Topps 71

Once I started doing  some research on one sided games, I was forced to review old box scores from 77, 79, etc. One thing leads to another, and in my case, it lead to collecting this series.

In the first package I ever opened, I got this card above.

 So, some 41 years ago, my summer was spent from the end of June to Labour Day. Days at the beach, a summer spent slowly collecting small pieces of baseball history.

Whenever my parents wanted milk, bread or a daily paper, I would volunteer to ride down to the closest store, a 20 minute ride, because they would allow me buy a couple of packs of cards, going for 15 cents.


Here are some of the cards that for whatever reason I just seem to gravitate to, in a 715 card set.

Clemente, that year his Pirates upset the favoured Orioles in 7 games











Wilbur Wood, a knuckleballer who played for both red & Whiote Sox, and won 22 games one year, with a microscopic ERA.

Joe Rudi, a member of the 3 time World Series Oakland A's champs. A clutch hitter and made memorable out field catches.











Anyhow, I lost the complete set, thanks Mom, whn we moved to West Hill in 72.

Not worry, it took me over 17 years to recollect the set again, and it was a tad more expensive.

Worst lop sided scores

16- 0

Did the Oakland Raiders breeze through town ?



Well I have been following this team (Jays) since 77, even before that actually, but as the SF Giants did not move, it's a moot point.

After Tuesday, as I choose to sip the last of my beer, I reflected on some of the worst drubbings we received or been on the right side of.

The 16-0 loss to A's eclipses a record that goes back to 2006, when the Orioles beat us 15-0, and when I say worst , I mean by shutout, not by sheer runs scored. No children, grab a seat, and Uncle Jimmy will recount some doozies.

Back in 2000, we had a very strong hitting ball club, Delgasdo, Mondesi, Fulmer, Alex Gonzales, and Tony Batista ( foot in the bucket Tony ). That club could hit the long potatoe, Carlos l& Tony led with 41, and we had Jose Cruz jr hitting 31. Fullmer with 32, Shannon Stewart hit 20, Fletch had 21, even Marty Cordova hit 4, no one was left out. But that day against the Balty-more birds, we got throttled 23-1 !

Imagine that 23 runs and we got one stinking run, with all  that firepower. Oh well, they say the sun does not shine on the same dog's ass every day.  We have ( like the good book says ) giveth as well as receivith.

 We have flexed our baseball muscles at times.

My favourite game of all times, I never watched, and I only heard the last inning and a half.

In 77 we faced the Bronx Bombers, in old Yankee Stadium, and these were your fathers Blue Jays, remember they had they had the first logo that looks the like the new one, but that is all they had in common.
Bill Singer , Doug Ault, Jerry Johnson, and Roy Lee Howell.

That Saturday I was enjoying  a summers day on the golf course with a friend, and after 18 trips around the course, we grabbed a drink, and we got into the car, and we turned on the game. Well, Tom Cheek started saying he never seen such a lop sided affair, all the runs, extra base hits. Early Wynn said this was one for the books, and we looked at each other and thought "Holy Crap".

Well, as it turned out, it was holy crap, but for the Yanks, as we had a 19-3 lead courtesy one Roy Lee Howell, and his 9 RBI game. We could hardly contain our hysteria, a first year team drubbing a perenial World series champ squad, in their own yard. Babe uth just flipped over again in his grave.

That was special, and I never watched it, but have seen clips finally. Closure.

Our mostlop sided shut out on the good side was aginst the 1999 Tigers, and they were not a good squad, but never the less, we chopped them up to the tune of 15 doughnut.

But, as all these are interesting, 2 games ring out in my mind as Blue Jay high water marks,




In 1987, and boy the Oriloes do seem to factor in a lot, on my son's 1st birthday, the Jays clovvered 10 home runs and won easily 18-3. Whitt with 3, Mulliniks and Bell with 2 each, and solos to Moseby , McGriff and Rob Ducey for some Canadian content.

The other Bird Battle that stands out is the game we defeated Earl Weaver's birds 24-10, yup, 3 touchdowns and a fied goal.  Big Daddy John Mayberry hit the only 2 hone runs that day, 24 runs, 24 hits, 8 walks, 5 doubles and 1 triple, and for me the first time I could recall a non pitcher came into a game.
O's back up cathcer, the great Elrod Hendricks through 2 and a thrird scoreless innings.

Anyhow, there have been likely many other great offensive games byu the Jays, but the last two were my favourites.

It's like a fish market

 
Oh Boy, the flood gates are now officially open.

We are 6 days from the non waiver baseball trade deadline and the deals are being made.

The Jays actually started with a 10 player swap with Houston, but that seemed to spur the GM's into action, and of course there are many rumours as well.

This morning, the Fish Market was in high gear, as the Los Angelos Dodgers have acquired Hanley Ramirez, for 2 minor leaguers, This after the Marlins dealt Anibel Sanchez and Omar Infante for a package of young Tigers, including Jacob Turner.

Ryan Dempster is still a Cubbie, but he could become either a Dodger, or maybe an Atlana Brave. Okay take a breath, there have a few more smaller deals, but the Tigers, the Dodgers have begun their shopping.

Those still on the radar to maybe get dealt are James Shields, Peter Bourjous, Josh Johnson, Chase Headley, and Zach Greinke. There numbers decreased when Wandy Rodriguez to the Pirates, and the great Ichiro traded tot the Yankees.

The latter will prove to be depth moves, and not that significant as the Yanks only really gain out field defense from Suzuki, and Wandy will add depth to a solid Pirate rotation.

Names not being heard are Felix Hernandez in Seattle, and Vernon Wells, the first because the franchise is not ready to turn the ace role over to Danny Hultzen, and the latter because maybe there aren't enough suckers born every minute.

That contract will haunt the Angels fora long time. The  Halos are desperate to replace Ervin Santana with James Shields, and Shields is owed substantial money in the next few seasons, so dealing him now makes sense for the always cash strapped Rays.

As always , your intrepid reporter will ( between naps ) check the ticker for the latest developments.

Summer Blog Time

Now that I have escaped the four walls of the office, I am safely trapped in the four walls of home base.

As it still unbeliveably stinking hot ( 35  ) outside, if I decide to cut the grass, it will be at 3 am.

In the meantime, the baseballsecond season continues to find momentum.  The Yankees were stymied in Oakland, while Rays and O's fumble along at .500 and th home squad tossed the Sox around like laundry day.

Over in the AL Central, the Tigers usurped the White Sox, and are now at th top of the heap andlooking every bit the Central powerhouse they were predicted to be. Who cares about the other 3 teams, they are non factors, unless the Indians again decide to send their top 2 prospects for p[itching help.

The West is getting close again, thanks to Rangers losing pitchers like they are at the Alamo, and the Angels almsot have their entire act together ( excluding Santana ), and the A's young rotation is sending a message that pitching wins, even if you do not have an experienced ace. Bo Brett Anderson, no Braden, an injured McCarthy.  Billy Beane is a freakin genius. Now they should make Moneyball, no stars, low budget, except for the Cuban kid, no one making more than a buck eighty.

It is those over achieving A's whop waltx into town to play the big bats of the Blue Jays, having now held down the final wild card slot. Does anyone think they will hold it ? Not me, of course I am stil waiting for the Orioles to collapse, and there is still time for the Birds to have their wings clipped, but give them full marks.

Each team still alive in the race still needs pitching. Those that have it, stay afloat, those without it, will dream of next year, again.

So we ease towardsthe end of July, one thing is certain, that nothing is certain. Many teams still foster a belief that they are in a race for a post season spot, teams that for decades have been also rans, the Pirates, the Orioles, the Athletics, the Nationals. But you n=know what those teams have in common ?  Al 4 have better pitching, and are looking to bolster it, to stay in contention one more week, one more series, gt injured players back, make a run, make September games mean something.

The search for help will come to an abrupt end on August 1st.  But that won't stop teams from believing that this year could still be their year.

This second wild card team in each league has done one thing, it has cost team more money, to chase more money. Young players dealt for expensive fill ins, it always costs when you try and win. It always does.

The Body Count

As this season rolls into it's official second half, for the Blue Jays, and for other teams, the body count continues to oile up.  Toronto in the past week, has seen Luis Perez go down and news that Sergio Santos is now done for the season arrived. The incomparable Chad Beck returns again, and there are guys in the bullpen that were pumping gas in Fresno, California.

Loup ? Who is this guy ? The only ones getting fat this season are the programme hawkers, because you cannot tell one from another.  I am sure Adam Lind took one look after his return from purgatory and said, like Butch Cassidy " Hey Kid, Who are those guys ? ".

Are the Jays alone ? No, many teams have patch work line ups, Triple AAA bullpen, and mounting infirmaries, 15, 30 and 60 day DL lists. 

It is, said he, a war of attrition, and the guy who said the baseball season is a marathon, not a sprint, is posing for a statue.  I have never, in 45 years watching this game, seen anything like this. Never.

There will be no less than 6 contenders for the extra wild card game in the AL, unless Oakland , Cleveland and the blue Jays graciously bow out. But injuries, and parody are keeping this summer box office booming.
The A's have won 8 of 10, the Tigers are winning again. The Jays seem to stat 2 and half games back of anyone holding a wild cardspot. How ?

Well, if they get pitching from Carlos Villaneuva they will. If a Ben Sheets can come back from obscurity, the Braves will. If the sellers hold their assets until late July, the others will sit and hope.

And here is a problem brewing, the Washingto Nationals plan to shut down Stephen Strasbourg when he hits a pre dsignated amount of innings. I guess they fear his arm falling off.

Matt Moore in Tampa , Chris Sale in Chicago, and Jose Quintana are all pitchers who are set for record innings by years end. The White Sox have 2, the Tigers have Drew Smyley. Both teams are vying for the AL Central. The Pale Hose did not figure to be here, having re structured their pitching staff, and planning for their future.
Turns out their future was a soon as this year.  With Ozzie gone, the club house became fun again, and they started winning. They find themselves in unfamiliar territory atop the heap.


Also, we have not even reached the trade deadline yet, and while the phones ring in a dozen cities, no one has made any moves. As I get set to leave for 2 weeks vacation, the last few days in July will be quite interesting, because the body count keeps rising, and teams that thought they would be out of it by mid July are in a positiong to deliever post season play.

Sellers can become buyers, and vice versa, and next week is a whole 7 games away.