Apparently There is a Baseball Game Tonight
by Tom Dakers on May 12, 2009 11:28 AM EDT
in Toronto Blue Jays News
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PrintAn amazing thing has happened, the Toronto newspapers have noticed that there is baseball being played tonight. Richard Griffin in the Star talks about it (is it just me or is Richard making more sense lately? Nice job Richard) and Mark Zwolinski, also in the Star talks about it. In the Globe and Mail Jeff Blair and James Christie also talk about it. Just a quick comment on Christie's story:
Injured Jays pitchers Casey Janssen and Ricky Romero are throwing rehabilitation games in the minors this week...
Doesn't that word rehabilitation seem strange to you? Yeah I know it's the word that rehab is short for but just seems strange. Yeah it's just me right, ok.
In the Toronto Sun....well there is two lines "Rios Wants Noise". The way he's been swinging the bat this early season, maybe he should be careful in what he wishes for.
Jamie Sandler in the National Post compares tonight's match up to "Darth Vader facing Obi-Wan Kenobi". He also says:
(AJ), who said he declined a dinner invitation from Halladay and Blue Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells for yesterday's off-day, said watching his former teammate's preparation made him aware of what he needed to do to get better.
Nice of the guys to offer to take him out, though maybe with the huge contract AJ signed, they would have expected him to pick up the cheque.
So I guess the game is a big deal tonight, who'd have thought it? Should the unthinkable happen and Doc should los not win, I don' t think we need to throw ourselves off buildings or jump off the Jays bandwagon or anything like that. But guys, if you ever wanted to break the record for runs scored in a game, tonight would be a good night.
Anyway, lets have a contest, predict the final score of tonight's game in the comments section below. Closest to wins....well I haven't figured that out yet. But we'll come up with something.
There was one other story in the papers today, apparently Hugo's favorite pitcher was interviewed on ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning. And guess what? He said he didn't take steroids. Well actually no that's not quite what he said:
Roger Clemens broke his silence Tuesday, again denying that former personal trainer Brian McNamee injected him with performance-enhancing drugs in his first public comments in more than a year.
Subtle distinction there, he doesn't say he didn't take steroids, he said McNamee didn't inject steroids into him. He also said:
Clemens said Tuesday it would have been "suicidal" for him to use steroids because of a history of heart problems in his family. He also repeated his much-lampooned use of the word "misremembers" about friend and former teammate Andy Pettitte's statement that Clemens told him he used HGH.
Ummmm sure ok, you convinced me Roger. Again not quiet saying he didn't take steroids, more that he would be really, really stupid to take them. Raise your hands those of you that think Roger Clemens is really, really stupid. Yep, it is unanimous.
I'm sad to say I'm going to miss much of the game tonight, my son is playing soccer and since I'm coach I ought to be there, though it looks pretty dark out there at the moment, you think hoping for rain would be a bad thing? Just a little flooding? Well I'll be recording the game anyway.
Weather update in Calgary: hailing like you wouldn't believe....somebody wants me to watch the game tonight.
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Final Score?
Jays 7
Yanks 1
Close game until Jay score 5 in the bottom of the 7th highlighted by a Lind 3 run homerun. AJ is pulled to a chorus of booos and proceeds to walk to wrong dugout.
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 11:31 AM EDT reply actions
wow that's precise....
I’ll admit I hope you are right. Though I don’t care too much about people booing, let’s face it, you or I would have gone to New York for that much money too. I couldn’t bring myself to be that much of a hypocrite to boo him for doing something that any of us would do.
Ever since he saluted the Jays fans for booing him when he got shelacked
I said to myself: “As soon as he is a Yankee, I can’t wait to Boo my ass off”.
That being said, me booing from Calgary probably won’t be as effective.
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions
You just have to boo into your TV extra loud from Calgary
He’ll get the message.
by theBrouhaha on May 12, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm just wondering
Do we think that booing an opposing player in our home park actually affects them? I think there may be a few that it works against (young guys who are not sure of their skill/ability to stick in the league) but against a 5 or 10 year veteran? I sincerely doubt it, and as a fan of my own team, I really hope not – since only one stadium is friendly to our boys.
I don't want to play golf. When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it. ~Rogers Hornsby
I can't imagine it has any real impact at all on the players
other than occasionally really loud cheering must be a little distracting (probably not very much). But not booing, I agree.
I wonder if the home crowd might affect the umpiring a little bit though (with regard to balls and strikes more than the more dramatic calls), I’d be fascinated to see a study on that given how susceptible we are to societal pressure and the wisdom of the crowd as a species.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
I actually thinkk it might work on AJ
One knock against Burnett has long been that he is something of a head case who gets very emotional on the mound and can get rattled when things aren’t going well (e.g. he gives up a big hit or isn’t throwing strikes). Seems to me that guys like that are probably going to be most affected by crowd noise/influence in the game. Now, in some cases, emotion may result in the guy getting angry and pitching better to try and shut the crowd up, but I think a guy who gets rattled like AJ does on the mound would be susceptible to losing concentration and making mistakes as a result.
At least I hope that’s what will happen
Of course it does!
Haven’t you ever seen the episode of The Simpsons where Bart’s “Daaaaarryl” heckling made the Straw-man cry?
"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
Oh Yea, It Works
For sure. When they are struggling, it especially affects them.
During a pitching change last year, Ramirez who was in left field, came walking in almost to the infield during the break. The fans surrounding him were jeering and taunting him vigorously and it was really bothering him.
I think Yank’s Arod and O’s Mora, both prime targets of fan taunting, are also affected.
by aagoodfella on May 13, 2009 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
3-2 Jays
I can’t watched taped games. Just knowing the game has already been decided takes the fun out of it for me. Even I somehow manage to avoid every computer screen and sports ticker from now until I watch the game I still can’t get into it.
I believe in Karma. That means I can do bad things to people all day long and I assume they deserve it. - Dogbert
Well I will see it soon after the game ends.
And part is just to see things that might not show up in box scores. Can watch it pretty quick that way. Course one game I added the extra time to the record and the game went into extra innings…the recording ran out just before the half inning that the Jays scored and won.
Final Score
4-1 Jays.
Doc throws 8 innings, gives up 5 hits, 1 run, and has 7Ks.
Nice call.
You pretty much nailed it. Game finished 5-1 Jays. Doc threw 9 innings, gave up 5 hits, 1 run and 5Ks.
by My Three Cents on May 12, 2009 11:53 PM EDT up reply actions
what a prick
he turned down a dinner invite from Doc and Vernon? I can understand Vernon, I wouldn’t eat dinner with him right now either. But Doc? he made you into what you are, he is your Obi-Wan Kenobi! Eat dinner with the guy…..
Jays 12
Yankees 0
Doc nails A-roid in the head, and Hill and Lind jack dingers
Hey Allday, you guys signed Favre yet?!?
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 2:00 PM EDT up reply actions
nah, but good luck with Cassel
The chiefs have some pretty appealing young talent now, you guys shoudl be pretty good in a couple years
well, he lead the team in RBI last season
despite missing almost 1/3 of the year. But it’s silly for any player to try to “earn” some amount of money by playing a certain way or to some magical unknown standard. The team offered him a contract in exchange for his play, and he accepted it. They knew the type of player he was and the risk of signing a centrefielder like Wells to a long-term deal. His only job is to play as well as he can and do what he can to stay healthy and in shape. Not his fault the Jays offered him a huge deal when they could have traded him and slid Rios over to centre. If anyone is to blame, it’s the Jays.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
So ummmm you are popular enough....
that no one but the number one RBI guy at the moment is good enough to go for supper with? So a couple of guys have a hot start to a season and then someone that has just a good start the season is beneath you? I think I’d said this before but….tough room.
Vernon’s making $12.5 million this year. So your case is everyone making 12.5 and up has to lead the team in RBI every month to be worth having supper with?
Dinner with Vernon
During a crucial part of dinner, he would probably choke.
JUST KIDDING – I’m not a hater!!!
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions
haha nice one
I’d sooner eat dinner with Wells, actually — at least, the night before a Halladay start in a big game. Vernon is hilarious, and as much as I love Doc, I could see him being rather, well, intense the night before a big start.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
If there is actually buzz in T.O. about the Jays, what can they expect for attendence?
30k?
40k?
50k?!?!?
Is the weather decent? I suppose the dome opening would help.
If the Jays played in Calgary, the friggin dome wouldn’t be open till mid-July
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 12:36 PM EDT reply actions
for a weekday Yankees series
I would expect in the low 30,000’s with a healthy minority of those rooting for the visitors (blech). If this was on a weekend, 40,000+.
Really?
For sh*t sakes Toronto, get out and support your damn team! If it is only 30K for a game of this magnitude, I’ll be choked.
Happiness is a long walk with a putter in your hand.
by craig in calgary on May 12, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I read someplace
they were expecting over 30,000 with a decent walk-up crowd, which I expect they’ll have
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
As for predictions
Jays 8, Yankees 3
Jays score 2 in the first after Scooter draws the first of AJ’s 5 walks on the day and Hill scores him with a double. AJ is rattled and won’t recover. He goes 4.2IP giving up 5ER. Doc goes 7 strong yielding 2ER. Jays tack on 3 more against the Yankees bullpen and the Yankees manage to plate one more, but the Jays prevail on their way to yet another series win.
I'll be booing, but like Craig, he's not gonna hear me from Calgary.
Jays 8
Yanks 3
Halladay gets the win, Burnett is rocked because he’s so nervous pitching in TO again and leaves the game in the third giving up 5 runs on 7 hits and 4 walks. Suck on that, AJ, if that’s your real name. LOL
We don't devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks. - Calvin
You took my score
OK 5-4, Halladay goes 8 strong, Scotty Downs gets another save. Burnett leaves with a broken nail, tipping his hat to thank the Jays for his huge contract.
Mine too ...
I would guess 6 – 4 … that sounds like the consensus estimate to me
Go Jays
can't believe I'm missing this one!
I’ve got a gig tonight. I do hope to watch it after the fact, though, if I can stop myself from checking the final score when I get home!
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
7-1 Jays
Doc: 8 IP, 1 R, 7 K, 1 BB
AJ: 6 IP, 5 R, 4 ER, 7 K, 3 BB
"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
4-3 Jays
Doc will let up a solo home run or two and the ’pen will make it interesting.
Jays get their runs early.
BTW I joined just for this but I’ve been a long-time lurker on here!
it certainly doesn't run
on our brilliance! by the way, masterkembo, your score prediction is also mine.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
Not on mine that's for sure.....
Just cancelled my boy’s soccer, I’ll get to watch most if not all of the game. Yay.
You know I'm pretty sick of reading about our 'soft' schedule...
I really hope we can keep winning/splitting every series against the east, leaving the other teams and their fans to scramble for some new excuse. Unfortunately we’ll have to continue to hear it until at least July when the series start piling up a little more even.
I'm with you on this soft schedule stuff...
I checked at one point and the teams we have played did pretty well against teams other than the Jays. Enjoy the wins, who cares who we beat.
If you play .650 ball againt .450 teams
then you’re a .600 team. It’s nice how that function is linear in the range where it matters.
They're not just hitting home runs. They're doing the little things, like hitting doubles.
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