So...The Jays are off to Tampa. Their record against the Rays this year is...3-3. Not surprising, considering the Rays are a team the Jays "should" beat, but usually end up being even with.
However, since almost getting swept in 4 games in NY, the Jays have gone 7-3. Their pitching has been stellar, their defense consistent, and finally, FINALLY the offense has shown some life. Sure, over the weekend in Chicago it seemed to go take a kip, getting up a little on Sunday afternoon. But it's nice to see what this lineup can do...and it gives me high hopes for next year when they have a full season to gel together.
It was also nice for Shaun Marcum to get a win after pitching a stellar game. How many incredibly pitched games by Shaun this year has he not gotten the credit for because the offense couldn't score a run while he was on the bump. Imagine what his record could be...
To celebrate Shaun's success a little more...in the AL, he's 14th with a 3.67 ERA, 6th with a .244 opponent avg., and 10th with a 1.11 WHIP. Go Shaun Go. I think his emergence as a quality starter is one of the brightest silver linings to all the injuries.
Speaking of starters...Chacin is down in Triple-A for more rehab. I guess Chacin really doesn't smell like victory after all...at least not right now. AJ is set to make his first rehab start. It's up in the air how many he'll make, but I would like to see him go at least 2. Three might be overkill, but the guy hasn't pitched in a month...2 seems like a nice round number, especially because he's making his first start in the Gulf Coast League.
I've decided to not read the comments Josh Towers made about his team after Friday night's game. Partially, 'cause I don't like hearing team members bash each other. And partially from what I've heard, there are times I agree. Still, take care of it internally. Don't air dirty laundry in public. Just sayin'...
______________________________________________
It's the Rays/Jays showdown pt.3 for the season. Dustin "Chops" McGowan looks to win 3 starts in a row for the first time in his career. Going up against Andy Sonnanstine (1-6), it might not be the hardest matchup Chops has faced. But don't think I'm counting out the Rays. Like I said before...sometimes the Devil really does wear Tampa.
Enjoy the game!
JaysGirl5
Monday, July 30, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
The True Meaning
A part of this post was originally part of my last post, but I decided to make it a stand-alone.
Disclaimer: I may get a little ranty again. I can't promise anything. I've always thought about this, and I kinda feel like sharing. Also, I realise this might now just apply to Toronto, but it's the only city/area I can talk about.
Maybe sports fans in Toronto have become so conditioned to losing thanks to the Leafs, that they're too sceptical to support anything that might be better than mediocre. Maybe they've become so cynical to winning that they can't innocently support it. That now instead of being supportive, they sit back and wait. They hold out their support to see how the team will actually do. When they win, they're all over it. They walk the walk and talk the talk of someone who's been a fan from the start. But as soon as the team falters a little or stops winning/being impressive, they're gone. Their support completely forgotten, and in most cases they'll start talking about how all along they alone knew that the team wasn't going to do any good.
I realise I just described bandwaggoners. I don't consider them fans, but sadly without them...fan bases in Toronto might realistically be ever so tiny.
It's possible things weren't like this 40 years ago when the Leafs weren't so far removed from a Stanley Cup win. I don't know. I've only ever lived in a Toronto sports world where the Leafs dissapoint every year, and that gloom seems to become a cloud over any other sports success no matter how good. In this instance, and only in this one instance, I absolutely loathe that Canada is hockey country, and that my favourite team and I live in Leaf country.
This is not to say that I don't cheer for other Toronto teams to win. I think it sucks when they lose, and rocks when they win. But I do my best not to bandwaggon. I pay attention to sports, I love them, but everyone knows plain and clear the Jays are my passion, followed by sports in general. I don't really like hockey, but have enough Canadian pride that I want a Canadian team to win. I have enough Torontonian sports pride to want a Toronto team to win when there isn't another Canadian team. I don't think that's bandwaggonning, just being a hometown/country sports fan.
It's great to win, but in the end if you love a sport and/or a team, shouldn't you just love to watch them...no matter how painless or painful? Maybe I'm a naive sports fan. Maybe having become a Jays die-hard during their *ahem* not so good seasons after the World Series has conditioned me to love my team no matter what. I realise being a die-hard Jays fan and baseball fan in general first and foremost makes me a minority in Canada. I'm okay with that. I came to terms with that a long time ago. Personally I think I'm incredibly spoiled to love a team that won the championship twice early in both of our lives, and I that I fell in love with them not because they won, but indifferent to it*.
I just think...if you're a fan, you're a fan. Bandwaggoning, no. Questioning and being critical of your team, yes. Saying you're a fan, but never enjoying, embracing or celebrating your team even in the bad times, no.
At the end of the game, day, and season...having a smile on your face and in your heart because you just got to watch your favourite sport/team play win or lose, championship or not, yes.
That is the true meaning of being a fan.
JaysGirl5
*Note: To clear up, I am the biggest sports fan in my family and didn't really start enjoying following major league sports until my teens, after my Jays die-hardedness had started. So that really meant that being under 10 when the Jays won the World Series and no one else in my family following sports, I wasn't really aware. Frankly, I fell in love with being in Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in '93 and watching Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green play in the mid-'90s. Yes, I'm defending being a Jays die-hard. I really didn't become one because of the World Series. At the time, I didn't really know it was going on. I just really loved watching them play, win or lose.
Disclaimer: I may get a little ranty again. I can't promise anything. I've always thought about this, and I kinda feel like sharing. Also, I realise this might now just apply to Toronto, but it's the only city/area I can talk about.
Maybe sports fans in Toronto have become so conditioned to losing thanks to the Leafs, that they're too sceptical to support anything that might be better than mediocre. Maybe they've become so cynical to winning that they can't innocently support it. That now instead of being supportive, they sit back and wait. They hold out their support to see how the team will actually do. When they win, they're all over it. They walk the walk and talk the talk of someone who's been a fan from the start. But as soon as the team falters a little or stops winning/being impressive, they're gone. Their support completely forgotten, and in most cases they'll start talking about how all along they alone knew that the team wasn't going to do any good.
I realise I just described bandwaggoners. I don't consider them fans, but sadly without them...fan bases in Toronto might realistically be ever so tiny.
It's possible things weren't like this 40 years ago when the Leafs weren't so far removed from a Stanley Cup win. I don't know. I've only ever lived in a Toronto sports world where the Leafs dissapoint every year, and that gloom seems to become a cloud over any other sports success no matter how good. In this instance, and only in this one instance, I absolutely loathe that Canada is hockey country, and that my favourite team and I live in Leaf country.
This is not to say that I don't cheer for other Toronto teams to win. I think it sucks when they lose, and rocks when they win. But I do my best not to bandwaggon. I pay attention to sports, I love them, but everyone knows plain and clear the Jays are my passion, followed by sports in general. I don't really like hockey, but have enough Canadian pride that I want a Canadian team to win. I have enough Torontonian sports pride to want a Toronto team to win when there isn't another Canadian team. I don't think that's bandwaggonning, just being a hometown/country sports fan.
It's great to win, but in the end if you love a sport and/or a team, shouldn't you just love to watch them...no matter how painless or painful? Maybe I'm a naive sports fan. Maybe having become a Jays die-hard during their *ahem* not so good seasons after the World Series has conditioned me to love my team no matter what. I realise being a die-hard Jays fan and baseball fan in general first and foremost makes me a minority in Canada. I'm okay with that. I came to terms with that a long time ago. Personally I think I'm incredibly spoiled to love a team that won the championship twice early in both of our lives, and I that I fell in love with them not because they won, but indifferent to it*.
I just think...if you're a fan, you're a fan. Bandwaggoning, no. Questioning and being critical of your team, yes. Saying you're a fan, but never enjoying, embracing or celebrating your team even in the bad times, no.
At the end of the game, day, and season...having a smile on your face and in your heart because you just got to watch your favourite sport/team play win or lose, championship or not, yes.
That is the true meaning of being a fan.
JaysGirl5
*Note: To clear up, I am the biggest sports fan in my family and didn't really start enjoying following major league sports until my teens, after my Jays die-hardedness had started. So that really meant that being under 10 when the Jays won the World Series and no one else in my family following sports, I wasn't really aware. Frankly, I fell in love with being in Rogers Centre (SkyDome) in '93 and watching Joe Carter, Carlos Delgado and Shawn Green play in the mid-'90s. Yes, I'm defending being a Jays die-hard. I really didn't become one because of the World Series. At the time, I didn't really know it was going on. I just really loved watching them play, win or lose.
And on the 8th Day...
I will be honest. Lately I have been finding it hard to blog the Jays. Yes, I'm incredbily happy that the lineup they wanted to have coming out of Spring Training is back, minus BJ Ryan. Other than that, well...
I'm not going to say this season was a loss or is lost yet, but I don't think it's gone any way anyone thought it would, even once they got everyone back. Well, except for maybe the fans who say they're fans, but just talk bad about the team no matter what happens. (Someone will have to show me the definition of "fan" that includes people like that.)
These past 7 games against the Yankees and the RSox have been a little tough to watch/listen to, but watch/listen I have. I still get itchy if I'm not watching/listening to the game, but there hasn't been much to say about the team that hasn't already been said, you know?
Except this...
I realise the season is a marathon, not a sprint, and a sign of a good team is how they hang in when things don't go as planned. In that measure, I think the Jays did admirably.
The injuries the Jays suffered this year aren't little ones like pulled hamstrings, to paraphrase Gregg Zaun on JaysConnected. They've been major, resulting in 5 surgeries and over 500 man-games lost (at least). Not to mention, not having anywhere near the team that was built to compete everyday.
In 162 games, it's bound to happen that the everyday squad an organization puts together can't be on the field everyday. Whether it's because a player becomes day-to-day, needs a day off, or has a small injury. That understandable. That's expected, but not what the Jays have suffered. Yes, everyone suffers injuries, but how many other teams this season haven't been able to put their everyday squad on the field until after the all-star break? Some will mention the Yankees. Yes, their starting rotation was decimated by injuries. Sure, they're on their 3rd or 4th 1st baseman. But they got their team back together a lot sooner than the Jays. It's not close to what the Jays suffered.
I'm not trying to downplay the contributions of the guys who filled in for the Jays. Casey Janssen, Jeremy Accardo (balk aside), Shaun Marcum, Adam Lind, and Matt Stairs had break out contributions for the Jays and did way more than was expected of them before the injuries. Not to mention the great contributions of dependable guys like John McDonald and Howie Clark.
But at the end of the day (or the season), there's still a reason the everyday lineup is the everyday lineup. And the truth of the matter is, we have yet to see what this everyday lineup can do.
To prevent myself from blogging forever, here's my best attempt to condense my point.
I get the arguments people are making that the Jays should just call it quits or they're not good enough to win, but I don't agree. We haven't been able to see this team* in action. I don't understand how the Jays can have been expected to make great leaps and bounds in at least the Wild Card in 10 games since getting their everyday squad back, when other teams haven't been able to do it all season with pretty much their every day team.
Is it because: they spend more money now; they're always compared to the Yankees and RSox; for whatever reason, people* in/around Toronto don't want them to succeed?
Who knows. I sure don't, and it's frustrating as hell.
End of rant. There's more I wish to say, but I think this gets my point across.
JaysGirl5
Notes: When I say team, I mean the everyday lineup the Jays originally designed. When I say people, I also GREATLY include the Toronto media that covers the Jays.
I'm not going to say this season was a loss or is lost yet, but I don't think it's gone any way anyone thought it would, even once they got everyone back. Well, except for maybe the fans who say they're fans, but just talk bad about the team no matter what happens. (Someone will have to show me the definition of "fan" that includes people like that.)
These past 7 games against the Yankees and the RSox have been a little tough to watch/listen to, but watch/listen I have. I still get itchy if I'm not watching/listening to the game, but there hasn't been much to say about the team that hasn't already been said, you know?
Except this...
I realise the season is a marathon, not a sprint, and a sign of a good team is how they hang in when things don't go as planned. In that measure, I think the Jays did admirably.
The injuries the Jays suffered this year aren't little ones like pulled hamstrings, to paraphrase Gregg Zaun on JaysConnected. They've been major, resulting in 5 surgeries and over 500 man-games lost (at least). Not to mention, not having anywhere near the team that was built to compete everyday.
In 162 games, it's bound to happen that the everyday squad an organization puts together can't be on the field everyday. Whether it's because a player becomes day-to-day, needs a day off, or has a small injury. That understandable. That's expected, but not what the Jays have suffered. Yes, everyone suffers injuries, but how many other teams this season haven't been able to put their everyday squad on the field until after the all-star break? Some will mention the Yankees. Yes, their starting rotation was decimated by injuries. Sure, they're on their 3rd or 4th 1st baseman. But they got their team back together a lot sooner than the Jays. It's not close to what the Jays suffered.
I'm not trying to downplay the contributions of the guys who filled in for the Jays. Casey Janssen, Jeremy Accardo (balk aside), Shaun Marcum, Adam Lind, and Matt Stairs had break out contributions for the Jays and did way more than was expected of them before the injuries. Not to mention the great contributions of dependable guys like John McDonald and Howie Clark.
But at the end of the day (or the season), there's still a reason the everyday lineup is the everyday lineup. And the truth of the matter is, we have yet to see what this everyday lineup can do.
To prevent myself from blogging forever, here's my best attempt to condense my point.
I get the arguments people are making that the Jays should just call it quits or they're not good enough to win, but I don't agree. We haven't been able to see this team* in action. I don't understand how the Jays can have been expected to make great leaps and bounds in at least the Wild Card in 10 games since getting their everyday squad back, when other teams haven't been able to do it all season with pretty much their every day team.
Is it because: they spend more money now; they're always compared to the Yankees and RSox; for whatever reason, people* in/around Toronto don't want them to succeed?
Who knows. I sure don't, and it's frustrating as hell.
End of rant. There's more I wish to say, but I think this gets my point across.
JaysGirl5
Notes: When I say team, I mean the everyday lineup the Jays originally designed. When I say people, I also GREATLY include the Toronto media that covers the Jays.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
1 Down, 1 Up, 1 Back...1 Real Fake Marriage?
It's 7:43pm, the Jays are down 4-1 in the top of the 2nd. Aaron Hill just hit an infield single. Yes, Hill is in the game. Needless to say, a large majority of the rest of this post is false. However, I leave it for 2 reasons: 1) To remind myself never to believe anything Jays related until it's released by the Jays, and 2) 'Cause the joke about a fake marriage is kinda funny. So read on...if you want.
Looks like the soreness won out. The National Post, Toronto Star, and now Sportsnet.ca are reporting that Aaron Hill will indeed be starting the 2nd half on the DL. The move is retroactive to the 8th, so he's eligible to come off on the 22nd. I realise the Jays haven't release anything officially on this yet, but I think it's only a matter of time. More than likly by game-time tonight, it'll be up on the website. Get better Hilly.
So...it appears with Hill going on the DL, Russ Adams gets his chance with the big club again. Personally, I hope he does a lot better than last season, but nothing's really going to lose Aaron his job at second. If anything, Russ could prove he's either a really good backup or something that could maybe be offered in a future trade. I think Johhny Mac and Howie Clark have proven themselves as excellent utility guys...so I don't know if Russ would take one of their spots. Only time will tell, but good luck Russ Adams. My mom will be happy you're back.
Lyle Overbay also makes his return to the lineup this weekend. More than likely it's going to be tonight, but you never know. As glad as I am that Lyle and Reed are back, it does mean getting to see Matt Stairs on the field a little less. I know this will make him happy, as he's said many times he'd rather be on the bench and everyone healthy, than playing because of injuries.
Lastly...It would seem the fake wedding teamates threw for Aaron Hill and Russ Adams sometime in '05 actually did unite something for real: their careers. Since the momentous, catered (apparently) occasion...the two good friends haven't been able to be successful for that long together on the field.
Hill and Adams were looked to be the double play combo for the Jays for the next couple of years. Russ starts having fielding problems at short, leading to confidence problems, and eventually problems at the plate. He goes down to Triple A. Aaron meanwhile continues to get better at second, but with Russ's departure, is flip flopped back between short and second. Russ is moved to second in the minors, and eventually works his way back to Toronto. So now it's still tag team Hill and Adams up the middle, but the positions are reversed. Russ continutes to have problems at second, and is eventually sent down pretty much for good. Hill is moved back over to second base where, up until his DL stint, he was making plays, turning heads, and marking his Gold Glove territory left, right, backhand, deep in the hole, and centre.
Needless to say...their marriage has been anything but smooth. At least with Russ coming up, it won't be a long distance relationship for awhile.
_________________________________________
Doc goes for #11 against Tim Wakefield for Boston. This season against the Knucleballer, Clayton leads the team with a .333 AVG. in 9 at-bats. Vernon Wells is next at .275, followed by Johnny Mac with .263. The Jays might have caught a break against Boston as David Ortiz might not be playing tonight. He has to get an MRI done on his knee. It's up in the air if he'll play in the series, probably depending on the results. I'm not saying I like guys being injured, but I'll take all the breaks I can get when we play the RSox.
Enjoy the beginning of what should be an interesting (hopefully great for the Jays) 8 game road trip.
Until tomorrow,
JaysGirl5
Note: I've always thought the fake wedding story hilariously awesome, and always wanted a chance to talk about it in a blog. Hence, the possibly going a little overboard with the joke.
Looks like the soreness won out. The National Post, Toronto Star, and now Sportsnet.ca are reporting that Aaron Hill will indeed be starting the 2nd half on the DL. The move is retroactive to the 8th, so he's eligible to come off on the 22nd. I realise the Jays haven't release anything officially on this yet, but I think it's only a matter of time. More than likly by game-time tonight, it'll be up on the website. Get better Hilly.
So...it appears with Hill going on the DL, Russ Adams gets his chance with the big club again. Personally, I hope he does a lot better than last season, but nothing's really going to lose Aaron his job at second. If anything, Russ could prove he's either a really good backup or something that could maybe be offered in a future trade. I think Johhny Mac and Howie Clark have proven themselves as excellent utility guys...so I don't know if Russ would take one of their spots. Only time will tell, but good luck Russ Adams. My mom will be happy you're back.
Lyle Overbay also makes his return to the lineup this weekend. More than likely it's going to be tonight, but you never know. As glad as I am that Lyle and Reed are back, it does mean getting to see Matt Stairs on the field a little less. I know this will make him happy, as he's said many times he'd rather be on the bench and everyone healthy, than playing because of injuries.
Lastly...It would seem the fake wedding teamates threw for Aaron Hill and Russ Adams sometime in '05 actually did unite something for real: their careers. Since the momentous, catered (apparently) occasion...the two good friends haven't been able to be successful for that long together on the field.
Hill and Adams were looked to be the double play combo for the Jays for the next couple of years. Russ starts having fielding problems at short, leading to confidence problems, and eventually problems at the plate. He goes down to Triple A. Aaron meanwhile continues to get better at second, but with Russ's departure, is flip flopped back between short and second. Russ is moved to second in the minors, and eventually works his way back to Toronto. So now it's still tag team Hill and Adams up the middle, but the positions are reversed. Russ continutes to have problems at second, and is eventually sent down pretty much for good. Hill is moved back over to second base where, up until his DL stint, he was making plays, turning heads, and marking his Gold Glove territory left, right, backhand, deep in the hole, and centre.
Needless to say...their marriage has been anything but smooth. At least with Russ coming up, it won't be a long distance relationship for awhile.
_________________________________________
Doc goes for #11 against Tim Wakefield for Boston. This season against the Knucleballer, Clayton leads the team with a .333 AVG. in 9 at-bats. Vernon Wells is next at .275, followed by Johnny Mac with .263. The Jays might have caught a break against Boston as David Ortiz might not be playing tonight. He has to get an MRI done on his knee. It's up in the air if he'll play in the series, probably depending on the results. I'm not saying I like guys being injured, but I'll take all the breaks I can get when we play the RSox.
Enjoy the beginning of what should be an interesting (hopefully great for the Jays) 8 game road trip.
Until tomorrow,
JaysGirl5
Note: I've always thought the fake wedding story hilariously awesome, and always wanted a chance to talk about it in a blog. Hence, the possibly going a little overboard with the joke.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Say It Ain't So(re)!
This little tidbit from Scott Carson's latest doesn't shock me, saddens me a little, but doesn't shock me...
"That's why the whispers that Aaron Hill will be put on the DL to start the second half with a sore knee just makes you shake your head."
Sportnet first mentioned the sore knee in the wrap-up article about the Jays win over the Indians on Sunday. I mentioned it in My Pre-"All-Star Break" Break.
One of the greatest things about being a diehard is that when you watch them every game (or almost every game)...you learn their idiosyncracies. As I've now found out, it can also be a sucky thing 'cause you can tell when something's not on (i.e. Hilly's knee.) Here's hoping he can avoid his first DL trip, but I have to wonder what's caused the soreness.
However, in happy Hill news, I have to agree with Jays beat writer Jordan Bastian with this prediction:
"Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill didn't garner much attention in terms of All-Star votes, but his steady glove work has turned heads throughout the first half. When the season's all said and done, the young infielder will have a Gold Glove Award to add to his mantel."
Keep your fingers crossed.
JaysGirl5
"That's why the whispers that Aaron Hill will be put on the DL to start the second half with a sore knee just makes you shake your head."
Sportnet first mentioned the sore knee in the wrap-up article about the Jays win over the Indians on Sunday. I mentioned it in My Pre-"All-Star Break" Break.
One of the greatest things about being a diehard is that when you watch them every game (or almost every game)...you learn their idiosyncracies. As I've now found out, it can also be a sucky thing 'cause you can tell when something's not on (i.e. Hilly's knee.) Here's hoping he can avoid his first DL trip, but I have to wonder what's caused the soreness.
However, in happy Hill news, I have to agree with Jays beat writer Jordan Bastian with this prediction:
"Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill didn't garner much attention in terms of All-Star votes, but his steady glove work has turned heads throughout the first half. When the season's all said and done, the young infielder will have a Gold Glove Award to add to his mantel."
Keep your fingers crossed.
JaysGirl5
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