Toronto Bluejays Appreciation Thread

Neil3030

Mods, feel free to merge this in with the General 09 chat but I felt this deserves a thread of its own out of sheer optimism if nothing else.

It's now approaching the middle of May and the Jays have the best record in baseball. They've scored more runs than anyone in the AL and conceded fewer likewise. Doc is off to his best start and the young arms like Cecil are carrying the rotation through the departure of A.J. and the injuries to Litsch, McGowan and Marcum. Tallet and Richmond have also been nothing short of rock-solid, stepping up from the bullpen and the INL respectively.

Lind and Hill are showing all-star atbats, while the traditionally slow starting Rios and Wells are showing consistency to hammer home runs (O.K. Wells, not so much). Barajas, Bautista, Rolen, everyone's hittin the pearl!

How Gaston wen't so long without a MLB job after leaving the Jays in the early nineties is absurd. The man oozes class, displaying a very similar pragmatic, player-oriented style of management as Declan Kidney in many respects. Players want to play for him, and likewise he lets the players play. A lot of coaches would have benched Rolen last night, with a career 0-18 against Burnett, but Gaston left him in there and look at the results.

With the Yanks reeling from injuries I can genuinely see the Jays pushing for at least a Wild Card spot this year. Let's do it guys!!

Mad_Max

down with this sort of thing

zuutroy

Testify Brutha. After 10 long years I'm lovin it! Cito is a class act. Also, your 2nd last paragraph is plagiarised from Darrin Fletcher's commentary last night. tut tut!

Neil3030

zuutroy wrote: »

Testify Brutha. After 10 long years I'm lovin it! Cito is a class act. Also, your 2nd last paragraph is plagiarised from Darrin Fletcher's commentary last night. tut tut!

Paraphrased in fairness, he was hardly making comparisons between Kidney and Gaston!!

Hope the boys get back on track tonight after a disappointing home stand against the Yanks. Really lookin forward to seein Cecil pitch again.

zuutroy

OMG Sox commentary only...fml

Neil3030

zuutroy wrote: »

OMG Sox commentary only...fml

I like em so far. Talking about how much they love the city of Toronto has to get em some points!

[Edit] They are ridiculously biased though I must admint. I thought the RSN boys were bad but these guys are unashamed!!

zuutroy

Neil3030 wrote: »

I like em so far. Talking about how much they love the city of Toronto has to get em some points!

[Edit] They are ridiculously biased though I must admint. I thought the RSN boys were bad but these guys are unashamed!!

you sound like you're not too familiar with them...'The Hawk' is the single worst commentator in the history of sport.

Neil3030

zuutroy wrote: »

you sound like you're not too familiar with them...'The Hawk' is the single worst commentator in the history of sport.

First time I've ever heard of/him alright. BOOM!! Get outta there, Aaron Hill - ledge.

Neil3030

Cecil's arm is going to be frozen solid after this inning!

zuutroy

lol I'm going to bed!

Neil3030

Ray looked very good today, so much more in control than Cecil was yesterday. Very important win, to come back late and go ahead is something the Jays just could not do for their lives under Gibbons. I'm hoping the fans start turning up to more games though. Doc pitching tomorrow could take us to 12 games over 500, first time in AGES!

zuutroy

Neil3030 wrote: »

Ray looked very good today, so much more in control than Cecil was yesterday. Very important win, to come back late and go ahead is something the Jays just could not do for their lives under Gibbons. I'm hoping the fans start turning up to more games though. Doc pitching tomorrow could take us to 12 games over 500, first time in AGES!

This is very true. When VW hit the single I was sorta thinking, oh well done another meaningless 1 out bases empty single!
As for the attendance, knowing Toronto they will have to be in contention in August before they start getting more than 20-25k at regular non Yankee/Sox/Doc games.

Neil3030

O.K., I've come to the conclusion nobody at MLB.com gives a f*** about the Bluejays. We just swept the CWS 4-0 to take the best record in the AL, second best in the MLB, and it barely gets a mention on the homepage!! We'll see if they take notice come Septeber!!

Lets go Blue Jays ***Clap***Clap***Clap*Clap*Clap!!
Lets go Blue Jays ***Clap***Clap***Clap*Clap*Clap!!
Lets go Blue Jays ***Clap***Clap***Clap*Clap*Clap!!

zuutroy

Neil3030 wrote: »

O.K., I've come to the conclusion nobody at MLB.com gives a f*** about the Bluejays. We just swept the CWS 4-0 to take the best record in the AL, second best in the MLB, and it barely gets a mention on the homepage!! We'll see if they take notice come Septeber!!

Yeah that's standard, they've been on the national broadcast in the US about twice a year for as long as I can remember. If they're still in it in Sept, the umps will start to squeeze the strike zone to keep the WS in the US.
I'm off to Conspiracy Theories forum!

Mad_Max

well in fairness unless its yankees/mets/sox/angels or playing against one of them then no-one really does all that much.

Sucks but I guess thats where the money is in TV.

I can't see jays being a top tv game (sans big market team) until they at least boost their own attendance record for those games.

Could be the start of it though. Wont know till Sep/Oct

Waitsian

What about our Jays - at last, a freaking TO team that knows how to win. Don't you just love 4 game sweeps? Richmond looking like his old self after a shaky start vs the Evil Empire, and even Rios got in on the act.

Who saw this coming, be honest? What a ride so far. Scutaro leading the league in walks, Hill hitting like a demon, Rolen playing great at the hot corner, Lind is a RBI machine and the guys behind Doc are doing a hell of a job: Ray, Cecil, Richmond, Romero (before injury) and Tallet. The BP have looked just a little shaky at times but Snakeface has the closer's role now and is doing fine. Carlson and Frasor have been mostly solid when needed, with League, Ryan, Camp, Wolfe & Murphy doing ok

27/14 heading into Fenway - go Jays.

Neil3030

I'm not sure on Carlson, he seems to blow more leads than he holds onto that I've seen him. The fact that he was awarded the victory last night is robbery. Clearly Tallet and Downs were the top relief pitchers that have now been re-allocated, so it's a bloody miracle Ray, Cecil and Richmond are going the distance because the bullpen is probably our weakest link right now. I think they should call Romero up from AAA to use in the bullpen, or trade Ryan for a relief pitcher if Downs is going to remain closer for the forseable future.

On a sidenote, I know it's early days but Ray is showing the stuff of pure quality in the games I've seen him pitch.

zuutroy

Neil3030 wrote: »

I'm not sure on Carlson, he seems to blow more leads than he holds onto that I've seen him. The fact that he was awarded the victory last night is robbery. Clearly Tallet and Downs were the top relief pitchers that have now been re-allocated, so it's a bloody miracle Ray, Cecil and Richmond are going the distance because the bullpen is probably our weakest link right now. I think they should call Romero up from AAA to use in the bullpen, or trade Ryan for a relief pitcher if Downs is going to remain closer for the forseable future.

On a sidenote, I know it's early days but Ray is showing the stuff of pure quality in the games I've seen him pitch.

Saying trade Ryan is well and good, but all you'll get is a bag of balls for him at the moment! I think he'll come good again and Carlson is decent imo, just had a rough week, neither of the pitches that were hit out were 'bad'. With Frasor, Downs at the business aswell and Camp and Wolfe for mop-up work I don't think the bullpen is a weak link (except for League who I haven't had faith in from day one - he can't pitch, he just throws)

With Ray I hope it continues, but it's not that uncommon for a guy to be lights out for his first couple of starts when the batters haven't seen him before, and there's no scouting report. Remember Chacin's first couple of games...where's he now!!?

Mad_Max

Your new( and over-achieving?) arms are possibly the reason jays aren't being seen as legit. As Zuu has said nobodies seen them much, if at all, so they can get by with average stuff (not saying thats what they have) but if the hitters figure them out they might get creamed.

Jays have only played something like 6 against AL. I'm holding off on any judgment on them till they at least play a few series against their division.

Neil3030

zuutroy wrote: »

Saying trade Ryan is well and good, but all you'll get is a bag of balls for him at the moment! I think he'll come good again and Carlson is decent imo, just had a rough week, neither of the pitches that were hit out were 'bad'. With Frasor, Downs at the business aswell and Camp and Wolfe for mop-up work I don't think the bullpen is a weak link (except for League who I haven't had faith in from day one - he can't pitch, he just throws)

With Ray I hope it continues, but it's not that uncommon for a guy to be lights out for his first couple of starts when the batters haven't seen him before, and there's no scouting report. Remember Chacin's first couple of games...where's he now!!?

Well I'm not specifically advocating we trade Ryan, I just don't see the point in keeping him around if the club have longterm plans to keep SD as closer. Is Ryan happy to be a regular relief pitcher? Pretty serious wedge to be paying for those services really.

I see what you're saying about the young arms though, hopefully BA will keep the scouts guessin!

Neil3030

Mad_Max wrote: »

Your new( and over-achieving?) arms are possibly the reason jays aren't being seen as legit. As Zuu has said nobodies seen them much, if at all, so they can get by with average stuff (not saying thats what they have) but if the hitters figure them out they might get creamed.

Jays have only played something like 6 against AL. I'm holding off on any judgment on them till they at least play a few series against their division.

I presume you mean AL East, yeah? Well they head to Fenway tonight for a 3-game series.

Mad_Max

yeah sorry meant east.

So far you've played 3 against yanks and 3 against O's and are 4-2.

Neil3030

7-2 come Friday! LET'S GO BLUE JAYS!!

Neil3030

How did you come to follow the Jays Zuutroy?

zuutroy

Neil3030 wrote: »

How did you come to follow the Jays Zuutroy?

I lived there years ago and was pretty poor so I took advantage of the free 500 level tickets that used to come with a 6 pack of coke!

You?

juvenal

Big series starting tonight against the Red Sox in Fenway. Thankfully Rogers and TSN got their politics sorted out, and TSN2 (their second channel which actually launched last August) came to Rogers cable as of yesterday. After it was announced last month that five Blue Jays games, including this entire Boston series, were to be broadcast exclusively live on TSN2, pressure mounted to ensure that Rogers cable (who hold a dominant market share in Ontario) and TSN resolved their differences and that Canadians could see the games live.

It would've been an embarrassment for all parties if they Rogers-owned Blue Jays weren't available on the Rogers cable platform due to a contract dispute.

I haven't been down to the Rogers Centre for a Jays game this season yet (was at last year's Jays-Sox game, in which Boston were shutout), which is a bit ridiculous considering the price of tickets! If they can keep this sort of form throughout the season, it will be great to have postseason baseball in Toronto after a long absence!

zuutroy

Sportsnet seem retarded. Most Jays games aren't even on Sportenet East or Pacific. They generally show Yankee or Red Sox games instead. I mean they're 'Canada's Team' so why not show them nationwide! Surely a bigger audience than for Sox/Yankee games.

christeb

Another great outing from Wakefield last night, although Ortiz continues to suck. Let's hope we can take this series and bring those pesky Jays back down to Earth!

Mad_Max

And here come the sox fans back!

Neil3030

christeb wrote: »

Another great outing from Wakefield last night, although Ortiz continues to suck. Let's hope we can take this series and bring those pesky Jays back down to Earth!

How would the Bluejays taking this series bring the Bluejays back down to earth? This is the Bluejays thread you do realise...

juvenal

As a Red Sox fan, I'm rooting for the Blue Jays to win the AL East, and for the Red Sox to take the AL wild card.

Canadian baseball and Toronto could do with some success from the Blue Jays, and given their form so far, they're playing some fine baseball and capable of going the distance.

I'd settle for both teams getting to the postseason, AL title is secondary, as long as Yankees Inc. are kept out!;)

Mad_Max

juvenal wrote: »

As a Red Sox fan, I'm rooting for the Blue Jays to win the AL East, and for the Red Sox to take the AL wild card.

What a very unique way to support your team. :pac:

juvenal

Mad_Max wrote: »

What a very unique way to support your team. :pac:

:P I follow the sport first, then the team. The Red Sox have had great success in the past few years, so now that the curse of the Babe is well and truly buried, I like to see lesser-market teams also compete.

Personally Ive been rooting to see the Cubs win a WS the past couple of years, but their drought is continuing on at the moment.

After watching the MLB pull the Expos out of Montreal, it's important that the Blue Jays do well. It's refreshing to see the Rays and the Jays break up the Yankees-Red Sox dominance in the AL East (for a little while anyway!).

Neil3030

juvenal wrote: »

I haven't been down to the Rogers Centre for a Jays game this season yet (was at last year's Jays-Sox game, in which Boston were shutout), which is a bit ridiculous considering the price of tickets! If they can keep this sort of form throughout the season, it will be great to have postseason baseball in Toronto after a long absence!

Not to be singling you out by any means, but this is the problem - you already have Major League Baseball in Toronto, every year, which needs to be supported. I know everyone loves a winner but look at the atmopsphere when 40k+ packed the Rogers Centre for AJ v Doc? AJ was probably thinking to himself "where the f*** were all these fans while I was here". Postseason baseball doesn't just happen in a vacuum, fans need to start coming out and supporting the team through the good times and the bad.

Neil3030

zuutroy wrote: »

I lived there years ago and was pretty poor so I took advantage of the free 500 level tickets that used to come with a 6 pack of coke!

You?

Same. A guy I worked with for Bell had a season ticket and took me to a few games, explained all the rules and stats etc. to me and I was hooked. Only sport I've ever gone to games on my own to watch which I think says a lot!

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

Not to be singling you out by any means, but this is the problem - you already have Major League Baseball in Toronto, every year, which needs to be supported. I know everyone loves a winner but look at the atmopsphere when 40k+ packed the Rogers Centre for AJ v Doc? AJ was probably thinking to himself "where the f*** were all these fans while I was here". Postseason baseball doesn't just happen in a vacuum, fans need to start coming out and supporting the team through the good times and the bad.

juvenal,

Sorry, I've just read your other posts and after copping on that you don't actually live in Toronto at all!!

I'll leave my post there for the fairweather fans though, because ironically you have inadvertently summed up the attitude in Toronto - "haven't been to a game yet this year, would be great to get to the playoffs though..."

Mad_Max

How much are games for regular jays games?

I'm assuming most teams (yankees excluded ) have cheap walk up tickets, that's what makes it hard for me to understand why games don't get more people.

christeb

Neil3030 wrote: »

How would the Bluejays taking this series bring the Bluejays back down to earth? This is the Bluejays thread you do realise...

We = Red Sox, apologies for the thread intrusion! Good to see Tek and Papi do the business last night...:P

juvenal

Neil3030 wrote: »

Not to be singling you out by any means, but this is the problem - you already have Major League Baseball in Toronto, every year, which needs to be supported. I know everyone loves a winner but look at the atmopsphere when 40k+ packed the Rogers Centre for AJ v Doc? AJ was probably thinking to himself "where the f*** were all these fans while I was here". Postseason baseball doesn't just happen in a vacuum, fans need to start coming out and supporting the team through the good times and the bad.

Neil3030 wrote: »

juvenal,

Sorry, I've just read your other posts and after copping on that you don't actually live in Toronto at all!!

I'll leave my post there for the fairweather fans though, because ironically you have inadvertently summed up the attitude in Toronto - "haven't been to a game yet this year, would be great to get to the playoffs though..."

I actually do live in Toronto Neil (originally a Dub) - and I agree with you 100% about fairweather fans. I'm a big Red Sox fan, but I'll go down to the Rogers Centre when I can to support the local team, despite the fact they're division rivals. Naturally I'm not as pushed given that they're not my main team, but I follow the sport and enjoy going to live games, no matter who the teams are. I just think that line you quoted from me is the prevailing attitude amongst a lot of so-so fans here in Toronto. When I lived in the US, I got to Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Shea and Fenway, and Fenway is by far the most difficult to get tickets for. We're relatively spoiled here in Toronto, as the stadium is huge, and is rarely a sell-out.

The Jays had over 50k for their season opener, and well over 40k for that matchup between Burnett and Doc. Unfortunately most of the other games have far less attendances, but in a city where hockey is still king, and bizarrely Toronto FC have over 20k per game (in a league with a quite poor standard of soccer), the team needs to be successful to draw crowds. My point re the postseason was that success will draw the local crowds - that's human nature. I'm not saying it's right, it's just the way it is here, and I think given that the Blue Jays are the sole non-American team in MLB, and that they are in a market where other sports are dominant, it would be great if they could make the postseason and get back some of those fickle fans!

In the early 90's, when the back-to-back WS were won, the average home attendances were almost 50k per game. The dropped after those years, reaching a low of 20k per game in 2002. They started to improve again in the past few years, and in 2007 and 2008 they were averaging 29k per game. I can't find any figures for this season yet.

It will be interesting to see the attendances when they host the Red Sox at the end of the month in a three-game series.

Mad_Max wrote: »

How much are games for regular jays games?

I'm assuming most teams (yankees excluded ) have cheap walk up tickets, that's what makes it hard for me to understand why games don't get more people.

You can get walk-up tickets for almost any game, Yankees and Red Sox included. The cheapest tickets range from CA$9 to CA$12 for the 500 section seats. Not bad considering a beer in Rogers is CA$10.50!

Mad_Max

juvenal wrote: »

You can get walk-up tickets for almost any game, Yankees and Red Sox included. The cheapest tickets range from CA$9 to CA$12 for the 500 section seats. Not bad considering a beer in Rogers is CA$10.50!

When I lived in New york I was never able to get a walk-up ticket. I had to use stubhub a lot. That was the old stadium though, prices where somewhat in this stratosphere.

Anyway back to lauding the jays!!!!

juvenal

Mad_Max wrote: »

When I lived in New york I was never able to get a walk-up ticket. I had to use stubhub a lot. That was the old stadium though, prices where somewhat in this stratosphere.

Anyway back to lauding the jays!!!!

Sorry, I meant that you can get a ticket for any Blue Jays home game, Red Sox and Yankees in Toronto included.;) I never had problems going to either Shea or Yankee when I was living in NY, but usually I'd know people, or else use scalpers (touts).

/offtopicness

Waitsian

http://www.sportsandthecity.com/2009/05/sky-is-falling.html

Just to keep the two losses to the Sox in perspective.

Go get 'em tonite Bobby Ray! Anyone else listen to Jerry and Alan and Mike on the Fan 590? Class acts.

christeb

And that's the sweep. Thank you Mr. Lester

Neil3030

Oh god it starts...

7 scoreless innings from the Doc and not a run to be had for love 'nor money. Carlson AGAIN giving up the run, anyone going to start listening to me about this guy??