You have to love opening day. It is even easier to love opening day when you lay a beating on the other team. Everyone in the lineup got at least 1 hit. A great way to start the season, you don't have to look at .000 on the batting average line. Extra great day for Adam Lind, 6 RBI and a 2.200 OPS. Great to see Snider hit the ball hard too, an opposite field homer and a double on the day. Of course, Doc was Doc for 6 of the 7 innings he pitched, the 7th, not so much but by then we had a big lead. And, best of all, seeing Aaron Hill in the field. He made a heck of a play in the second, going to the shortstop side of second to field a ball, leap, spin and throw out the runner at first.
Our game wasn't the only good news of the day, the Orioles pounded the Yankees 10-5 and knocked CC Sabathia out of the game early. Since the Red Sox and Rays were rained out, Baltimore and our Jays are tied for the top of the AL East. I hope I get to write that several times this year.
Yeah I know it's just one game but if the 'experts' are right it could be a long season for us. Let's enjoy it. We can either enjoy or drive ourselves crazy reading stories about trading Halladay. I mean speculation is fun and all but let's save the stories about him being traded for later, when, you know, there is some actual rumors about it happening, not some Yankee or Red Sox fan's dream.
Tonight's game has David Purcey going up against the Tigers. Purcey was terrific this spring, I'm expecting a big year from him. It is likely wishful thinking but I think he'll win more games for us than AJ Burnett will win for the Yankees. Former Ray Edwin Jackson starts against us. Jackson had a 3.33 ERA in 4 starts against us last year. The bad new is the game doesn't appear to be on Sportsnet or TSN, which is really too bad because the game yesterday was so good they could build some viewing momentum. And, since MLB blacks out Jay games all across Canada, those of us in Canada with MLB.tv won't get to watch it. I guess we'll have to just listen to Jerry and Alan thru our Game Thread tonight.
In other news about tonight's game, it is going to be a 'dry game' tonight as the Ontario government is penalizing the Jays for some liquor violations last season. Since Hugo is going to the game today, I hope he doesn't mind watching it without a beer.
Jordan Bastian has his 2009 predictions up and has the Jay's finishing last. And I used to like him. I really don't understand how he or anyone things the Orioles are going to make up the 18 games they finished behind us last year. It just makes no sense to me. But I've been wrong before. He also has Doc winning the Cy Young.