Everybody wants a thrill
Payin' anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Odds and ends from around the Canadian baseball world:
The Expos lost 3-2 to the Brewers in Puerto Rico yesterday -- appropriately enough, on the same day that former Brewers owner (sic) Bud Selig announced that he’s about a month away from deciding where the Expos will relocate. Personally, I have about as much confidence in an imminent resolution to the Expos’ situation as I have in Rand al’Thor’s chances of actually fighting the Last Battle at any point during my lifetime.
If JP Ricciardi is in deep gloom over the Blue Jays’ plight, it’s hard to tell. “I think we’re going to start having the Salem witch investigations, see if someone burnt a chicken somewhere,” he said. Shades of Jobu. Everyone knows the team is maddeningly inconsistent and offensively challenged -- JP makes the point that even the Jays’ home runs have just slipped over the wall, rather than being driven into the seats -- but I don’t see any signs of panic in the front office. Good.
With an off-day, the local media is turning its attention to what is without question the best story on the Blue Jays this season: the emergence of Orlando Hudson, solid hitter, extraordinary gloveman, enthusiastic youngster, and consummate team player who could conceivably snag an All-Star reserve position this season. Prevailing wisdom has long had it that Hudson would be dealt for pitching once Russ Adams or Aaron Hill were ready for The Show. Now? Ask JP. "Is Orlando a keeper? ... You bet. I keep hearing how we're going to trade him, but nothing could be farther from the truth.”
The other bright spot from May is the resurgence of leadoff hitter Reed Johnson. Platooned for a while with Howie Clark, Sparky has shaken off a slow start and a lot of skeptics (myself included) who don’t think he’s a 500-AB-per-year player, and he’s been one of the Jays’ best hitters lately. Spencer Fordin talks about Sparky’s mechanics and has the latest on Pat Hentgen skipping a turn in the rotation. Aaron is preparing a banner that reads “Hentgen for Closer.” What do you think?
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040521091007999