Under Pressure.

“We are going to lose some!” True words that were spoken from mr bautista during an interview at the recent Blue jays training clinic.
During this off season some big moves have been made by the Blue Jays by way of trades and big spending.
The moves have brought the team to a leading contender to win the 2013 world series. Then speculation starts about more big moves for existing players like Jp Arencibia, and I am sure the players themselves are a little concerned, even though they dont admit it.
The fans are releived that Jose Bautista says that his wrist feels healthy and and ready for spring training with his new team.
So things are great, there is multiple power hitters, multiple power pitchers and not to mention our favourite power players like Arencibia and the Energizer bunny himself Brett Lawrie.
But are we putting too much pressure on this new team?

At the start of the 2012 season Bautista could get into his hitting ‘groove’ for the first month, even after he got it back he got hurt. Ricky Romero was having a lot of trouble with his arm all season, and he was supposed to lead the jays by example. Injuries started to pile up and AA players were brought in to replace/stand in. I remember wife mentioned to me towards the end of the season “I just learned all the players names and faces, then I put the game on the tv today and I dont recognize anybody!”

Are we putting too much pressure on this team? Are we TOO optomistic. We follow these players on twitter and encourage them, we write about how great they are going to be. Gambling sites have them posted to be one of the best teams in in 2013. All of this without having played a game or even a simple game of catch in the backyard.
Yes they will lose some games, there will be injuries and there will be egos flying around they are human after all.

I consider my self very optomistic about this new Blue jays crew, however there is a little bit of doubt pricking the back of my head saying ‘just be careful’.

Rookie.

Hype-eractive Blue Jays

Hype (h-eye-p): ‘Excessive publicity and the ensuing commotion’.

Mr Anthopoulos finally has a larger wallet to withdraw large dollar bills from and spend on big talent for next season. People ask why all of a sudden he’s been able to spend large to bring his team from mediocre after the 2012 season to a world series contender in 2013.
Before the trade happened with Miami, Online betting provider Bodog had the Jays around 40/1. Now after adding the Miami trade, Cabrera and R.A Dickey they now stand at 8/1 without having played a single game.

The process I imagine the Blue Jays owners used when deciding to spend more money this season probably went as follows. (In very layman’s terms, no technical business analysis).
Before the 2012 season started, owners decided to build a public image on the potential of the Jays to be a success. They advertised at any chance they got with visions of Bautista batting in slow motion and Lawrie doing sprints all to the tune of an inspiring song.

‘If you hype it they will come’, and the crowds came reaching record high attendances even at the point in the season when 6 starting rotation players were out injured.
So if we are able to bring large crowds to the stadium by telling them the Blue Jays are good, then we should be able to draw even larger crowds if we actually DO have a good team.

It’s now the christmas period and many people are not working for a few days and will be at home with not much to do other han watch television. With no hockey season in play and with the junior games not being aired until 4am, there is a little hole being made for just a little more hype. Sportsnet is showing ‘the making of the 92 Blue Jays team’ on christmas eve, followed by each game of the 92 world series final starting with game 1 on christmas day. Well played Rogers, well played!

The hype has worked for me so far, I cannot wait to cheer for my team based on what has happened so far. If they throw in some commercials and a bobble head or two I’ll be at the stadium gates hours before batting practice like a baseball mad zombie wanting in.
Hmmm ‘Baseball zombie’ theme day!

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Newest Jays fan!

My wife gave birth to our first baby on the 11th of December ‘Jonah’ , it was the exact same day as my wife’s birthday and within 30 mins of her birth exactly 31 years ago. I don’t think we could have asked for a better baby, people say he looks like me, and I must admit he is very handsome.

I made this as an ‘iron on’ transfer for him to wear on a shirt just for a laugh………but seriously!

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Make Some Noise!!

In recent years past I have had the fortune of being a spectator of ball games at Wrigley field (Chicago Cubs) and Fenway Park (Boston Red Sox). The Rogers centre has had the privilege of my presence on many occasions and at times I hope they have appreciated me indulging in a beer for the ‘pocket change’ price of $10.25.

When fans venture to wrigley field, they line up outside the bleacher seating gates for hours in an attempt to catch batting practice. In Boston even on the day of the most boring game of the season, fans not only fill the streets but they shut one down to contain the anxiety of pre-game excitement.
I understand that these two iconic stadiums have walls painted thick with history (along with a lot of blood, sweat and tears of games won and lost). Both franchises also have generations of loyal fans that aren’t afraid to stand and cheer, to yell their opinion and to sing loudly when ‘sweet caroline’ is blasted through the stadium speakers.

I realize the Blue Jays are a younger franchise than U.S. teams but When I am at a Blue Jays game in the Rogers stadium, I never feel the intense crowd involvement as I have with other stadiums.
I am not saying that Jays fans are not loyal or as carefree as the other ball team fans, the point I am trying to make is perhaps the Rogers stadium does not involve or challenge the crowd enough.

I do not find intensity from a 5 second sound clip of ‘The Addams family’ theme song or the clapping sound from the ‘carwash’ song. I cringe a little when a fan starts chanting “Let’s go Blue Jays” in a slooow droning unexcited voice followed by a ‘clap clap clap-clap-clap’.

Perhaps with this new installment of a projected exciting power team, people may feel that stirring in their gut. That stir you feel when the jays are at bat and down by one run in the ninth inning with 2 on base then Bautista power drives a ball into lake Ontario, you get out of your seat and hold your breath before raising your arms and screaming with joy.

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Lineup! Lineup!……maybe..

The winter meetings are underway in Nashville at the moment, and although it is only speculation I did get a little excited to hear John Gibbons ideas of the starting lineup.
So maybe he was under a little pressure being on the Sportsnet desk under the lights and persuasion of the interview process, but these words did pass his lips (not word for word).

Looking forward to placing Reyes to start, backed by Cabrera and then Encarnacion. I can imagine Bautista can not be far off that order as well. Can you imagine 4 power hitters living up to their expectations next season? I’m going to have to take after the great hawk Zack Hample and take my glove into the outfield because its going to start raining with home run balls.

Tis NOT the season

There is one month left of this 2012 year and as Blue Jay fans we look back at september as the time we hung our heads in disappointment.
Time has passed and because of new team prospects we look up again and anticipate the most wonderful season of the year,
                                                              BASEBALL SEASON!

I won’t delve into reason of how or why I became a Toronto Blue Jays fan, or even the fact that I have been a fan for a short few years. It is probably irrelevant to what I have to talk about with the exception that I lack the historical and statistical knowledge it takes to fortify my opinions.
Please try to stay awake!

What excites me about being a fan is the fact I am involved in cheering for a team that in the past few months have made some ‘big league’ changes (no bandwagon jumping here). Changes that have projected the team as a top contender to win the world series in 2013 without having played a single game yet.

If you are a baseball fan, then I do not need to bore you with the hype of new players that have been traded in recent weeks. (see picture courtesy of Sportsnet magazine).

I also wont share with you my opinion about a manager whom after sulking about being at the wrong club decided to ‘Bail’ taking some scrap staff components with him to an even more disappointing 2012 team. (sorry I said no opinion, can’t help myself).

It obvious that Jays fans are well beyond what happened and are only desperate for April to roll around to sample what gusto this team has now.

Stick with me gang and we will count out the clock together until our year of triumph begins!

Rookie.