Jays 4 Texas 1 - Morning reflections

1:01 p.m. - Today's line-up:

1 - Shannon Stewart - LF
2 - Aaron Hill - 2B
3 - Alex Rios - RF
4 - Vernon Wells - CF
5 - Frank Thomas - DH
6 - Lyle Overbay - 1B
7 - Rod Barajas - C
8 - Joe Inglett - 3B
9 - John McDonald - SS
SP: A.J. Burnett

12:47 p.m. - It's as if no time had passed at all. Walk into the clubhouse and there's B.J. Ryan in his familiar spot - at the card table.

Ryan's back with the team and available to pitch today. The story is here.

The big closer looked pleased as punch. When one reporter asked him if he's going to feel amped when he first takes the big league mound again after a year's absence, Ryan replied "I'm going to be amped up my 50th time out."

Good news for Ryan, better news for the club, deliriously glad tidings for rookie Jesse Carlson. Toronto now has four left-handers (Ryan, Carlson, Scott Downs and Brian Tallet) coming out of the pen.

"You hardly see that anywhere," manager John Gibbons.

Of course, not so good news for Brandon League, who was looking crestfallen as he arranged the delivery his bags to Syracuse in the clubhouse manager's office.

"The role he's in right now here, it's not doing him any good," Gibbons said of League. "They don't always understand that. For his future ... he needs to be down there (in Syracuse) pitching regularly, finding his groove."

It's been a long fall for the kid with the Golden Arm - from set-up man to Ryan to begin 2007 to today.

10:57 a.m. - Arlington is a strange place. Sunday morning and you cannot get a cup of coffee. I walked for what seemed like an hour until I found a Panera Bread that would serve me a (terrible) morning pick-me up. And they wouldn't do it without trying to force a dozen bagels on me. All the while, a howling wind blew and the few drivers coasting by stared at me as if I was an alien. There is no lower form of life in Texas than a man on foot.

To the game.

Halladay locked in - While aces around baseball struggle early (Sabathia, Oswalt, et al), Roy Halladay has hit his stride after three starts. Remember that Texas was the spot last year where Halladay experienced his first terrible wobble of the season. He messed up two of the following three starts as well. Then his appendix blew up. Maybe it was stress.

It's obvious that Halladay needs to have a Cy Young caliber year for this team to succeed (and A.J. Burnett must do likewise). Hearts will be beating more reasonably this morning in the Jays offices having seen that their man is ready for a long, productive season.

Feeling the heat - I'm not the man to take up the statisical/research challenge, but it would be interesting to measure Halladay's lifetime performance in reference to the heat when he pitches. Halladay flat out hates it hot. Last year, in a September start in Baltimore, the first line out of his mouth after the game was "I'm beginning to believe in that whole global warming thing."

After many of his starts, the weather merits a mention by him. Though his physical fitness is beyond question, we've all seen him sweating buckets up on the mound. The cooler it is, the better he likes it. This may provide another small reason why Halladay likes Toronto - a (relatively) cool climate and the temperature controlled environs of the Dome whenever it's closed.

Inglett busts out - That long bench got longer last night when Joe Inglett showed up and went 3-for-4. Coupled with two appearances last year, that puts Inglett's career average as a Jay at .667 (6-for-9). If Scott Rolen is out for a significant amount of time, this at least provides some solace for the team.

Hill in second spot - Can anyone not imagine this becoming a permanent state of affairs? There's simply no reason that Hill should not be in the two-hole day-in, day-out.

In three games in the second spot this season, Hill is 5-for-13 with 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. His presence allows Vernon Wells re-emerging bat to drift down into fourth spot and shield Frank Thomas, who has struggled.

"I like the way that looks. It might be something we stick with," manager John Gibbons said last night. Well, that's clear as mud. And it would mean that the team's $10 million DH will be batting sixth once Scott Rolen returns.

Breakfast at Rangers Ballpark - Dunno. They haven't started serving yet. And I'm starving.
Coffee at Rangers Ballpark - Fair to middling. But what is the aversion all Americans have to putting out milk alongside the half-and-half? I have to maintain my (expanding) figure in order to keep the attentions of a beautiful wife.
Pain killers at Rangers Ballpark - Supplied by the Sun's Mike Rutsey. One Tylenol and One Advil to kill off the headache created by sleeping in a Marriott. He claims it was Percodan. I haven't freaked out yet.

Cathal Kelly

Jays 8 Texas 5 - Morning reflections

Morning reflections, 9:10 a.m., April 12th

Inglett called up, Coats sent down: This means only one thing to me - Scott Rolen ain't feeling so hot now that his cast is off.

Inglett is burning it up so far in Triple A, but Coats fills a lot of needs for this club. Coats showed his worth last night, going 1-for-3, stealing a base and covering a lot of ground in the very big left-field at Rangers Ballpark. And that was his first ever start for the Jays.

When he first broke his finger, the club speculated that Rolen might be out for 1, 2 or 3 weeks. That became 4-to-6 weeks once he saw a surgeon. That became a solid 6 weeks once the cast came off last Monday - putting his return date in early May. Your guess is as good as mine as to what that is now. We'll see in Baltimore, where Rolen is due to visit with the club, after visiting with his doctor.

But now that Rolen's replacement, Marco Scutaro, is cooling off (2-for-19 over the last 6 games), it looks like the Jays want some longer term back-up at the third base position. My totally speculative and possibly irresponsible bet at this point? We won't see Rolen until mid-May at the very earliest.

Impostors in Texas jerseys: I'm still pondering the dubious wisdom of giving all of Texas' regulars the night off and allowing a local high school team to masquerade as them. The fans were none the wiser. The press didn't notice. Not until balls were hit in their direction and the Texas interlopers bobbled each one. Perhaps three balls were fielded cleanly all night long.

After the game, I asked Vernon Wells if the field was coated in cooking oil, or if the umpires were shining laser pointers into players' eyes as they attempted to field the ball. But only in the top of each inning.

Apparently not.

Sure, the real Rangers got a blow. But those gawky, ten-thumbs types wearing David Murphy's and Gerald Laird's jerseys made their elders look ridiculous.

However, this is my only explanation of the Texas team that took to the field last night.

Jason Frasor makes me nervous: I like Jason Frasor a lot - mild mannered, cerebral guy. Maybe too cerebral. Every time he takes the mound, he looks as if he's mentally envisioning all the things that could go wrong.

The ultimate test for me on Frasor's reliability, beyond numbers or history, is the fact that each time he comes into a game, I begin revising my moving game story to the worst case scenario. When he entered in the ninth last night, backed by a four-run lead, I felt no fear.

Then he gave up a leadoff walk to Ian Kinsler. Kinsler stole second (I refuse to acknowledge the scorer's morphology: 'defensive indifference'. He stole second.) Frasor struck out Michael Young. Then Josh Hamilton ripped a single and Kinsler scored.

Reluctantly, I started writing an alternate lead, with the Jays blowing the game again and yadda yadda. But after Scott Downs bumped Frasor, I started breathing again. I wonder if this is the same reaction Frasor's coaches have. I want this guy to do well - and he has the stuff.

Four stolen bases: The Jays managed this last night, the first time they'd compiled so many steals in one game since 2005.

After the game, Wells got a little carried away and said "everybody" on this team is capable of stealing. He thought for a moment after that and corrected himself. "Well, not everybody." This is the point in the movie version where the camera pans slowly to the nameplate over Frank Thomas' locker. Or Lyle Overbay's. Or Rod Barajas'. But the facts are that Overbay was caught stealing last night (on what realists can only presume was a blown call from the dugout to home plate).

The Jays deny that they're becoming a team that counts on the steal. They don't like to admit change, especially when it might be reflected on from the viewpoint of 'what might have been'. But the facts are these. Toronto has 13 stolen bases right now or 1.3 per game (Math! I've finally mastered you). That's best in the AL right now.

Last year, the Jays stole only 57 bases, second worst in the league. Let's hope this happy advancement continues. It certainly makes this team more fun to watch.

Coffee at Arlington Courtyard Marriott: Passable
Dining Room at A.C.M.: Grim
Service at A.C.M.: Unconscionably cheery
Scrambled Eggs at A.C.M.: Runny
Fact that I had to trek several hundred yards down a service road in search of a Saturday morning newspaper: Annoying. But, moreso, bad news for the future of newspapers.

Cathal Kelly

6:31 (civilized time), April 11th: That really is all that matters to me about Arlington - there is no heat wave.

I feel roughly the same about Kansas City, though that city offers the consolations of fabulous barbecue and the Standard Style Boutique. I earn enormous points bringing their Alternative Apparel t-shirts home to the lovely wife. Also, the Globe's MacLeod and I uncovered the world's most underappreciated, undiscovered band at some hole in the wall last year. I'm not sure what they played or in what style. Can't remember the name, whereabouts, zip code or number of floors in the bar where we saw them. But it seemed awesome at the time. Pabst Blue Ribbon will do that to you.

Okay, okay, baseball. Focus, people. This is a far different group than the one I last saw after the sweep of Boston. The reality of reality settling in.

The ETA on B.J. Ryan is now a week or more. Sounds like the Detroit series, kicking off at the Rogers Centre, on April 18th, is a target. Given that that would still see Ryan more than three weeks shy of a full year of recovery from Tommy John, my presumption is that it's a best case scenario.

Frank Thomas sitting out tonight. We were told that it's got to do with a late-arriving plane and the fact that Texas starter Vicente Padilla's "been tough on Frank" (quoth Mgr. J. Gibbons). Thomas is 4-for-21 lifetime against Padilla. But he does have two home runs, which is as many as the rest of his teammates combined. Hmmm.

Buck Coats gets his first start in the grassy vastness of Rangers' Ballpark's left-field.

Clubhouse Clip: A.J. Burnett showing Roy Halladay a copy of last month's Men's Fitness. The cover featured a shot of cherubic Red Sox ace (and former Burnett teammate) Josh Beckett.

"When you gonna get on the cover of that?" Burnett said to Halladay. "You got a way better figure than this cat."

Man, guys don't use the word 'cat' in casual conversation enough. Seriously.

Cathal Kelly

A guy named Smith

Wish I had the Blue Jays' all-time record against pitchers making their major-league debuts. Have no idea at the moment, but it can't be good. Used to be a fair Pro-line bet (when I was still an idiot).

Jays run into one of these tonight in Oakland left-hander Greg Smith, who got the call when Justin Duschscherer went on the DL. It'll be the first starting left-hander the Jays have faced this season. They also get another tomorrow in Dana Eveland, who, like Smith, was one of the six guys the A's got off the Diamondbacks for Dan Haren.

Jays were 26-17 against starting left-handers a year ago -- 57-62 against starting, you know, right-handers. That's not all, either.

Against righties in 2007, Jays hit a composite .248 (29th ranked), slugged .400 (25th), had a .315 on-base percentage (29th) and a .715 OPS (27th). Against lefties, they led the majors batting .296 and were second in each of the other three -- .484 slugging, .365 on-base and .848 OPS.   

allan ryan

Blue Jays mail bag

Good start for the Jays thus far, as they await the return of B.J. Ryan, headed for a rehab stint in Syracuse and Scott Rolen, who had the pin removed from his broken fingertip on Monday. We’re going to break the Jays season down into 10-game segments all year just to keep track of their peaks and valleys. If they can finish every 10-game segment at least 5-5, there’s a good chance of hanging tough. The first 10-game segment ends on Friday. New clubhouse, the signings of Aaron Hill and Alex Rios, the Big Hurt on an RBI roll and Vernon and Lyle seeming healthy again all bode well. Now on to the mail bag.

Q: Richard buddy, do you not love the approach and look of the Blue Jays this year? Aggressive on the base paths, small ball (i.e. Aaron Hill and Gregg Zaun bunting) and Marty Peavy at third sending people home when last year the Jays would stay at third. Do these signs not seem to indicate a much better year if they can keep them up? I'm not just saying how they played against the Red Sox, I was even super excited during their Yankees series where they lost two games but still looked great. Do you think this play will continue and if so does it not seem like a playoff push is finally for real?

Chris M., North Bay, Ont.

A: While the contra-performance by A.J. Burnett on Tuesday night vs. the A’s sort of brought us all back to reality with regard to the Jays’ starting pitching, there surely is reason for optimism – but not smugness.

The stolen base aspect of the offence excites me a lot because, I guess, my NL roots are showing. Despite the early display of small-ball, the Jays will not continue bunting all season because, last year, as a manager, John Gibbons had the fewest sacrifice attempts of anyone in baseball. That aspect then will be expected to settle down.

As for Marty Peavy waving guys around third base, I’m not yet sold on him as a traffic cop and I’m not getting all excited just because he’s sent runners to score in a somewhat adventuresome fashion. In fact, the first two times in Game 2 of the season at Yankee Stadium that he sent guys home was somewhat akin to the guy in the Charge of the Light Brigade. “Into the valley of death…” Both times, the guy was dead to rights and Marty got away with it because of bad throws by Bobby Abreu. I don’t consider it good aggressive baseball when you’re having a man that should be thrown out and he’s safe. When Brian Butterfield was there, neither was it a conservative running game. It was just more consistently smarter and Marty will reach that point in time. How about in the Red Sox series, when there was a single to Manny Ramirez and Manny wasn’t even going to throw home, conceding the run. Peavy held the runner, but since the Jays won, nobody noticed.

As for a playoff push, to me, it would be if they were within a half-dozen games of a wildcard in the middle of September. And I think that’s possible.

Q: If A.J. Burnett has a good season, say 15 wins or more, wouldn't it make sense for the Blue Jays to renegotiate his contract and make him a competitive offer rather than have him leave a free agent? Is that a possibility?

Jerry Maloney, Hanmer, Ont.

Red Sox @ Jays - The day of the living dead

2:50 - After handing over the game on Friday night, Delcarmen serves Thomas a first pitch fastball that Thomas quickly deposits over the fence. Thomas' 3rd grand slam as a Jay makes it 6-2.

2:46 - Single, walk, walk from Beckett to load the bases with two out. Frank Thomas coming up. Beckett's out. Manny Delcarmen replaces him.

2:35 - Bottom of the fifth. Vernon Wells hit a two-run shot off Beckett in the fourth. He now has five homers in 27 career at-bats against the Boston ace. Jason Varitek replied in the fifth with a leadoff homer. Score knotted 2-2.

After drifting over to DrunkJaysFans, I see that ESPN writer and former Jays exec Keith Law is reading and rating Time's Top 100 novels of the 20th century in his personal blog.

Today, he dissassembles William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch, which, to me, is a little like trying to break water. Not getting Naked Lunch is the whole point of Naked Lunch. I would suggest that this book can only properly be read when you are in an altered state or 17. I met both conditions and have a deep and abiding love of Burroughs' masterpiece. Man, if Law doesn't like Naked Lunch, tell him to steer well clear of Junkie.

Law's next book is Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. Wrong. If you're reading Murakami, you have to go with Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World.

Man, where's Scott Rolen when we need him?

That said, I have nothing but admiration for a sportswriter who writes (or thinks in general) about something other than sports. The Sun's Rutsey has what I think is the correct rule on this - he refuses to talk sports away from the ballpark. No exceptions.

2:05 - Top of the fourth. So much for a sub-two hour game. Sox leading 1-0 on a Jacoby Ellsbury solo homer. Ellsbury is now 4-for-4 against Halladay over his career. Both pitchers look strong. As I write that, Halladay embarrasses J.D. Drew with a sick curveball for strike three. Drew knew he was done when the ball was still ten feet from the plate. He just waved at it picture postcard style.

12:36 p.m. - Watching the Boston Red Sox go through their pre-game stretch, one is left wondering - Can you do calesthenics while asleep?

After what seems like eight months on the road, including traipsing across 11 time zones in 10 days, the Red Sox look ragged. This team just wants to get home. Combine that with a Roy Halladay start and I'm putting the over-under final time on this afternoon's game at 1 hour 49 minutes.

In news, John McDonald gets his first start of the year today behind Halladay. Manager John Gibbons once again denied that the slick fielding McDonald has become Halladay's personal shortstop, but we'll allow appearances to bear that out.

Also, B.J. Ryan will pitch on only one day's rest for the first time tomorrow. He's still on target to rejoin the Jays April 11th or 12th.

Today was my first chance to get a look at the Jays new refurbished clubhouse and it is palatial. The Sun's Mike Rutsey likened it to a train station, in a good way. Gibbons was so cheered by the prospect of a weekend sweep of the Sox that he toasted the Toronto press corps with a shot of Monavie, Lyle Overbay's antioxidant of choice. It's early, but these are giggly times in Blue Jay land.

Cathal Kelly

Jays @ Yankees - April 3rd

4:05 p.m. - Good news first. Dustin McGowan's stomach flu will not keep him from starting tonight. And X-rays on Marco Scutaro's right hand, which was hit by a pitch last night, are negative. Also, Matt Stairs makes his season debut tonight in left-field and batting second in the order.

Add that to a convincing 5-2 win against the Yankees, and the clubhouse seems pretty content a few hours before the rubber match of this opening series.

One amusing note from the daily bull session with manager John Gibbons. The Post's Jeremy Sandler brought his laptop into Gibbons' office and showed him this strange and amusing feature at the New York Times.

A mathematician has taken the statistical data about the tendencies of the 30 major league managers and expressed it in the form of facial expressions, called Chernoff faces. It looks a little kooky, but I'm sure it's good enough to get someone a nice fat grant from Elias Sports Bureau.

Gibbons looked at his own representation, which strikes me as a little Kilelber elf-ish owning to his reluctance to bunt, and asked, "What is that (expression)? Puzzled?"

Then he took issue with his virtual hairstyle, which as best as I can tell has something to do with the use of pinch hitters and runners.

Bottom line: he looks a damn sight better than Phil Garner's avatar, which looks deranged.

Cathal Kelly

Jays @ Yankees - April 2nd

5:58 - As we left the pressbox directly after last night's game, we saw a few cops moving double time to get through the fans leaving the game. I thought it probably had something to do with the 48,000 gallons of beer consumed by the Yankee fans (I meant that to be a fictitious, ridiculous number, but it's probably less than the actual amount).

In fact, it was way, way worse, as I read in today's New York Post. I should be getting danger pay coming up here or something.

5:14 - So no Matt Stairs again. He was due to get a workout before the game. If he's still can't pass muster, he's going on the 15-day DL. That would put his return on the (off-day) 7th, just ahead of the home series with Oakland.

Also, Rod Barajas replaces Gregg Zaun. Jays manager John Gibbons said Zaun is fine (hmmm) and that he made the decision because of Barajas' numbers against Yankee starter Mike Mussina - 4-for-14 with a couple of home runs. We'll see how this pans out over the next few days.

Jays line-up
1 - David Eckstein - SS
2 - Shannon Stewart - LF
3 - Alex Rios - RF
4 - Vernon Wells - CF
5 - Frank Thomas - DH
6 - Lyle Overbay - 1B
7 - Aaron Hill - 2B
8 - Marco Scutaro - 3B
9 - Rod Barajas - C
P: A.J. Burnett

Remember that Burnett got pretty banged up in his last spring start against A-ball players back in Florida a few days ago. The club blamed that on the unusual number of curveballs he threw in wonky counts, 3-2 and the like. Again, we'll see how he comes out firing tonight.

I should also add this, glimpsed in the Yankee clubhouse by Rich Griffin. On a greasepaint board in front of New York utilityman Morgan Ensberg's locker, the following message is written:

"One year contract with the New York Yankees: $1.75 million
White Range Rover: $75,000
Getting 50 dollar cell phone ticket in Harlem: Priceless
M. Ensberg"

So much for the Yankees getting special treatment in this town. I have no doubt the exact same thing would have happened to Derek Jeter. Er.

2:33 - Usually arriving early at the ballpark is just a chance to swill free pop in the press box (That's why you see the 4L jug in my bag).

But Yankee Stadium is always buzzing. Plus, the New York media stay out of the pressbox until mere seconds before first pitch, so you're usually alone up here. A chance to sit back and take it in - while they power hose the seats below you.

A couple of minutes ago, Lyle Overbay and his wife were out in left-field tossing the ball to their two young boys. Those kids are like Overbay clones, the resemblance is so striking. And they've got pretty good arms for little guys.

Then Roy Halladay and his personal trainer (and the Jays strength coach) Donovan Santas came out from behind the bullpen, where they'd obviously been working out.

Now third base coach Marty Pevey is sitting in the duguout doing arm stretches.

Jays clubhouse doesn't open for another hour yet, but I'm off down to the cafeteria to grab a coffee and check out the chalk-written line-ups (Yankee Stadium has by far the best cafeteria in baseball. Between that and the hot dog stand inside the press box, I'm going to need pregnancy pants soon). Curious to see if, as was strongly hinted, Matt Stairs is ready to make an appearance today.

Cathal Kelly

Blue Jays mail bag

Richard Griffin answers your Blue Jays questions. Click here to submit a question.

Opening Day has finally arrived and Roy Halladay looks healthy and ready to rumble. But two runs per game of support and head-scratching defensive gaffes aren’t going to do anything to relieve his frustration level. Pay attention to Halladay when things occur beyond his control. He is not the emotionless robot that he once seemed earlier in his career. This guy gets frustrated and shows it in short, obvious outbursts. But by the time the game ends and we get access to the clubhouse, he has reined in whatever it was that set him off and he gives controlled, emotion-free answers. Some good questions in the mailbag this week, but remember, for the GM and manager, the future is now.

Q-I found the outpouring of support for Reed Johnson in last week's mailbag to be somewhat laughable. Fans seem to think that Johnson is the superior player simply because he has a superior throwing arm. Granted Johnson might get a few outfield assists, or prevent some runners going from 2nd to home late in a game, but I am more interested in another stat, runs. According to baseball-reference.com the 162 game average for Reed Johnson is 85 runs scored. For Shannon Stewart the number is 102. I don't think that either Johnson or Stewart would get anywhere near those run totals in 2008 but if history tells us anything Stewart would almost certainly get 10-20 more runs in a season than Johnson would. Do you seriously think that Johnson's arm would save the Jays more than 10-20 runs in year? The Jays went with Stewart because he provides more consistent offence, and I think the Jays are going to need all the offence they can muster this year.
Casey Smith, Vancouver

A-I find the general attitude of seamheads and stat geeks like yourself towards real, human, flesh and blood players that don’t measure up to your computer-generated ideals to be sad. The so-called outpouring of love towards Reed Johnson from fans and from this mailbag last week has nothing to do with Reed’s throwing arm or the fact that some statistical proof can be generated from a website that shows Shannon Stewart capable of producing 17 more runs than Johnson in a 162-game season. It has to do with the fact of dealing with a decent human being that has not been treated with the same respect he has shown the game he has chosen as his profession. I talked to Reed the morning of the game in Lakeland the March date where you might recall that everyone outlined the showdown situation between Johnson and Shannon Stewart. After I turned the tape recorder off I told Reed: “I don’t think that leaving this team is a bad thing. I think you would be better off going to a team like the Cubs. The fans would love you. You would have a chance to get more playing time and the organization, if they went to the effort to trade for you, would obviously give you more respect.” He smiled when we talked about it and agreed and I believe he is in a better place. Therefore, it’s not a matter of ripping the Jays organization for dealing Johnson. The guy is still earning almost $2 million and has many earning years ahead of him. But please recall how Jays’ GM J.P. Ricciardi dissed Shannon Stewart when he originally traded him to the Twins for Bobby Kielty. Shannon is older now, still running against the wind. I don’t blame you for your immaturity. It’s easy for someone on the outside looking in to disregard the humanity of players. But it’s difficult for someone that has been in the major-league game for 35 years to do the same. There will never be any apologies from my part for caring about players as human beings, no matter how flawed their skills may seem when run through a computer.

Q-Hi Richard,
Thanks for answering all our questions about the upcoming Blue Jays season. I have one about the situation with Scott Rolen-why is Marco Scutaro playing third base and not John McDonald? Was McDonald approached about playing third at all? An infield of McDonald, David Eckstein, Aaron Hill and Lyle Overbay would never let a ball through. We've all seen McDonald's exceptional work in the infield, why not put him in? Thanks Richard, cheers!
Dave Raiken, London, Ont.

A-I believe that the sequence of signings and promises in the last six months has something to do with Johnny Mac’s situation. I love the guy, but he was signed last year for $3.8 million for two years to be the starting shortstop. That’s enough for a man of his talent and I know he is happy. That’s more money than he ever dreamed of as a light-hitting Providence College shortstop. Then, last winter when Scutaro was signed, it was as a backup for McDonald at short and Rolen at third and Hill at second. Then when Eckstein was signed, all of a sudden Scutaro went to third-string at shortstop, but remained as the No. 1 reserve at second and third. Scutaro is a decent defender at third base and a better offensive force than McDonald. I have had this opinion for a while now. But I think that Johnny Mac should play shortstop every time Roy Halladay pitches. Usually it’s a personal catcher. I think Doc deserves a personal shortstop. If that doesn’t happen, then maybe while Rolen is out, Mac could play third base when Halladay pitches. Face it, in a game where one of the best pitchers in baseball is plying his trade, he does not need the extra run that a more offensive player might provide, he needs the two runs that a superior defender might prevent.

Q-As a long-time coverer of baseball, you must have been witness to a number of memorably extraordinary episodes, both on and off the field. Take just this Jays’ pre-season, for example. A key pitcher is immediately lost for the entire season. The team's biggest off-season acquisition is promptly injured. The No. 2 starter involved in a freak accident that costs him, temporarily, his No. 2 pitch. Even the ace of the staff isn't immune from the seemingly omnipresent and contagious voodoo, the victim of an uncanny one-inning collapse in his last start before the regular season. When the A.L. East gods lifted the curse off the Bo-Sox, to whom was it exchanged? How much weight do you personally give to the unpopular belief that superstition influences, and maybe at times even governs, the game?
Darrell Holtze, Guelph, Ont

A-I’m not sure “coverer” is a real word, but the curse that has overtaken the Jays since they won their last World Series is quite real. I have researched the origins of the curse and I believe that is has something to do with GM Pat Gillick releasing Alfredo Griffin on October 27, 1993. Think about it. What have they done since then? The Griffin Curse has brought the Jays nothing but grief. A mere 15 months later, I arrived on the scene to torment Jays management when they try and take shortcuts to success. Several years after that, John Ford Griffin arrived on the scene in a trade and crushed the organization’s playoff hopes with unfulfilled potential, cursed, as he was, by a throwing arm weaker than both of either Alfredo or Richard.

Q-Richard,
I love reading the Wednesday Mail Bag and I've finally decided to submit my own question to you. I was wondering why MLB teams are not permitted to trade draft picks? It is the only major sport that doesn't allow it. Maybe if teams were permitted to trade draft picks, wouldn't getting even a 5th or 6th round pick from the Cubs for Reed Johnson be better than nothing? Another point, instead of drafting according to "signability", why not allow teams to trade down in the draft for the player they want, and maybe gain a couple extra picks from the team trading up. I can understand from a player's perspective why the MLBPA might not want to allow it, as being released allowed Reed to choose his own destination. I'm just at a loss to understand this rule of not allowing the trade of draft picks.
Tavis McLean, Chatham, Ont.

A-I have always felt that trading draft choices in baseball would in fact save the integrity of the process. Think about it. An organization refuses to raise its major-league payroll due to financial constraints and market size. So they finish last and get the first draft choice, which is merely the right to sign the most expensive amateur in North America, a guy they can’t afford. So instead of choosing the guy that should be No. 1, they use the pick to take someone who is more sign-able and less of a prospect. Gord Ash is one who always believed that trading draft choices would benefit the smaller markets. The belief is that baseball powers that be are merely trying to protect bad general managers from themselves. I don’t think the players association would have any issues with trading picks, because players would be ending up with organizations that want them rather than being cut loose and scrambling for a job. I’m not sure it will ever happen, but it should.

Q-Richard, long time no talk.
The talks about left field are becoming redundant at this point but I just want to add one thing. Why did we ever sign Matt Stairs to a 2-year deal? We have a young lefthanded bat in Lind who scouts believe is major league ready and could hit .280 with 20+ homers. Really isn’t this the best-case scenario for Stairs? I know he had a great season with us, but really he's costing us the chance to develop younger players who could help contribute in the future. When you look at teams who make a run at the series they almost always have young guys step up to help drive the playoff push. Locking up a roster spot and a portion of Uncle Ted’s budget on an 85-year-old who previously couldn’t stick on any other teams roster seems like an odd decision to make.
Anyways, I hope he proves me wrong.
Scott Mackett, Burlington, Ont.

A-That’s the sign of a good baseball fan…disagreeing with a move, but hoping to be proven wrong. The good thing about the Stairs move for the Jays is that the money he is being paid is not so much that they are locked in and unable to make another move. I agree with you that if you are going to have a mediocre defender in left field with the ability to hit 20 homers and drive in 80, why not go with the younger guy. But for J.P. Ricciardi and John Gibbons, the future is now. They are not about development at the major-league level. They are about wins and losses…now.

Q-Shaun Marcum, real deal?
Byron Bulucon, Mississauga

A-It depends on whether you are asking about Shaun Marcum as a human being or as a major-league player. As a human being he is for sure the real deal. There are guys that try to snow you as a member of the media, pretending they are something they are not. There are guys that try and shut you out as members of the media, clamming up when you ask them a question, moments after you have seen them act like Robin Williams with their teammates. Marcum is genuine and thoughtful with his answers. He often seems genuinely interested in questions that make him think deeply. However, “real deal” as a pitcher is another story. I fear more for a healthy Marcum than I do for a healthy Dustin McGowan. Marcum has marginal stuff that relies more on taking the sting out of enemy bats. The scouting report is important with Marcum. When you throw 97 mph like McGowan, a scouting report isn’t going to help if you don’t have the bat-speed. Marcum is the type of pitcher susceptible to the sophomore jinx, especially with video scouting and the fact that every opponent in your second year has seen everything you’ve got and when you like to throw it. I believe he is the real deal as a person and a 13-game perennial winner as a pitcher.

Q-Hi Richard,
I know John Gibbons won't presume anything, but is there a possibility we will see Travis Snider in left field this summer? Though Stewart and Lind are ahead of him right now, he has made remarkable progress since he was drafted and is now ranked with the likes of a Jacoby Ellsbury et al. If he lights things up in Syracuse this year, how long will it be before he assumes left field on an everyday basis? Thanks.
Marc Losier, Toronto

A-The thing about Snider is that as a high-school player in his ‘06 draft year, they really don’t need to add him to the major-league roster until after the ’09 season. At 20 years old, there is no real need to rush him, especially with Matt Stairs on a two-year deal and with Adam Lind ahead of him and with Vernon Wells and Alex Rios locked up. He is coming on so quickly, though, that I can’t see him waiting past September this year when the rosters expand to 40 players. I can see the lefthanded hitter asserting himself so much in the next 12 months that the Jays consider having him as the opening day left fielder in ’09, looking to trade Lind over the next off-season.

Q-Rich,
Thank you for your insight as always. Come visit us in Bermuda. I was comparing stats of John McDonald to another player of the same age and position from a different time. Now, correct me if I am mistaken, last year John had a .982 fielding percentage vs. this player's fielding % of .987. It must be pointed out that John played in only 123 games (102 of those at ss) vs. 158 of the other player. I believe he committed 8 errors during his time at that position; 10 for the other player in 158 games. My point is that I think John McDonald made enough of a defensive impact to deserve to start. An airtight defense is a major factor in winning championships ('87 Twins). I would have liked to have seen him grow as an everyday player. David Eckstein as good as he has been does not seem to be the essential linchpin to get us to the postseason at the sacrifice of John McDonald's defensive prowess. Incidentally the other player in question is Ozzie Smith at the age of 32 in 1987. Your thoughts.
Donnie Francis, Hamilton, Bermuda

A-I also would have liked to see McDonald get a full season as the starting shortstop just because it seemed that every start he made last summer, he pulled off at least one defensive gem that brought you out of your seat. If you recall last summer when Royce Clayton began the season as the starter, it began with Roy Halladay subtly requesting that Johnny Mac play short whenever he toed the rubber, maybe the same scenario when the Cy Young guy starts could play itself out this year. Halladay needs to save his bullets via spectacular defence rather than an extra run offensively. At least we would see John once every five days and Eckstein would get a break, keeping him healthy. Some of the acrobatic plays McDonald made last year were in fact reminiscent of the great Ozzie Smith, but to my mind, nobody, over 162 games, has ever equaled Ozzie.

Opening Day - Redux

7:01 - Teams introduced, U.S. anthem sung (cringingly poorly) and Reggie Jackson about to throw out the first pitch. Baseball's here. See you after the game.

6:19 - The fourteen-and-a-half-hour long documentary tribute to Babe Ruth being shown on the scoreboard has just ended and ... gasp ... the sun is coming out.

6:02 - Cheers greet the groundscrew as they come out to take off the tarp. This looks good.

5:28 - Tarp's been out for a couple of hours now as a light drizzle falls. Forecast calls for tapering rain in the next hour or so. Consensus here is that they'll wait all night to get this one in, even if it's just five innings.

2:10 p.m. - Just arrived at the press box at Yankee Stadium and the weather is holding off for now. Since the forecast called for 'definite light rain' right now, I'm taking this as a good sign.

It's been unseasonably muggy and drizzly all morning, but now the temps are dropping and it's clear. Should have had an afternoon game after all - we'd be in the fourth inning by now. Check that - it's Halladay pitching. We'd be in the fifth for sure.

We now begin the long watch for weather leading up to 7:08 tonight. The good news is that the forecast is clear for Wednesday and Thursday, so the season should begin in New York at some point. Remember that I said 'should'.

Cathal Kelly