Bittersweet Symphony Saturday March 29, 2014 Links

In two days, baseball games will actually matter and the bitterly debated inaction of the offseason will fade into the collective fanbase memory as a speed bump on the way to a successful season or something worse. It also means that weekend links will be on a regular schedule as well so here are some links for your reading pleasure.

JAYS LINKS

Edwin Encarnacion: On Home Turf - Sportsnet.ca
Edwin Encarnacion grew up a 10-minute walk from the baseball field, in a humble barrio called Rio Salado, named for the place where the saltwater tide mixes with the fresh water flowing down La Romana River to the sea.

Expos fans give Carter a proper goodbye - Sportsnet.ca
Montreal – It started when she arrived in snowy Montreal from sunny Florida and intensified when she pulled up to Olympic Stadium with her mom. It built to a crescendo walking up the tunnel and onto the field for the first time since she was a little girl.

"Up, Up & Away" Soars – The Hardball Times
If you’re under the age of 25, you probably don’t remember much about the Montreal Expos. After all, the 2014 season will be the 10th since the Expos were vanquished from Major League Baseball. Heck, even if you’re under the age of 35, there’s probably plenty about Nos Amours that you don’t really know. Jonah Keri’s newest book, Up, Up & Away: The Kid, The Hawk, Rock, Vladi, Pedro, Le Grand Orange, Youppi!, The Crazy Business of Baseball, & the Ill-Fated but Unforgettable Montreal Expos, solves all of that.

Baseball fan in critical condition after falling from stands at Olympic Stadium during Blue Jays-Mets game
An unidentified man is in critical condition in a Montreal hospital after he fell from the stands at Olympic Stadium at a pre-season baseball game late Friday night, with Montreal police saying "we do fear for his life at this time."

The baseball dream returns to Montreal, if only briefly - The Globe and Mail
The Jays face the Mets at a packed Big O as Montrealers pay homage to their long lost, but still beloved, Expos, Sean Gordon reports

The Blue Jay Hunter: Dustin McGowan: The Most Unlikely Home Opener Starter
Dustin McGowan - probably the most unlikely candidate to start the Blue Jays Home Opener.

Blue Jays hope to major in chemistry | Toronto Star
One year after major overhaul, Jays near regular season with basically same cast and renewed faith in the power of familiarity.

Dickey's autobiography to be made into movie - Sportsnet.ca
Blue Jays starting pitcher R.A Dickey is set to have his autobiography "Wherever I Wind Up" turned into a movie, according to Deadline.com.

The Blue Jay Hunter: Is There a Disconnect Between John Gibbons and Blue Jays Management?
Is there a disconnect between John Gibbons and Toronto Blue Jays upper management?

Hum and Chuck: Pitching (and Bitching) Part 1
Real life encroached on blog life, explaining why I haven’t written in an age. I've returned to talk about the most joyful topic, the starting pitching for the 2014 Toronto Blue Jays. The way the situation has developed over the spring has made me feel both anxious but finally ok with it.

Meet the five pitchers who will comprise the Blue Jays' starting rotation - The Globe and Mail
Baseball teams live and die with their rotation. With the regular season around the corner, the Toronto Blue Jays unveil a lineup that starts with an ace and ends with a wild card. Robert MacLeod looks at the five starters

A successful April is key to Blue Jays’ turnaround: Griffin | Toronto Star
Captain Obvious writes: In order for the Toronto Blue Jays to contend this season, they must avoid last year’s horrid start.

MLB LINKS

Predicting Major League Baseball Salary Growth – The Hardball Times
They tell you that baseball salaries are out of control. America’s crotchety old men tell you that it’s supposed to be a game for boys and they all nearly had heart attacks when they found out Robinson Cano was getting $240 million. Note: Some folks are greedier, but it isn't the players based on the percentage of revenue.

Ted Turner says, 'I wouldn't have moved the Braves to Cobb County' | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports
From Yahoo Sports: Former Atlanta Braves owner let his feelings on the team's plans for a new suburban stadium

Trout, Angels agree to $144.5M, 6-year contract - Sportsnet.ca
Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels have agreed to a $144.5 million, six-year contract that runs through 2020.

Vin Scully provides play-by-play of 5.1 earthquake as play continues at Dodger Stadium | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports
The scene played out dramatically on live TV with legendary broadcaster Vin Scully calmly and succinctly describing the event as the center field camera shook wildly. The spring training game between the Dodgers and Angels was in the sixth inning at the time, and the action continued on uninterrupted, almost as if the players and umpires were immune to or unaware of what was happening. Many tenured players for both organizations have probably experienced their fair share of earthquakes over the years, so for them it may not have registered.

Clayton Kershaw’s early struggles – real or imagined? – The Hardball Times
It’s not news to anyone that Clayton Kershaw’s spring has been disastrous - it’s on ESPN, SportsCenter, blogs, news sites, and everything in-between. Those who remember 2013 will also recall that Kershaw had a poor spring then, but it was nothing like it was in 2014 – his ERA is more than twice what it was last year.

AL East 2014 preview: Tampa Bay Rays stars take center stage | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports
From Yahoo Sports: Tampa Bay has the deepest team in the league with the fewest question marks

Terry Francona goes to pitcher's mound to tell Blake Wood he's made Indians roster | Big League Stew - Yahoo Sports
From Yahoo Sports: What a great place to get good news

TODAY IN WHY TELLING THE TRUTH IS BAD HISTORY

Baseball History March 29th - National Pastime - Baseball History
1954 After telling reporters his team had little chance to finish in the first division, skipper Phil Cavarretta is fired by the Cubs. The 36-year old player-manager, who compiled a 169-213 (.442) record during his three years at the helm, is the first person to lose a managerial position during spring training. Note: He was right.