An interesting season is ahead; big games in the fall?

We’re a bit off-kilter this morning, hope you don’t mind.

-

Now, I’m no expert nor do I play one on TV and I didn’t sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night but …

The Blue Jays?

I’ve got ‘em for 89 wins and I don’t imagine that’s enough to make the post-season but it’s sure enough to make things interesting around here for most of the summer and there’s nothing wrong with that.

I was a bit floored by the demotion of Brett Cecil yesterday -- not sure too many saw that coming, even with his spring struggles – and that lays bare the biggest deficiency on this team, in my humble opinion.

I think they’ll score enough runs, I think they’ll catch the ball pretty well (they tell me Eric Thames is far more comfortable in left and that was the true question mark) and I’m okay with the bullpen because I think Casey Janssen morphs into an excellent set up guy and a cab driver in Chicago the last time I was there says Sergio Santos is for real and if cab drivers don’t know, who does?

But can they throw the ball well enough to start games?

Huge question.

There’s no doubting the bonafides of Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow has lights-out stuff but after that? It’s not quite Spahn and Sain and Pray For Rain (a poem penned by a sportswriter, I’ll have you know) but it’s close.

There is every chance Henderson Alvarez is good, he seems impervious to nerves and has some nasty stuff but Kyle Drabek and Joel Carreno? That doesn’t have a Palmer-Cuellar-McNally-Dobson ring to it, does it?

Who knows, maybe Dustin McGowan finds health, maybe Cecil finds location because I don’t know that he’ll find velocity and maybe they’ll win a lot of 8-5 games that are too taxing on the bullpen.

But if they don’t …

But you know what the best thing about this might be?

There’s a legitimate buzz about this team, and a genuine feeling of confidence among the players that’s been absent the last few years.

Sure, every year at this time everybody talks big, they set their sights on the post-season, ooze confidence even if it is unfounded.

Today? This team?

With Hobbs here all year at third, perhaps the best hitter in the game in Bautista and what I think is a very solid DH in Encarnacion, there’s every reason to think they might be able to stay in the hunt for the expanded post-season until the very end and that’s going to create an atmosphere we haven’t seen around here in a very, very long time.

So I’m going with 89 wins and important games in September and, who knows, if things break just right those important games might slide over to October.

Wouldn’t that be something?

-

More?

Always more in this crazy mixed-up, upside-down blog day.

-

So this is Why I Love Dave D, Part I.

E-mail arrives about mid-game, he must have been catching up on his reading and he’s not exactly ragging on me about the Canadian music a few days ago – I tell ya, he wants to be one of us; only former Grunt I know who watches CBC on his computer – but he offers this as one of the quintessential Canadian songs.

(The e-mail includes this: I will never talk to Scorcese again for leaving it on the cutting room floor...tell him to stop calling me.)

Agree?

-

Anyway … remember these?

-

THREE POINTERS

Every play counts

You don’t think Dwane Casey doesn’t take every possession seriously?

Less than two seconds left in the first half, team up, Bobcats shooting free throws to wrap up another desultory half in a nothing game against a nondescript opponent on ho-hum night at the end of a tough season.

Ride out the half?

No way.

Casey calls timeout in between the free throws ‘cause it’s a teaching moment and they come out with something we haven’t seen all year.

They run what only can be called the Laettner play – and you Dwane’s gonna hate that because it was Duke over Kentucky in what might be the best college basketball game of the last quarter century – and after a couple of cross screens, Andrea takes a three-quarter court pass and gets off a good shot.

Never mind that it didn’t go in, it was a great call at a rather nothing moment that should cement even more the fact the coach is not giving up on this season at all. Ever.

Love it.

-

A post-up?

For Bargnani? With the game in the balance down stretch?

Another excellent call, well executed because if there’s one thing we’ve seen from Andrea at times this year, it’s a nice little post game when he’s confident he can get off a shot against whoever’s guarding him.

This time it was Byron Mullens and Bargnani calmly made what was the game-sealing basket. Since the HOTH don’t have a break-down wing, they gotta get big buckets where they can and Bargnani on the block’s as good as anything they could have come up with.

-

A calming influence

Game’s getting a bit close for comfort in the fourth quarter; things are going sideways, DeMar picks up a technical and you can almost feel the wheels coming off.

Time for some calm leadership, Ben Uzoh’s time is over; Jose and Andrea come back, they get two solid offensive possessions in a row and things get back to quasi-normal.

Kind of what you want from your two most veteran players, no? I get the whole “we have to get young people with amazing athleticism in there” but I want men on my team who know when it’s time for a steadying influence. And that’s what you get with Jose and I know all the detractors out there may not want to hear this but I’m thisclose to anointing him as the best point guard in franchise history.

-

Why I Love Dave D, Part II

Okay, so my man and I share an affinity for The Band – as well we should, as should you – and I know his Canadian bent because he asked about living in our basement had a US election turned out differently but even I don’t know that I could find this.

(I did get props for the Ian and Sylvia clip)

Tell me, do I know cool people, or what?

-

Okay, have an early-ish flight to Philly and the plan is to land, check-in and hit the Reading Market for lunch so I’ll see comments when I can.

But I will have some room time in the afternoon so another plea for mail, if you will.

Here. And thanks.

-

One last point:

Way to go, Baylor.

That’s a helluva year.

-

 

 

 

Comments

[Dallas]

I love the Band, Doug. Greatest Canadian Band, in my opinion, and one of the greatest bands, period. I got to see Levon Helm at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival last year in Fredericton. I'm enjoying your music selections.

[sam]

I'm not terribly surprised that Cecil was sent down. There didn't seem to be a lot of positive reports from spring training about him. It's a bit of a crap shoot after Romero and Morrow....

Andrea scores 30 - comes through late in the game, and I read somewhere this morning a guy busting on him because he only had 3 rebounds. Yeesh...

[Mike D.]

I'm completely on side with your anointing of Jose and (just to say it one more time in case BC reads the comments to your blog) would love to see him spend his remaining career here and retire as a Raptor.

Let me know if you plan to have an anointing ceremony and I'll be right there with the...um....with what does one anoint? A sword...or is that knighting? Anyway, after further research I'll be right there with the necessary supplies and implements.

[doug]

to all those Barg's naysayers out there, hope you watched the game last night, the dude can play....plain and simple...and he should go nowhere....also this team needs some stability moving forward, familiarity of systems, Casey etc, grow together...ok cheers

[David in Oakville]

Love your musical selections Doug. I think you could enter The Last Waltz in its entirety as quintessential Canadian. The way The Band shares the spotlight with each musician they welcome on stage, blending but never overpowering, meshing with their guest' style... WOW! There are so many gems and moments of awe... I still get chills whenever I listen to it (especially Neil Young with Helpless and Van with Tura Lura Lural). I will have to listen to this when I get home.

[JHK]

I'm not sure what we are doing winning these games in April - winning culture isn't created by winning a few meaningless games in April, it starts with solidifying your roster and the overall team.
In other word, we can't afford to finish 9th again and pick another Derozan or Ed Davis...

[Has]

Jose the best point guard in Raptor history? I dont doubt your argument doug, just be careful when the masses are standing outside the toronto star building

Blogger's note: And I'm comfortably ensconced in Philly

[Lorie]

Oh, Doug!
What a voice. And that footage of The Bluenose racing The Gertrude L. Thibault? Perfect. Thank you for including it in your blog today. Here's another by Stan Rogers that you and others may enjoy.
http://youtu.be/fT-aEcPgkuA

[Lee in Ottawa]

Why don't we give Lawrie a few more at bats before we anoint him Hobbs. Yes he is Canadian but lets be realistic here.

[LeeZ]

Who is Dave D? And when Dubya was elected for a second term, the list of my American friends wanting to move north was long indeed. Acadian Driftwood's one of my all-time faves.

Blogger's note: The One And Only Dave D'Alessandro of Newark fame

[JHK]

Just to clarify, I'm not saying players should play to lose, that is just wrong.
But the management can at least flip the switch...
i.e. Sit Bargnani, put Magloire in.
Take a look at Cavs - I'm not sure if these guys will win any games remaining.
Nets also want their top 3 pick back, G.State want their top 7 pick etc.
We've 'tanked' right up to this part of the season, and now we just let these guys get by us?
It's like running a full marathon to finish within top 3 and then just walking the last 1 km to let these other guys finish ahead of us...

Blogger's note: Please, I beseech you, research 20 years of lottery and tell which teams won

[Bill]

If Jose is only "this close" to being the best pg in team history, who is he behind now?

Blogger's note: Just about tied with the guy who won a playoff series; but I can see the argument he's No. 1

[Peter]

Hi Doug, thanks for the blog.

I'm not a big baseball fan, never really wacthed it a lot growing up, probably because my dad wasn't that big into baseball. But I gotta say, all the talk in the blog from you and other irregulars has got me kind of excited for the upcoming season. Maybe it'll kindle a new found love for the game!

Thanks Doug.

[SheikYurbouti]

Andrea is finally getting back to early season scoring abilities, but still not close to his early season improved defense and rebounding.
-
Damn, it wasn't just Scorcese that cut Acadian Driftwood. It didn't make the album either. I've had both the album (various forms) and DVD for a long time and didn't even know it existed. Disappointing. Thank for sharing!!
-
These two musical selections reminded me to ask you and the irregulars for some suggestions of can't miss pubs, eateries, or whatever in:
- St. John's or nearby
- Halifax or nearby
- elsewhere in Nova Scotia
- PEI
-
I'm doing an Atlantic coast holiday in June and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance for any offerings.

[Jack]

To all Bargnani fans out there... I'm sure you're gonna have a field day today heaping praises about his offensive prowess (@doug the poster). He can play, huh? Yes, offense. But he still is a defensive liability. Read Cathal Kelly's article about the game. Here's a snippet:

This is a dangerous condition for Casey, who spent much of the first quarter wandering a good five feet onto the floor at mid-court, aware that his blow-by-blow instructions could, for once, be heard by his players down on the defensive end.

“Up, Andrea! Up! UP! UUUUPPP!!”

Sadly, Andrea did not move up. Not even once. Just for a change.

Asked afterward about Bargnani’s defensive effort, Casey said, “He did a good job.”

And then, like young George Washington telling a lie, he couldn’t help himself and laughed out loud.

[Sjors]

Doug, can you explain to us this whole "13 active players" on the roster thingy?

Is it for this season only because it's shortened or will it remain for the rest of the new CBA?

I ask because the Spurs played 13 players in their blowout last night where each one received a good sum of playing time!

Blogger's note: For now, a one-year thing post-lockout but they could very well re-visit it in the summer; was originally only going to last until early February but they extended it for the entire season

[sam]

@ SheikYurbouti - In St John's, George street has a few pubs with live music - Green Sleeves was a favourite for music - Yellow Belly Brew Pub for a good local brew and food, and then the Duke of Duckworth which plays a prominent role in the CBC series Republic of Doyle. NFLD celebs hang at the Duke, but we didn't see any one of note while we were there...
In Nova Scotia: don't miss out on a visit to Chester basin, Mahone Bay, and Lunenburg. There's few really good places to eat and drink at the WAterfront in Lunenburg.
Bring a Jacket. . . .especially in NFLD. It's a tad chilly.

[doug]

@Jack talent wins games plain and simple, and to take one snippet from what Casey says to one player during a game is relatively meaningless as Casey gets on everyone during a game, as he did with Amir last night also and benched him for a bit...he's a coach he does what a coach is suppose to do coach....@JHK, DD was and is no bust, 3 players taken before him in that draft, Thabeet #2, Flynn #6th,Hill 8th are all with their 3rd teams...it's a double crapshoot, first the ping pong ball extravaganza then the draft..I ask you at what spot were Kobe and Karl Malone drafted?.....cheers...

[D-Mac Ottawa]

You can't win a pennant in June, but you sure can lose your shot at one in June. We need to hope this year's edition of the Jays can figure out how to play inter-league ball far better than any and all previous editions. Gotta go .500 in inter-league, at least, then katie bar the door.
You've outdone yourselves on the music scene today, Messrs Smith et D'Alessandro! After the Annual Doug Smith Microbrew and BBQ Bun Toss this summer, what do you say we line up a wagon train of three or four charter buses – the Doug Smith and Irregulars Flying Circus can head on down to Woodstock, NY and hang out at Levon Helms' Studios for a rowdy, oops, I mean refined, weekend of a**kicking, oops, I mean refined, music... whaddaya say, O Sage Grunt?
Here's my own favourite, tres Canadian, cut from The Last Waltz (and I still catch myself saying "No regrets, coyote" at the oddest times): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2rfbuaMXKM
@SheikYerbouti: For dinner, I'd highly recommend Aqua Kitchen & Bar, 310 Water St. in St. John's. For lunch, a little spot up the hill, The Hungry Heart Cafe, 142 Military Road, is excellent. Newfoundland is awesome. Enjoy!
Cheers. Go Raps! Go Jays!

[mjfn]

I enjoy reading this blog but have only a passing interest in the Raptors. I saw my first live pro game at the ACC Tues. evening and have come away with these observations from my not overly basketball trained eyes. The "energy" in the building is extremely manufactured and takes the focus away from the game. As a group, the Raptors seem to lack quickness. There isn't always a lot of movement in the offensive zone. Few consistently try to drive the basket. They are more apt to settle for long range jumpers.
Bargnani did score 30 but it was a "quiet" 30. I needed to double-check the scoreboard to make sure it was really 30. He played soft on defence. For a big man, 3 rebounds is a very low total.
Calderon scored all of 1 point. I'm not sure how a team can be successful with the starting point guard getting only one point. He did not drive the basket and had a very difficult time keeping up with the opposing point guards - especially #14. My brother who is a semi-regular at games quipped: "How do you know which man Jose is covering? Easy, he's the one that's open".
I did enjoy DeRozan's athleticism and Kleiza's accurate shooting.
Like the Leafs with their 'marquee" players named Kessell and Phaneuf, I'm unsure if the Raptors will experience any great success if their marquee names continue to be Bargnani and Calderon.

[james]

Sheik: I believe you can find "Acadian Driftwood" on the album "Northern Lights Southern Cross". It is simply the best Canadian tune ever penned, the northern counterpart to that Dixie song.
In Halifax, try "Jane's on the Common" on Robie Street; Charlottetown, "Cedars Eatery" on University Avenue; Montague PEI, "Windows on the Water" and don't miss the in-car service at "Gillis's Drive-in".
I much prefer to see this team win games. It rewards the players for their hard work and reinforces what the coaches have been drilling into them. The only way forward for this team is to have most of these guys improve together as a group, as they have this year, I feel. Philadelphia hammered them earlier this season and presents an interesting test.

[D-Mac Ottawa]

@Sheik again, I always hear people dissing the cuisine in Newfoundland, but I'd suspect that might be because they're hitting the pubs and ordering everything fried. You can only eat so many fish 'n' chips in a week... So hit some coffee houses and tea rooms – you'll get fresh baked and organic local fare, and you can almost always get a beer and/or a glass of wine in those establishments as well. I found Newfie cuisine to be way above advertised expectations. Just a touch north and then east of Signal Hill, check out Quidi Vidi and their outstanding microbrewery. Man, I sure could find a good home for an "1892 Traditional Ale" or three right about now...
If you take the Lighthouse Route west out of Halifax and you make your way to Shelburne, I had a couple of the finest meals I've ever had in my life at Cooper's Inn. They also have 8 very reasonably priced rooms (Margaret Atwood was checking into our room the night we left, and, as I told the proprietor, I'm sure she was disappointed to have missed us) – a great spot! Cheers.

[Steve]

If you want to know how a team can be successful with the starting point guard getting only one point, check the next column.

[JHK]

@doug (not the blogger): I agree that draft is a crap-shoot but this only applies when there isn't any clear #1 pick - i.e. Bargnani's year
This year, we have a clear franchise changer in A. Davis, just like the Lebron's year or Dwight's year.
Target is set - we need to aim for it and run to it.

[SheikYurbouti]

@ sam, D-Mac, and james.

Very much appreciated!! For my own selfish reasons for wanting to add to what already should be a memorable tour/holiday, I'll do all I can to honour and appreciate your tastes in local fare and atmosphere. I grew up in Montreal, but through my mother have roots on the east coast (St. John's, Lunenberg). Except for strictly business, I haven't been there since childhood, so intend on soaking up all I can, along with my lady who hasn't been further east than Kindersley SK, haha. Thank you all.