Comfort and Knowledge

 As I drove west back home fresh from a nice visit with my father, on skype with my son in Sudbury, I put on the radio and the game was on.

The Jays were playing the Tigers, and Jerry Howarth and  Alan Ashby were calling a spring training game.

There was suddenly comfort in listening to a double play or hit batter, or a pitching change, because it was back. The game was officially on my mind, and it was comfort, and that's what I experience when there is something resembling the game. Even a spring time game, when players come and go like shoppers in a mall.

There is, and will be as the snow falls on Mississauga tonight, the impending knowledge that the spring games bring us. How's Lind handling those routine grounders, is Hill's quad better, and what type of break on the ball does Rajah Davis get, as compared to Vernon Wells. Knowledge and comfort, they are what is offered right now.

Speculation will join that duo in a week or two, and threesome will run their course for awhile, as comfort gives way to familiarity,  Speculation will stay around until all the cuts are made, and doubt will pop in and out as an old friend.

The radio game in the early stages allows for all to heard, because these games are about stretching out the arms, brushing up on the bunt, the double steal and sorting out of bullpen roles.

Radio allows the fan to hear the experts discuss why D'Arnaud is a real comer behind the plate, and why Jose Molina and John McDonald act as surrogate coaches as well as colleagues.
Ashby breaks down the plate blocking abilities, and Howarth discusses the battle for closer, and twists and turns it takes, all the while calling a game in progress.

It is the discussion within the contest, the warmth that you feel, gives me the comfort that my game is back.  Just some of the phrases you like to hear, "Bautista comes to bat here in the top of the 6th, with "ducks on the pond".

Ducks on the Pond

" 2 and 2, with one out, and the go ahead run just 90 feet away"

" He's in a hole here, 0 and 2, with two out, just trying to stay alive, fouling off pitch after pitch "

Well, it's again that time of year, and while I have one eye on the Leafs, I watch the spring game unfold.

The knowledge comes out later, and we learn a little more every day.


 

Last salvo on the Bautista saga

Man on the street

So as we likely are anticipating, a 5 pm press announcement that Jose has re-upped for an additional 5 years ( estimated ) for something smelling like $65 million bananas.  Wow, that's a lot of cabbage too.

So we headed out to ask the man on the street what they thought of this deal.

" So, random stranger, what do yoiu think ?"
" Says Luke S ( no relation to Luke Sampson ) . it's my worst nightmare."
" Why do say that, random stranger, Luke ?"
" They just spent all the money they saved on Wells contract and have no way of knowing if Bautista can repeat those numbers, I mean it's not my money, but we could have seen what he did, and decide to bid when became a free agent"

So there you have random stranger Luke S., let's talk to these 2 fine upstanding gentlemen, "Hello guys, mind if we ask you about about the Jays extending Jose ?".

Guy #1 - " It's fabulous, jays gonna win 100 games, the pennant and the World Series" " Whoa there, calm down random guy - M Dc"

Guy# 1- " Look we have all the parts, now we have a true clean up hitter locked up, it's incredible "

               " So you are  not worried about wasting the money to chase Albert Pujols ?"  " Well we'll get him next year, says random Guy, # 1 .

"Okay, how about you sir ?, What do you think, a waste of money, or well spent " 

"Well, well, I wanta wait and see what else they do, I wanna wait & see if something else happens, ultimately I just wanna wait and see.....ya know, " " Thanks B D, for those candid comments "

Okay, here is another random stranger, Guy # 3, " Are you a fan of the Jays ?"

Guy # 3 " Well sorta, I am more of a hockey fan, but since I have been reading this guys blog, we'll my knowledge and baseball interest has really been sparked " " I think it's pretty good, I won't sit on the fence like some people so I will say I am truly 50 % happy about the deal."

" Wow, that shows true committment, can you predict how many games they will win ?"

"C'mon man, ( random interviewee Petey Pete ) one question at a time"


So there you you have it, a mixed bag of responses, from loving it to hating, and having nightmares over it.

Fans on the street have their say, and we'll see who was right in the end, back tot he studio, and we're out.

Thanks random guys ,

Jose and the Bean

"Hey Bean, what is it we're trying to do"..."Jose, we're trying to takeover the world, well at least the Jays payroll to start with"...

" But Bean, can we do that ? "
" Of course we can, they have little choice, they want to sell tickets, don't they ?"

"Yeah, I suppose so, but what if I cannot hit 54 home runs again ?"

" They don't know that, and if they do not sign you long term, and you have another great season, we'll make millions, billions !!! " "So they are up against my dear Jose"

" Bean, why are you so smart ?"

" My dear Jose, it's my immense brain, and they just dumped that Wells character, so their fans are anxious to keep their new superstar "

" is that what I am Bean, a superstar ?"  " Jose, never doubt it, but make sure you keep smaking those home runs, chicks dig the long ball, and all that superfluous garbage".

" So Bean, tell me what will I get "    " Jose, more than they are willing to give, for sure, plus interest".


In any dance of negotiations , both sides have agendas, the Jays want him for 4 years, Bautista wants big money and big years. The Jays have spent poorly before. Eric Hinske, AJ Burnett, Alex Rios, Frank Thomas, BJ Ryan, Eric Hanson, Randy Myers, I could go on. They have also burned up contracts and just paid them out, like Thomas and Rios.
Lately though, local management has proven the old adage "There's a sucker born every minute"...stolen from PT Barnum. Wells was peddled to the Angels, and the Jays balance sheet is at it's best level in years.
They are still having tickle fights rejoicing in the money they have saved.

But here comes this Jose Bautista fellow, and hi Bean agent, and they are expecting the Rogers vault to open up. And it may, for one reason and one reason alone. That is Bean's agenda, open the vault or we walk.

How can the organistation spout that 2012 is their year to compete for a pennant, if they let Bautista walk ?

" So Bean, will they let me walk ? "....." Not a chance Jose, or no way Jose...."

That will be the public's perception of the Jays if they don't sign him long term.

That the club is still fiscally responsible ( meaning that Rogers is bottom line oriented ) and until 3 million fans come throught the turnstiles, a 5 year $75 million deal seems out of the question.

Anthopoulos has his ideal about the deal, 3 years plus a club option at $ 11.5 to $ 12 mill a year.( Josh Hamilton money ) Incentives dicated, based on at bats and stats initiating th 4 rth year, is Jays wish list.


Fans hope that A.A. and Beeston have managed to convince Rogers to "show them the money", if not
and they do reach arbitration, set the clock for a trade to go off by July 31st.


" So Brain, I mean Bean, am I going to play for the Jays ? "

" My dear Pinky, of course you will, at least for this season....."

Jose can you see....the money

Back it up, for Jose.

Back up the Brinks truck, according to Bautista's agent, Bean Stringfellow. I just wanted to write his agent's name, because it is so neat to see it in print. Bean Stringfellow is Jose Bautista's agent, and his name reminds me of a character straight out of Sleepy Hollow.

Anyhow, I digress, but to the point where we now have Bautista's last comments on the record. If we end up in arbritration, then I am testing the free agent waters. Well we will see as there is scant hours left before the hearing. Would I be shocked if he signed a long term deal, yes, I am afraid I would. I said as much a few weeks ago, he can gurarantee himself a huge payday with another stand out offensive barrage this season. Hey. it is the business of baseball, and that is fine with me. That is what the players fought for, it's their right.

However it impacts my team, so not a huge fan if he bolts at year's end, and let him walk, well not a big fan of getting a sandwich pick in 2012, let's put it that way.

As for what happens if he wins or loses his case, he plans on playing out the string ( no pun intended on his agent's name ), but I would be hoping then for great half season, then moving him for whatever you can get.

I don't think that using that time period between the end of the season and free agency if he's hit 45 long bombs will turn into a contract. Bean Stringfellow will encourage him to give all the teams a shot, hoping for that 5-6 year boffo deal.

Someone asked me who would want him, and to that I would say, if you had hit 54 homers, then another 45 long flies, the line forms to the right, it's everbody, until Bautista eliminates the pretenders, like the Pirates, Royals, Rays, Marlins, and any other team with no ability to add payroll.

There are still a few hours as of writing this blog for a deal to be struck, so there is still a possibility the Jays cave in, because that appears to be what has to happen. If not, we will be all on Bautista trade watch until the deadline of July 31st.

Oh and I found a picture the Beaner, looks like he laced em up in the minors.

The Agent in Question

They caught the ball, they have the arms...

In the run up to camps opening in 2 weeks, I thought I would assemble my top defensive team, meaning the players I have seen play the game, so that spans 4 decades, so if you have not heard of these players, look them up.

Behind the plate - Some would take Irod, because he through out runners, I did not select Ivan Rodriguez, but instead have taken Johnny Bench, of the Reds, because he blocked the plate so well, his arm was unparalleled in his era, and his ability to get to foul balls was exceptional. Johnny Bench (C)

At first base, it was a tough choice, I think there are so many choices, Mark Grace, George Scott, Don Mattingly and Norm Cash, but for me it's Bill Buckner, no just kidding, it's Adrian Gonzalez of the SD Padres ( now the property of the Red Sox ). I watched more Padres games once I had the MLB package, and he makes so many plays it's ridiculous, his range exceeds Mattingly, and his ability to make accurate throws seems effortless, so it's Adrian Gonzalez (1B).

At second base, most would expect me to take Alomar, as I saw him win many gold gloves, with the Jays, and Indians, and Orioles, but there are other candidates, Bill Mazerowski of the Pirates, Lou Whittaker of the Tigers, Rod Carew on the Twins, Bobby Richardson of the Yankees, Julian Javier of the Cardinals and Chase Utley of the Phils. Even the O-Dog gets marks, but it is Robby all the way, because he plays no one else made, not Sandberg, not Maz, or Carew, he made the acrobatic type that you conceded were hits, and he nullified them. Roberto Alomar (2B).

Brooks Robinson of the Orioles, that is it, shut up about Mike Schmidt, Eddie Matthews, or Nettles of New York, 17 Gold Gloves, so everyone just forget it. It's Brooksie. Brooks Robinson (3B).

At shortstop, we have Ozzie, Smith , we have Jose Reyes, Luis Aparicio, Bert Campaneris and Mark Belanger plus Derek Jeter, nah again just kidding, he makes some great plays, but his range and arm does not equal the others. Others of note, Walt Weiss, of the A's and Nomar Garciaparra, but I will take the Wizard of Oz, Ozzie Smith (SS).

In left field, hell, we are just going to take the best outfielders regardless of where they played, as they are all good enough to play centre, right or left. Willie Mays, Ichiro Suzuki, and Garry Maddox, honourable mention to Jim Edmonds, Torji Hunter , Frank Robinson, Tommy Agee, Curt Flood and Steve Finley. This trio got the nod for their range, their arm, and their ability to play shallow and get back to the ball against the fence.

On the mound we have Tommy Glavine, Don Drysdale, Bob Gisbson, and Frank Tanana, Maddux as well, plus Jim Palmer, but I will take Tommy Glavine (P) .

With this defensive alignment the double plays and diving stabs will be routine.

Enjoy, feel free to comment.

What does Andy know ?

This past week, a long time pitcher with the New York Yankees, and Houston Astros finally decided that 17 seasons was enough. Funny though , there were reports he was getting in shape, working out, gave some to feel he was going to rejoin the Yankees for one last hurrah.
It was not to be. Andy Pettitte has retired from baseball with 4 World Series rings, and having always saved his finest performances for the post season and the World Series.

In my mind, he was like Paul O'Neill, and Bernie Williams, those 3 were the real high class of the Yanks, the others, well, they weren't in the same argument.

But Andy did a bad thing, he admitted it saying he took things, things that helped him, but he took them back when they weren't banned substances, just bad things. He also mentioned his NY and Houston running mate had also done some bad things too. He told the Mitchell Commission, he the Grand Jury, he just did not say these things publicly, so we hve no tape, or recorded conversations to draw from. But he did say them.

And so we find ourselves 12 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Fort Lauderdale, NY Yanks spring training facility and rampant news reports about what Andy knows, and what Rogers' lawyer Rusty Hardin will ask him about. What would they ask Andy ? What type of distraction would that pose ?

If it's just Brian McNamee vs Roger Clemens, then who knows how it goes, and the lawyers against Roger are only trying to convict Clemens on obstructing Congress, not taking banned substances.

What would they ask Andy if he showed up to the media circus ?
Andy, when you testify, what are you going to say ?
Roger says you're a liar.
Roger says you did all the bad drugs
Andy, how often did you take these drugs ?
Did you use HGH ? You say no, Roger says you did.
If you think that sounds rough, try having it in your face all through camp, and then start the season, and have to leave to give your testimony.

If Andy looks stressed here, just imagine what it will be like later on ?
Andy ? Andy ? Andy ?


Pettitte has to show up in court regardless, but avoiding the daily side show, that Clemens people can carefully sift through his responses for slip ups, and then try and bury Pettitte on the witness stand, I mean who wants all that.

I think Pettitte took all that time deciding on retirement because he was not sure what to do, I think he feels he can and could pitch and compete, but the media scrutiny will be immense.

Here is a potential theory, even though he announced his retirement, after the trial is over, if you keep in shape, maybe unretire, if the Yankees can use you.

A little far fetched, but plausable.

Andy, there going to have lots of questions for you, hope you're ready.