Mitch McCullough arrives !

Mitch as in Pitch

This weekend we added to the family numbers with a 9 week old golden doodle, named Mitch.
He will never replace my 2 golden retrievers, but once up to speed is my new walking buddy.
Mitch knows nothing of baseball, so there is first a learning curve where I must be patient and make him understand the fundamentals.
Hate the Yankees
Hate them with a passion.
Well, that is a good start.

Walking the dogs was an activity I always enjoyed, as written before it allowed me to vociferate my potentially draft strategies, and line up cards.

Mitch so far seems to favour smelling anything and everything, so his attention span is pretty weak.


My new companion will also help me shed some unwanted girth, once he is able to handle a walk longer than 5 minutes. Plus he is not trained in the art of walking beside me. That will come, and then we can discuss the hatrid of the Yankees, and hell, the Red Sox as well.

Here is the young lad after bathing prior to his trip to Mississauga.

He leaves 3 brothers and 3 sisters behind and has already developed in instinct for chasing the ball.
I think if you train the kids at an early age, they are yours to mold.

Plus hating the Yankees is essential, same for the damn Red Sox. 



Today he visited my wife's employer, to ooohs and awes, of course, but when I get home, he is mine to command, Jays and Tribe on tonight, so we have to of course explain that the Jays are the chosen ones, and the Tribe are just riff raff masquerading as a first place club. After taking 3 of 4 from the White Sox, it looks like it is time to beat up on the Central division.  Why not ?  Well that will be lesson 2, after " why and how to hate the Yankees ".

Mitch, rest up lad, school begins tonight.

Busted

This week, Giant catcher Buster Posey attempted what most catchers do on instinct.

Block the plate. Cost him the 2011 season, it would seem.

This photo is of a young Ray Fosse, in a game against the Red Sox, doing what he was trained for, hanging in to make the out.

Infielders are trained the same way, get the ball and make the tag, or hang in there on a force out.



Some this week, in light of the Posey injury are calling to ban the play, to ask catchers to simply allow the runner free passage to home plate. What will they tell shortstops, and second basemen to do when runners barrelling in to break up double plays ? Step aside lads, give the runner the base.
I am not going to be surprised if this idea dies out of natural apathy, laughter and derision, because it is just stupid to expect catchers, and other infielders to give up on a play, they are not built that way.

Can you imagine Ty Cobb then, "aw c'mon, where's the challenge", he would have thought his opponents were cowards, and called them so for abandoning their posts.

Ray was forever tied to the 1970 All Star Game, as the winning run was scored by Peter Rose by bowling over, shoulder first, just like he was taught into Fosse. Fosse never had a good offensive year after the collision, but never did anyone whine about taking the "bang bang" play out the game. This was an All Star Game, no a playoff game, not even the key game against a key opponent.

But they played the game this way, because it's in their DNA.

Posey was the victim of a baserunner who knew his chance to score was based on Posey not holding onto the ball, and took a route to collide with Posey. Should he be called out, as runners are between 1st and 2nd ? Perhaps, but I agree with Mike Sciosia, and I disagree with Tim McCarver, who would not only negate the run, and make the runner out, but suspend runners who target vulnerable catchers who must absorb the full weight of the play.

He didn't care for McCarver's proposed rule change.

Buster busted

"Scioscia told me he didn't like it," McCarver said. "He said the reason he didn’t like it was that (blocking the plate) was the last vestige of courage the game has.  But sports is going this route, protect the QB rule, head shots in hockey, concussion syndromes, and baseball is the latest, a "time out" rule on concussions, and now this.


 I am all in to maintain safety, but Justin Morneau did not collide with a Blue Jay catcher, he collided with 2nd baseman Johnny Mac, and has still not returned to form. So can we ban sliding to breakup double plays ?

 I don't want to see the rules changed because Posey was injured, injuries are still rare, and catchers won't want that aspect taken from them, they just hope the throw is well ahead of impact, then they have an opportunity to prepare

Gimme the Rapture Now

The Mets, hoo boy, where to begin, well let's ask Jeff Toobin, who has dogged Fred Wilpon on his investment strategies with his business partner ( no he isn't, yes he is ) approach.

The New Yorker's Jeffrey Toobin takes readers behind the scenes of the troubled New York Mets, and the impact of the Bernie Madoff investment scandal in a story titled "Madoff's Curveball" in the May 30 edition.

Fred should have had some media folks deliver his messages better, but Wilpon believes he is bullet proof, and he ain't.
So, Jeff Toobin, known for his legal analysis, detailed the long-time relationship between Mets CEO Fred Wilpon, Madoff and their families and analyzes the impact of bankruptcy trustee Irving Picard's quest to target the Mets in salvaging assets in behalf of Madoff victims.

As compelling as the Madoff-Wilpon tale may be -- and the outlook does not appear rosy for Wilpon -- of at least equal interest to Mets fans might be Wilpon's take on several of his current players. Toobin quotes Wilpon regarding:

This is more the baseball side of his escapades ( have not heard these style rippings sinced Boss George was Cheif Poobah for the Yankees )
•Shortstop Jose Reyes and his contractual future: "He thinks he's going to get Carl Crawford ($142 million) money. .. He's had everything wrong with him physically). He won't get it."

•David Wright and his rough start this season:"He's pressing. … A really good kid. A very good player. Not a superstar."

•Carlos Beltran and the current $119 million contract Wilpon, himself, handed out: "We had some schmuck in New York who paid him based on one (postseason) series. ... He's 65 to 75 % of what he was."

Toobin then pressed Wilpon on the ownership issues:

Oh Jesus H Christ, and nobody decided from the Mets to pull the plug, they just kept snickering, and kept the tape rolling.  I was waiting for the Johan Santana is dogging his rehab statement next, or Gary Carter is
faking brain cancer for attention.   But there is still time, and thankfully the NY media have this guy by the short hairs.

"Wilpon can press his lawyers to fight on against Picard, but the owner's risks far outweigh the trustee's. For Wilpon, the imposition of a billion-dollar court judgment would be cataclysmic, and would certainly require the outright sale of the Mets; for Picard, a loss to Wilpon would be little more than an embarrassment. Some kind of settlement seems likely, if not inevitable. In the meantime, Wilpon can do little but stew, defend his reputation, and brace himself for another long season at Citi Field."

Toobin, who communicated with Madoff in prison and via email, terms Madoff as "contrite" when it come to Wilpon and the woes he may have brought upon him. Madoff tells Toobin:

"I don't think Fred could be a nicer guy than he is. Family man, very straightforward and honest, he obviously loves baseball and loves the team. And it's really tragic, and I feel terrible about everything that he's going through. I don't know anybody who doesn't have good things to say about him. … He must feel that I betrayed him, as do most of my friends who were involved. Hopefully, they will understand the pressures I was under. I made money for them legitimately to start, but then I got trapped and was not able to work my way out of it. It just became impossible for me to extricate myself, or even try and extricate myself."

"(Toobin's sources describe Wilpon (who owns the Mets along with his son, CEO Jeff Wilpon, and brother-in-law Saul Katz) as immersed in the intricacies of his team and Citi Field -- but also a "nice guy," "too trusting" and "a gentleman." Sources, as well as Wilpon himself, say he was an unwitting victim, hardly a conspirator in Madoff's Ponzi scheme. These guys are more Potsie's than Ponzi's in my book.

"We certainly wouldn't have had $550 million invested in something that's a Ponzi scheme, when you know it can only evaporate at some point," Wilpon tells Toobin. "We didn't know. In fact, Toobin says Wilpon's Sterling Equities invested a million dollars with Madoff on the day of his arrest.


Toobin quotes from a Madoff email in which Madoff writes: "Fred and Saul were only guilty of trusting their friend and I will live with that guilt and shame forever."

And of course greed trumps brains always.....

One other sidelight with a baseball twist comes from Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax, a schoolboy friend of Wilpon from their Brooklyn days, who invested with Madoff at Wilpon's suggestion. Koufax says:

"I don't believe (Wilpon) would ever do anything unethical. I don't believe he would have allowed me to put what limited money I had into something that was illegitimate."

Sandy is decent guy, but was a Madoff victim himself, so self preservation here by Koufax

It's at this pint when Mets fans, are praying for the Rapture, again disapointed Wilpon is still there, well of course he is, this moron is not going to heaven, he has other reservations made.

Mets fans are now setting their sights on October, the newly conceived timing for leaving your bills, and your favourite team behind.

The owner is completely off his rocker, and the exodus ( Reyes, and others ) will be biblical.

Friday's are full of Surprises

A grab bag of things today, but a sad passing this week of Harmon Killebrew, a giant and an icon in Minny. HOF'er and the last of the Washington/Minnesota connection. Happy Trails Killer.

So this interleague thing is back again, and so we entertain the Houston Astros, who are likely wondering what they are doing in Toronto. Try the Eaton Cente boys, there's great shopping. Personally I was sick of this 5 years ago, so with a new round of playoffs coming in 2012, time to reduce or eliminate this waste of good summer rivalries. Rather see Rays, Orioles, or Red Sox more than weak sisters from the NL Central.
Bud, you and guys do something before next year.

A special bond was created awhile back between a young boy fighting against cancer and Romero/Arrencibia battery.  When Ryley Martin recently lost his battle, these 2 felt the loss, and went out and battled the Rays. Outcome 3-2 Toronto, JP long ball the decider, and Romero hurled the win. After the game an emotional JP found it hard to speak, showing us that these are quality people, not just millionaires in stripped pants rolling a ball.  Romero carved Ryley's initials on the back side of the mound, and in the 7th seemed to draw courage after hitting the 100 pitch plateau.

Another attempt at finding a 1st baseman, not named Edwin was tried last night, and well, not bad results. Sometimes booed for his impotent bat and lack lustre hustle so far, Juan Rivera smacked a solo shot, went 2-3, and played flawless defense, the latter being key quotient, no E - 3 's showed up in th final boxscore.

The McCourts are at it again, as the ex-missus says sell the team, I want my moolah, and to Divorce Court we go. I see a quick sale ladies and gents, the league does not want a long protracted public court fight.

As the All Star Game in Arizona inches closer, many hispanic players continue to quietly and vocally maintain that they will boycott the game due to Arizona state laws enacted in 2010, dealing with migrant workers, and their rights, or lack of them. Albert Pujols has gone on record, as has Adrian Gonzalez, and Carlos Gonzalez, so perhaps we will have a sit in, or opt out, but a protest seems inevitable. Stay tuned, a summer of discontent awaits.

On a some side notes;

1. NHL moving back tot he Peg !!
2. Bobbyveeee - new twitter , Rondo , one handed !!!
3. MDC, crowned "Mr.Positive"
4. Peter T is freakin amazin in high Tech gadgets
5. We get the new dog a week Saturday

Ciao for now

Mel Queen was king

The family lost one of it's own.

He was surrogate father, mentor and advisor to dozens of Blue Jays, pitchers and non pitchers.

If you asked Roy, not Hartsfield, but Halladay what Queen mean to him, I am sure the Doc would have a hard time staying in character.

Roy was sent down years back, all the way to A ball, to rediscover himself, and there was Mel, with coaching, and advice, and counsel. "Don't worry Cy, you'll be back in the majors before you know it".


His first no hitter came last year, and in the clubhouse, Halladay was asked to thank everyone from God, his wife, the Pope, to the grounds crew man.  But it was Queen he spoke of, and Queen's patience that choked up Halladay.

Longtime manager Cito Gaston said of Queen, he was a bugger to play against, but a dream to work with, another mentored Jay Pat Hentgen said when he accepted his new role as bullpen coach asked Bruce Walton what Walton would suggest to prepare himself.  Walton told him, speak to Farrell, but listen to Queen. Enough said.

Losing family is never easy, you expect them at every function, anniversary, and celebration, and thus the man known as Pops, Grand Dad, Old Queenie, and Eastwood ( for his stoic impersonation of Eastwood as the western no name cowboy ) is no longer going to stand by that fence post in bullpen in February watching kids running and throwing.

Mel drove a Harley back in his day, and enjoyed the open road, good country and western music, and a thick steak ( he favoured Bigliardi's , now closed )

Queen was king of the hill in Toronto, and he has left a legacy in the many people he met., and the players who learned from him.

Queen was an Angel

Got a nice beat and you can dance to it

My love of music is seconded to my love of baseball, and so I thought with the time I have this day I would give you some insight of what and who are my favorites.


These dudes to the left rank very high, but are not # 1.
Here they are, for all to mock, agree or disagree.







# 1 - The Beatles , never have 2 of the finest songwriters been in the same band, and Lennon & McCartney are 2 of the best 5 . White Album was their finest creation
# 2 - Bob Dylan, best songwriter, best story teller, spans 5 decades ( 1959 now entering 2011, 7th decade making music )
# 3 - Pink Floyd , edgy, quirky and extremely talented. Like most great bands, they split up due to strong pulls from talented band leaders, Gilmour and Watters. Build that Wall guys....
# 4 - The afore mentioned Led Zep's, super band crossed from eclectic muscial experimenters to hard driving rockers
# 5 - U2, so at least fols living now can associate with a group still touring. The Irish make a good whiskey, and good musicians. Strong instrumentals with guitar The Edge in the lead.
# 6 - Supertramp edges out The Who simply based on early Tramp Works like Crime of the Century, and Quietest Moments with great saxophone solos by Helliwell on School and other tracks.
# 7 - Stones, simply gotta give em some props for energy and being the "anti Beatles" takes a lot of confidence, plus decent songs, and being to move through the decades with relative ease, and with changing tastes and media, they seem to thrive on adversity.
# 8 - Rush, and this is no Canadian Content listing, this local 3 some have brought me some of the finest album tracks since the mid 70's ( Fly By Night ). Fave is Subdivsions. Be cool or be cast out.
# 9 - Clapton, in any situation, Cream, with the Dominoes, or solo, one of the top 5 with a guitar in hand.

# 10 - Rounding out top 10 is the crazies AC/DC, kilts, costumes and great rock anthems like Hells Bells, Highway to Hell amongst many than give you chills just awaiting the gongs, and the thumping bass.

Honourable mention to Billy Idol , the narly balled-ere, Springsteen and Neil Young, and to ELO.

New groups I like are The Killers, Flyleaf, Foo Fighters and Coldplay.

Iggy Pop - Fly

Iggy has a lust for life and for baseball.

Holes in the wall

I am guessing that most of you Jays fans are wondering when the glue is going to settle and harden on an every day line up.

Wish there was a simple answer to that, but as you know, after Opening Day things started getting wonky/  That day we lost Rajah, and after that it was one player after another. Hill, Jose, Snider, different closers, Cecil, Purcey, McCoy, Woodward, you name it, it happened.

We still do not have a complete line up, with Snider in Vegas, and Lind licking wounds, it has been a patchwork since we started.

Now other teams have suffered losses, the Rangers are missing Nellie Cruz again, and Hamilton still out. The Red Sox are healthy, and just now emerging from that hideous 0-for that began the year, like Tampa's 2-8 start as well. The Rays at least can boast they got out of their funk, missing Evan Longoria until last Wednesday, so almost a full month, but there they stand in 2nd place having rattled off a long road win streak.

So our home towners will not get much sympathy from these parts, but 2 ten game road swings in April is brutal.  Now home they have been no hit, and beaten by Brad Penny, who is either very bad, or just plain average. So the bats are still in cold storage in my estimation.

Pink ones did not help the cause on Mother's Day, other than Jose's early blast, they made Penny look too good taking pitches when they shouldn't and swinging at his average fastball and missing.

We have some holes in this line up that need plugging, since it appears Juan Rivera is best we can do as clean up hitter with Lind out, and holes exist at the bottom end of the line up after Arencibia, when he is swinging well, which has been rare.

I had not thought offense would be their problem, but perhaps it is, with Hill injured again to start the year, and Travis Snider still not able to get over the Mendoza Line.  If it isn't Bautista, it was Lind, and maybe Patterson, but we have too many soft spots presently, and it is putting pressure on the pitchers to be perfect, which they cannot possible be.

I will be in attendance this evening, maybe I will be the straw that stirs their drink, I hope it's something because Max Scherzer has a killer fastball, and a great change up , which is an out pitch.

Holes in the wall, and our boat is leaking, time to get these plugged and get going, or the season can sink pretty fast.