My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: Ryan Dempster, the pride of Gibsons, B.C., has been named the Chicago Cubs Opening Day starter in 2011. This will be his third Opening Day assignment. He started two previous openers with the Florida Marlins in 2001 and 2002. With 102 career victories... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Juan Rivera, Goose Gossage, Chuck Tanner
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: Blue Jays fans: The good news about Juan Rivera, acquired in the Vernon Wells deal, is that he hits like George Bell. The bad news is that he also fields like George Bell. In reading Larry Millson’s 1987 book, Ballpark Figures: The... Continue Reading →
Roy Hartsfield, Blue Jays first manager, dies
The snow blanketing the field for the Toronto Blue Jays' inaugural game on April 7, 1977, must have been a shock for Roy Hartsfield, the team’s first skipper who had managed the Padres’ Triple-A club in Hawaii for the previous four seasons. But a little snow wasn’t about to cool Hartsfield’s excitement. After 15 seasons... Continue Reading →
Pat Gillick deserves to be in Cooperstown
He’s the most important person in Toronto Blue Jays history. Without Pat Gillick, there wouldn’t be five division title banners and two World Series banners hanging in the Rogers Centre. In fact, without this intelligent, personable California native, there wouldn’t be a Rogers Centre. The former Blue Jays general manager is one of 12 candidates... Continue Reading →
Ex-Expos – Whatever happened to … Charlie Lea
He’s the only Montreal Expo to toss a no-hitter at Olympic Stadium. And more than 29 years later, Charlie Lea, now an analyst on Memphis Redbirds’ (St. Louis Cardinals Triple-A affiliate) radio broadcasts, still remembers the game vividly. “I walked four guys, so it wasn’t like it was a perfect game,” he reflected modestly, in... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Cito Gaston, J.P. Arencibia, Jeremy Accardo
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: I’m confused. The Blue Jays shut down Brandon Morrow, their most dominant pitcher over the past few months, and then Cito Gaston calls his first team meeting of the season before Saturday’s game against the Yankees to tell his players he wants them... Continue Reading →