We'll confess to being a bit spent by the two-game mindfuck that was the series against the Clevelanders, so to give ourselves a little respite today, we'll punt you off to the many other fascinating Blue Jays tidbits around the internet.(Speaking of which: Did you know that you can get free breakfast and "internets" from Super 8? We may have heard that somewhere.)
Scott Richmond got his face in a frame
The Blue Jay Hunter tips their cap to the American League's New Employee of the Month, Scott Richmond.
Doc turns his stare from stun to grin
Hum and Chuck offers up a funny video of Roy Halladay being interviewed by Gerry Dee, the caucasian half of the Score's goofball reporter tandem. It's a riot to see the look on Doc's face as he suffers Dee gladly. Funny stuff, even without the allegations of litigious racism.
The Blue Jays' attendance woes, Part 28
In the comments yesterday, we promised a post on the Jays' early season attendance numbers, though we're not sure that we could do much better than this gem from Neate at Out of Left Field.
If you can't get 'em to the park, at least have 'em watching on the tube
The Star's Chris Zelkovich reports that the Jays' TV audiences on Sportsnet are up about six percent over last season. (Which begs the question: Even with half of the 'Net's "regions" airing games other than the Jays'?)
What do you do with a problem like Snidey?
It's a couple of days old now, but Drew/LtB at Ghostrunner on First made a very reasonable suggestion that the time might have come to send Travis Snider to Las Vegas for some fine tuning. This, of course, was before Snider discovered the impact that high socks could have on his performance. Problem solved!
Josh Barfield misremembers the good old days of the SkyDome
Jesse's kid regales the Cleveland Plain Dealer with tales of goofing around the SkyDome when it first opened and playing in the new facility with the Mosebys and Upshaws. There's just one problem: Willie Upshaw never played as a Blue Jay at the SkyDome. In fact, he never played at the SkyDome at all. In 1988, he made way for Cecil Fielder and Fred McGriff by moving on to Cleveland before retiring at the end of the season. The SkyDome didn't open until June of the next season.
Moreover, Jesse Barfield was traded from the Blue Jays on April 30, 1989 for Captain FingerBlister, Al Leiter, a month before the SkyDome opened. So clearly, we can expect to see an announcement coming from the Cleveland front office that Josh has been placed on the DL because of injuries sustained when his big liar pants were on fire.
The minutiae of MLB rules...explained at last!
We're digging Bart Given's Inside the Majors blog lately, especially when he digs into the particulars of the waiver or DL systems. We're just hopeful that Given doesn't go all soft on us after he moves to the West Coast.
There's something that happens to people when they get to the other side of the Rockies...we can't explain it, but we've lost too many friends to a life of performance art, yoga and Canucks apologism not to worry for Bart. (But congrats to Jody on the new gig.)
Thought this comment from the Boston Globe site might be of interest to you Tao:
ReplyDeletemysticsox wrote:
I wonder where the Sox would be without Jason Bay.I say trade some of these malcontents to Toronto for Adam Lind or Travis Snyder.Anyone get to see the New Hampshire Fisher Cats play a few years back? Then you know why Toronto is for real this year.
Tao, way to bury Barfield there. You'd make a good lawyer. And the defence rests.
ReplyDeleteSnider wore high socks yesterday? Fuck. I didn't think it was possible to like him more. I guess I was wrong.
And based on the above comment, does that mean there exists a smart and knowledgeable Red Sox fan? I mean that in terms of "Then you know why Toronto is for real this year," and not the trade Jason Bay for Adam Lind or Snider part. That's ridiculous, and par for the course of Red Sox fans.
Attendance would improve if they fixed the damn roof...or just ripped it off completely.
ReplyDeleteWe live in Canada and when the sun comes out, we need to be in it...Vita D deficiencies and all. I have stayed home on several Saturday/Sundays to sit on the patio listening to the game with the radio on. I would have gone to at least half of the games if I knew I would get some fresh air.
I don’t understand why this is not a bigger issue.
Agreed on the roof. Not sure what the issue is there, but they've got to get it solved.
ReplyDeleteIf the sun is out, people are not going to want to spend the day indoors.
Frankly, we think they should be cracking it open a lot earlier in the year than they do traditionally.
Reason #4 why I didn't renew my season seats: The roof being closed far too often.
ReplyDeleteAnd, um, I'm not kicking myself over it. Nope. Not at all.
Shoot.
Doesn't "apologism" generally apply to those who stretch to say good things about a team that lacks the ability to win? You're familiar with the local team and its followers, no?
ReplyDeleteHey man, don't lump me in with Leafs fans. I ain't having that.
ReplyDeleteThe Jays are 11-4 with the Dome closed. Is it really THAT big of a fucking deal?
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea: Wake up at 9:30 Saturday morning. If it's that nice outside and you want some sun, have brunch outside, on a patio, from 10:30 to 12:30. Go to the game. Enjoy watching your first place Toronto Blue Jays from 1-4 PM. After the game, hit up another patio for drinks and dinner.
There's your Vitamin fucking D.
Is it a big deal when the Dome is closed for hardcore fans who live and breathe the Jays 24/7/365? Nope.
ReplyDeleteBut you still need to pull in another 10-20,000 spectators per game who are mild enthusiasts or casual fans.
And we'll grant you the possible competitive advantages of playing under the roof, but isn't it awesome to feel the sun on your face as you watch the game?
Isn't it awesome to see the skimpy tops and short skirts that come out when the sun is out and the temperature is up?
Vitamin D gives us boners.
Not to quibble, but I think I would have written it, "How do you solve a problem like Snidey?" Unless I am totally off on your intent there. I just know your other blog is about the Sound of Music, so I made the leap.
ReplyDeleteI love the skimpy tops, the short skirts, the vitamin D, the sun, all of it, just as much as anyone else.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing like going to a ball game, outside, and having a beer. I especially enjoy it on a weeknight in the summer. It's beautiful.
But to say that the Dome is keeping people away from going to a game, man, that just stinks to me. There can never be complete satisfaction. Something about the Jays always has to be complained about.
Blair tweeted the other day that due to mechanical reasons they don't open it until late May, I don't think it's broken I think they just have their reasons.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to Sportsnet showing other games, I think it's awesome. I have the Jays going in HD and one of the other AL East games going in my PiP, I don't even need MLB Extra Innings when Sportsnet does this for me.
Yeah, we actually like having the extra games on Sportsnet, but we're thinking of those people in the East and West regions who don't have the full complement of channels.
ReplyDeleteI've heard that there are some folks in the Maritimes who aren't thrilled by all of the Yankees and Red Sox games.
I live in small-town Nova Scotia and I get all four regions. It's not something I specifically ordered, so I don't know if it costs more.
ReplyDeleteThey have been showing Red Sox on East, which in my viewing area, means you have to be able to access channel 102 to see Ontario, so that could be a problem for people who don't have digital cable.
@ Tao @ 12:09
ReplyDeleteWas just pointing out your use of the term in reference to the left coast hockey team -- I actually assumed the original statement meant a lack of hockey connection on your part.
It was a great post - I was just picking on a small part, which makes me kind of like people who can't wait to point out that Wells didn't have an RBI yesterday. (How can those Jays ever expect to win ballgames ... ?)
You're good people, tao, -- you might really adore a peak through the Rocky curtain for a spell
('fraid I'm not there to show you about though).
Maybe I missed it, but was there already a discussion about how the recession is cutting down on discretionary spending across the board? What's wrong with picking the most obvious reason as the likely one? Sure, true fans will find a way to get to games no matter what their financial situation might be, and maybe that's what we're seeing right now. But you know what? I give Rogers two hundred bucks a month already for cable, internet, home phone, and cell phone. I'm not going to feel bad about only catching a couple games live when I'm already contributing $2400 a year to Rogers' bottom line.
ReplyDeleteThat's not to say that I don't want to go to more games - when I lived in Toronto, I used to attend between 20-30% of the home games. (500 Level REPRESENT!!!!) I just can't afford it anymore.
it fucking blew that the dome wasn't open on sunday and no amount of mother's day brunches is going to make up for that.
ReplyDeleteYou know what? One day, when we all control the baseball world, there will be OBP and SLG posted, and no AVG.
ReplyDeleteAlso, no Wins posted for a middle reliever in the (Your Brand Here) Call to the Bullpen.
I hope to live in that world one day, Tao ...
ReplyDeleteWhen I take over the world, it's going to be epic.
ReplyDeleteAnd there will be Mill Street Tank House Ale at the TaoDome (which is what we will call the Rogers Centre.)
And the Blue Jays will have blue on their uniforms again.
It's a fantastical alternate reality we envision...join us!
Can we get a navy version of the Jays cap? Maybe with a very basic J?
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't hostile, Tao!!! I was actually impressed...that's a lot of comments. No sarcasm!
ReplyDeleteOh and I'm having a live chat over on my site. And the Score is running one, too. Even though it wasn't listed earlier this afternoon when I announced mine.
So come and chat. Or read along while I chat with myself.
Waterslide! Lllama farm!
ReplyDeleteHeck, you'll even get your face in a frame!
Tao, if living in that utopian world of yours is wrong, I don't want to be right.
ReplyDeleteI agree...FUCK OFF ROGERS!!!
ReplyDeleteI live in Calgary, and have MAYBE seen about 3 Jays games this year on Sportsnet (And almost EVERY Dodgers game!!). When I emailed them to complain, their answer was that I could purchase the add-on and get all the regions. PAY PAY PAY!! That's the Rogers way!!
So because I'm a fan of Canada's only baseball team, and I happen to live in a DIFFERENT part of Canada, I have to PAY to see them play!!
Let's go DODGERS!!!!!
Tao, do you serious blog about SOM? I work at POW - we should talk.
ReplyDeleteFunny shit about the Red Sawx fan realizing the Jays are for real! That was a shock. You should here all the freaking Mets fans in NYC thinking they are getting Doc for their absolutely shitty prospects! It's quite comical. Niese the picher has a 9 ERA, Martinez their "great" outfield prospect is hitting .250 and the other prospects are even scrubbier. It shows their lack of knowledge BUT there was one talk radio host who pointed out that Toronto already has good young pitching AND Snider and Lind. That was Mark Malusis who roots for the Evil Empire BUT gave the Jays props, good for him.
ReplyDeleteFunny, you scour the SOSH forum and you wouldn't realize there were more than two teams in all of baseball.
ReplyDeleteNobody is getting Halliday for any price, Not even Hanley Ramirez, Don Johnson's Daytona and a shipping container full of uncut Yayo are getting him this year.
The Jays are good. If they get Romero, Janssen and Litch back at decent effectiveness they are scary.
Overbay is healthy, HILL IS BEYOND HEALTHY, Rolen is kicking ass. Scutaro threw the green crystal into the ice and found himself.
This team is vicious top to bottom as long as they get some breaks on injuries. As others have mentioned, at this point they don't have to play that far north of 500 the rest of the way to make the playoffs.