Talk is cheap, but at least it's talk

So, they’re going to talk, it appears.

My Man Sheridan and a couple of others are reporting that the league and players are going to get together Monday to at least try to kickstart some legit negotiations.

(I guess they don’t realize it’s Simcoe Day and some people won’t be working).

Anyway, it is a step in the right direction and they’ve now had a month to sit and ponder where they are and always made sense to me that the first of August would be the time to sit down and chat.

It’s not going to be an easy slog, that’s for sure. While there hasn’t been an awful lot of rhetoric being tossed around – and that’s somewhat promising – you know that at some point in the next week or so, one of Billy Hunter or David Stern are going to lambaste the other side publicly because that seems to be how these kinds of negotiations work.

But it’s the private stuff that no one sees that’s most important. I honestly think both of those guys want to get a deal done in time for the opening of training camp because they have to realize what’s at stake.

The league’s never been more popular globally and to lose even a couple of week would do some serious damage.

But – and this is the thing that has to be hammered home incessantly – there is no real pressure point to get a deal done even in the next six weeks. Just because they’ll meet doesn’t mean they’ll get something done quickly so don’t expect any huge breakthroughs.

There really hasn’t been a huge setback yet. Sure, the league’s locked out but what’s that really matter? No one’s losing anything, it’s not a pay period for the players, the owners are quite happy not to spend money and while some fans may be grumbly, they have to realize this is a dead time every summer anyway.

-

Now, I have to admit that taking Wednesday night off from the ballyard was a veteran move indeed.

Not only was I able to help coach the Mighty Rockies to glorious playoff-opening victory, the TOD made about a kabillion trades while I was lollygagging.

Tee-hee. Sorry Griff.

Anyway, rather significant moves for the Jays, no?

A guy who play centre field every day (perhaps cutting down on the Outfield Follies that we see every now and then), Bautista and Snider flanking him, Thames as a fourth outfielder to give guys days off and Davis as a speedy guy off the bench? At least that’s my guess, I’ll have to check with Griff when we convene there this afternoon but that makes the most sense unless the GM’s got another deal up his sleeve.

Didn’t quite address the pitching issues but that’s for another day, I suppose.

Griff’s got a good take on hit here, in case you missed it.

-

Oh yeah, the junior women get Spain in the quarter-finals Friday at 1:30, in case you’re interested.

And if you’re not interested now, not sure you ever will be.

-

Speaking of the Olympics starting a year less a day from now, saw this somewhere about Paul McCartney being part of the opening and that’s going to be cool, I bet.

I’m not really big on attending the ceremonies, actually; they tend to drone on and on and on. But if there’s a chance something like this might happen, I am so in.

-

IGBT tonight?

Sure.

We’ll see what kind of tricks we can come up with this time.

Game’s at 7:07; I’ll be here a few minutes before.

-

Hey, you guys did great in the mail yesterday. Thanks.

If you want to do more, you know the drill that you can do right here.

Here’s an example:

Q: Oh wise wizard of all that is basketball and now baseball, thanks for the coverage of the junior women. My son was classmates with Kayla Alexandar who was one of the star of the junior women's team 4 years ago. She's having a great career so far at Syracuse.

Now a question. Being a good Christian and knowing that Vengeance is God's not mine, I would never actually do the following but I was certainly tempted to do the following: If I were pitching for the Jays the inning right after Jose Bautista gets beaned, I would plunk the first guy up in the behind. Then while taking careful aim I would pretend to throw over to first based but instead i would drill it hard at the pitcher who just beaned Jose. If I did that, what would be the consequences?

Richard G, Milton

A: Oh, the men in blue would look down on you for (a) throwing at the guy and (b) throwing at another guy and probably ask you to retire for the evening. But it'd be cool.

But the discussion of whether or not the next Orioles hitter should have hit the deck was certainly one that went on in the press box the other night.

I don’t think up 4-0 on an 0-2 pitch that the guy was throwing at Bautista, that’s for sure; it was a pitch that got away. Still, the feeling of some of us oldsters was that, yes, the next guy up for Baltimore should have had to dodge an inside fastball. Just a message, I guess.

-

France 86, Canada 69.

A bit better, no?

Here’s a brief item courtesy of Canada Basketball.

-

Hey, anyone hear anything about the Raptors lately?

Nah, me neither.

But that’s not unusual, at all. Even in a non-lockout year, about the only thing that’s going on at this time in the calendar is you hear about a few players trickling back into town for Caribana.

And since I don’t tend to get invited to the same parties they do, it’s hard to find out what’s going on.

-

Comments

[Chris]

Question...comment...you noted that it's not a pay period for the players right now - in a normal year (sans strike), when would the players be paid (ie from what month to what month and how often)? And do you feel that they are "financially smart" enough to know to save some of their golden eggs for the summer months when it's all outflows and no inflows?
-
Comment...when i got wind of the Jays trades, i immediately went to your blog to see if you had maybe broken the story...but unfortunately found nothing...have you been working on your sources during these summer months? This strike isn't guaranteed to end any time soon so you may need to expand...just a thought.

Blogger's note: Paydays run, generally, from November to April; and I have no idea who saves what. If they don't, they're dopes

[J]

Nice, gutsy move by A.A. What a breath of fresh air after all those JPR years.

[JHK]

I find NBA off season to be the longest out of all major sports for some reason... do you know if this is true?
Next to hoops, EPL is the league I follow the most and they are already well underway of pre-season.
Seems like it was last month when they were in the champs league final..

Blogger's note: It's longer than the pucks and, I believe, the football. Not sure about baseball.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

Alex A. is a GM-and-a-half. Gutsy, smart wunderkind, and guy to keep an eye on. Hey, the Jays are fun again. And it's great to see Tallet back in the pen.
Or maybe Sir Paul could pull of something like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPtWh5XjiH0&feature=related
Cheerses.

[Lorie]

Hi Doug!
And did you happen to notice that after two rounds, our Canadian U-19 Women are the only undefeated team? Mighty impressive. Tomorrow? 1:30pm? You bet I'm interested. And very, very proud. Go Canada!!!

[doug]

it's good their commencing dialogue let's hope their is a starting point....can MLSE come across as anymore then a greedy money-making machine anymore then they already do...I never thought so until today and their actions in regards to the old Maple gardens, they do just that...what a greedy corporate entity....just so sad and pathetic...

[Jacques]

Doug, nothing on Jalen Rose. He gets 20 days in the slammer. Will he be fined or suspended from the network? or do they send him to treatment?

Blogger's note: Believe he's already been off the air and back

[JJH]

Any hint of these Canadian men/women basketball games being televised? What about when the Men hit Argentina?

Blogger's note: I believe FIBA.com is streaming the semis and final; men aren't until end of August, first week of September

[ditch]

Let's call Mr. Anthopoulos and see if he can make a trade for the Mayor of St. Louis. We'll offer Mayor Fud and a councillor to be named later.

Failing that, a serious question: Can a mayor be recalled or removed by process?

[doug]

you know what I admire about AA...is that he doesn't settle it seems for under-performance...he has not hesitated to send players back to the minors or move players..it's a good sign....and as far as Rasmus goes let's wait and see about this whole "uncoachable" thing, as Rolen, and Van Slyke were 2 players that also were "uncoachable' as far as LaRussa goes, me thinks LaRussa doesn't like players not bowing to him...he is to me one of the most over-rated managers in baseball, oh and also wasn't Escobar supposedly "uncoachable"....so good trade and AA and Beeston are a definite upgrade over Godfrey and JP...well Abbott and Costello would be a upgrade over those 2....

[Andre]

Seriously.. is that the best team Canada can put on the court?