Spring Training, much like Spring Break, is a time to cast aside your inhibitions and allow yourself to develop unhealthy crushes on decidedly underwhelming subjects whilst under the influence of any number of intoxicants. (Our personal drug of choice this offseason: blind hope.)So in the haze of optimism with which we surround ourselves these days, we're in full-on bromance mode with the Jays indomitable non-roster invitee Jason Lane. We're not actually watching the fake games, but when scoping out the boxscores, we can't help but get the impression that the team's fortunes will rise and fall depending on Lane's bat.
Okay, so maybe that's an overstatement. But at the same time, it's not out of the realm of possibility that he could actually contribute this year. We shouldn't forget that in spite of having more outfielders that places to play them last Spring, we still got to enjoy more than half a season of Mencherson. And we use the term "enjoy" loosely.
Also worth noting: Lane's also played a handful of games at first in his career. Just sayin'. In case someone who usually mans that position has got the hernias, or the ricketts, or the boogie-woogie influenza.
We're not kidding ourselves here, and no one needs to be reminded of the heroes of past preseasons, like Simon Pond or Gabe Gross. But when you're scraping the bottom of the barrel to find reasons to believe, you've got to hope that Lane could hit 26 homers again. (Right?)
Jason Lane is one of those natural lefties who hits righty, so if he platooned with Overbay, they'd still always have a lefty fielder, which I guess has some slight positive value for bunts down the line and starting the 3-6-X double play.
ReplyDeleteWe noticed that about Lane...it's kinda weird, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteShould we toss him into Lake Ontario to see if he is a witch?
Would you have tossed Rickey Henderson in the lake?
ReplyDeleteWe already knew that Rickey is a witch.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Lane is going to save the day. Dream on! What the Jays need is proven pitching: someone who can eat up a lot of innings, like the late great Al Nipper, circa 84-87. Without, they're doomed.
ReplyDeleteBlair seems to think Lane could start in Centre Field if Wells if on the DL by opening day...
ReplyDeleteAnyone paying attention to today's game against Team USA? Clement is ripping through their lineup!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to get my hopes up too high either, Tao. But so far so good when it comes to Lane.
ReplyDeleteIt's long way down from the lofty height of Buck Coats. Your buckskin jacket photo inspired a nation!
ReplyDeleteAhh, Buck Coats. We get misty just thinking of our brief mancrush on him.
ReplyDeleteSo Barry Bonds is supposedly still begging for a contract. Am I crazy for wishing he could be signed? My rationale:
ReplyDeleteA) He can DH and probably still mash a few. He should be reasonably cheap.
B) The Jays go from a kinda boring team that rarely makes the news to the Macho Man Randy Savage of the MLB
C) the youngsters still get their ABs etc. since the old man needs a lot of days off -- PS don't talk to Barry and for fuck's sake don't sit in his shiatsu chair
I have a feeling we could wait to sign Bonds until we know that Snider needs to spend more than a week in AAA instead of assuming that he does.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. I wasn't really factoring ABs for Snider into the equation. Mainly because Bonds will not be approached by the Jays, but if he were, I wouldn't have a problem with letting Snider mature in AAA rather than use up his eligibility in a year where the Jays are, in the words of the esteemed Jeff Blair, rebuilding.
ReplyDeleteThat is true. I wasn't really factoring ABs for Snider into the equation. Mainly because Bonds will not be approached by the Jays, but if he were, I wouldn't have a problem with letting Snider mature in AAA rather than use up his eligibility in a year where the Jays are, in the words of the esteemed Jeff Blair, rebuilding.Quote from Darren the Wise
ReplyDeleteDarren as usual you come up with great points. Just having Barroid in the lineup will scare teams. This team is so perplexing. If they had Barroid last year with that pitching who knows what would have happened? NOw the team will be in the basement. For those who don't think so, ANON @ 2:10 pm is on to something. They couldn't hit NOW they have lost three starters. Their 4th and 5th starters are your second and third pitchers.....it will be a mess. I never believed in curses BUT there is a curse with this team. Is there something with Arnsberg's pitching instruction that is hurting all these guys?
Bruno Van Rottweiller
Odds of Bonds getting a major league contract:
ReplyDelete0%
I'm sure he can still hit, but he's going to spend a lot of time in court.
Are we so sure that Marcum's 80 extra career innings of being worse in front of the same defense make him that much better than Litsch?
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's true that Barry is not getting a contract. I'm less Darren the wise than Darren the wishful thinker. In fact, Barry could be prohibited from leaving the US in the near future.
ReplyDeleteJason Lane: Man crush.
ReplyDeleteDiscuss amongst yourselves.