My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports):
There are no Canadians playing in this year’s World Series, but Cardinals closer Jason Motte was born in Port Huron, Mich., just across the border from Sarnia, Ont. The bearded stopper is a spitting image of Hall of Famer and former St. Louis reliever Bruce Sutter.
Just wondering how Jose Bautista can receive the Hank Aaron Award (voted on by the media and fans) for being the American League’s top hitter but not be a finalist for the MLBPA Players Choice Award? The American League finalists for that honour are Justin Verlander, Adrian Gonzalez and Curtis Granderson.
With the superb job he did in leading Canada’s senior team to an unlikely gold at the Pan-Am Games, expect Ernie Whitt to be offered a big league coaching job or minor league managerial post this off-season.
It only made sense when the Blue Jays claimed reliever Jesse Chavez off waivers on October 21. After all, by my unofficial count, the Jays have had more players named Jesse on their club than any other team in baseball history. With Chavez in the mix along with Jesse Litsch and Jesse Carlson, the Jays could have as many as three “Jesses” on their roster next season. And let’s not forget about Jesse Barfield and Jesse Jefferson, and that the Jays diligently pursued Canuck reliever Jesse Crain last off-season.
If I’m Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, I’m making a call to the Phillies to inquire about left-handed reliever and potential closer Antonio Bastardo. Not yet arbitration eligible, Bastardo allowed just 28 hits in 58 innings in 2011. The Phillies are a team starved for offence and the Jays have a surplus of young outfielders. What about a Eric Thames for Bastardo swap? The Phillies might want more.
Things that make you go hmmmm: Mike Napoli rolls his ankle last night and stays in to catch the entire 11 innings for Texas, while Cards outfielder Matt Holliday bruises his pinkie and exits after the sixth inning.
This from actor and comedian Denis Leary on Twitter: “Tony LaRussa’s hair should call the bullpen and ask to speak to 1987.”
Good one about Tony L! haha
Jesse Crain is great. The Jays should have pushed harder to get him.
Game 7 tonight. St. Louis is my pick.
Dennis Leary cracks me up.
With Carpenter going tonight, the odds are with the Cardinals for sure.
Thanks for the comment.
Playing no, coaching yes…remember Dave McKay coaching for the Cardinals?
Thanks for the comment. Yes, I’ve written extensively about Dave McKay on this site. A really good guy, a Canadian and an original Blue Jay. He had the game-winning RBI in the first Jays’ game ever.
From Devon Teeple:
Re: the Jesse’s, great observation, though I can’t see Litsch and Carlson becoming impact players.
Carlson was decent, but its a long road back. Won’t see the true form for alteast a couple years. Litsch, I just don’t see him as an impact player. He is good in certain situations but in pressure and against good teams he seems to buckle. If you look at his splits, they aren’t pretty.
Now doesn’t it seem as though the entire season flew by in about two weeks? It’ll be time for spring training before we know it. But we won’t have Tony LaRussa’s hair to kick around anymore.
Great job, Kevin.
bukan kee orang pekan cakap projek tuu VVIP ada kaitan??cerr cite yg betul jgn koarn²..oanrg umno ker orang berpangkat yg lebih besar???