Sadly, this will be my last post for a couple weeks.  I finished my PR program at College and they are taking away my laptop for two weeks.  I will leave you with this fun little play on words that I made up last night.  Enjoy.

I started my Halladay by heading straight to the Escobar to get a Carmona.  The Kapler was not a twist Hoffman.  Ethier I use my teeth, or the Leiter in my back pocket.

One Carmona, two Carmona, three Carmona four.  Youkilus, Youkilus!  I Doumit on the floor.  No Mora!  No Mora!   Soon, I was Gagne all night.  I woke up on Huston, Street in Rios de janernos.  Hunter Byrds were circling my body.  Ahh, Inge!!!  How did I get that Saltalamacchia'd off only four Carmonas?  What a J.J. Put z, I am!

  This is an entry dedicated to my favorite current player.  "The Doc."  For all of you that do not have the pleasure of watching him pitch on a consistant basis, you are really missing something special.  Sure he has been banged up in recent years, and his stats have not been what they were since 2003 and 2002.  His wins have dropped, he has hardly come close to reaching 200 strikeouts and he hasn't been able to lead the Jays pitching staff to a postseason appearance.  Watching his presence on the mound; however, game in and game out he delivers a gritty performance that is the essence of true determination.

You cannot get him out of the game, until without question, he has won it.  He wants to dominate every hitter and throw them all off balance, with the movement of his pitches that are among the best in baseball.  He works quickly and doesn't give the hitter a moment to breath.  He has P.H.D. in frustrating hitters, getting wins, and having a consistantly low WHIP (a very good indicator of a pitcher's ability and dominance).  It is difficult to remember him ever giving up a big inning, he just doesn't do it.      

He is off to great start this year, 2-1, with his only loss coming off a cheap Melky Cabrera homerun, on opening day in New York.  A second 20 win season is what I am predicting from him this year.  Amazing that he has only had one.  Halladay is just too good of a pitcher for the numbers to tell his story.  All the numbers, with the exception of WHIP, just can't give you a good indicator of how good he really is.  It hurt me, this season, to see him rated so low in fantasy baseball.  I guess it is justified, but the stats and fantasy baseball will never really accurately portray a player's ability.  Seeing him below guys, like Ian Snell and James Shields, kind of hurt me inside.    

No one, in the league, can command a game better than he can, no one can captain a team better than he can and there is no better ACE, suited for the term ACE, than he is.  Doc, I'm so glad you are a Blue Jay and I hope you are for many, many more years to come.             

What teams are for real, and what teams are not?  What players are for real, and what players are not?  That will the subject of this entry.  I don't like making pre-season predictions because I really don't watch teams in Spring Training, and how is Spring Training reflective of anything, anyway?  I like to get a week in, before I can make any semi-good judgements.

We start the first week of the season with Mark Reynolds leading the league in homers and rbi's.  A great prospect last season, he came into 2008 a little under the radar.  He did have a solid season last year and he was a pretty big part of the Diamondbacks NLCS run.  Will this guy lead the league in homers/rbis all year?  Definately not, but he is for real.  A solid player and huge fantasy aqusition. If you have him?  He will probably hit 35-40 homers this season and drive in 110 rbi.  The Diamondbacks, now with Upton, Young, Reynolds, the ODOG (one of my favorites in Toronto, a little inconsistant at the plate however) and a great pitching staff featuring Webb, Haren and Owings (who will all have solid fantasy seasons) are definately my favorite to take the West and go to the World Series.  The Rockies were a late season wonder last year and I don't see them getting that hot again.  With a staff and a lineup like that, the D-Backs will easily be able to fend off the Padres and the Dodgers, even with their bullpen (they may have to do something about that at the trade deadline).  

The Diamondbacks are my favorite in the NL, but in that league, a lot can happen.  The Rockies last season were definately evidence of that.  I see a Diamondbacks versus the Mets/Phillies/Braves, whoever wins that battle in the 2008 NLCS.

The NL:  Watch for big seasons from Mets pitching (i.e. Santana, Oliver Perez), Diamondback hitters (i.e. Reynolds, Upton, Young) NL Fantasy Sleepers:  Yunel Escobar and Jorge Cantu could have unexpected solid numbers this season.

Unusal start in the AL.  The Orioles, Athletics and Royals are in first place in their respected divisions.  You might as well reverse Triple A with MLB, if these teams end up making it to playoffs, lol.  None of them are for real, although one or two of them may be in the wild card hunt.  Oakland will be there if they get a healthy Rich Harden back.  Early injuries to Lackey and Escobar, in Anaheim, might propel them or Seattle to win the AL West.

I still like the Tigers in the central, although it will be a very close race between at least 3 teams in that division.  The Tigers will be lead by Curtis Granderson having a huge run producing season.  Look for the Tigers to really make a post All-Star break statement.  The Tigers don't, however, have the pitching to guide that far in the playoffs.  Look for large ERAs, but high amount of wins out of all pitchers on that team.  Other than them, look for the White Sox to try and prove themselves this season (they have solid veterns like Dye, Thome, Cabrera, Crede).

I see the AL east as being a close race all season between probably 4 teams.  Towards the end of the season, Beckett, Daisuke and Wakefield will turn it on.  There is no stopping the Red Sox in a playoff run.  They are just too darn strong and deep!   

My favorite, in the AL, is still the Red Sox.  Down the stretch they will be tough, and in late innings, they will shut teams down with ease (very important!).  I don't think another team can 'hold a candle' to them in the AL.  Look for unexpected big things from either Coco Crisp or Jacoby Ellsbury, and J.D. Drew.  Nice surprises to an already potent set of All-Stars.  Ellsbury will be good even though he has had a rough start batting .176.  We all know what Crisp can be cabable of, so even if Ellsbury needs some more time in the minors the Red Sox will still be deep there. 

The AL:  Big year in strikeouts and ERA for Daisuke, he will compete for Cy Young. Beckett falls off a bit, but not much.  Papelbon leads the league in saves and ERA for a closer.  Another big year for Upton and Pena (won't have a high average, however) from Tampa.  Some very good pitching production from guys on Tampa (i.e. Sheilds and Jackson).  AL Fantasy Sleepers:  Shaun Marcum from the Jays will be solid (better than McGowan), same with Aaron Hill.  Curtis Granderson, Jermaine Dye and Bobby Crosby will all have career years, this season.  Crosby is a great player that has not really had the season that he is capable of, he will eke out a lot of hits this season.  Jermaine Dye will replicate his 2006 season, this 2008 season. 

World Series 2008: Red Sox versus Diamondbacks.  7 games.  Diamondbacks win it all.            

I swear that the Toronto Blue Jays, over the past 6 seasons, have been by far the most frustrating team in all of baseball. 

Getting excited over a 3 sweep of the Boston Red Sox was meaningless.  The Jays had, of coarse, to give those 3 games back to the loss column after being swept at home by the lowly (practically) Triple A Oakland Athletics.

For the past 3 seasons, the Jays have owned the Red Sox and done very well against some of the traditionally tougher teams (i.e. Anaheim, Boston, the Yankees so,so).  Where we really have had problems is beating teams like Texas, Oakland and Tampa Bay. 

The Jays are a good team and I know deep in my heart that we have a lot of talent.  We have had a good team for a while now.  We just cannot compete because there is not a consistant effort to win every game.  Its not about winning 2 of 3 or 3 of 4 even.  The Jays, last season, never had a winning streak longer than 6 games, or something like that.  Winning teams just don't do that.  

I know that it is a long season and a lot can happen, teams do need to take losses as they come, however I believe the Jays are doing way too much of that.  Its time bear down and start winning, like the New England Patriots of last year (with the exception of the Super Bowl).  For the Jays at this point, I don't really care about how they do in the playoffs.  All I care about is making the playoffs.  Something I have not seen since I was friggin 12 years old.  I've wasted the better part of my youth and now my early adulthood waiting for a playoff appearance, and I can't wait no more.  The Jays have to start winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAHHHH!  Im really screaming inside.  What makes things worst, is that we can't put away teams that we really should be hammering. 

Food of the Week:  On a lighter note, I ate an enormous hamburger on the weekend.  The bacon cheeseburger and 'small' fries combo at the Admiral Burger in downtown Brantford, Ontario (home of Canadian treasure Wayne Gretzky).  They give you a thick 3 patty burger, that you can hardly fit in your hands, load it with 3 pieces of peameal bacon and deck it will all the toppings you want.  Really an enormous, mouth watering burger and fries that fit into a small box.  When I say small box, I mean a small box that you get at Costco.  It is comical watch someone try and eat the entire burger and fries.  Wagers are made and they don't finish the whole thing.  The Admiral Burger in Brantford is a small town treasure and I would recommend it to anyone not afraid of the colesteral.     

As I rejoice in the Blue Jays Opening Series three game sweep of the defending champion Boston Red Sox, I am reminded of a past Blue Jay great.  

Roberto Alomar, a man who facilitated many three game sweeps in his day.  The only current player, or in the last 15 years, that I can compare him to, is Jose Reyes of the Mets.  A guy that can give you everything; defense, speed, homers, hit for an average ... everything.  That is what Alomar was for the Jays when he came over in 1991, with Joe Carter.  On Friday, he was honored in the Blue Jays level of excellence and deservably so.  I still remember the 1992 ALCS, and his game 4 homer in the 9th, off the toughest pitcher in game at that time, Dennis Eckersly.  An improbable homer that really lifted us to the World Series and probably beyond.  Alomar's black eye paint, dirt stained pants, coming up bigtime clutch in the hot California sun.  Oh ya, he was a GAMER.  Sorry Jose Reyes, but you are going to have to prove yourself a little bit more, before you can be compared to on Alomar's level. 

Alomar stole most of his bases as a Jay, he later developed into a more premier hitter with Baltimore and Cleveland.  However, for the two years that the Jays won back-to-back World Series, there was no question that Alomar was the most outstanding player on the field.  Heres to you Robbie, "Catch the Taste" like in the popular McCain frozen concentrated orange juice commercial, that was so near and dear to our hearts in those days. lol.

So, I brought my broom to the park today, taking a risk, I know, but it payed off.  Big Frank Thomas with a massive grand slam in the 6th inning.  I went crazy!!  I was sitting in front of the Jose Calderon, Carlos Delfino, Jamario Moon and other Raptors.  Kind of cool, hope they do well in the playoffs.  Anyway, looks like a promising year for the Jays, more on them and my food of the week in my next blog.  You don't want to miss it.         

A couple of days ago my special sweetheart showed me an article on 'why all smart women should like baseball.'

 http://jezebel.com/371654/3-reasons-why-smart-women-love-baseball

It's from my girlfriend, and I know im leaving myself open for going to jezebel.com.  Anyway, the three reasons why a smart women loves baseball is:

1. Because its a great family experience.

Definately agree with that.  My family, for instance, has bonded more over baseball that practically anything else.  My brother made a bet on baseball last night and it came down to the Houston/San Diego game last night.  He bet for Houston and he also bet for Berkman to beat Brian Giles.   Big two out rally, started by Jose Cruz's son and a huge homerun by Berkman in the 9th to take the game.  It won my brother a couple hundred bucks and was a great experience for both of us.  Plus, my mom watched but she was asleep after coming off a long nursing shift.  The only reason my mom actually started watching baseball was because her sons were passionate about it and she wanted to share in that passion.  Same reason why my girlfriend watches baseball, right now, mostly because of me.  I've been privaledged to have some amazing women in my life.

2.  There is method behind 'monotony'

I'm not even going to entertain this one.  Watching baseball obviously requires some patience, like many other things in life.  Saying that it is 'too slow' is not a good explanation.  You either like it, or you don't.  I think that women are generally smart enough to make up their own mind, in that respect. 

3.  It's full of sex appeal  

Im sure that there is a little more to why women like the game than sex appeal.  I don't see too many guys watching figure skating. 

I would like to think that most women actually enjoy the excitement, the players (abilities!!), the team loyalties and the history more than these reasons.

However, if they like baseball for those reasons than who am I to fault them.  They might start there and develop it into a more thourough interest later.  The reason I like the best is the family experience.  Baseball is a fabelled North American pastime that is intrinsic with the family, culture and history of North American lives.  It is a big part of my life and a big part of my families daily routine (thoroughout the summertime).

As my longtime girlfriend becomes more a part of my family, she is beginning to like and share in all the baseball passion that I have.  It then builds my passion that much more towards her!