The Jays attempt to take on the Minnesota Twins in the rain at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium in Dunedin, but its up to the weather at this point, as I’m currently hearing the tarp is on the field, but that it’s coming off, but that it’s raining, but… you see where this is going. My picture above was from about an hour before the scheduled first pitch– not exactly the kind of weather you envision for your first Grapefruit League experience, but nobody seems ready to call it. And maybe they shouldn’t– this weather map certainly makes it look like the bands of rain aren’t terribly thick, and with Dunedin being situated on the south side of Tampa Bay, the worst is likely over.
So… baseball-ish!
Scuttlebutt
No, seriously. Check out the lineup: it ain’t baseball so much as it’s baseball-ish. At least on the Toronto side. Though watching Jose Bautista demonstrate his swing to NHK, as I mentioned earlier, was more than enough of his awesomeness for me to take in for one afternoon. Or morning. Or… whatever the hell time it is. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for that clip.
Sportsnet announces that a network Spring Training record average of 456,000 viewers tuned into Saturday’s spring kick-off against the Tigers, boasting that “Overall, more than 2 million Canadians watched some part of the pre-season game on Sportsnet, as the Blue Jays beat the Tigers 10-3.” Really? OK, that’s pretty impressive.
Neil Davidson of the Canadian Press, via the Ottawa Citizen, writes about a trio of video game… um… guys– a manager of animation and a pair of photographers– who visited the Jays camp here in Dunedin in order to get their digital images, so they can be used in MLB ’13: The Show, which comes out March 5th. So… y’know… they’re cutting it close! (Or maybe not– there’s no actual indication of when, precisely, these guys were here. Could have been a backlogged story from earlier in camp.)
Aaaaand… yeah. That’s about it.
TV: Not so much. But you can get the audio at MLB.com.
And now the lineups…
Toronto Blue Jays
E. Bonifacio SS
M. Izturis 2B
R. Davis LF
A. Lind 1B
H. Blanco C
R. Langerhans RF
S. Ochinko DH
A. LaRoche 3B
A. Gose CF
R. Romero RHP (Or, y’know, maybe LHP. Ugh.)
Minnesota Twins
A. Hicks CF
D. Mastrioanni LF
J. Mauer C
J. Morneau 1B
T. Plouffe 3B
C. Colabello DH
J. Benson RF
B. Dozier 2B
P. Florimon SS
M. Pelfrey RHP
Lol mastroanni as a twins fixture
Wow…those ratings arent “impressive” considerong its a freaking ST game. Those are downright unbelievable.
Which is great. With some real attendence and ratongs this year, maybe we get ANOTHER payroll bump next season.
Those ratings are insane.
To put it in perspective, regular season Raptor games typical draw somewhere around 150,000 viewers. REGULAR season games.
The closer we get to the season, the more it feels like things could absolutely blow up if they get off to a good start.
Here’s a link to sports ratings for the past week to put the Jays number in more perspective:
http://canadiansportsfan.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/canadian-sports-ratings-update-february-25-2013/
Romero is tryin throwin with the other arm this year?
Couldn’t hurt.
Dear God and baby Jesus too, please never let me see that Jays line up again.
Right there with you. Looks worse than the Blue JAAAys line up from last September.
That’s being a little HARD ON on them dont you think?
oh yea, Lind batting clean up today ahah
Spring training game
This lineup is a mockery. I know its spring training but shouldnt gibbons be utilizing these games to get the position players bats going and not playing these scrubs? Just sayin. Even if its for just half the game.
@afdg
AA was on the radio yesterday. Said he is anxious to make cuts and get the team nailed down more. Playing these guys gives you a chance to watch them and take notes and be done with them (until needed or whatever). So… patience.
Good point sons
Also, spring training is long and tedious, then you have a long regular season. You don’t want to burn out your starters.
They’ll play more after the cuts, and closer to the season. Now its just a little practice to work on timing and getting your body used to playing again.
Now it’s time for the easiest part of any GM’s job. The cuts. Although I wasn’t able to cut everyone I wanted to, I have cut a lot of you.
Zawadiski, I liked your hussle out there. That is why it was so hard to cut you. Everyone else, you made the team!
Except you, you, and you.
Yes, Coach Homer!
…and blasted a 2-run bomb
And Chad Johnson at DH whuuuuuuut
….oh wait never mind
“R. Romero RHP”
Did Romero give up on his left-handedness? Actually not a terrible idea … ambidextrous pitchers would be a hell-of-a commodity.
I heard of one guy in college ball a few years back who had a special glove that had 6 fingers on it so he can switch arms. He made it a personal rule to switch arms during a plate appearance but would switch batter to batter much like a switch hitter will adjust to pitchers.
Yanks have a guy, I think his name is Venditte or something. He throws both and does it pretty well.
I think it was that guy for whom they had to create a new rule. Scenario was, in a key situation, a switch-hitter came to bat, and pitcher and hitter wasted a lot of time switching gloves/bats from one hand to the other. Without research, my memory is telling me that the rule now states that the pitcher must declare his side and stick with it.
Yup that is the guy. I remember seeing a feature on him on some sports channel back before the draft.
Watched a Montreal Expos pitcher named Greg Harris who pitched with both arms within the same inning. They made him declare a side for a particular at-bat. He got out people pitching with both arms.
That would be 4 times as good as that scrub Jim Abbott
I’m already bored with pre-season games.
Dunedin is actually on the north end of Tampa Bay and the rain should stop. I hope you get to see the game.
No, YOU’RE a geography geek.
Loooo
oh ricky back to his old ways
I understand it costs money to produce baseball games.
I just find it odd that Rogers, which owns the team and a network, is showing Yankee games all the time. Someone earlier explained they buy the YES feed for peanuts but still…
Yankee baseball is better than no baseball, but it would be nice to show your own team on your own network for a nation wide fan base wouldn’t it?
Watching the Yankees game and was shocked the announcers were talking about all the players the yanks have lost and kind of ripping the team. Then I realized this is the Phillies feed by comcast and not the YES network.
I dont understand this. Seems like a good marketing tool to spend the money to produce the telecasts for the team you own. Sure in a bubble the cost to produce a game may be more than advertising revenue to offset it, but for marketing exposure doesn’t it make sense?
This is a legitimate curiosity, so if someone can explain it would be great. Thanks
The short answer is no, it doesn’t make sense at this point in time,from a business perspective.
In 2009,not all REGULAR season games were televised.
There’s a bunch of reasons not to televise all ST games.
The fact that they have to go to FX network (owned by rogers maybe?) to carry those 5 extra games is some kind of clue I think. They’re saving money way or finding the slot time or something.
Hey Carl
This is what I was wondering. If they’re not showing the games on sportsnet to promote some other network or something.
Jays are on the YES network on Thurs aft. I believe
Same as here on FX in sd and hd
When the season starts people like cox will say fire everyone of they go 15 and 15
Fuck Cox
I agree..Bob Mcgown mentioned this a while back. Even low production, baseball fans would watch..or not but ratings seem to indicate its cheap premium broadcasting. They already have commentators there for radio..
Anyone know of a better hangover cure then 2 tylenol and a coke?
It feels like a centaur ridden by Brett Lawrie is trampling on my brain….
Can someone reinsert me in the Matrix, I promise to never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, drink whiskey again.
I used to drink warm orange Gatorade the next morning when i was much younger. Now i just wake up, and complain until it goes away. I become fond of getting older.
Yeah I never get hangovers anymore.
One of the benefits of middle age I guess.
Practice makes perfect!
Hair of the dog man, just slam back another beer.
Yep. But that just puts it off to a more conveniant time. As you get way older, it lasts all day and you figure out that smoking doubles the pain.
Cheap red wine hangovers last 2 days.
Drink two beers quickly and one tequilla shot.
Repeat if necessary
I’m going to crawl to the fridge and get a beer.
Problem 2, I think someone may have pissed in my pants.
If I find the son of a bitch who pissed in my pants, he’s gonna get it.
Sorry man,
Thought those were my pants
FLUIDS.
GREASY ASS LUNCH (poutine always works for me).
And about 4 Mill St. Organics. Its a good hangover beer.
Deep fried tempura fish is godly to help.
Chicken soup and a smoothie, my main man.
Getta get that salt in yo bod
As I was crawling to the fridge I came across a half eaten pizza crust.
It still had a little cheese on it.
It wasn’t as crunchy as I thought it was going to be.
Don’t judge me.
Pickle juice….you’ll either yak till your guts are empty or you’ll be golden and ready to start drinking whiskey again!
Seriously?
Quite your bitchin Smasher.
I drink Boat Gas and chase it with Levi Garrett juice.
I just went to the washroom and looked in the mirror.
Cinematic legend Gary Busey was staring back at me.
I had a celebrity who starred in such classics as Lethal Weapon and Mansion of Blood in my washroom but all I could think of to ask him was “when did you order pizza last night?”
He just snarled at me.
Problem 3 : How do I get Gary Busey out of my house?
http://youtu.be/LleBj6Q-Zng
Holy fuck Smasher yer killin me
Havent laughed that hard in two years reading this fuckin blog
Stay on the sauce and if Whiskey has yer number after last night just switch to the White Owl. Stuff is smooth and fuckin dangerous!!
Busey is a prick.
Smasher – you, me, the Emmett Ray, a couple of Peat Monsters and a discussion on gender issues. Book it.
I see somebody’s a whisky fan…Peat Monster is pretty good stuff at a reasonable (for Ontario at least) price.
Get Cinematic Legend Mel Gibson on the phone quick!! They know each other from Lethal Weapon and Mel can talk some sense into him!! (especially after a few drinks!)
Weed man…
indeed… curer of ails. even ones you didn’t have
1) Motrin >> Tylenol
2) Lots of fluids and vitamin D just before passing out. Peeing your bed is better than hangovers.
3) Drink a whole litre of Mott’s Clamato (virgin! virgin!) upon awakening and then go for the greasy breakfast mentioned above.
Also, whiskey = Satan.
You take that back!
Irish whiskey = St Michael the Archangel, satan destroyer.
Writer’s Tears =’s awesome
Tylenol isn’t great for hangovers. Acetamenophine (sp?) dehydrates you. Ibiprohene(also sp?) is bettter
Yeah acetaminophen has no anti-inflammatory properties. I don’t think it’s the best choice for a hangover.
Dont quote me but it’s also been linked to liver damage: Not what you want after beating up your liver the night before.
Gary Busey is eating all my Ranch dressing.
Is he using a bowl and spoon I hope?
How is Gary doing today…or has he ‘left the building’?
A hangover is a reward for being so awesome
George W Bush swore hookers and blow was the ultimate cure.
You know Smasher if you drank Crown you wouldn’t have a problem today
Agreed on the Crown.
But to the OP problem….you have the right idea. 2 Tylenol and COKE….just not the bottled stuff. Works…don’t judge!
Why the fuck are the Yankees on? I thought I saw some bullshit about them broadcasting all the Jays spring training games.
Is it just me, or does Ginger Campbell sound like he’s trying to force himself into sounding like he wants to “chat” and realistically listen and agree with anything Wilner has to say during his stint on the radio feed?
Speaking of Ginger Campbell, where did the commenter Ginger Campbell go? His name made me giggle every time I saw it.
MLB ranks jays 26th in D
well, 2 errors a game, even in spring training……they might not be far off the mark……wasn’t this Butters job when he was still here?
I guess that
Isn’t it too small of a sample size to worry about it? I’ll let you have your ridiculous point that it’s Spring Training, but rationalizing the Jays D being ranked 26th because of one game is hilarious.
I don’t think he was being completely serious….
I dunno either. I sure hope not.
yes and no
more like, maybe….maybe MLB 13 is right? we hard 3 the day before….i know its spring and small sample size and all, but man, that needs to stop before then end of spring.
also, when i said 2 a game, i meant in 5 games we have 2 a game. not good at all, sloppy, i know its the first week of games and all, but come on, thats too much.
Dunedin is on the west side of tampa, not south
Everyone look – a Map!
http://www.bestplaces.net/city/florida/dunedin
Exactly, it is due west of Tampa. Lol. I’m here now
Why not switch Gose and Davis in the lineup and give the prospect more at bats?
Gose is slated for AAA.Davis for the big club.
That was his point… Davis is just a bench bat. Gose could potentially be taking over for Rasmus in CF in a year, if not later this season. Gose needs the at-bats.
I’m trying to keep my comments shorter sorry.
Gose will get his at bats in AAA.
He’d get no more than one AB in this game,more than Davis and that would likely be against a non MLer.
Davis is getting prepared for the season.
Davis was starting to hit better towards the end of last season.
Gose is a prospect who needs seasoning and he’ll be sent to the Minor league complex to get his work in.
It’s a ST game for crying out loud.
Exactly that’s why people overreact to much
Actually I have already put ’13 spring training games in a different category than the previous 20 years. They are now filed under “Championship Etiquette Prep Games” with a “Suck It Farrell” subheading.
+ 3
@Smasher…I was halfway through my judgement when I read your last line. It was good though. I LOVE cold pizza the next day.
Ha me too…
Bill “Spaceman” Lee was on PTS this afternoon. I only caught the last 5 minutes, and in that time the conversation turned from the advantages and history of PED use to the story of a guy getting killed when an eagle dropped a tortoise on his head. It’s worth a listen, especially if you’re stupidly high.
Ricky Romero talkin bout his lack of use of his sinker last year. Is this the reason for his poor numbers? Hope so, cause if he can return to form, the Jays should win every game this year!
hey, give the kid a chance.
Well he said he stopped using it because he lost confidence in it. It’s not like he just forgot to throw it. So really we need to be hoping for him to relearn how to throw it effectively.
WHERE THE FUCK IS EVERYONE?
Watching this fucking storm go by
Using my God given talent.
Now I’m back.
MCA called me the worst. I no longer have the will to post.
Except for this one. Then I’m outta here.
After years on this blog I’ve never felt such pain.
It just hurts too much.
It’s not you; it’s just bad chemistry.
Ok, GSMC, you forced me to make a brief comeback to give you a +1 for that.
lol
You can’t leave. Radar can be the only one to antagonize the bearded agitator.
Someone on r/torontobluejays made this:
http://i.imgur.com/lFsT0SM.png
Amazing.
I like it.
They got the wrong guy at first base,but I like it.
Shouldn’t Lind be on the bench?
http://www.battingstanceguy.com/2013/02/26/mlb-harlem-shake?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+battingstanceguy+%28BattingStanceGuy%29
So, when are we doing a goddamned DJFs Harlem Shake? Evidently Colbys done one……
Harlem Shake for the ones that don’t know it. Sorry I’m a hopeless, giggling, sucker for this shit.
So when are we doing one Stoeten? Oh yes, at our DJFs party right?!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTXV4AdZ-dE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Manti Teo thinks the Harlem Shake is only for sissies
I was his online girlfriend.