Saturday Roundup - I didn't wear glasses cause I thought it might rain.

Saturday, October 02 2004 @ 09:16 AM EDT

Contributed by: Pistol

now I can't see anything.
I made a mistake, chalked it up to design.
I cracked through time/space, godless and dry.
I point my nose to the northern star,
and watch the decline from a hazy distance.

There's no debate, the Jays beat the Yankees behind Bush, 7-0.

Recaps:

* Bush seals first complete game - Fordin

Bush (5-4) didn't take names -- he just mowed down everyone that stepped in the batter's box. The first hit didn't come until the fifth inning, and that was a routine single through the right side of the infield. The next one came three innings later, but the Yanks (100-60) never really threatened to score.

* Bush for president - Rutsey

At the beginning of the game, one that ended with a 7-0 Jays victory over a New York squad that is resting up for the post-season, the Jays announced Delgado had donated a $1-million life insurance policy in his name to the Special Olympics Canada Foundation. He has been a supporter of the Special Olympics for the past seven years.

* Bush shuts down Yanks, Jays win 7-0 - Ryan

In his 16th start, Bush went only five batters over the minimum while striking out 11, a career best by four. He gave up a one-out single through the hole at second to Enrique Wilson in the fifth, a one-out bloop single to Dioner Navarro in the eighth. He also walked three, grazed a Yankee jersey with a pitch, threw 76 strikes in his 117 offerings and closed out his promising first taste at 5-4.

"Curveball, change, fastball — which he was locating real well — he had all the stuff tonight," said Guillermo Quiroz, his first-half catcher at Syracuse.



* Youngsters provide a dream - Wharnsby

An optimistic Toronto Blue Jays fan could temper the disappointment of a 93-loss season by glancing into a crystal ball and seeing that youngsters Dave Bush, Russ Adams and Alex Rios should bring plenty to next year's lineup.


Notes:

* Delgado waiting and seeing - Fordin

"Maybe next week I'll look back at all the good times I had in Toronto," he said on Friday. "Right now, there's no reason to be sentimental. I don't like to talk like I'm not going to be here."


* Jays have seen better days - Rutsey

Despite the fact the Jays are virtually at the break-even point, Rogers isn't about to boost the payroll from its $50-million level. A modest 10% boost would mean everything to Ricciardi and the team, give him some room to acquire four new players he desperately needs -- a first baseman, a designated hitter, a starting pitcher and a left-handed reliever who can get left-handers out.

Instead, Ricciardi will have to be creative, hope for miracles and try to patch holes on the cheap. It didn't work this year when Pat Hentgen was brought back and Terry Adams was signed to shore up the bullpen.

This team needs more than Paul Godfrey's spin. It needs money, an infusion of funds.

Question: If Rogers doesn't seem to care about the team, why should the fans?


* Gibbons fits bill for next season - Blair

John Gibbons may not be the man to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to the postseason, but he will be the manager next year.

Club sources say that on Monday, the team will announce that Gibbons is returning with an overhauled coaching staff. Ernie Whitt will be his bench coach and Brad Arnsberg, the Harley-Davidson-riding Triple-A pitching coach, will take over for Gil Patterson, who knows by now he won't be asked back.



* Report Card - Rutsey

School isn't quite out yet, but Mike Rutsey is handing out his grades on the team this year.

* Jays are not fool proof - Baker

While some Jays coaches and front office personnel privately say they can't compete without a payroll of $70-$85 million, it isn't forthcoming from team owner Rogers Communications. That forces those in charge to publicly tout the same party line after three straight third-place finishes and now a last-place result under Rogers.

"The plan for us hasn't changed one bit as far as I see it," said Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey, caught in a squeeze play between an ownership seeking yearly profitability and a sport in which such indulgences aren't usually associated with winning. "When I hired J.P. (Ricciardi), it was always a five-year plan that was talked about. This was only the third year. All we can ask is for fans to be patient, for you (media) to be patient and judge us when the five years are up."


* Delgado shrugs off question of future - Millson

Considering the career Delgado has had with the Blue Jays -- 334 home runs and 1,051 runs batted in in nine full seasons and parts of three others -- there should be ovations that will reach a peak tomorrow as the series ends against the American League East-champion Yankees.

"It would be flattering," he said. "I mean it's a lot better than the alternative."


* Today's Game: Roy Halladay faces Kevin Brown at 4:05 today. It sounds like there won't be too many restrictions on Halladay today.

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