Didn't Halladay have an incident with the Phillies last year in spring training?

Is today's game against the Phils available anywhere? I haven't checked.

It's on the FAN, at least.

Which makes me think of "If I Had a Hammer". Which then makes me think of "If I Had a Gun". The human brain is a weird thing.

If I Had a Rocket Launcher has a baseball tie-in. The song name, anyway, if not the lyrics. It's the kind of song Shannon Stewart probably cries himself to sleep with at night, after another day of baserunners going 1st to 3rd on him.

Forget what I posted above; the Raptors are playing today and I can't see them being bumped for a spring training game. Maybe some other affiliate has it.

I believe you can listen to the ballgame from the MLB.com link (Gameday Audio), but you have to buy a year subscription to that service (14.95 US, I believe).

But the free-to-air broadcast will likely be pre-empted for the Raptors.

Forget what I posted above; the Raptors are playing today and I can't see them being bumped for a spring training game. Maybe some other affiliate has it.

What a waste of air space. Watching/Listening to the raptors is sort of like playing a game to tic-tac-toe, boring and predictable.

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/schedule/radio_network.jsp
I believe you can listen to the ballgame from the MLB.com link (Gameday Audio), but you have to buy a year subscription to that service (14.95 US, I believe).

Yeah, I can just see myself doing that. I know I'd never use it during the season, so I'm paying fifteen bucks American for spring training games? Where the broadcast keeps cutting in and out? No thank you. I appreciate the suggestion, though.

I think I'll try to pick it up on an affiliate; COMN for the list.

Didn't Halladay have an incident with the Phillies last year in spring training?

Yup! Here's the low-down ... and da Box's take!

I have succeeded in finding the game on CKGL 570 out of Kitchener.

http://www.cjcsradio.com/index2.shtml
The CKGL feed isn't available online.

It's also on CJCS 1240 out of Stratford. COMN to get their site and click on "Read Audio" on the lower left.

Hooray, thanks Spicol, great work!

Unfortunately, I tuned in just as the Phillies were scoring :(

Thanks, team!

In the first, Abreu reached on an "infield hit" (groundball to Hinske; Hinske threw late, and high, to first). He was driven in by a double in the gap by Burrell. Other than that, Halladay was okay, striking out the second batter he faced, Rollins, swinging. He started to display his change-up as well, which Cheek described as "just a little slower" than his fastball.

Thanks, Spicol.

We're in the 3rd. Halladay pitched two innings, 25 pitches, 19 strikes. The run should have been unearned (since Hinske should have made the play)

Surprise! David Bush is pitching in the third! (He's not even on the spring training roster). Strikes out the first batter. Next batter grounds out, and then Rollins smacks one out of the park; 2-0. The next batter singles, but is stranded after a flyout.

(Note: de los Santos has a sore shoulder, according to Cheek. Nothing too serious, but he's not available to pitch right now. So they're a little thin in pitching, which is probably why Bush is up from the minor league complex)

That's more like it - 2-run double by Catalanotto, single by Wells, and a homer by Delgado. 5-2 Jays.

Thanks to Spicol, for finding the radio feed, and Steve, for both the play-by-play and digging up last year's dirt. The link to the picture is broken, but I was able to locate a copy.



Look for next week's article on how the Red Sox get a wide choice of Gatorade flavours, while the Jays are stuck with orange.

I enjoyed Griffin today. The Yankee coaches do have impressive credentials (the better to handle superstar egos?) and might beat the Jays staff in a pickup game, but that doesn't make them great teachers.

For 2004 pinstriped disasters, playoff wannabes are going to have to look elsewhere than Vazquez. Try Kevin Brown's health, Jose Contreras' focus and Jon Lieber's rehab.

There's a column I'll really enjoy.

Woo-hoo! Delgado goes yard. 5-2 Jays.

Bottom of the 3rd.

Hudson and Woodward are on with back-to-back singles. Hudson's been hitting well (right-handed) so far. After Cash and Johnson are retired, Cat doubles, scoring two. 2-2. Wells lashes the first ball he sees over third, driving in Cat. 3-2 good guys. Delgado homers to centre; 5-2. Pitching change...

BTW, Tosca confirmed today's lineup is the opening day lineup:

Johnson
Catalanotto
Wells
Delgado
Phelps
Hinske
Hudson
Woodward
Cash

Top of the 4th.
Pond is playing 1st. Woodward makes a dandy play up the middle and throws out the limber Lieberthal. After Bush walks the next batter on four pitches, he induces a DP. 5-2 going to the bottom of the 4th.

(Cheek mentions a little-known fact: Contrary to popular belief, Pond didn't play in Puerto Rico this past winter as an export; He played as one of the natives; his mother's from PR)

Bush's line: 2 IP, 2 H, 1 K, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 ER, 25 pitches, 19 strikes.

Surprise! David Bush is pitching in the third!

Just as I was tuning in, Tom Cheek said something about de los Santos having a tender shoulder, and I got the impression there may be a few other aches and pains among the staff. Giving a prospect a quick look isn't unusual for the first week anyway; Bush must be excited. McGowan's poise impressed me yesterday; there was no sign of him hyperventilating or rushing. I remember the deer-in-the-headlights look on Arnold's face in 2003 -- what a difference a year makes.

Mike Wilner, working the five-run inning with Jerry, called the Jays "a scary team."

When Myers catches, that lineup is dangerous 1-through-9; anything Cash provides with the bat should be considered a bonus.

Here's Rosario's debut...

Hey, Rosario's on.

Francisco gives up a triple, then nearly hits the next guy, who homers. Rookie nerves?

Too bad -- a triple and a homer greets Rosario. It would have been nice if his major league debut would have yielded better results.

According to Tom Cheek, Greg Gross has come on to play the outfield for Toronto. I bet nobody was expecting that.

Mighty Pratt. 6-5 now.

The game can't be that bad...did somebody die? **Cue the Tumble weed**

I'm pretty happy the Toronto Blue Jays have become a local in the No Homers union.

It says No Homers - we're allowed to have one.

Which makes me think of "If I Had a Hammer". Which then makes me think of "If I Had a Gun".

The first thing I thought of was Midge Ure.

Tosca confirmed today's lineup is the opening day lineup

I'd prefer to switch Cat and Hinske, but otherwise there aren't any surprises there.

Not a good outing for Adam Peterson. As with Rosario, sometimes these young guys get too pumped up -- it takes a long time to learn how to keep the emotions on an even keel in any situation. So another kid gets an unexpected turn -- Brandon League is in the game.

What's the score lads?

Top 9, 10-6 Phillies. Bases loaded right now for the bad guys.

Wow...how many infielders do the Jays have that can play defence? Pond makes another error hitting the runner with his throw to second allowing another run to come in. League hits the next batter to load the bases. Then a single drives in two more runs. 12-6.

12-6 now. I give up.

You know, you can keep telling yourself, "It's only spring training, it's only spring training," but it really doesn't make the losses any more fun.

I tuned out after the fifth.

Noone mentioned that Josh Banks struck out the side!

The first thing I thought of was Midge Ure.

Isn't that an old reference for a guy with your handle?

I'm listening to the game just now from the archive on mlb.com. Had to pay to get access, but it's a great deal ($15U.S. for the full season). I used it a lot last year, living in Ottawa.

When launched, it brings up Windows Media Player this year, instead of RealPlayer. The broadcast has a hollowed out sound today, though that sometimes happened in the past. What's worse is when the announcers are talking, the background ballpark sound is also cutting out; this is really annoying. I'm not sure who's filtering it. I haven't looked through the Media Player options yet to see if this is an automatic "smart" feature I can turn off.

I didn't know Cuzzi was umping this game. Where's Mr. Reynolds with his EJECT THIS sign when you need him?

I haven't been to the site in a while. Am I susposed to guess the lyrics?

Cause they make me want to hop on my ATV and go out riding in the Big Country.

Steve,

Nice outing by Banks, to be sure, but Fordin was stretching the truth to say that he struck out the side. His pitching line was 1 IP, 2 H, 3 K.

Bubbie Buzachero pitched a scoreless inning: 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K. I didn't know he was in the major league camp.

John

http://economics.about.com
Cause they make me want to hop on my ATV and go out riding in the Big Country.

Well, you don't win a prize for doing so, but everyone likes to be the first at something. Great call: In a Big Country by Big Country. This link even has the chords, in case you're more adept with a guitar than I am!

Cheers,

Mike

http://economics.about.com
Oh.. yeah.. what I was going to mention.

Today's Jays Roundup will be up at around 9:30. Gotta do some running around.

Cheers,

Mike

http://bluejayscheerclub.com
I didn't know Cuzzi was umping this game. Where's Mr. Reynolds with his EJECT THIS sign when you need him?

Babysitting kids. But the sign is still in my basement, waiting for the Phil-Signal to be flashed into the night sky above SkyDome.

There were some extra pitchers from minor league camp brought up to the major league camp to account for guys like Lilly and de los Santos coming up sore. Brandon League and David Bush weren't supposed to be in major league camp and I'm guessing that Banks and Buzachero weren't either. Justin Miller could also see some game action soon which would put him ahead of schedule on his rehab.

I believe Tom Cheek also said yesterday that Terry Adams was a little sore (elbow, but not serious apparently).

Wilner will be on Fan590 shortly for those near a radio.

Isn't that an old reference for a guy with your handle?

Is there an algorithm to determine one's age from a handle? ;-)

BTW: don't confuse me for a script kiddie - I don't refer to myself as a 5up3r 1337 h4x0r.

[If you're asking why I use a handle, it's the result of an unpleasant incident from a decade ago.]