The Blue Jay Hunter

The Alex Anthopoulos State of the Franchise Conference Call

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:05:00 +0000

I woke up this morning wondering if Alex Anthopoulos had forgotten all about his promise to address the "state of the franchise" this week and give fans an update on which direction the Toronto Blue Jays would be taking.

After dragging in the city's best writers in on their weekend off, most of them stuck it out to ask AA all the pertinent questions about what's happening with the Blue Jays. You can listen to the full call here at the Fan 590, or just check out the brief synopsis below:

AA feels like Toronto has the potential in the coming years to compete along with teams like the Angels, Red Sox, and other top market teams.
He wants to continue to build the core of this team, and will continue to make changes to the scouting and support staff.
When asked about trading Roy Halladay, AA said he was reluctant about trading Doc, but gave the typical J.P. Ricciardi statement "he has to be open-minded about a trade making this team better in the long term". In the type of tone that Anthopolous spoke of, it sounds like Halladay will be around in 2010 and if the Blue Jays can remain competitive next year then he could re-sign.
Alex is NOT actively shopping any of his players, but he is pursuing alternatives to upgrading certain positions.
He doesn't believe in adding three or four free agents in any given year.
Aaron Hill will not be moved from second base to cover shortstop. Adam Lind will not fill in at first base, unless they need him to move somewhere else (like the rumoured trade involving Chris Snyder and Lyle Overbay)
Anthopoulos doesn't consider this a "rebuilding phase" but more of a "building phase".

The overall tone from this phone call was hopeful for the future, but it seemed like the main focus for Anthopoulos was that they really want to develop the scouting and be more thorough with their player development. It sounds like they don't feel buying up high priced free agents is a long-term solution, and building a strong young core of a team is the only way that the Blue Jays will be able to compete with the Yankees and the Red Sox.

At no point was there a set dollar amount discussed in terms of payroll, however it does not sound like the 2010 payroll will be leaps and bounds higher than 2009.

Well, at least we have some answers now!

The Yankees as World Champions: bad for baseball?

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:26:00 +0000

Today the Yankees enjoyed a lavish ticker-tape parade down Broadway Avenue celebrating their 27th World Series Championship. While most folks in New York came out in droves to celebrate, the rest of the baseball world basically rolled their eyes and said "not again".

After watching the continued success of the New York Yankees as the most financially driven team in MLB, it begs the question - are the New York Yankees as World Series Champions bad for baseball?

In a word ... yes.

It's not just because I'm a bitter Blue Jays fan that hasn't tasted the victory of playoff baseball for sixteen years either. There are 29 teams in baseball I would rather see hoist the Commissioner's Trophy above their heads other than the New York Yankees.

So here are a few of my reasons in no particular order why I think the Yankees as World Champions are sending the wrong message.

1.) Team payrolls across the MLB are bound to go up

Whether it's predetermined or not, it seems like teams subconsciously emulate the formula of the previous World Series Champions. In the case of the New York Yankees, most clubs will probably take after their model which is "sign the best free agents at any price, so long as it means winning".

This means guys like Jason Bay, Matt Holliday and John Lackey are going to rake in especially fat contracts this off-season. It also sends the message that money equals success, almost the exact polar opposite from the Tampa Bay Rays model which was build a team from the minor league system upwards.

2.) It makes even more free agents want to flock to NY

I'm sure a large part of the reason why Pedro Martinez and Raul Ibanez signed with the Philadelphia Phillies was because they had a fairly good shot at winning another championship in Philly. For free agents that are getting close to the end of their careers and want an almost-guaranteed shot at the post-season, they will likely be seeking to sign with the New York Yankees.

3.) It doesn't promote home-grown talent

There was a lot of hype surrounding the "core four" of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettite that have stuck with this organization since (almost) day one. Aside from those four guys, most of their roster spots are occupied by players acquired via trades or free agent signings (only ten in total came up through the Yankees organization).

The Yankees aren't notorious for drafting and developing great players, they are known for signing other team's great players. I realize it's all fair in love and baseball, but it feels like the Yankees would rather build a winning team with their pocketbook rather than their minor league system.

Again, let me reiterate that I'm not bitter and jaded (okay ... maybe a little) that the team I cheer for wasn't number one this year. However, I would have been happy to see the Phillies win the World Series. I would have been thrilled to see the Dodgers or the Angels win the World Series. Hell, it would even be fun (more so hilarious) to see the Nationals win the World Series. But there's something about watching the Yankees get their World Series rings that doesn't sit right.

It's almost like if the tallest, strongest, and fastest kid in grade seven won every single event at the track meet. Sure, it's great for that one kid - but for everyone else, it just creates an environment of resentment.

It's about as exciting as when the team with the highest payroll wins the World Series.

$200 million buys a World Series Championship

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Very quickly, congratulations to the New York Yankees on becoming World Series champs. There was nothing overly dramatic about Game Six or the series in general, however good for the Yankees on coming out on top.

But for the New York Yankees organization, anything less than a championship this year would have been an utter disappointment. So after missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons, they went out and snagged the best free agents on the market in the hopes of building another winning team.

On Managing ...

This World Series in particular might have possibly been the most over-hyped when it comes to managing decisions. The media scrutinized Joe Girardi for only using a three-man rotation the entire playoffs, and they even grilled Charlie Manuel for something as simple as not starting the runners with one out.

Basically, people need to stop giving so much credit to Joe Girardi because I think even Cito Gaston could have managed the Yankees to a Championship. Just like the 1992 and 1993 Toronto Blue Jays, when you have the best group of players, often times they will come through when needed and these minute coaching decisions don't really have an effect on the game.

Godzilla comes to life

After tonight's MVP performance, Hideki Matsui certainly bought himself a fat contract with whichever team signs him in the off season. Initially I thought he might be a good fit for the Blue Jays as a DH, but now it appears that the price tag might be too high and I find it hard to believe that Matsui would leave his cozy nest in New York to shack up in Toronto.

In closing ...

Whether we like it or not, the New York Yankees are the World Series Champs. However, if any other team in the American League such as the Blue Jays had a payroll of $200 million dollars, they could also very well be standing in the Yankees champagne-soaked shoes.

World Series Observations

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:49:00 +0000

After having the pleasure of watching five relatively exciting World Series games, there are a few things that have stood out in my mind as noteworthy. The following is a list of some observations from this year's series thus far:

With his half-dozen mound visits per inning, Jorge Posada is the sole reason these World Series games take four hours to complete. It is my hope that Baseball Reference starts keeping track of this statistic next season, which will be called MVI (mound visits per inning).
Ryan Howard strikes out a lot. And when he does, he always mutters something under his breath in disbelief … even when it’s a swinging strike three.
Kate Hudson just might be the most famous baseball groupie since Alyssa Milano.
Among many other things, Joba Chamberlain needs to wash his hat.
It appears as though Chase Utley has starting using the John Stamos/Jesse Katsopolis line of hair products. Have mercy!
There is so much loose jersey hanging off C.C. Sabathia, that the spare materials could be used as a tarp to cover the entire country of Cambodia.
Cliff Lee is non-chalant about everything, so would he even get excited if the Phillies won the World Series?
There is no stopping Mariano Rivera. If this World Series goes to a Game Seven, Joe Girardi might be best served to let Mo pitch the entire game himself.
After seeing all the camera time that the Philly Phanatic has been getting, I realized the Yankees don’t even have an official team mascot. How sad is that?

The Alex Anthopolous Game Plan

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:44:00 +0000

Alex Anthopoulos has a plan for the Toronto Blue Jays. The problem is that he can't reveal the full details just quite yet.

He's been in the midst of attempting to rebuild this team, solidifying the coaching staff last week and now the next thing on Anthopoulos' agenda is the players.

Last week on Primetime Sports, Paul Beeston assured us that fans would have a better idea of what kind of expectations when it comes to total payroll by the end of this week. It looks like he and AA just might deliver in time before next week's General Manger's meetings.

Anthopolous dropped a few sound bytes about particular free agents and whether or not they would return next year. John McDonald, Rod Barajas and Marco Scutaro were names that he mentioned and could not say whether or not they would be back next year.

My suspicion is that at least two out of those three players will leave via free agency, with Johnny Mac almost certainly out the door. It simply doesn't make sense to pay John McDonald over $2 million dollars a year to play 30 games at shortstop

Of course the giant, glaring elephant in the room that Alex Anthopolous needs to address is what to do with Roy Halladay. Whatever happens with this team in the next 3-5 years basically hinges on whether or not Doc is traded this off season.

The longer that time goes on and the more and more that Roy Halladay sees his former teammate A.J. Burnett pitching in the World Series, perhaps he's developing a little bit of resentment towards the organization that has failed to make the playoffs the past sixteen years.

Not only would Halladay be looking for a winning team, but he could very easily find a suitor that would be willing to pay top dollar for him. Regardless of whether the Phillies win the World Series, many teams have seem the impact that adding an ace like Cliff Lee to the pitching staff can do to solidify themselves as a contender.

Teams like the Dodgers and Angels will be looking for that added insurance to get them over the hump, and Roy Halladay could be that player who gets them over the edge.

We will have to wait and see if that happens under the watch of Alex Anthopoulos, or if Doc just walks away via free agency at the end of 2010. Either way, the gears of change are in motion and things in Toronto are going to look a lot different next year.

Cito's staying put

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:05:00 +0000

For those who were hoping there might be some new blood in the Blue Jays manager's office next year, you're going to have to hold your breath for yet another season.

Sportsnet has confirmed that Cito Gaston will serve out his final year as the manager for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010. Following the end of the 2010 season, Cito will retire and remain on with the club as a consultant for the next four years.

News of Cito's comes on the heels of the announcement that Brad Arnsberg has accepted a position with the Houston Astros as their pitching coach. I'm still undecided as to what move will affect this team more - Arnsberg's departure or Cito's survival as manager.

So what does this all mean? Basically this move assures that Kevin Millar will be their full-time cleanup hitter next season, Randy Ruiz will be on the 25-man roster but spend all 162 games on the bench, and Jesse Carlson will pitch in almost every single game.

For a baseball franchise that's trying to turn over a new leaf with a new General manger and a new-ish President and CEO, this move feels counter-productive and merely puts the team in limbo until the 2011 season.

Even if the Blue Jays bump the payroll up to $120 million, what's the point if the coach is liable to not use those new players in the right manner?

Rogers can spend all the money they want on this team in 2010, but it seems like the money that will go towards free agents might just end up going to waste anyway.

Happy Halloween!

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:13:00 +0000

In between scarfing down bags of Halloween Kisses and trick-or-treating at a very questionable age, I'd just like to wish you all a Happy Halloween!

This Blue Jays inspired Jack-O-Lantern (or Jay-O-Lantern as I prefer to call it) took me about three hours in total to carve. That included two hours of gutting, tracing, and carving, then one hour of trying to put everything back into place with toothpicks once it all fell out the front.

Fortunately, you don't have to go that extent to celebrate the Bluebirds on All Hallow's Eve. For those looking for creative Blue Jays costume ideas, check out my post from last year on how to dress up as your favourite former Jay or staff member.

This isn't baseball related, but this time of year brings along a slew of craptacular Halloween movies. Many of which have gone by the wayside, forever damned to be sitting at the bottom of the Wal-Mart discount bin. But there are a few worthwhile Halloween flicks to check out.

My personal favourite and ultimate guilty pleasure is Halloween 3: Season of the Witch. Don't be surprised if you've never heard of the movie, it's because Halloween 3 is the only film in the series to have no relation whatsoever to Michael Myers. Way to stick to the formula!

Or if you're just looking for the best part of the entire movie, check out the clip below (spoiler alert) from the very final scene of the move. Then, if you're brave enough ... start at the beginning.

Happy Halloween!

A.J. Burnett's inner monologue before tonight's start

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:34:00 +0000

The following transcript may or may not have happened in A.J. Burnett's mind already tonight. I guess only he will ever know what truly happened inside his head prior to the first pitch.

Hey - you got this. Listen ... I know last time was a little rough. So what if you gave up twice as many runs in one inning than Cliff Lee has given up the entire playoffs ... you got this.

This is why you get paid the big bucks. This is why you opted out. This is why you're in pinstripes.

Come on man, it's time to dig deep and show this city what you're made of. You're tough! Not just anybody can stand the pain getting those armband tattoos - only you. Now you just have to show that same toughness on the mound tonight.

Remember, if things are going too smoothly, make sure you uncork a wild pitch. You don't want folks to think you have entire control of this game. That doesn't make for an interesting storyline - a pitcher who is battling his inner demons has all the makings of a "Made for TV Movie".

And you know who's going to star in it? You, buddy. You.

But tonight ... you're the star. You're going to go out there in front of all those fans, all those TV cameras, Kate Hudson, Kate Hudson's family, some of Kate Hudson's fans, and put on a show.

No matter what happens, remember that I'll always love you.

And don't forget to pack the shaving cream, because you just might need it ... to throw in Pedro's face after the game.

Bring on the Fall Classic

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:02:00 +0000

After what has seemed like an eternity since the end of the ALCS, the World Series is finally ready to get underway later tonight.

On paper, I can't say that a Yankees/Phillies matchup is one that will go down in history as one of the greatest playoff rivalries, but I'm sure some people probably thought the very same thing about the 2001 World Series between the Diamondbacks and the Yankees.

If there's one team in the National League that's built to take down the New York Yankees, it's the Philadelphia Phillies. With their combination of stellar starting pitching and unsurmountable lineup, the Yanks will have their hands full with Ryan Howard and company.

As a side note, other bloggers and media outlets have picked up this story, but did you know that this is the third straight World Series appearance for Eric Hinske? Ever since being dumped by the Blue Jays, whether or not he was actually on the playoff roster, Hinske has made trips to the past three World Series. Just in case you were curious, he's made a grand total of three plate appearances and is 1 for 3 in those appearances with one home run.

Although Eric Hinske might not have any World Series rings, at least he has three different "American League Champions" sweatshirts to keep him warm through the cold, long off-season.

When in doubt, hire yourself as President

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:06:00 +0000

It took almost an entire year of recruiting, but finally there is a President and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays.

With the official announcement that Paul Beeston will in fact be the new President and CEO of the team, the good news is that Rogers won’t have to change the name plate on the President’s desk and send out that pesky “so and so is no longer with the company” email.

The bad news (and forgive me for the blatant disregard for grammar) … Cito ain’t going nowhere. Beeston staying on as President basically just bought Cito another year as manager of this team and possibly even more than that, because there is no way in hell that Beeston lets Cito go under his watch.

So it turns out that the Blue Jays will not be wiping the slate clean, and instead it seems like J.P. Ricciardi was the only bad seed in the whole bunch. At least now it doesn’t seem like the team is in limbo anymore, and the Toronto Blue Jays can finally move forward and start over with the next “five-year plan”.

A year in retrospect with Scott Richmond

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:35:00 +0000

By now, you've probably already heard the story of how Scott Richmond overcame all odds and made his way into the major leagues by winning a spot in the starting rotation spot with the Toronto Blue Jays. While that particular anecdote was penciled back in May, it turns out that the Scott Richmond story wasn't even close to being over; not by a long shot.

Since then, Richmond has remained as one of the core members of the starting rotation and hopes to contend once again for one of the open spots in 2010. I had the pleasure of talking with the Blue Jays starting pitcher about this year's success and the lessons he learned from his rookie year as a Blue Jay.

First of all, congratulations on your first full season in the major leagues. What would you say is the biggest thing you learned this year?

Pitching to contact – plain and simple. As a starting pitcher in the big leagues you have been entrusted with the responsibility to go deep into the game on a regular basis, in order to avoid over taxing the bullpen. The longer you’re in the game and executing well, the better are your team’s chances to secure a win, because the set up men and the closer can just go out there and do their jobs and aren’t expected to pull off miracles night after night.

From a personal level for a starting pitcher, that’s what makes Roy Halladay so good. He goes deep into games and whether it’s a win or a loss, he’s always getting decisions because he’s not leaving the bullpen to get ten outs. You have to try to go seven to eight innings, and the only way to do that is to pitch to contact to keep your pitch count down.

You were one of the anchors in the starting rotation this year, which was very rookie-dominant. Being one of the new guys can be stressful, and there were a lot of you who were in the same boat. Were there any teammates in particular that you bonded with?

Ricky Romero and I were really close all year. We started together in Spring Training and we both knew there was two spots open in the rotation and we had to battle out nine guys to try to win those spots. We ended up living together in Toronto for the whole year and we tried to learn from each other, but we supported and pushed each other at the same time.

This year, it seemed like you started to rely more on your curveball and it worked out fairly well for you. What did you and Brad Arnsberg work on in the off-season?

I’ve always been a strike thrower and I always try to pound the strike zone. With lefties, my changeup was pretty suspect all year so I was really trying to establish that some games. Overall he (Arnsberg) wanted me to be aggressive in the strike zone. That’s the whole thing as a rookie pitcher; you’re a little cautious of pitching to contact. When you’re ahead in the count you try to strike everybody out and guess what? The Red Sox and the Yankees, they spit on those pitches when they’re out of the strike zone. If you’re not careful, you can find yourself with the pitch count at a hundred, and you’re still in the fifth inning. He really taught me to stay competitive in the strike zone and not give in at any point.

With rookies on the mound, the umpires sometimes tend to squeeze the strike zone. When you’re not getting the same calls as the opposing pitcher, how do you deal with it?

For some reason, it’s always been a part of the game for as long as I’ve been aware, sort of like a rookie initiation into the big leagues, but everyone has to endure it. It can be very frustrating and difficult not to let it affect you to some degree, especially when the missed calls end up having an effect on the score line, and possibly the outcome of the game. As the pitcher, you have to learn to deal with it, and do your best not to let it get to you, or show the ump that you’re upset, so in some ways maybe it tends to make you tougher.

Being in the American League East means the Blue Jays face the cream of the crop in the American League quite often. Who would you say was the toughest hitter that you faced this year?

It’s no fun facing Jacoby Ellsbury; he’s a good and patient hitter and he hits for power and he’s got the speed when he’s on base. There are lots of great hitters but he’s been a pain in my side and you have to really buckle down and make sure you work ahead when he’s in the batter’s box. He’s an impact player and that’s why he’s leading off for the Red Sox.

If there was one hitter you could pitch to, either active or inactive in major league baseball, who would it be – and why?

It’s always been my nature that I’ve wanted to face the best every year, and throughout this season I know that I’ve faced some big hitters. Now that I’ve got a year’s experience under my belt, I’d like to get the opportunity to face guys like Albert Pujols and Manny Ramirez just to challenge myself. A lot of guys on my team have faced Manny before and they’re really happy that he’s not in the AL East anymore because he’s such a great a hitter and he’s an impact player. I’m kind of the opposite – I want to face him, I want that challenge.

Is there an area of your game that you feel that you would like to see a definite improvement in for next season?

There are a few specific areas that I intend to work on – I’ll continue working on developing confidence in my changeup, I’d plan to develop more movement on both my 2-seam and 4-seam fastballs, and I need to assert my claim to the inside part of the plate and not allow batters to feel comfortable crowding the plate.

I’ve spoken to your father Dr. Bob Richmond, and he seems like a really insightful man who has a true passion for baseball. What kind of pointers has he given you on your game?

Being a chiropractor, he taught me the importance of reducing and neutralizing the huge stresses that a pitcher’s body is subjected to over the course of a long season. When you’re an athlete, your body is your number one tool of the trade, so it’s your first responsibility to treat it with the highest respect. You need to train well, be nutritionally diligent, get the right amount of rest and develop a routine that works well for you. On top of that, he stresses the huge importance of my need to continue developing and strengthening the mental side of my game and has given me some books to work from.

We talk almost every day during the season, and he usually sends me an inspirational email before every start, with a few specific pointers. We also discuss ways of gaining the psychological advantage over the batter, to keep them off balance by being unpredictable, and pitching backwards on occasion, by throwing off speed stuff in fastball counts. Since we are similar in many ways he understands what makes me tick maybe better than anyone else, so I find his input helpful.

He’s from New Zealand and has been an athlete his whole life, but my dad didn’t really follow baseball much until I started playing in college. He noticed that I had pretty efficient pitching mechanics, and saw that maybe I had a chance to play professionally one day. He has really helped me realize the importance as well as the complexity of the mental side of being an effective pitcher.

I’ve never had any major injuries of any kind and I credit that to the preparation in the off-season, getting regular chiropractic care and making sure my body is in the best shape possible for the season ahead, to handle the abuse that it takes. Some people take a lot of medication to mask the pain, but if you take care of your body in a natural and preventative way, then I feel that you are more likely to enjoy a longer and more productive career.

Speaking of father figures, Roy Halladay seems like the kind of player who would take younger players under his wing and try to help them improve their game. Has Doc given you any you pitching tips this past season?

He’s a great pitcher and I love watching him go out there and do his business and in turn that’s how I learned to pitch to contact. His work ethic is second to none, he knows his body and he’s very in tune with himself when he’s on the mound. I ask him questions when the time is right, and what he told me is “if you make a bad pitch, forget it. The next pitch, make a good one”. Just simplify things and go one pitch at a time.

You guys get the odd day off during the regular season, which means you get to relax every once in a while. I know Dirk Hayhurst kept himself busy with writing, your former teammate Alex Rios liked to fly model airplanes … what do you do during downtime in between games?

Rest – especially in the rookie year. Other than that, in all of these cities I’ve been to this year, I like to take some time to check out the city and take some photographs. When we were in Washington, I would go out and see some of the sights like The Washington Monument, The Lincoln Memorial and The White House, but I don’t like to overdo it …it can be tiring in its own way. You really need to relax and get your rest when you can get it; you have that responsibility to yourself and to the team.

Your brother Brandon Kaye was drafted by the Blue Jays earlier this year. He was in Toronto back in late August and you guys got a chance to practice together. What was it like to have him there right next to you in a Blue Jays uniform?

It was great – I just put myself in his shoes when I was his age. I wish I could’ve gone to a big league field and watched what it was like to be there with the players. It just motivated him even more to try to make it and really work hard at what he’s doing because he sees how much fun it is and how the big leagues really are. It really invigorated his drive to keep pushing forward, to keep working hard.

And it always helps when you have a family member on the team, too. Have you heard if he’s close to signing yet with the club?

Not yet - he was drafted in the 45th round so he’s going to go to UBC and play there for this year and hopefully he’ll be drafted higher after a year at UBC.

You had many career highlights this past year, including the AL Rookie of the Month award in April. What would you say was the personal highlight of the 2009 season for you?

Aside from the RoM for April, I’d have to say the game in Philadelphia on June 17th which was my best start of the year. It was broadcast as The Game of the Day all across the US, and it was supposed to be Roy Halladay going against Jamie Moyer. I ended up getting the start and went eight innings with eleven strikeouts against the defending World Champions in Philadelphia.

Scott, once again let me congratulate you on a great season. What are your plans for the off-season?

I’ll be going down to Los Angeles with my fiancée Deanna and we’ll stay at our place there. She and I are actually leaving for Mexico for 10 days, and that will give me a bit of time to reflect on my rookie year and let it all soak in. When we get back from Mexico, we’ll go back down to Los Angeles and I’ll get back into the routine with my personal trainer once again, to work hard to get into the best shape possible and be ready for Spring Training in February.

I wish Scott Richmond all the best of luck next season and beyond! Congratulations on your first full season in the big leagues Scott, and hopefully we'll see you back in a Blue Jays uniform next season in the starting rotation.

Scott and his fiancee Deanna at the World Baseball Classic

Where were you 16 years ago?

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:51:00 +0000

Today is a very special day - it's an occasion so momentous that it should almost be declared a national holiday in Canada.

It was this very day 16 years ago that Joe Carter solidified himself as one of the greatest Blue Jays of all time by taking a Mitch Williams pitch deep to ensure the World Series trophy would remain in Canada.

Fly-by-night and casual fans talk about how they remember the good old days when the Blue Jays used to rule the American League East and how Joe Carter was their favourite baseball player. As a kid, Joe Carter was my favourite Blue Jay years before he ever even stepped in the batter's box on October 23rd 1993 against Mitch Williams.

After that night, nothing was the same ever again. JC was everybody's new favourite Blue Jay player and suddenly I was lost in the sea of thousands and thousands of self-proclaimed Blue Jays fans and Joe Carter adorers.

I know now that it was selfish of me to think that Joe Carter could only be MY favourite player and nobody else's.

Prior to the Philadelphia Phillies World Series win last year, the memories of Mitch Williams nearly tumbling off the mound have been ingrained in their minds for years and years. Now they are hoping to win back to back World Series just as the Blue Jays did 15 years ago.

So what about you - where were you 16 years ago when the Blue Jays won their second straight World Series? I as a snotty-faced nine year old kid was absolutely ecstatic and jumping on my parent's couch when the ball sailed over the left field fence. It happened so quick, I almost couldn't believe it.

Ever since then, I will never forget what happened on October 23rd, 1993 - and neither should you.

The Men in Black

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:39:00 +0000

One star has taken over the headlines and drawn all the attention on themselves this post-season. It’s not Alex Rodriguez, not Ryan Howard … I’m talking about the umpires.

The officials have taken centre stage during the playoffs this year and have caused more controversy than ever thanks to some botched calls and just plain flat-out mistakes. This was evident as ever as I was liveblogging last night’s Game 4 of the ALCS.

The umpires and crew chief didn’t screw up one call, not two calls, but three. Luckily none of them really translated into a game-changing play because the Yankees won handily by nine runs, but what if it were a tied game? It’s safe to say there would have been riots in Los Angeles to the magnitude of when the Rodney King verdict came down.

I realize that these officials do a thankless job and work their asses off game after game, but calls like these are unforgivable. Especially since some of them could determine whether or not a team is going to the World Series, that means these decisions are as important as ever. I can't understand why the officials seem to be treating them as routine plays.

Crew chief Tim McLellan obviously had his eyes elsewhere and even fully admits that he screwed up. He claims that he was doing his best ... well frankly, McLellan's best is simply not good enough.

This wasn't just one isolated incident with Tim McLellan, either. You might recall that he was the home plate umpire that called Matt Holiday safe during the 2007 NL Wild Card tiebreaker game between the Rockies and the Padres.

It’s examples like those that really show the flaws within the officiating in Major League Baseball. In a game of inches such as this, I think the managers should be given the opportunity to challenge or dispute a call, much like how it’s done in the NFL and NHL.

Some might argue that this would slow down the game considerably, but I would rather the umpires take a couple of minutes to review the call and get it right rather than make a snap decision and have to stick with it. Hell, the game was already over three and a half hours anyway, what's another five minutes?

Bud Selig was on the right track by instating the home run video review system, but I’m afraid that’s just not good enough – especially in the playoffs. Yes, a home run call can make or break a game, however those smaller calls can easily lead to game-changers as we’ve seen already.

Unfortunately, those hoping for some salvation in seeing more instant replay in baseball will have to continue to hold their breath. Selig seems to be firm on his stance that video review will only remain on home run calls:

“…do I think we need more replay? No. Baseball is not the kind of game that can have interminable delays."

If the coaches do in fact have the game on tape just inside the clubhouse as was alluded to on the broadcast last night, why not actually put it to use?

Otherwise it might as well just be hooked up to a Super Nintendo and Ken Griffey Jr. Baseball so at least somebody can get some use out if it.

Cy Young Ponderings

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:47:00 +0000

On the heels of the Baseball Bloggers Alliance announcement of the AL Cy Young Award and Tao of Stieb's ballot, I though I would chime in with my own two cents on the subject. Of course, any year that Roy Halladay doesn't win is a damn shame and that would make it the fourth in a row where he was at least in the Top Five pitchers in the league.

Now while there is an enormous amount of weight placed in a pitcher's win/loss record, ERA and strikeouts, let's take a moment to delve into the overlooked or neglected categories that Cy Young votes should be taking in to consideration.

First of all, if the win/loss record is such a significant part of the ballot then I urge the Baseball Writers of America to at least glance over at the pitcher's run support category. While C.C. Sabathia's 19 wins are impressive, even more so were the 7.9 average runs that the Yankees managed to give him in support. One can only imagine what Roy Halladay's win total would be if the Blue Jays could score nearly eight runs for him every time.

Naturally, Zack Greinke pitching for a weak Kansas City Royals team is at the bottom of the heap when it comes to run support (4.83 runs), and followed closely behind are Felix Hernandez (5.66 runs), Justin Verlander (6.15 runs) and Roy Halladay (6.18 runs).

The next stat is something that ESPN calls "tough losses" which are defined as a loss in games that are quality starts. Depending on what your school of though is on the quality start, this is another point for debate on who is more deserving for the Cy Young. In this situation, the quality start is a bit irrelevant because there are no brownie points with voters for pitching five innings and giving up three runs or less.

But if you are curious about who the most tortured starting pitchers are in the American League when it comes to "tough losses" of course it's Zack Greinke and Roy Halladay with four a piece.

More intriguing though than the tough loss statistic is the the situation in which the starting pitcher exited the game. Surprisingly, the relievers after Roy Halladay only coughed up one win that should have been his (on May 25th when they blew a five-run lead).

Finally, one final area that should be looked at is the level of opponents that the pitchers faced. Automatically, Roy Halladay is given the advantage because he faced the cream of the crop in the American League more than another other candidate. Doc had a combined 11 starts against the Red Sox, Yankees and Angels compared to Greinke's three and Hernandez' six. So in that respect, Halladay has pitched more often against higher-calibre opponents thanks to the MLB's oh-so balanced schedule.

By looking at all these stats, one could be accused of trying to work the numbers in favour of their candidate and in a way that's true. I've come with grips that Roy Halladay will not be taking home the Cy Young hardware this year, but I just want folks to know that he at least deserved to be in the top three pitchers for consideration.

Lazy Sunday Links

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:09:00 +0000

As much as I occasionally complain about how the Rogers Centre is anything but a concrete case of emotion, I have to admit that during it's hayday, it was one bitchin' ballpark. Being twenty years old, it has its downfalls, yet has stood the test of time.

For a full account for all my thoughts on the former Skydome, check out my review of the Rogers Centre over at Stadium Journey and see how the good ol' Cable Box compares to other ballparks around the MLB. I'll give you a hint - it's not the worst!

Fallen Leafs has gotten his hands on an animated gif of Alex Rodriguez' creep-tacular performance in the Yankees clubhouse after they won the ALDS. It was the inspiration behind The A-Rod Shining poster from a few days ago, and I still laugh every time I see that animated gif.

The Baseball Bloggers Alliance has been busy these past few weeks casting their ballots for this season's MLB awards. Mike Scoscia has been announced as the AL Manager of the Year and not surprisingly Andrew Bailey picked up the AL Rookie of the Year award. The BBA's Cy Young award will be announced early this coming week, so stay tuned for the results.

I'm about two weeks late acknowledging this, but Hungry Leafs Fan recaps the entire 2009 Toronto Blue Jays season with some hilarious line graphs demonstrating the high and low points from this year.

Mr. "any month but" October

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:57:00 +0000

It's safe to say that there is a lot of pressure on Alex Rodriguez going into the ALCS.

As the highest paid player in the league on the team with the highest payroll, there will be very lofty expectations for him and the New York Yankees going into their series against the Los Angeles Angels.

Although he's been painted as a notorious choke artist in October, Rodriguez actually had a decent ALCS against the Minnesota Twins hitting .455 and going 5 for 11. Most importantly, he hit that game tying two-run homer off Joe Nathan in Game 2 of the ALDS. Prior to that, surprisingly his postseason stats aren't as horrendous as others would have you believe.

G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
42	182	158	25	46	9	0	9	23	4	3	18	40	.291	.381	.519	.900

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/16/2009.

In 11 playoff series over the past eight years, A-Rod boasts a .291 batting average with nine total HR's and 23 RBI's. I hate to say it, but he's been getting a bit of a bad rap when it comes to not being able to perform in the playoffs.

When most folks refer to Mr. "any month but October" they probably remember the Alex Rodriguez that couldn't hit for the life of him back in the '05 and '06 playoffs. A-Rod was essentially non-existent in the 2005 and 2006 ALDS with just three combined hits. Yet aside from that, he's basically performed on par or better than what's been expected of him.

Since all eyes in New York are always on Alex Rodriguez, he is held to a much higher standard than most players and anything lower than a .250 batting average in the playoffs is considered "choking".

However, the Los Angeles Angels will be hoping that A-Rod reverts back to his old ways in the playoffs if they want to increase their chances of making it to the World Series. With any luck, if they can get a hold of some Kate Hudson impersonators and sit them on the third base line, Rodriguez will probably be thrown off.

Which World Series match up do you want to see?

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 22:35:00 +0000

Last year, some of us got all googly-eyed at the potential of seeing Manny Ramirez square off against the very same team that traded him just a few months prior in the World Series. It had all the makings of the perfect media shitstorm ... but then it never even happened. This year's World Series might not live up to those lofty expectations, but here are some possible scenarios that could provide the most drama.

Yankees vs. Dodgers

Naturally, this World Series match up would draw the most media attention. Joe Torre facing off against his former team, hoping to stick it to the empire that built him up and tore him down would be a series that the media would love to get their hands on. It would also feature the two best teams in their respective leagues competing for the Commissioner’s Trophy. Manny Ramirez would also draw lots of attention in New York thanks to his many years in Boston as a Yankee killer.

Angels vs. Dodgers

Most baseball purists are praying for this one to come true. While a “Freeway Series” really only appeals to those living in southern California, I think that an Angels/Dodgers World Series would feature the best starting pitching out of all the possible combinations. Another prevalent storyline would be Mike Scioscia managing against the very team which he spent his entire playing career with. It wouldn’t be a very flashy World Series, but it would still be very entertaining.

Yankees vs. Phillies

This is where as a pseudo baseball writer, you really have to start digging deep to create compelling story lines for a World Series. There isn’t any bad blood between the Yankees and the Phillies, so it’s very difficult to see how these two teams would fare against each other. My best guess is that the New York Yankees themselves would create drama stemming from the A.J. Burnett/Jorge Posada feud. Either that or another spill-happy fan pours beer on Shane Victorino at Yankee Stadium, and he climbs into the stands to take the law into his own hands.

Angels vs. Phillies

Out of all the potential World Series combinations, this one appears to be the least appealing to the masses. There is so little dirt on the Angels and Phillies that I had to use Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon to connect these two teams. It turns out that both Mike Scioscia and Charlie Manuel were both on the American League coaching staff for the 2002 All-Star Game. Talk about beef!

Conclusion

Ultimately, it really doesn't matter what the back story is on either teams. Good clubs will prevail and sometimes you don't even need a huge buildup to create a great story in postseason baseball. I just hope that the games speak for themselves.

Free Agent Wish List: Carlos Delgado

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:48:00 +0000

It seems like every hero gets a second chance at glory.

Rocky got another kick at the can, John McClain came out of retirement to kick some ass, and even good old Ma$e decided to return to the rap game. So why not have one of the most prolific Blue Jays return to claim his rightful throne? King Carlos - consider this your invitation back to Toronto.

Despite any bad blood there may have been in the past, it's all water under the bridge when it comes to Carlos Delgado. The city of Toronto and Blue Jays fans alike will always have place in their heart for Carlos, and I'm sure he feels the same way.

After spending the last five seasons with the Mets and the last six in the National League, it's time for him to come back to where he belongs - in the American League and most importantly with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The situation almost creates a perfect storm that would allow the Blue Jays to sign Delgado at a reasonable price, yet gain the most value. Carlos is coming off an injury-shortened season, but prior to that he put up MVP-calibre numbers (38 HR, 115 RBI, .271 AVG) so he definitely still has some pop left in his bat.

It's unsure whether the Mets will re-sign Carlos because it looks like they're perfectly content keeping Daniel Murphy at first base. Also, Delgado could benefit playing DH for the Blue Jays and not having to field at first base. At 37 years old, Carlos is approaching the cut-off point for aging sluggers who are more of a liability on the field than they are a benefit.

The current economy works in the Blue Jays favour to sign Delgado at a short-term contract for less than what he was paid with the Mets. It would be a far cry from the $16 million a year he previously made with the Mets. I would venture a guess that Delgado might even sign for as low as $10 million (maybe even $5 million) for the opportunity to play with the club that brought him into the majors.

If I were Alex Anthopolous though, I would be weary of signing Delgado longer than two years. Although it's been a while, the Frank Thomas debacle is still fresh in people's minds and I would hate to see money flushed down the drain once again.

With a DH-heavy free agent market, the time is now for the Blue Jays to lock in a designated hitter for the next couple of seasons. Next year's crop doesn't look too much better, and the team would be better served to moved Adam Lind out of the DH spot and try to develop his skills in the outfield.

Even if Carlos Delgado doesn't reclaim his throne with the Blue Jays, it will always be sitting there waiting for him to come back. And when he does, the kingdom will bow down in his presence.

Even the mightiest of closers eventually fall

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:24:00 +0000

All it took was less than one week and already the first round of the MLB playoffs are in the books. It was not without controversy what with the botched calls, but for me the storyline that prevailed through most of the series was the fall of many of the teams closers.

Jonathan Papelbon, Joe Nathan, Huston Street and Ryan Franklin were all victims of blown saves in what was otherwise a sparkling year for each of these closers. During the regular season combined they saved 168 out of 187 games, which is 90 percent success rate. Unfortunately, when it comes to the playoffs that ten percent can be the difference between making it to the next round and watching the rest of the playoffs at home with a bag of Scream Cheese Doritos.

The amount of pressure on these pitchers is enormous as their margin of error is very slim, especially in October. That's one of the reasons I enjoy the MLB post-season so much; because no matter how many games you win during the regular season or how many times your closer shuts the door and gets the save, all that matters is winning those eleven games to get you that World Series ring.

For Jonathan Papelbon, Joe Nathan, Huston Street and Ryan Franklin, they will get their chance once again and most of them will probably won't have to wait long to redeem themselves in the playoffs. Not that they did it on purpose, but they picked the most inopportune times to fail the seal the deal for their team.

Rob Ducey: The Cambridge Kid

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:27:00 +0000

A strange thing happened to me a few weeks ago during my stay in Cambridge, Ontario. While enjoying a nice dinner out at Applebee’s, I noticed what appeared to be a Blue Jays shrine at the back of the restaurant.

Not one to pass up a chance to gawk at Blue Jays merchandise, I ventured into the back of the Applebee's to see what it was all about.

Upon closer inspection, it was actually a wall with Blue Jays memorabilia which featured former Blue Jay, Rob Ducey. A native of Cambridge Ontario, Ducey was born and raised in the tri-cities area, and I was very surprised to learn that he was actually from the same city which I was staying in.

Among the memorabilia at the restaurant, it included a letter of congratulations from the Mayor of Cambridge, along with newspaper clippings and an authentic Blue Jays jersey circa early 1990’s.

After digging a little further, I discovered that Rob Ducey is also a member of the Cambridge Sports Hall of Fame.

Ducey's stamp on baseball in Canada is unprecedented, as he is only one of two players to suit up for the Montreal Expos, Toronto Blue Jays, and to represent Team Canada at the Summer Olympics. The other player to do the same - Matt Stairs.

The timing of this post could not have been worse, what with Rob Ducey being let go as pro scout for the team just last week. Most recently, he was designated as the Blue Jays scout to discover talent in the Pacific Rim and overseas. As a scout, Ducey is credited as discovering fellow Canadian Scott Richmond in Edmonton while he was playing for the Independent North League.

It's an unfortunate way for Rob Ducey to end his tenure with the Blue Jays, being let go by the hands of the new General Manager Alex Anthopolous. I can't help but notice the similarities between this situation and Ernie Whitt's termination a few seasons ago. Both were former Blue Jays who returned to the club as a member of the staff only to be let go in another "changing of the guard".

Whether it was as a player, coach or scout, when people look back at Rob Ducey they will always think of him as a Blue Jay and a patriarch for baseball in this country. He might not have the glamour that some other Canadian baseball players, however Rob Ducey still remains as one of the most memorable Canadians to ever play to the game at the major league level.

Attention V-Mart shoppers ...

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:14:00 +0000

Talk about the bombshell that never happened ... the Toronto Blue Jays were actually in the market to get Victor Martinez at the trade deadline earlier this year?

This was mentioned in passing in a recent article by Rob Bradford from WEEI. If it weren’t from the heads-up from the guys at MLB Trade Rumors, I probably would never have even noticed it.It said that the Blue Jays were planning on keeping Roy Halladay while trading to get Victor Martinez from the Cleveland Indians in hopes they could put together a contender in 2010.

Obviously any preliminary trade talks between the Blue Jays and the Indians must have fallen through the cracks because we’re just hearing about these developments now, but it makes one wonder … what would the Blue Jays have to give up to land Victor Martinez in the first place?

The Red Sox picked him up by sending Justin Masterson along with a couple of Single A prospects in Bryan Price and Nick Hagadone. Masterson was the key to the deal with over 200 innings experience in the majors. The equivalent of this trade for the Blue Jays would probably include a highly-touted prospect from the minor-league system that has big league experience like Brett Cecil or Marc Rzepczynski.

The addition of Victor Martinez would create a log jam at the catching position, so the Jays would have either had to deal Rod Barajas (whose contract expires at then end of the season) or move Martinez over to first base. If the Blue Jays decided to do the latter, then they would have to find a buyer for Lyle Overbay.

Now you can see why the trade talks were dead in the water before things progressed to the next level. For the Blue Jays to acquire Victor Martinez, it would have required the right pieces to fall in to the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, not even one of those variables worked in the favour of the Blue Jays at the trade deadline.

And the award goes to ...

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 12:03:00 +0000

Aside from getting to rock a World Series ring, the next best thing to take home at the end of the season is one of Major League Baseball's awards. The Baseball Writers Association of America will soon have their say on who was the best in their respective categories.

Unfortunately, baseball bloggers such as myself do not officially get to cast ballots. Luckily I am a member of the next best thing - the Baseball Bloggers Alliance! Across the blogosphere over the next few weeks, we'll be casting their ballots in their respective leagues for Manager of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and the Most Valuable Player Award. Here are my choices:

American League Manager of the Year

3.) Joe Girardi - New York Yankees
2.) Ron Washington - Texas Rangers
1.) Mike Scioscia - Los Angeles Angels

I imagine that the Writers will favour Girardi and his New York Yankees, however my vote goes for Mike Scioscia. Year in and year out, the Angels are contenders in the American League West, and to manage this team especially after the loss of teammate Nick Adenhart was especially difficult this season. Scioscia is the cream of the crop when it comes to managers in the American League. Now if they could just make it past the Boston Red Sox in the playoffs!

American League Rookie of the Year

3.) Jeff Niemann - Tampa Bay Rays
2.) Noland Reimold - Baltimore Orioles
1.) Andrew Bailey - Oakland A's

This is a very interesting award because almost none of the pre-season favourites to win the ROY like David Price, Matt Weiters or Travis Snider made the cut this year. Although sometimes I think there is too much weight placed on closers, it's very difficult to ignore the stats put up by Andrew Bailey this year. He was thrust into the closer's role very early in Oakland and didn't look back the rest of the way.

American League Cy Young Award

3.) Roy Halladay - Toronto Blue Jays
2.) Felix Hernandez - Seattle Mariners
1.) Zack Grienke - Kansas City Royals

This was another very tough category to choose a winner for. With no clear-cut favourite and no 20-game winner, for me it came down to secondary stats. The writers carry a lot of weight on the win/loss records, but for me that's almost irrelevant when it comes to the best pitchers in the league. Greinke and Halladay both had six plus complete games, and all three had ERA's below 3.00. It might have been because he faced weaker teams in the AL Central, but ultimately my Cy Young award vote goes to Zack Greinke.

American League Most Valuable Player

10.) Zack Greinke - Kansas City Royals
9.) Adam Lind - Toronto Blue Jays
8.) Derek Jeter - New York Yankees
7.) Jason Bay - Boston Red Sox
6.) Evan Longoria - Tampa Bay Rays
5.) Aaron Hill - Toronto Blue Jays
4.) Kendry Morales - Los Angeles Angels
3.) Miguel Cabrera -Detroit Tigers
2.) Mark Teixeira - New York Yankees
1.) Joe Mauer - Minnesota Twins

This decision was a no-brainer; Joe Mauer is hands-down MVP of the American League. Not only did he pick up his third batting title this year, but if not for an injury that kept him sidelined until May, Mauer would have easily cleared 30 HR and 100 RBI. Teixeira started off slow through April and mid-May, and helped carried the Yankees to the post-season. Mauer on the other hand performed consistently well, and it obviously helped that his team made the playoffs on game 163 of the regular season. For those reasons, I give MVP to Joe Mauer.

The Tigers had it coming

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:15:00 +0000

Somewhere, members of the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays roster are rejoicing.

Just as the Detroit Tigers prevented them from going to the post-season, the Minnesota Twins prevented the 2009 Detroit Tigers from making the playoffs in game 163 of the regular season. I'd say we're about even, don't you think?

It's a shame that it was only a one-game playoff because it really was an epic game that could have been made into one hell of a series. That deserves its place as one of the greatest ball games of the past ten years. Not just because the weight that this game carried, but the incredible performances from both teams made it one that will be remembered for a very long time.

Now the Minnesota Twins have the daunting task of taking on the team with the best record during the regular season, the New York Yankees. Despite what some people might think, I believe the Twins do have a legitimate shot to at least win one game in the ALDS. After all, the Twins closed a seven-game gap within the span of a few weeks, all without Justin Morneau at the helm ... so anything is possible.

And for the 1987 Toronto Blue Jays, they can bask in the glory of sweet justice.

Reflecting on the 2009 Blue Jays

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:23:00 +0000

There are a lot of things that the Toronto Blue Jays can take away from this season. Whether it was starting the year at the top of the division or ending the year being swept by the Baltimore Orioles, at least the Blue Jays kept us entertained throughout the long and grueling 162 game schedule.

Below is a collection of some of my favourite moments from this past season. Enjoy!

Paper airplanes being thrown onto the field at Open ing D ay	Jason F rasor AKA "The Sausage King"
Brian T allet's m o ust ache	Scott Richmond's rookie of the month a ward
RR Coo l Jay	Being in first place and 14 games above .500
Wal k-of f win s	Hall aday vs. Burnett
Rod Bara jas collapsin g at home plate	T he Melonheads
Viva L a Rolen	Unfo rtunate yet hilarious signs and shirts
Roy H alladay starting the All-Star Game	Aaron Hill and Adam Lind's aw esomeness
Th e Bautista Appreci ation Society	Randy Ruiz hitting HR's when he actually got a chance to play
Figuring out how to spell Marc Rzepczynski's last name	The Back2Back Reunion
The Jays/Yankees fight	The almost Jays/Red Sox fight

The 2009 Blue Jays in a Haiku

bluejayhunter@gmail.com (Ian H.) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 12:37:00 +0000

Tip of the cap to the ladies at Babes of Baseball for inspiring me to write this Haiku which pretty much summarizes the entire season for the Toronto Blue Jays;

Memories of the spring
Keep us warm in October.
That and the bourbon.

It ended in a way that we've become all too familiar with in 2009; a one-run loss in extra innings (on an error, to boot). That makes a grand total of 28 one-run losses and 13 losses in extra innings for the Jays this year.

So the Blue Jays finish with a 75-87 record, the ninth worst finish in franchise history and the worst since 2004 when they were 67-94. The funny thing is that this is pretty much where everybody pegged the Blue Jays to be at the end of this year - fourth place in the AL East or worse.

Even looking back at the Blue Jays Roundtable that Mop Up Duty spearheaded before the season started, almost everyone said that the Jays would hover around .500 if not finish slightly above. Callum even predicted a 76-86 record, which was nearly identical to the actual, so I am definitely getting him to predict the over/under for the Superbowl.

It's a shame the season had to end on this note for the Blue Jays; being swept at the hands of one of the worst teams in the American League. This was the very same Blue Jays team that swept one of the best teams in the American League at Fenway Park in the prior series. It's been frustrating to watch, to say the least.

This past weekend was undoubtedly filled with distractions, what with Cito-gate and J.P. Ricciardi being let go. After all of that happened in such a short span of time so close to the end of the schedule, it definitely leaves a sour taste in the mouth of Blue Jays fans.

But there is hope! Next season, there will be a new President (hopefully), a new General Manager and hopefully a new coaching staff as well. With all of that, there will be a new vision moving forward for the Toronto Blue Jays and hopefully some better results.

For the time being, let's just pass that bourbon around to keep us warm through the off season. It burns, but it's a good burn. Besides, after three shots you can barely even taste it anyway.

See ya back next year, boys.