I was at the game last night and there was no way there was 14,000 people there. The place was empty. Hopefully some good weather will force the Skydome idiots to open the roof before July.

I Drift Away to Another Land

What a great promotional idea. If you could also get them to bobble, you'd really have something.

Good to see that Major League Baseball can keep up with the other big league sports when it comes to tackyness.

What a sad day for baseball when they ignore the tradition of the game by decorating places like U.S Cellular Field or Minute Maid Park with Spidey bases.
How long until the glowing baseball makes an appearance?

Off-Topic 1: The Guelph Storm beat the Mississauga Ice Dogs 5-1 last night to sweep the OHL Final four games to none.

Off-Topic 2: A friend and I are planning on heading to Boston for May 22. Anybody know the ins & outs of Fenway? How badly will we get moosed by the scalpers if we can't get tickets through E-Bay in advance? (The box office is currently selling singles only). What's the best way to get to the stadium? Is it dangerous to cheer for the opposition? Any cheap hotel recommendations in the vicinity of the ballpark?

Mike. There's a article in the Star's Technology Section about how the Jays use technology to compile information on teams and players.

http://www.battersbox.ca/archives/00001715.shtml#comments_3
The minor league reports three star winners for April were Josh Banks and Ryan Roberts (COMN). Yesterday, the Jays selected Roberts and Banks as their organization pitcher and hitter of the month.

Do you think the Jays just used our selection to save them the bother of figuring it out for themselves ;-)

Mike. There's a article in the Star's Technology Section about how the Jays use technology to compile information on teams and players.

Cool. I can't seem to find it online anywhere, so I guess it's only in the dead tree edition. Thanks for the tip, I'll try to find a copy today.

There was a better buzz from the crowd yesterday than average - far better than for Monday's game. Maybe it was the early runs, or perhaps it was the youngish crowd (lot's of younger folk in the 100 level all around).

Near the end, a boisterous group along the rightfield line managed to get the wave going after several attempts - no small feat since there were huge gaps in the 100 outfield level.

I even heard the noise from NFH and his band of merry cheerers in the 500 level, even though I was tucked in under the 200 level.

For all those who made noise - keep up the good work. As the crowds grow in the summer months, you'll find your efforts rewarded.

Off-Topic 2: A friend and I are planning on heading to Boston for May 22. Anybody know the ins & outs of Fenway? How badly will we get moosed by the scalpers if we can't get tickets through E-Bay in advance? (The box office is currently selling singles only).

A weekend game at Fenway could be tough dealing with scalpers. Prices are on the high side to begin with, and you'll probably pay 150% of face value.

Depending on whether you need to sit through the game, what I might do is get the single seats and then watch the game standing at the top of the sections. You can get a pretty good view from there. I find the seats very uncomfortable (people were smaller in early 1900s and I'm 6-2) and often don't face the plate and/or are obstructed views, so I don't mind standing.

What's the best way to get to the stadium?

I use Storrow Drive. There's a little less traffic and it takes you right to the park. Of course, with the Big Dig things may have changed since I last was there.

Is it dangerous to cheer for the opposition?

Physically I wouldn't worry at all, but you may take some razzing.

Any cheap hotel recommendations in the vicinity of the ballpark

I can't help you too much here.

The Howard Johnson's isn't cheap, but it's a 5-minute walk to the Park - there's a patio bar at the hotel where you are pretty much in the shadow of the back of the right-field wall.

I was at the game last night and there was no way there was 14,000 people there. The place was empty. Hopefully some good weather will force the Skydome idiots to open the roof before July.

I disagree -- the crowd looked pretty much like the "normal" 14,000 from last year. It was absolutely double the "13,000" from Monday.

It was pretty good up in the 500s last night, even though I only arrived halfway through the game. ;)

And actually, when I showed up there were four young guys already leading cheers up there, so I sat back and allowed myself to be led. It was great! Their most glorious moment:

Juan Gonzalez up to bat. They begin your standard Jua-an taunt, but then twist it -- Jua-an... Jua-an... wanna strike out! He strikes out. Ken Harvey up. Ke-en... Ke-en... can you strike out!

Everyone cracks up in our section. They keep doing it until Ken strikes out.

It takes them a pitch to realize that Angel Berroa is not Ayn-jel but is An-hel, and just as they start ...and he'll strike out, he hits a grounder and is done.

The crowd was definitely more alive up in the 500s. 10 runs will do that, I suppose.

My wife, knowing my ridiculous superstitions, decided that a ten run win was a good time to get me my birthday present, so I am wearing a nice new Jays hat (to make up for the cursed hat that has returned to the closet). I have to say, having never had a fitted hat before, this thing is beautifully made.

Some notes on the hat, related to previous criticism: the front is stiff, but it should not be high like a train engineer's cap. This hat is meant to be worn very, very low on the head, lower than any other hat I've worn. People have noted that it comes down to O-Dog's ears in his photo on the Jumbotron, and I think that it is supposed to. It comes down to mine, too, when I have it on right. The brim is resting right on my eyebrows, but this is where it looks "right". The front does seem to be ever so slightly too stiff -- the top corners look a little more squared off than I think they should, but I think that breaking in the hat will alleviate this.

All in all, I think it's a very nice hat.

I currently live in Boston (originally from Toronto) and I really dont think there is such thing as a cheap hotel (well any under $100-$150 USD).

I have actually done alright with tickets in the past. Uusually showing up after the game has started will get you cheaper prices (perhaps face value) from the scalpers. I am not sure if the Sox release tickets on game day or not but it may be an idea to go the ticket window first (I have done this in the past and got some solid tickets and actually went to the Bruins ticket window for game 7 vs. the Canadiens at around 6:30 and ended up getting a couple seats in one of the available suites!?!).

Living in South Boston I usually go the backroads through the South End onto Mass Ave and park at one of the garages there (usually a bit cheaper then the parking garages closer to the stadium). Its only a five-ten minutue walk from the garage to the park...

Lastly, I have gone to support the Jays at Fenway on many occassions wearing my Jays cap and no-one ever says anything to me...albeit, I am not one to be overly loud or obnoxious...

I find I just can't muster any outrage over putting advertisements on the bases. Any modern sports facility is simply plastered with ads anyway; so what if they're on the bases? Heck, barring any novelty closeups, I can't imagine anyone will be able to make them out.

I'm a big Naomi Klein fan, but the bid to keep baseball pure and uncommercialized was lost a looooooong time ago.

The SoSH have a ticket board which I'll check for you. I'll send you an email.

Ooh, me too, me too! Vanessa and I are going to Boston in June, just after a friend's wedding, to visit some family down there. We were hoping to catch a game at Fenway, since we've never seen the place. I think the Dodgers are in town when we're there...?

Baseball will receive about $3.6 million in a deal negotiated by Major League Baseball Properties with Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Inc., a high-ranking baseball executive said on condition of anonymity.

The Yankees and Boston Red Sox will get more than $100,000 each, the team executive said, also on condition of anonymity. Most of the other 13 teams playing at home that weekend will get about $50,000 apiece, the team executive said.

1. MLB can dictate advertising in parks they don't own? If the Yankees (or anyone else) decided they don't want to do it can't they just refuse the money?

2. If MLB is making this deal why are they not splitting the money up evenly? It'd be like giving the national TV money up disproportionately because there's more viewers watching in NY than Tampa.

3. $3.6 million? That's it? This movie's already gotten a lot more publicity than that.

4. How tacky is Spiderman crap on the bases, etc..?

5. I have no idea how this appeals to a younger crowd. Will someone be more interested because there's a Spiderweb on a base? Of course not. But you are running the risk of alienating existing fans.

Off-Topic 2:
I'll be doing the road trip thing too. Also did it a couple years ago, can't wait!

What's the deal with SoSH's ticket board?

1. MLB can dictate advertising in parks they don't own? If the Yankees (or anyone else) decided they don't want to do it can't they just refuse the money?

The Yankees have already refused. I think the compromise is that the bases will appear during batting practice for one game. I'm sure George doesn't really care but you don't tell him what to do. I must have heard this on Sportsnet this morning, ahh Hazel.

2. Aaron I'm sure the hat looks dashing. I have come around to the new uni's and have bought myself a T-shirt.

3. Since we're talking about seeing baseball games, has any one seen the Rockies at home. I believe that I'll be attending an afternoon game on July 1st against the Brewers. This will be my first american ball park as Montreal is the only other stadium that I've been to. I'm excited and if the stadium is somewhere near the city I can drink a lot of Coors product and avoid driving.

I have come around to the new uni's and have bought myself a T-shirt.

See? It's starting. Soon, you all will come to like the uniforms.

I went from pre-season total hatred of the new road greys (I loved the early '00s road greys) to having them as my favourite of the new three.

Dad: Hey, Jeremy, can you see Spider-Man out there?

Jeremy: Where?

Dad: Out there, on second base.

Jeremy: I don't see Spider-Man out there.

Dad: Well, no, his picture, it's on the base itself.

Jeremy: Where?

Dad: On second base, right there where I'm pointing.

Jeremy: Dad, we're in the 500 level. I can barely see the O-Dog from here.

Dad: Oh. Well, he's there, trust me. Isn't that cool?

Jeremy: Isn't what cool?

Dad: That Spider-Man is on the base.

Jeremy: Jeez, dad, that's so lame. Like, so what? I can't see it. Only the players can see it. And like, the movie stuff is all over the place anyway.

Dad: Well, I just think it's good that baseball is reaching out to younger fans like you.

Jeremy: Spider-Man is lameoid anyway -- jeez, Robbie's always running around with his Spider-Man pajamas on. He's for little kids. I wanna go see Kill Bill.

Dad: Jeremy, I've told you, you're too young to see that.

Jeremy: I wanna see Uma Thurman on second base.

Dad: Pipe down, Jeremy.

You've got to admit, "Second Base with Uma Thurman" would be a hell of a promotion.

In terms of wearing your Blue Jays gear, I've been to Boston on three occasions the last couple years (including Opening Day in that ill-fated Chris Carpenter start). I usually take the T to the Kenmore station and walk. I noticed that if I took the T after the game leaving the Fenway station, I don't have to pay because it's so crowded. But if you're staying anywhere in the city, you can walk or take the T.

I would always go to the game in full Blue Jays regalia and the worse I get is while I'm on the T or walking around the perimeter of Fenway, I get a "Blue Jays suck" shouted my way. A couple guys would intentionally bump into me but that's no big deal. That's the extent of the razzing I get. At the game, it may start but no one can keep it up for nine innings. Even when people say to me, "Blue Jays suck," it doesn't quite have the ring of "Yankees suck" so I've never had a problem cheering for the Jays in the stands there. Just don't do it in someone's face that you don't know. I notice that's how most fights start.

Did anyone else notice that Homer Bush made an appearance as a pinch runner then at second base for the Yankees?

Second base, Uma Thurman.

Words fail me. ;)

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/stats?statsId=5400&context=pitching
The Yanks are winning, but they're relying heavily on Mariano Rivera. COMN. Rivera's control has suffered some, and there'll likely be a bigger price to pay as the season wears on. Fortunately, the Jays are playing them often in the second half of the season.

I too saw Bush's name in the boxscore. Good for Homer.

I watched the end of that game last night. Bush got an AB in the 9th as well. He fouled off a slew of Rhodes pitches before waving at one in the dirt and striking out.

Rivera did look quite hittable last night-his location was certainly off. First two guys had solid singles up the middle. In un-A like fashion, Kotsay bunted with 1st/2nd none out. And to make Billy Beane green, he bunted toward third, but Rivera made a nice play and got the lead runner to put a damper on the threat. Even though his ERA may say differently, he doesn't look like the same guy.

Thanks for the feedback re: Fenway everybody!

alsiem, Coors Field is downtown. The streets fail very safe to walk on.

Be sure to wear lots of suntan lotion at a day game there.

Coors Field is downtown

Brilliant StephenT. That makes me very happy as does the suntan lotion advice, which will be followed.

I cannot wait until the Dome is opened. One ten run victory and I'm bursting with positivity.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/vorpp2004.html
B.P.'s latest VORP #'s (COMN)

For the Jays they are:
Halladay 12.3
Adams 5.7
Frasor 5.4
Ligtenberg 5.1
Lilly 4.2
Miller 3.6
Batista 3.1
Douglass 2.8
Speier 2.2
Nakamura 1.2
DL Santos 0.1
Kershner -0.4
Towers -4.0
Hentgen -4.8
Lopez -5.0

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/statalpitch/
Actually, I find the component stats more interesting. Halladay's BABIP is .320; Lilly's is .241. Lilly's line-drive rate is twice Halladay's. COMN. Even allowing for the fact that Halladay is a ground ball pitcher and Lilly is a fly-ball pitcher, Halladay has been quite unlucky to date, and Lilly, well, he's been lucky.

By the way, props to the Hardball Times (studes) for presenting the pitching stats in a useful form.

Halladay's BABIP is .320; Lilly's is .241.

And around .270 is average, correct?

I had been noticing that Halladay has given up a lot of hits this year (but that's because I'm a fantasy geek and I suck in WHIP this year).

alsiem you should go to Comerica Park sometime to catch the mighty Tigers. The nice thing is that you can stay in Windsor and catch the Windsor Transit bus over and back.

I don't think anyone remarked on the fact that Christopher Pulled Up the name of today's band in the second post. Gosh I liked them.

Randy, a trip to see Comerica is certainly on my radar. I was just reading some Denver tourism sites and it seems the stadium is smack dab in a neighborhood with of a couple of micro breweries. It's like I'm on the city planning commission. Instead of bitching about the concessions at Sky Dome, we should all plan to head over to the Round House (Steam Whistle Brewery) once the summer gets going. I'm quite sure they have a patio.

Works for me!

Yep, Pistol, about .270, although it varies from year to year.

Can someone please link the article from the Technology section of today's Star about the Jays?

Any tips for the Big Owe and Montreal are appreciated. I'm heading up there this weekend to see the Cards and Expos, and I'll see the Jays Friday. Should be quite a weekend.

Hotels in downtown Denver are nice, and very expensive. I was there about 5 years ago and the Holiday Inn was $175. And parking was an extra $15! You can walk everywhere once you are there though so it's pretty good that way.

Ignore the Coors! Lots of great microbrewerys in Denver, and most have really good restaurants within. Actually anyone know why American mass produced is so uniformly bad when almost every city has pretty good microbreweries?

I only got to spend a day and a half there, but I really enjoyed it, great city. Of course part of that may be that Denver has the youngest professional demographic in the US and I was 25 at the time!

Two short trips worth taking are Comerica and Jacob's Field.

I did both trips in a day and loved both parks. So if you're into checkin' out parks and you're just looking for a long day trip then those are the right start. I lucked out both times as I went from Chatham to Detroit/Cleveland instead of the full on Toronto and back.

Anyways, I had fun on the trips and would recommend to anyone to go and check them out when the Jays play...

I went to the Jays game against the Tigers last Canada Day and it was hilarious. Fights almost did break out but the atmosphere this year is totally different there... they're selling out games for one which puts an away fan in their place immediately and the club just isn't as easy to make fun of this year with the way the Jays started the season.

My next trip is to Cincy.

The discounted SABR convention rate at the downtown Denver Marriott last year was just $105/night. Looks like SABR negotiated well.

Yes, Denver is great. I've been there twice; two 6-day stays. Great sightseeing.

I know it sounds silly... but thoughts have been dancing thru my head for some reason of what a typical jays boxscore might look like if there were two #25's on the squad with the arrival of barry bonds...

and He'd totally play here.. I see no issues on this matter whatsoever...

He'll get sick of being walked all the time... and he'll say to himself "I wanna bat in front of Carlos Delgado so I won't be pitched around all the time..." ... "I wanna knock off the two evil empires ffrom their soulless and shameless run at a bought dynasty"... "I want to see attendance rates tripled at my own mere presence to appease my giant ego..." ... I can see it now...

So... he'll just say to the papers.. hey guys place me on waivers and uh.... if anyone other than the jays picks me up than I'll... uh... hold out or something...

See??? He'll totally play here. No problem whatsoever.

I can't wait to see barry bonds at the dome...

Who's with me on this one???

And then Matt woke up, and the sheets were wet.