Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Happ-Y-Ness is a warm glove

Yesterday after the Pirates game, and long after manager John Gibbons provide the proverbial kiss of death proclamation that Rickey Romero was indeed the Jays 5th starter, he wastold to perform the old "remove thy footeth from they moutheth ".

The Jays brain trust, which I assume does not include Fisherman John decided Rickey has either physical problems, demons, or pixies or a combination of all these, and should stay where it's warm for a bit.

There is quite literally no margin for error for these 2013 Jays, is there. I mean, the money's been spent on acquiring new talent. The Yanks and Red Sox are serious on the fly rebuild, re tool programs, and these are your fathers Yankees. They are now old, older and injured squad. The Red Sox fast tracked there makeover with trades last year, and decent re construct this year.

These Jays cannot waste a month of Romero starts on ahope and a prayer. J. Happ is inserted into the 5th starter's position, while the organisation performs a seance to speak to the ghost of Mel Queen.
Mel, as any Jays fan will remember, did a make up job on Doc Halladay, and look where that has take him.


 A despondant Romero was informed hours after his 4 and a third less than sterling performance over a rag tag Pirates squad.

A subdued Happ was happy, but was resepctful of the situation, he danced opnely naked up and down the dressing room. Happ has made it no secret that pitching in the Queen city of Buffalo has no advantages for him. He does not like wings, and c'mon, it is Buffalo. So Happ now hasarget on him, whether he likes it at all. Get us 6 innings with the game tied or the lead kid, or face criticism.



Happ-Days are here !

A more interesting dichotomy I think is perhaps a disconnect between manager and GM. Hours after the game, the press were convinced that the rhetoric was true, and number #23 was the guy.
At 6 bells in the evening, the story had switched, and Gibby had tootled off to catch o' mess of fish.

Perhaps this was all staged, perhaps not, but if there is a gap in communication, it might be the only reason to be concerned, as Gibbons has been brought back not just to contend, but to win. Nothing short of  a division win will suffice.

Clock is winding down on spring, couple more observations, and we kick it old school.

Enjoy !

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Spring Training Blog Report

Now that MLB has completed it's homage to World Baseball, we can return all the homeless to their Arizona and Florida camps, and allow managers to make decisions on 5th starters,




Two weeks from opening day, or therabouts, pitchers are stretched to 5-6 innings now, and the aches and pains have set in.

Pluis the dead arms, which will recover. You know they always do

In Dunedin, Florida, they await the Dominicans returning to the nest, Reyes, Encarnacion to complete the squad, and get down to brass tacks, or whatever phrase Gibby has resurrected.  He spends the off days fishing for Marlin in the Gulf. Someone tell Gibby they scooped all the Marlin in the off season.

Lawrie is banged up, Rickey still searching for his inner Romero, and we have yet to see the starting 9 on the field all at the same time, but in acouple of days for sure. Then , like all clubs, it is time to get serious, cause The Show is coming back to town.

There are job fights going on camp, mostly relief , maybe for the last man on the 25 man roster, and cuts to be made soon, who is going back to Double AA, who is being released, who goes to Buffalo to assume active and ready status.

In Toronto, the banners are unfurled on University Ave., the boys of summer are returning, someone tell the weather man about that please. Another cold day, with last night's snow lingering around.


Soon we leave the cactus and palm trees in the rear view mirror, and head back to familiar settings.

Shake off the rust and wait for the yells to "Play Ball".

Next blog will set the Eastern Division up for 2013.