Throwaway Quotes

There is a real sense of negativity surrounding the Jays chances in 2009. I wonder what all this negativity stems from? It couldn't be the loss of AJ Burnett, a signing bemoaned by fans of both the team that lost him AND the team that signed him? How does that work anyway? How can Jays fans be pissed he's leaving and Yankees fans be pissed he's on his way? Something is amiss, there must be outside forces contriving to keep Blue Jays fans down...

Forces like the Shi Davidi, using a rousing metaphor to squash the Jays hopes and dreams in December.

So the Blue Jays will now try to slay the AL East beasts with a plastic knife, hoping their kids progress quickly, several players overachieve and they hit on some inexpensive, roll-of-the-dice signings.

No mention of their league-best defense, or the health/full-time status of their most important bats? Surprising. The plastic knife bit is effective though. It really evinces the desperation and futility of 2009.

What about Herr Blair, the finest Blue Jays voice? Though he's moved on from the Blue Jays beat, he still brings the goods and is realistic without being pessimistic. His piece in Monday's Globe advocating the Yankees big spending in the most rational, thoughtful way imaginable. But he threw in a dig at the end that makes me wonder why the song and dance goes all year long.

But Toronto Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi had the Yankees picked out as Burnett's destination as far back as the summer.

Really? It's unrealistic to assume JP thought for a second that A.J. was going to stay with the Jays, but when he's nailing the destination in the summer, why can't somebody print that in the summer? The whole song-and-dance of the last two months now seems officially retarded, and the biggest waste of time and column inches in history.

Speaking of wasted column inches, Cathal Kelly's now my favorite Jays beat guy; his modern voice is rare in the MSM. His column about the AJ & Halladay's relationship that never really was generated a lot of feedback, as these columns always do. The "he was trouble in the clubhouse/nobody liked him column" always come out after the fact. I ask why? Why are we not hearing about this until these guys leave? Before Frank Thomas was cut, we heard he was a good teammate, the guys respected his record blah blah blah. As soon as he's cut, Wilner and some others immediately start in on the "nobody's going to miss him around here!" routine. If that is the case, why don't we hear about it in the moment?

I understand reporters aren't too interested in biting the hand that feeds, and athletes can be an unpleasant and unreasonable lot (ie. A.J.'s sudden bloodfued with the Fan and Wilner.) But if they see it, and everybody knows it, why don't we get to hear it? It's true what they say about Griffin; he might not know what he's talking about, but at least he's there to face those he wrongly slams.

The Most Cynical Thing I'll Ever Write and Other Stuff

• Holy Shit!!! Rocco's been misdiagnosed! He's cured! Just in time for free agency! I hate myself. Hopefully it's true, and Rocco can find himself a full time job. Or he can come here and be the fourth outfielder. At which point I will simply quit my job. Update: A much more in-depth and not entirely capitalized report on Rocco here. via Drunk Jays Fans and my borderline psychotic Google Alert.
  
• Longtime supporter, prolific blogger and all-around stud NV aka eyebeleaf of Sports and The City has joined the Score Sports Federation. This man does a yeoman's work covering all the major sports in Toronto, while remaining active all over the blogosphere. Congrats sir, you deserve it.
  
• Just in time for its violent shark-jumping, I created a Facebook page for Ghostrunner on First. Become a "fan" and sign up. There will be some Facebook exclusive stuff, as well as discussion among the other degenerates that I befriend and abuse. Click the banner on the side. Tell your mom to as well, god knows she has a facebook page by now. Old people ruin everything.