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How did Baseball Day in Canada go?

I don't know about Toronto, but London was a blast. There were seven of us there in total, but Brent and I were the only Bauxites. We had a ton of beer, nachos, wings, and fun. This is something we'll be doing quite often.

Cheers,

Mike

Baseball Day in Toronto was great fun, even though the game didn't offer much to get excited about. We had about 15 or 16 people, and I enjoyed renewing acquaintances and putting faces to names a lot more than what was on the big screen. Adam Everett getting hit in the face by a Batista pitch was a bit scary; it was a relief when he got to his feet.

Actually, watching Carlos Delgado jog around the bases on a Hinske double -- and substitute third base coach John Gibbons giving the half-hearted wave home -- was kind of funny. The big fella was out by only thirty feet or so.

Simon Pond has changed his stance since I saw him last. His hands are much higher, and he keeps them still. He singled up the middle off the end of the bat in his only AB, and probably could have scored if he'd been running more aggressively on the four or five passed balls that followed on knuckleballs that eluded the catcher. But hey, it's just spring training; the score didn't matter and we sure don't want anyone hurt in an unneccessary collision at the plate.

The next Beer Club meeting will be different, I'm sure. There was some talk of getting together again for the April 9 opener of the Red Sox series. Because the game will matter more, I'm sure we'll save the socializing for commercial breaks and be much more involved in the baseball action. Sports Cafe will be open on Good Friday, and the game starts at 3:00, so we can probably get the same corner we had yesterday, which has room for at least 30 fans.

Carlos Tosca continues torture 'roto geeks'

More power to him if he can pull off the committee approach. We got to see Adams, Speier and Ligtenberg yesterday, and we already know what Lopez can do. I completely agree that the key at-bats in a close game are often in the seventh or eighth inning, so if all of these guys want the ball in those spots, great. The absence of a nominal closer negatively affects a team when two or three guys with big egos and more interest in pumping their stats than winning games are actively campaigning for the role. By what everyone is saying, that's not the case with this group. They all seem happy to set each other up. It does complicate our fantasy drafts, but I don't mind, if they combine to make us all forget Jeff Tam and the April 2003 Escobar.

Baseball America has a review of all teams minor league systems. They say this, (among other things):

The Blue Jays have as many pitchers having success in full-season ball who throw in the mid-90s as any organization

We had a ton of beer, nachos, wings, and fun. This is something we'll be doing quite often.

I'll second Mike's statement. It was a blast. Maybe next time we might take the harrowing journey down to Toronto to meet up with the other Bauxites.

probably could have scored if he'd been running more aggressively

Would it have made a whole lot of sense to send the runner from third with a relatively short backstop (and surely a close play) down by two and needing runners desperately? I thought it was smart to keep him at third knowing he would score easily on a base hit, which would've been necessary to tie the game.

April 9th
I'll be headed back to Toronto that day so with any luck I'll find a train arriving before 3.

Adam, I agree; I wasn't really criticizing, just pointing out that there isn't a lot of intensity in spring training, especially this late, with the roster spots mostly decided.

If you're going to be in Toronto, any interest in helping coach the old alma mater? I could use you in the bullpen during games, and we'd love to have you pitch some BP. E-mail me.

For anyone interested in today's game, with Mssrs. Lilly and Towers slated to pitch, it's on CJCS 1240 in Stratford; scroll down and click "Real Audio - Listen Up" on the left.

Three up, three down for the best lefty in the AL East. Scoreless after one.

Wilner and Cheek are still raving about how good Lilly's breaking ball was in the first inning. He also threw 10 pitches, 9 of which were strikes in that first inning.

O-Dog homers -- off the lefty! -- with a wind-aided, opposite-field fly ball.

Three outstanding innings for Lilly, who now looks right on schedule for the third game of the regular season vs. the Tigers. A Lieberthal double was the only blemish, and Ted threw all his pitches for strikes. Still 1-0 for the good guys, with Towers ready for the next three or four innings.

Lilly pitched to a couple of batters in the fourth (Thome singled) then Towers' first pitch was ripped off the top of the CF wall by Burrell for an RBI double to tie the score.

37 strikes in 52 pitches for Lilly. Gotta like that.

Lieberthal jacks a 2-run shot; Mike Wilner said "the word is getting out -- Towers throws first-pitch fastball strikes."

Josh has fanned 12 and walked just one in the Grapefruit League, but opponents are hitting well over .300 off him, with three homers.

Jays lost (5-2?). Lilly did well though. Looks like Doc-Batista-Lilly for the first series, then I guess Hentgen-Doc-Batista at Fenway Easter weekend.

O-Dog's coming up on Wilner's postgame very soon, and I highly recommend listening to him being interviewed. Hilarious.