Feats of Strength

Last season baseball fans were lucky enough to witness a huge number of major individual milestones achieved by a variety of players. 756, 3000, Thome, Glavine. Some of the biggest names reached some of the biggest numbers. Even our own Big Hurt celebrated his 500th laborious trudge around the bases. The prospects for this year...not so much with the glamour. Unless you are excited to celebrate Scott Spiezio's 1000th career hit or Greg Zaun's 200th career double (Double up on your ham and eggs to commemorate this two-bagging milestone! No time for dental floss! More celebreakfast for all!) you'll have to dig a little deeper to find interesting Blue Jay career milestones.

Congratulations will be in order for AJ Burnett as he inevitably passes Mike Hampton for 13th place all-time on the most DL trips list.

Russ Adams is looking to pass Huck Flener for most miles racked up on I95 between Niagara Falls and Syracuse in a "career".

Vernon Wells has the opportunity for two milestones in 2008. His career expletives shouted having just missed a hanger should surpass 1000 this summer and Joe Carter's club record for most times feebly waving at third strike sliders in the dirt should fall.

David Eckstein must be proud to be closing in on Craig Counsell's career marks for smallest hat size and most jerseys stolen from the children's section.

Aaron Hill hopes to build on his strong finish to last season. Seriously, he had TWENTY hits in his last ten games. No joke, he's great.

Many bloggers and columnists are bullish on the starting rotation this year, believing it to be poised for greatness on numerous fronts. Shaun Marcum is clearly threatening Esteban Loiza's consecutive days without a shower record while potential 5th starter Gustavo Chacin is approaching Julian Tavarez's career mark for most Goonies DVD's signed. Staff stalwart Roy Halladay is bearing down on a long established record: Bob Gibson's 3268 iterations of the cut/evil/stink-eye.

Longtime Blue Jay baiter and paragon of virtue Alex Rodriquez, while not a Jay, is also on the cusp of noteworthy accomplishment. If he maintains his current pace he could murder his 500th puppy, shove his 250th old lady in the street, and burn down his fortieth orphanage all in 2008. Time to earn that big extension Alex!

Thanks to The Competitive for the image.

No Glove No Love

Baseball teams are businesses, and all conventions of business apply. If one "thinks outside the box" and shows a positive return, the rest scramble to discard their existing box and get into the new and more fashionable box. The steroid scandal will push the current trend of defensive statistical analysis from the fringes of the statistical community to standard operation procedure for all clubs.

As the preceding paragraph sadly details, defense ain't sexy. Pouring over Zone Ratings, comparing and contrasting the various and sundry evaluation systems, there is only so long you cazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Frankly, it is boring as hell. Interesting, but not sexy. Sexy is Jim Edmonds slowing up and taking bad routes to ensure a "spectacular" diving catch and his salt & pepper mug all over Sportscentre. Sexy awards Derek Jeter multiple Gold Gloves while he is statistically one of the worst shortstops in the league. Sexy is a lie. Making the easy look difficult might get you into the highlight pack, but it doesn't win games. Neither does missing time and losing power because you ruined your back bouncing off the old turf at Busch. True defensive quality brings you out of your seat sometimes, but others it leaves you shaking your head. It has you replaying things in your head thinking "That was a crazy doubleplay to end the game" two days later.

I love defense, it was always my favorite part of playing the game and something I certain appreciate when I'm at the game. In the era of the incredible shrinking slugger, teams are going to look for ways to take runs off the board rather than hoping to bludgeon opponents into submission. I am legitimately excited to watch Scott Rolen play everyday, a brick shithouse sucking up ground balls with impeccable footwork. Even Hey Brah-don League will benefit from Jay's infield defense, which will be amongst the best in the league. Hell, it was the best in the league last year and that was with LurchGlaus. Competent as he may be, he doesn't lead the mind directly to images of Brooks Robinson.