Pinstriped Star Wars: Return of the Yankees

The Evil Empire is back and TV ratings for the World Series are soaring. There will never again be talk of a salary cap in baseball. Baseball needs it Davids and its Goliaths. Do you think the networks really want the Tampa Bay Rays as the centrepiece of the Fall Classic or, instead, the Bronx Bombers and their legions of lovers and haters? The World Series without the Yankees is like Star Wars without Darth Vader. "Hank,,,Hal, you are my sons!"

There is absolutely no pressure on A.J. Burnett for tonight's Game 5 start against the Phillies so he has every chance in the world to do something special. Think about it. 1) This is the World Series. It's the time to relax and enjoy the moment. The most intense pressure came in the Division Series and the Championship Series; 2) Burnett already has vindicated himself by coming up huge in Game 2 after his big buddy CC Sabathia lost Game 1 to Cliff Lee; 3) The game is in Philly on the road with a hostile crowd against the Phillies' ace, Lee. Expectations are lower on Burnett; 4) Even if he loses, the Yankees go home with a 3-2 lead in the Series and the winningest pitcher in post-season play, Andy Pettitte and the big man waiting to work Games 6-7;  5) A.J. is pitching on short rest. He has a built in excuse if he runs out of gas or spits the bit. Hey, I volunteered to pitch on my fourth day. Gimme a break.

Imagine the Roy Halladay household tonight in Denver, with Doc settling down in front of the flatscreen to watch his former "little buddy" work the possible World Series clincher. Do you think he's wondering how he's going to respond when the new GM Alex Anthopoulos calls later in November. Will he say, "Alex, I've thought about it and I really like the way the Jays are heading, so I'm going to stay for my final year." Or maybe will he perhaps say, "Alex, please find me a big budget contender and trade me there. I don't need a team that is already going to win next year without me, because that's why I am going there. I can actually lead a team to victory instead of being along for the ride like some guys making $82.5 million for five years. I am the one who is going to put them over the top. I don't need a cushy situation where I can be a No. 2 guy with a team that would have won whether I'm there or not. I'm the man."

Anthopoulos will agree to trade him. How serious can the Jays be about hanging on to Halladay when they allow his friend, mentor and pitching coach Brad Arnsberg to leave for the same job with the Astros? If they couldn't afford Burnett, they cannot afford Halladay who will rightfully use A.J.'s Yankee numbers as a platform for negotiations for his own five-year deal. Don't begrudge Halladay his due and I don't believe under Paul Beeston and Double-A (Anthopoulos) the new GM that the Jays' organization will try to tar and feather him or tarnish Doc's reputation in the court of public opinion as he heads out the door like they did with Carlos Delgado, Kelvim Escobar and others, making it seem like the club had a fair and balanced offer on the table and the players spurned the city. There is too much class there. 

I still say the Yankees in six...but I've been wrong before.   

               

Tainted McGwire Named Hitting Coach by Cardinals

Tony LaRussa is a lawyer. But that doesn't make him the smartest man in the room. The Cardinals' manager thinks he is doing his friend Mark McGwire a favour by hiring him  as the hitting coach of the major-league team, replacing veteran instructor and noted non-steroid user Hal McRae. What is LaRussa thinking?

McGwire has been in self-imposed exile since his less than satisfying appearance before Congress in March 2005 where he famously refused to perjure himself, but also refused to deny past steroid use during his run at Roger Maris's single-seasoon home run record in a riveting, mano-a-mano duel with Samnmy Sosa in 1998. That waffling, teary, self-serving command performance on national TV not only cost him prestige in the eyes of baseball fans, but also cost him what likely would have been first-ballot election into the Hall-of-Fame when he became eligible in 2006. He's been stuck at around 25-percent of votes by eligible baseball writers, when 75-percent is necessary for enshrinement. That's not likely to change anytime soon, even as he tours major-league parks with the Cards this summer.

What were the Cardinals thinking? Yes they wanted LaRussa back as manager and one of the things that he wanted was McGwire as batting coach. Yes they need free-agent outfielder Matt Holliday back and he has had an off-season relationship as a pupil of McGwire's at his home batting cage in California. Yes, the Cards' hitting disappeared in the '09 post-season, posting a .133 average with runners in scoring position in the playoffs. That wasn't McRae's fault. By and large, once you get past Albert Pujols and Holliday, the Cards' hitting is just not that good. Blame ownership and budget not McRae. 

McGwire is not a beloved baseball figure, a guy misunderstood and merely needing exposure to rehabilitate his image. Maybe that might be the case in St. Louis, but it's not the case around the rest of North America. His image with the ordinary baseball fan is of a hulking, cheating liar. His testimony in March '05: "I'm not here to talk about the past..." was frustrating to fans looking to move forward and wanting to hear some remorse from its brawny heroes.

Make no mistake about it, McGwire was certainly smarter than Raffy Palmeiro, Miggy Tejada, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens who all pretty much looked into the camera and lied. McGwire just used his Fifth Amedment rights against self-incrimination...but what he wouldn't say spoke volumes to fans. 

This hiring of McGwire is not a good move for the Cardinals. Running a batting cage at home and helping individual hitters does not make you automatically a solid major-league hitting coach. There are the long hours that a good hitting coach has to put in. The best coaches show up before the first player at spring training and leave after the last. They hang around the cage looking for players to show up and ask for extra work. They work as well with the .190 banjo hitters as they do with the stars. They go to the ballpark early on road trips and wait for students to show up.

McGwire has not proved he is willing to do any of that. The proper way of going about this would have been to give Big Mac a season in the minors or as an organization roving instructor to gauge his work ethic and if young players respond to him and respect him despite the cloud that hangs over all of his personal accomplishments. But time is  one thing LaRussa doesn't have. He signed a one-year contract to manage the Cardinals and he wanted McGwire -- now.

Granted McGwire is not the same case as Pete Rose. He has never been suspended or sanctioned for using steroids. He admitted to using androstenedione when that powerful supplement was not on MLB's banned substance list. But wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Say no more. We all know, right? Right!!

In the court of law and in testifying before Congress, McGwire is innocent until proven guilty. In the court of public opinion McGwire by his refusal to testify, is already guilty. This was a bad hire and it won't take a full season before McGwire, LaRussa and the Cards all come to that same conclusion. 

This is a short term appointment for McGwire and a step backwards for the Cards.

              

  

Taped All-Star Anthem irks Canadians

Yes, the pre-game All-Star celebration was all about America, with tributes to volunteer all-stars from the five living presidents on the big electronic scoreboard, the biggest American flag this side of a used car dealership spreading across the outfield held up by returning members of the U.S. military and an appearance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch by Barack Obama, but surely the folks at MLB could have found someone, anyone, to sing the Canadian National Anthem. Instead it was a taped military-band-sounding, fast-paced, let's-get-this-out-of-the-way un-tribute to America's northern neighbour.

"I wasn't very impressed, to tell you the truth," B.C. native and Twins first-baseman Justin Morneau said. "You'd figure they could find somebody to come and sing the song. They have a hockey team here. The Canadian teams play here. It was something that didn't really go over too well. If they were playing in Toronto and they did that, it would be a big deal."

Fellow B.C.-born All-Star, Jason Bay did not notice it at first, but also wondered about the concept of a canned O Canada at a major sporting event. Baseball usually does manage to line up a singer -- not always good, but a live singer nonetheless..

"I didn't really notice and then someone mentioned it," Bay said. "I wouldn't call it cheesy. It was a decent rendition. But you'd think someone in St. Louis would know the words to O Canada. Morneau and I could have sung it."

    

Manny's Positive Test Latest Blow to Baseball

Manny Ramirez may, in fact, have produced the most expensive urine in history. His positive test for performance enhancers under the Major-League Basic Agreement has cost the Dodgers slugger 50 games, starting right now, and has cost him almost $7.75 million of his $25 million in '09 salary. In addition, the Dodgers have a club option of $20 million for 2010. There would seem to be a strong chance, depending on how the club finishes up in the standings and the post-season this year, that in the wake of current events they will pass on paying Manny for the extra season.Since there were already no other bidders for his services this past winter, there is no reason for anyone else to step up now.

Manny being Manny? More like Manny being stupid. He claimed in a statement released by major-league baseball that the positive test for Performance-Enhancing Drugs came as a result of an ingredient in a prescription given him by his doctor for a personal medical issue. I'm sure it's an argument he will stick with for the rest of his career and since there is no appeal being planned by Ramirez or the union, then there is no reason for MLB to try and dispute Manny's claim. Or vice-versa. The doubt will appease those in the Cult of Manny and soften the long-term blow, including potential Hall-of-Fame inclusion.

But his argument makes no sense. Ever since first-time offenders were being penalized starting in '05, players have been advised to let their team trainers or their agents or MLB know whatever they were planning to put in their body so they can be cleared or warned. Manny knew.

The sources at ESPN.com as reported by Peter Gammons, have listed HCG a women's fertility drug as the likely cause of Manny's positive test. It is often used to restart natural testosterone production at the end of a steroid cycle. That is why it would be included on the list. The fact that Ramirez was not subject to random off-season testing as a free agent may indicate that when he signed on March 4 with the Dodgers, he may have decided to use the HCG without knowing it was one of 55 banned PEDs. According to ESPN it is similar to Clomin, linked to Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and BALCO.

Make no mistake, there is a lot of private fist-pumping going on from guys like Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Raffy Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, The Rocket and most especially the discombobulated and confused A-Rod, who only wanted to be loved. His timeline for returning to action has coincidentally been moved up by the 13-14 Yanks so he will already have had maybe three games and a lot of hootin-and-a-hollerin' from jeering road fans under his belt by the time he reaches the somewhat polite Rogers Centre -- and oh, yeah, if you're going to yell at A-Rod about sex, or drugs or rock and roll, Jays' fans, judging by the history of the biggest library in North America -- be prepared to be threatened with ejection starting next Tuesday..

But back to Manny. It's another blow for commissioner Bud Selig and MLB. The argument has been that the newer, tougher drug policy has been working and that the game is returning to normal, led by its incredible shrinking superstars. The game has been fun to watch in April. Over the past two seasons the list of those caught, even with the harsh first-time offence, mandatory testing, is short. In '08 there was 1) Elizier Alfonso C (SF) and 2) Humberto Cota (C (Col.). This year there has been 1) J.C. Romero LHP (Phi.) and 2) Sergio Mitre RHP (NYY). Now comes the headline-grabbing Manny, sending Bud back into defensive mode.

It's sad because Manny has been praised throughout his career with the Indians and Red Sox for his unbelievable work ethic and dedication to the craft of hitting. He spends more time watching video and in the cage than any of his teammates. He's always been a pure hitter. Now that purity is tainted forever.

Does this make the Jays the best clean team in baseball? Unfortunately we can't say that for certain about any ML team anymore. Once again, one positive means 750 players are clouded by the negative.

R-Griff

Darren O'Day-Joel Youngblood: What's in a Name

On Wednesday night in Toronto, the side-arming right-hander Darren O'Day made his Rangers' debut in extra innings against the Jays. What's so unusual? To the amusement of his new teammates, O'Day warmed up and pitched to Kevin Millar in the 11th wearing the No. 30 jersey of Kason Gabbard.

The problem was O'Day had been claimed off waivers from the Mets earlier in the day and had reported during the game at the Rogers Centre, meeting and greeting his new mates in the bullpen as the game progressed. His name had been on the lineup card submitted to umpires in the pre-game meeting at home plate, replacing the disabled Kris Benson, so he was eligible to compete. (Millar singled home the winner, scoring Vernon Wells from second base.)

O'Day's night immediately reminded me of Joel Youngblood and the unique day he had with the Mets and Expos back in 1982.

Youngblood became and is still the only player to collect a base hit for two different teams in two different cities in one day. The difference is that on that special day back in '82 he had the name "Youngblood" on the back of his uniform for both hits thanks to some conscientious leg-work by an Expos' equipment manager thinking outside the sewing machine. 

On August 4, 1982, Youngblood started his day in centre field for the Mets at Wrigley Field. That was back in the day before lights on the North Side for the Cubs. Facing future Hall-of-Famer Fergie Jenkins, Youngblood singled in the third inning. In the bottom of the fourth (around 3 p.m. EDT) Youngblood was replaced by Mookie Wilson. He had been traded to the Expos for journeyman lefty reliever Tom Gorman. After talking to Expos' GM John McHale, rather than taking a full day to report, Youngblood threw his equipment into a bag, went back to the team hotel, packed his suitcase and caught a flight to Philadelphia, arriving at the start of the Expos game vs. the Phillies. 

Even Youngblood was surprised when he reached his locker at Veterans Stadium and found a jersey with his name on it. The Expos' equipment manager, now with the Marlins, the brilliant John Silverman, found out about the trade right after it happened. The path of least resistance would have been to simply hand him a jersey with any number, but Silverman proudly claimed he had never had a player enter a game in a generic uniform without his name on it since teams started putting names on jerseys and he wasn't about to start now. One of the visiting clubhouse guys at the Vet suggested his wife could sew the name on, so the jersey was driven over to the house where the seamstress for a day quickly stitched the name on the back. It was hanging there when Youngblood arrived.

The Expos' newcomer entered the game defensively for Jerry White in the bottom of the sixth and singled off lefty Steve Carlton in his only at-bat of the game in the seventh. His line for the day was 2-for-3 against two future Hall-of-Fame pitchers, Jenkins and Carlton, who combined for 613 career wins.

Plus, he had his name on the jersey in both towns. Take that Darren O'Day.       

  

Roy Johnson R.I.P.

On the same day the tragic news of the death of Angels' rookie Nick Adenhart arrived, I received a note from a friend, ex-Expos beat writer Danny Gallagher that former major-league outfielder Roy Johnson had passed away in Mexico of a heart attack back in January at the age of 49. Very few people would remember Johnson and the circumstances of his death were not as dramatic, but 49 is still too young. 

Johnson's was almost a tragic life. Selected out of high school in the projects of Chicago in the fifth round of the June 1980 draft, the 6-4, 205 lbs. outfielder had all the raw skills of a major-league star. But he played just 36 major-league games in six years in the Expos' organization, moving on to the White Sox minor-league system, finally establishing himself as a star in the Mexican Leagues. 

The reason I remember Johnson so vividly and so fondly is that he was physically intimidating, but personally gentle, humble and naive. He was a lost soul with very little family support in Chicago, which made it difficult to go home in the off-season. That led to lingering problems with drugs.

These were the days when organizations treated many of their young players that found trouble like family. The players, in turn, did not turn to their agents for help as they do today. It was a much closer relationship, so when the Expos realized Johnson was struggling, they tried to help him out.

I recall that the late John McHale, the president and GM at the time, lived in the West Palm Beach area. Instead of sending Johnson back home where he might drift and hang with a bad crowd, McHale found him an apartment near the spring training site and gave him a job on the construction of the Expos' new minor-league complex. The first Christmas Johnson was in town, the late Patty McHale, a marvelous woman and the conscience of the organization, made sure that Roy was invited over for the family's Christmas dinner. Johnson was truly touched.

There were some memorable Roy Johnson stories, stemming from his unique circumstances. That first winter he saw a basketball court on the other side of a chain link fence. He went back to his apartment, got a ball and climbed the fence to shoot some hoops. As he went to climb the fence after he was done, some guys in white jackets came running over to stop him. He had trouble talking his way out of the psychiatric asylum. One day at srping training, Johnson didn't show up for work. Travelling secretary Peter Durso received a call from the Lake Worth police. Roy was in jail. It seemed that he was doing his laundry at a laundromat the night before. He threw his stuff in the dryer and stepped out onto the mean streets of Lake Worth for some fresh air. He started to chat up a young woman on the sidewalk. It turned out she was an undercover cop. His attempt at pleasantries turned into a night in the slammer as his laundry continued to spin dry.

My favourite though was the late Larry Bearnarth's re-telling of the three Johnsons. Bearnarth was managing the AA-Memphis Chicks in 1981. As best I can recall, he had Roy Johnson on first, Wallace Johnson on second and Anthony Johnson batting. Anthony smoked a drive in the air down to the left field corner. Wallace went half way to third. Roy went to second and stopped to make sure the ball dropped in. Anthony broke from the batter's box. In the gloom, the ball looked like it was caught, but it dropped in on the track. Wallace headed back to second, Roy headed back to first where he was passed by Anthony cruising into second. Wallace saw Anthony as he came back to second, then turned and headed to third where he beat the throw. Somehow the batter was on second and the runner was on first. The bases were loaded. The opposing manager was screaming. As Bearnarth recalled the conversation, it went something like this:

Umpire: Who's on second?

Bearnarth: Johnson.

Umpire: Who's supposed to be on second?

Bearnarth: Johnson.

Umpire: Who's on first?

Bearnarth: Johnson.

Umpire: Who's supposed to be on first?

Bearnarth: Johnson.

Umpire: Play Ball.

Rest in  Peace, Roy.

    

       

Rocket Man: Doofus, We Have a Problem

I'm so glad, in hindsight, that Roger Clemens didn't like me at all by the time he orchestrated his way out of Toronto following the '98 season. Cito and I have something in common.

Roger’s act of being a super-patriot and all-American boy helped him out the first time he went up Capitol Hill to deny allegations of steroid use. Politicians were fawning all over him and asking for autographs. It was unseemly. By the next time he appeared before Congress, facing former Jays’ strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee in the court of public opinion, it was over.

How hypocritical does all of this Clemens stuff unfolding now make him look? Dan Duquette was right. Without artificial help, Clemens may very well have been in the twilight of his career by the time he left Boston following the ’96 season. But his ego wouldn’t allow someone else to be right about him.

Last summer in Boston as the Mindy McCready saga was unfolding about his relationship with the Fort Myers karaoke star turned country singer, the Boston Globe recounted in their city column how Clemens, when he entered the Hard Rock Café in Beantown with his wife Debbie, insisted that they stop the music and play Elton John’s Rocket Man. They clearly make things bigger in Texas…including a**holes.

Remember in ’98 when he dumps all over then Jays’ manager Tim Johnson for lying about service in Vietnam in clubhouse speeches. Experts suggest that the tales of Johnson's combat experience may have been, in fact, a traumatic reaction to his mortar training of young soldiers at Camp Pendleton, sending them off to active duty in Vietnam only to return in body bags, or not at all. Those lies are tragic. Clemens’ lies are pathetic.

There is no possible medical excuse for any of Clemens' apparent lies and misrepresentations. He just did not tell the truth and attempted to manipulate others because, in most cases, he could. Yet 12 years later, Johnson is the one that was fired in disgrace and blackballed from getting any other coaching job since, while at the same time the Rocket was allegedly sticking needles into his ass to extend his prime by another half decade, earning countless millions.

My favourite personal Clemens story involves a late February '97 round of golf that I had organized with Rocket, Erik Hanson and Pat Hentgen the purpose of which was a feature for the Star's golf magazine. The round was at the fabulous Innisbrook Resort after a morning workout (for them not me). I took my then 13-year-old son Matt with me to walk around the course with a couple of his sports heroes. It seemed easy enough. The Star was paying for the foursome and Clemens was living at Innisbrook. Simple. I was playing golf, riding with Hentgen and taking mental notes, figuring to talk to those other guys, before we teed off, on tees and greens.

Wrong!

Right away, it became a struggle. Our tee time had passed and Clemens, even though his condo was three minutes from the first tee, had not arrived. Maybe it was karaoke day somewhere. We let a couple of groups tee off ahead of us and finally the Rocket showed, like a heavyweight champ emerging from his dressing room. Star-struck, a foursome of bandy-legged Bostonians greeted him on the tee like a Greek god, fawning all over him and telling him how great he was and why did he leave Boston for a baseball backwater like Toronto.

Hentgen, Matthew (my son) and I stood on the back of the first tee patiently waiting while Rocket went through his stretching and signing. Hentgen was clearly amused.

Finally one of the New England enablers came back to stand with us as Roger planted his tee and took a couple of practice swings. “And what do you do?” he asked Pat. “I’m just last year’s Cy Young winner,” he smiled. Game on.

The round wasn’t at all what I imagined. It was like we were playing separate twosomes. While Pat and I were playing from rough and traps and scrambling for bogey, Rocket and Hanson were playing fairway to green, out-driving our cart by 30 yards, putting out and driving off to the next tee while we finished up. The only time I likely attracted their attention was after three-putting the 17th hole (my 10th three-putt), I dropped a healthy F-bomb and helicoptered the offending club, glinting wildly in the late afternoon sun, out into the middle of a nearby pond. After a stunned 10-second pause in their conversation, they resumed and sped off to the 18th tee.

On the final hole, Hanson from the middle of the fairway airmailed a six-iron directly over the flag, rattling around halfway up a stand of giant trees behind the green. He thinned it. He looked over at Roger and said, “That yardage marker is wrong.” Rocket agreed. No, it couldn’t have been the wrong club or swing. That year, Hanson appeared in three games for the Jays, while bringing his golf clubs on every road trip. In fact, it turns out he made $3 million more for playing golf than Tiger Woods in that, his sophomore year. Tiger only played three fewer major-league games.

To cap the day off, Matt had brought a baseball with him to get the autographs of the two Cy Young Award winners, together. Nice souvenir. First he got Hentgen to sign, then while we stood by the golf carts waiting for Rocket to finish schmoozing in the pro shop, probably setting up his next free round, Hanson spotted the ball grasped tightly in Matt’s hand. He grabbed it and signed it on the sweet spot. D-ohh! The value of a Hanson, Hentgen and Clemens ball? That’s like finding out your house is built over a nuclear waste site.

In any case, something good happened that day. My son realized that he wanted to be like Pat Hentgen and that was only a good thing.

LARRY JONES - THE UGLY AMERICAN TOURIST

Why is it that when Chipper Jones rips his experience of seven days in Toronto for Round 1 of the World Baseball Classic, we fall all over ourselves looking to refute?

Okay so Larry didn't have a good time, so what? He was hitless and pulled an oblique muscle in his side -- as opposed to the obtuse muscle in his head. It was the middle of March, not the best month to go wander the streets of T-O looking for a warm breeze, an outdoor patio and northern exposure.

First of all, Chipper is in the NL, so not used to the neighbourhoods of the city. Second of all, he is on a team with unfamiliar teammates that don't really want to go out with a hitless wonder from a city with clearly the worst night-time downtown core in the league.

"I don't know if you've ever stayed in Toronto, but it's not Las Vegas." Those are the words that annoy us. Why do people overreact? It's like someone telling you "your wife is no Charlize Theron." Yeah!

As long as you have places to go that you know you'll enjoy, "vive la difference."

As far as Chipper feeling the WBC format needs tweaking, I'll gladly agree with that. As I wrote in an earlier column, it's easy.

Workout day in Round 1 city; then doubleheader; then the next day winner-winner and loser-loser; then the undefeated 2-0 team moves on to next city. The two teams at 1-1 then play for second place...repeat in next city for Round 2. Then play the same Final Four as now and you have the whole thing wrapped up in 11 days including the workout day in  the first city. Simple.

As for Chipper's comments -- Chill.

WBC - ARRIVEDERCI SOMEONE

As the Dutch showed the Dominicans on Saturday, anything is possible in the world of sports and the WBC.

As such, manager Ernie Whitt claimed he didn't have much convincing to do of his troops heading into tonight's elimination game against Italy.

For those players that were in the '06 inaugural version of this tournament, the only two words necessary to keep them focused on victory over an apparently overmatched Italian squad are -- South Africa.

It was a reality check listening to Team Italy manager Marco Mazzieri discussing his team. He estimated that 18 of his players were pulled from the Italian professional league that has eight franchises, but that many of those players also have other jobs, some in offices, some of them government employees, but not many fulltime ballplayers.

Mazzieri may not have had as good a team as they fielded in '06 but he's much happier because this time, for the most part, they are all genuine Italian citizens and pro players. The last time, apparently MLB controlled the roster and there were a lot of Americans of Italian heritage, with a manager appointed by MLB. Their manager was merely a bench coach.

The starter tonight for Team Italy, with a 70-pitch limit is righthander Dan Serafini of the Monterrey Sultans of the Mexican Triple-A League. A former first round selection by the Twins in '92, he played for six major-league teams with a 15-16, 6.04 ERA. 

The first pitch is being thrown by Don Cherry who was happy to see in BP that none of the Italians were wearing visors on their batting helmets. He was wearing a Canadian tie with a red wine coloured velour jacket. Justin Morneau and Larry Walker immediately headed over to chat to the grape one. 

LINEUPS:

8-Nick Punto ss

34-Davide Dallospedale 2b

27 Frank Catalanotto lf

37 - Valentino Pascucci dh

19- Chris Denorfia cf

47- Giuseppe Mazzanti 1b

14- Alex Liddi 3b

64-Francisco Cervelli c

45- Mario Chiarini rf

29- Dan Serafini p

CANADA

13- Chris Barnwell ss

55-Russ Martin c

19- Joey Votto dh

33- Justin Morneau 1b

44-Jason Bay cf

12- Matt Stairs rf

24- Mark Teahen 3b

8- Nick Weglarz lf

4 - Peter Orr 2b

The attendance tonight is going to be just under 20,000 which may be understandable considering the uncertainty of Canada playing in this game, but if they win there's no excuse for not having a huge walkup crowd for the 5:00 p.m. game tomorrow night vs. Venezuela. The winner moves on to Miami.

Cheers     

       

WBC-Rockin' the Rogers Centre

By the time the first inning got underway, this place was rocking with high energy like a mid-season game vs. the Yankees or Red Sox. Coming as it does in spring training, it's jarring to the sense. It's like finding a car that can go from 0-150 km/hr. in three seconds. The crowd cheered the right people, booed Ted Lilly and sang the anthem with conviction. If that can't keep the adrenaline going for Team Canada then nothing can. Canada leading 1-0 in the second.