays), I start to think back to something I wrote about in July which makes me very excited for next season. This last little while, even though it's been mainly pride on the line, I think everything has been coming together enough for the Jays that we're really starting to get a look at the what this team will be able to do. I realise they've been playing with quite a few rookies and 2nd stringers, but look what they're done. They swept Boston, held their own in an incredibly long weekend in the Bronx, and convincingly beat the Os last night. I see good things on the horizon of next season for the Jays.

Also, consider this: even with all the injuries and man games lost, the Jays record for this season won't be that much worse than last year. And in case you forgot, they managed to beat Boston for 2nd place in the AL East last year. The first time they've been higher than 3rd since 1993. Maybe it was a fluke, maybe it wasn't. Heck, they had only won 3 more games by this date last year than they have this year.

All in all, it was a great season. And of course, I would say that about any season...'cause I got to see my Jays play. Win or lose, I'm not going anywhere. But I'm getting a funny/happy feeling that things will be even brighter next year. I can't wait!

Hey, just for kicks...head on over to the Jays site and vote for your fave Jays moment from this year. I had a hard time picking 'cause they're all pretty fricken great.
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Doc makes his last start of the year in Baltimore tonight against Victor Zambrano. I'm quite sad Doc's start isn't in Toronto, but that' s just how the cookie crumbles. Look for Frank Thomas to continue his quest for 100 RBIs (he's only 6 away). Hopefully the Jays can wrap up the series win tonight.

I was just thinking, maybe I shouldn't have said anything about crumbling where the Jays are concerned.
JaysGirl5

Over the past Fortnight...

I went to 3 games. I saw my Jays beat the Yanks in the bottom of the 9th to avoid a sweep, look lackluster in the opener against Baltimore, then watched them sweep Boston out of town on their way to NY for a 4 game set. All in all, not a bad 3 games.

More injury stuff, and the surgeries just keep climbing. At last count, I believe it's at about 7 surgeries on the year...Johnson, Ryan, Zaun, Overbay, Halladay, Glaus, Overbay again, Wells, Chacin. Plus, not to mention Scott Downs might have a case out gout? Gout, seriously? I remmeber a clip of VDub from JaysConnected talking about how it's just a comedy hour with everyone dropping like flies. I think at this point, you can't do anything but shake your head and chuckle about all the injuries.

"Rock On" to...

• Matt Stairs for becoming #2 on the Most-Games-Played-by-a Canadian list;
• Roy Halladay for being all-around awesome (more on this in a sec);
• Russ Adams for making it back to the big leagues and showing everyone you can still play here. I'm sure your hubby Aaron is proud; and,
• John McDonald for being Mactastic, re-signing so us Jays fans get to witness your Mactasticness for another year, and even though you won't qualify for the fielding% title, you'll always be the most exciting shortstop I've seen play in a Jays uni.

Speaking of unis...this is a pretty cool idea. I would be all for it.

As for Roy Halladay, this just warms my heart and is just another showing of why I adore and respect him so much. He really is one of the only Jays I could never see playing for another team.

The only thing really left up in the air for me at this point is when Matt Stairs will sign with the Jays again. I'm about...85% sure he will, but we'll see how things pan out. You never know in baseball, you can never really know.

Three and 1/2 more things I enjoyed this week, and one of them is not baseball relately:

1. Scott Carson's latest column, down near the end all about Russ Adams and Jordan Bastian's Russ write-up.
2. Scott Carson's take on a tradition, and
3. Mike Toth's take on "Football and Faith".

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Doc's on the mound to start the 4 game set with the Yanks against Chien-Ming Wang. Here's hoping Doc can get complete game #8. Too bad he didn't win even 1 or 2 more games so far this season, 'cause my money would have been on him for the Cy Young. I still wouldn't be surprised if he's in the top 5 voting for it. Hopefully the Jays will continue to play spoiler, and take at least 2 of 4, if not 3, from the Yanks. As much as I'd like to see the Jays atop the AL East, if I have to pick NY or Beantown...I'll wear red all the way.

Enjoy the game, and the series.
Try not go get too down that the regular season is almost over. I know I'm not.
So far, so good on that venture.
JaysGirl5

I think I suck at resolutions...

Because I'm doing a great job keeping up with posting...

Truth be told, things got a little hectic in the last weeks leading to September, but now they've somewhat calmed down.

Again, though, it seems I'm feeling there isn't much to be said about the Jays that isn't already being discussed. There are 1 or 2 things, and I'll elude to those later.

"Rock On"s go to...

• Gregg Zaun for playing in career game 1000;
• Mike Timlin for becoming only the 13th pitcher in MLB history to appear in over 1000 games. (I think those stat numbers are right. He's been around long enough.);
• Clay Buckholz for becoming the first RSox rookie to throw a no-hitter; and
• Pedro Martinez for getting career strikeout #3000 in his return to the Mets last week.

I must say, I don't dislike Pedro as much as I used to. Probably has something to do with the fact that he's with the Mets, and not the RSox anymore.

I will admit what Roger Clemens has done over his career is incredible. I have very certain feelings about him being a baseball mercenary, but those aren't the point here. A few days ago, I heard that Clemens might now make his next start because of pain in his elbow...and blisters on his right foot. Maybe the media outlet was trying to make a subtle joke of Clemens. I can understand not pitching with elbow pain or with blisters on your pitching hand. But blisters on your foot? There are ways to treat those and make them pain free, you know. But, he's only making around $18 million for four months of work. What's a little time off for blister healing...

By no means do I think the Jays are dead in the playoffs. They're still hungry. Even though they lost last night, I think coming back from a 10-1 deficit, instead of throwing in the towel, shows they want to compete. Zaun's unassisted put out in the 5th at home showed that they're not ready to fall asleep for the rest of the season. It's nice to see the offense finally waking up.

For everyone who thought the Jays should just write off their season, I'd just like to point out that as off September 1, the Jays had the exact same record they did last year at that time (69-66). I don't think I need to remind people that the Jays ended up 2nd in their division at the end of the season last year, and finished with a final record of 87-75. Considering all the injuries this season and all the man games lost, I think if the Jays can get close to that record...I'd be incredibly proud. Their schedule won't be the easiest, as the rest of September could be called the East Showdown month. Six games against the RSox, 7 against the Yanks, 6 against the Os, and 6 against the Rays. There is one game against Detroit on the 10th to make up for a previously postposed game. But still...a total of 14 games against teams ahead of them in the schedule...

Which, leaves me to a very special "Rock On" before I head out...

To whoever the hell made the schedule for this season,

Either you've been syphoning off Seeer skills from the Trelawney's or you just got lucky, but you've done an incredibly job with the schedule and playoff showdowns. Rock On, annonymous scheduler, Rock On.
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Contrary to last night's game, tonight's match-up between Josh Beckett and Roy Halladay should be lacking a little more in the hits department. Hopefully Doc can get his 15th win, after pitching 2 complete games, and not getting a thing.


I think that's it for today.
Enjoy the game tonight.
JaysGirl5