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This might be my favorite post of the year, our annual introduction post. Yeah, mostly because the baseball season is soon to start, but also because it is fun to see where everyone is from and learn a little bit about the folks who come to the site.
The second title comes from an old Kris Kristofferson song, The Silver Tongued Devil And I. Back when Hugo was on the site, he would use song lyrics as titles for his posts (generally from some obscure song that only he had ever heard of), and it gave the site an identity, making it different than all the other Blue Jays sites out there. I kept up the tradition for a while, but SEO interests I ended that.
What we’d like is for you to copy and paste the following questions into the comment thread and give us your answers.
Name:
Location:
Favourite Current Jay:
Favourite All-Time Jay:
Favourite Non-Jay:
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect:
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond:
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit:
Favourite Baseball Movie:
Stepping up to the Plate Music:
When Not Bantering, I:
On Twitter I am:
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact:
Here are some of the people that keep the site running:
Name: Tom Dakers. I’ve been around here since April of 2008, a few months before Jose Bautista was a Blue Jay.
Location: Third star on the right, straight on till morning. Also known as Calgary.
Favourite Current Jay: It changes constantly, often it is whoever got the last hit, or the last one to pitch well. Maybe Aaron Sanchez.
Favourite All-Time Jay: Lloyd Moseby or Scott Downs or well, any of a couple of hundred guys.
Favourite Non-Jay: Gary Carter
Favorite Blue Jays Prospect: Anthony Alford
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Second base. Don’t have the arm for short.
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Wrigley? I’ve been to many of the parks, but no Wrigley yet.
Favourite Baseball Movie: Bull Durham. I was going to put Trouble with the Curve, just to see if anyone was reading this.
Stepping up to the Plate Music: How’m I Gonna Find You Now, by James McMurtry. Gotta keep up the site’s tradition of songs no one has ever heard.
When Not Bantering, I: Am trying to perfect myself in my own peculiar way. I’m a husband, father, hopefully friend. I’ve been trying to crave out moments to work at the guitar. I bought a charango on holiday this winter, trying to figure out how to make music with it. I’m doing a charity bike ride this summer, so trying to get into shape for that. If you would like to donate, I’d appreciate it.
On Twitter I am: @bluebirdbanter
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Once (well five times) appeared on stage with the Alberta Ballet.
Name: Kate
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Favourite Current Jays: Danny Jansen and Ryan Borucki (Team #JanBo)
Favourite Non-Jay: Clayton Kershaw
Favorite Blue Jays Prospect: Nate Pearson
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Motivational coach
Favourite Baseball Movie: Sandlot
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Bowen Field in Bluefield, WV
Stepping up to the Plate Music: Dancing in the Moonlight - Toploader
When Not Bantering, I: make TV shows
On Twitter I am: @OhKStan
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I have now been to more minor league parks (7) than I have major league parks (5)
Name: Erik
Location: Saskatoon
Favourite Current Jay: Gurriel
Favourite All-Time Jay: Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: Votto
Favorite Blue Jays Prospect: Pardinho
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Pitcher
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Minute Maid Park
Favourite Baseball Movie: Major League
Stepping up to the Plate Music: Put me in Coach
When Not Bantering, I: am renovating my new house
On Twitter I am: @Erik_G_T
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I ate 40 perogies at my 10th birthday party
Name: Chris (Bowling_Guy25_)
Location: Toronto
Favourite Current Jay: Vlad Jr
Favourite All-Time Jay: Delgado
Favourite Non-Jay: Yasiel Puig (Players should have more fun on the field)
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Foul Lines (tell fair from foul? I am so clever)
Favourite Baseball Movie: Sandlot
Stepping up to the Plate Music: AC/DC - Hells Bells
When Not Bantering I: Work in IT, play video games (League of legends name: Koija)...Bowling
On Twitter I am: No Twitterino
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I was pitching and knocked the helmet off a girl at bat. She retired...she was 9!
Name: Bryant (dexfarkin)
Location: Toronto
Favourite Current Jay: Danny Jansen
Favourite All-Time Jay: Lloyd Moseby
Favourite Non-Jay: Russell Martin
Favorite Blue Jays Prospect: Bo Bichette
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: OF defensive replacement
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Dodgers Stadium
Favourite Baseball Movie: Bull Durham
Stepping up to the Plate Music: Poets by The Tragically Hip
When Not Bantering, I: Write sci-fi, read a book every couple of days, and maintain the sad longing of being a foodie with little money.
On Twitter I am: @dexfarkin
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Despite being taught how he throws a knuckleball by Joe Niekro in 1985, I remain confident that after at least several thousand attempts, I have never, indeed, made a ball knuckle.
Name: Leo / Minor Leaguer
Location: Toronto
Favourite Current Jay: Devon Travis
Favourite All-Time Jay: Roy Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: Probably José Altuve?
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: I can’t say Vlad or Bo, so Jordan Romano (hey that rhymes)
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: The extended netting on top of the dugouts (I might not be pretty to look at but eventually you’ll get used to me and some day I might just save someone’s life)
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Koshien Stadium
Favourite Baseball Movie: Angels in the Outfield (one of the first baseball movies I remember seeing)
Stepping up to the Plate Music: Rush B from ~2:20 to ~2:32 (https://youtu.be/5zo7BYoaqAA?t=140)
When Not Bantering, I: Am on Twitter
On Twitter I am: @Minor_Leaguer
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Minor Leaguer suffered a season-ending injury on July 29 by tearing his ankle tendons as he fell down the stairs. As he was laying on the floor in a pool of blood and writhing in pain (he had also cut a cash on my scalp) he heard on the upstairs TV that Lourdes Gurriel got hurt minutes after he did. (Tom’s note: I don’t see the fun part in this fun fact).
Name: Matt W
Location: GTA
Favourite Current Jay: Pillar I suppose, by default of being the only drafted/developed regular in the last 15 years
Favourite All-Time Jay: Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: I barely watch any non-Jays baseball. Let’s say Matt Boyd.
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: On the advice of counsel, I decline to answer the question. How could I choose just one?!? Relative to consensus, let’s say Chavez Young.
Favourite Baseball Movie: Major League
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Vancouver
Stepping up to the Plate Music: No idea
When Not Bantering, I: am probably listening to minor league baseball
On Twitter I am: not; a decision that seemingly ages like a fine wine with each passing year
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I am now about 90% sure the first Blue Jays game I watched was August 8th, 1997. If you were born after this date, get off BBB’s lawn.
Your turn.