No, not really. No news is boring. and there is very little out there for Jay fans. To fill space, non-Hall of Famer Bob Elliot has a list of 'The 100 Most Influential Canadians in Baseball in 2008' and surprise of surprises, we aren't on the list. I'm hurt. Actually what does surprise me is that no writers are on the list, neither internet writers or newspapers writers. And considering how far they had to reach to get to 100 Canadians you would have thought there would be the odd writer.
There are a bunch of TV types, a couple of radio guys and a couple of dead guys but no writers. Paul Beeston is at the top of the list, Pat Gillick 3rd, Justin Morneau 4th and the late Ted Rogers 5th. Larry Walker 17th. Jacques Doucet 30th, he was the French voice of the Expos, the Expos have been gone for a while now, I'm not sure how he influences baseball now.
Brett Lawrie 9th, drafted by the Brewers in the first round of last year's draft. Not sure how that influences baseball but they have to get to 100 some how. Matt Stairs 36th, think of how high up he'd be if he could have gotten us some hits last year. Denis Boucher 69th, the great French-Canadian hope for the Jays starting rotation from a few years back will be pitching coach for the Canadians in the World Baseball Classic.
And so it goes listing a bunch of scouts and minor league coaches and not one writer.
Over on Bugs & Cranks Spencer Kyte wants to write off the Jay's season more than a month before pitchers and catchers show up to camp. The Drunks answered back, but I wonder why there is such a rush to say we can't win. Is there something in our Canadian nature that wants to give up before things start.
Yeah we haven't signed a big name but neither have the Red Sox or the Rays. Is in not possible that Ortiz could be hurt again this year? That Lowell will have more troubles? That Pedroia might not have a career year again and that they all get a year older. Could the Rays regress some? Could the pressure of playing in New York get to AJ and Teixeira? Could the weight on CC's knees get to him? The Yankees have tried buying the World Series before and it wasn't always worked. Jeter is older, ARod is....well ARod, the team isn't young. Let's not jump off the bridge yet.