Opening Day Bantering: Some Links to Pass the Time Till Opening Pitch

Since I'm sure everyone is just sitting around waiting for the game to start I thought we'd put up some links. Boy that game last night was great. Since I didn't have a cheering stake in either team, it was fun to watch each team's number one starter get knocked around.

I'm sure you all know that Marc Rzepczynski and Dustin McGowan were put on the 15-day DL yesterday.

At his blog on MLB.com, Jordan Bastian puts up his predictions for the season and mentions he approves of the Adam Lind contract.

Bob Elliot, in the Toronto Sun talks on Cito's 'lame duck' status and then asks Cito:

And then what? What if the Jays ask him to return? "Whatever is good for the organization," Gaston said.

Oh please no, stop asking him to come back, he would you know.

Richard Griffin in the Star profiles our opening day pitcher. 

And our GM:

Anthopoulos was recently asked to define a lie, a word that seemed to be redefined by the ex-GM regarding B.J. Ryan's elbow injury some years ago. "When you're not telling the truth," Anthopoulos shrugged. The conversation seemed ready to move on, but Anthopoulos wanted to clarify his definition. It was obviously important to him. "I'm just curious, what ... am I supposed to have a formal Webster's? ... I guess it's the same definition of a lie is ... it's hard to say. Mislead, not tell the truth. I mean we all know what it is to an extent. Are there times you can't be completely forthright, completely honest, withhold information? Yes. But to intentionally mislead and do things? The key to this is trust. Whether it's an agent, whether it's a club, whether it's the fans.

Yes we get it, he isn't JP, let's stop defining him compared to JP and start talking about him as his own man.

Also in the Star, Chris Zelkovich talks about the radio voice of the Jays, Jerry Howarth.

Barring torrential rain, some apocalyptic event or the recurrence of the laryngitis that kept him off the air last week, Jerry Howarth will call his 30th straight Toronto Blue Jays opening day Monday afternoon.

Can you imagine doing that job for 30 years?

Rob Neyer writes about Adam Lind's contract here. About Lind leaving money on the table, he says:

I'm already imagining the suggestions that Lind should have gotten more money; that he was foolish to have agreed to such a low-ball offer. Friends, $38.5 million is a lot of money. I've been to Canada. I wouldn't mind spending the next seven years there, particularly if I liked my teammates and knew I wouldn't have to worry about paying rent or buying food for the rest of my life.

He's right, living in Canada is great, even if you aren't getting $38.5 million to do so.

If you are wondering about former Jay Matt Stairs, MLB.com has a story on his suiting up for his 12th team this year:

Stairs will become the first position player in the modern era to play for 12 teams. He will tie pitchers Mike Morgan and Ron Villone as the only Major Leaguers during the modern era to play for 12 teams.

Geoff Young at Hardball times tells why he likes baseball:

Baseball is, at its core, a conversation. Something happens on the field. We consider it and wonder what might come next. Then another thing happens and we contemplate further. The process iterates for as long as the game provides outs with which to play at immortality.

And Baseball Prospectus has an interview with Buck Showalter. Since some have mentioned him as a possible replacement for Cito next year, it is kind of cool to hear his thoughts on managing. 

That's all for today, so should be able to read all that and still have time to contemplate why Neil Diamond had "Keep the Dodgers in Broooklyn" on the back of his jacket last night. Neil, you are 55 years too late, might be time to take up another cause. Like maybe start up a 'Stop Steven Tyler from singing God Bless America' at baseball games.

Two and a half more hours till game time.