Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Blue Jays Are Going To Disney World!

The Jays will have one less stop at the "Trop" in 2008. MLB.com reports they will play the newly-named Tampa Bay Rays for the first time in Orlando this April.

I believe the last time the Jays played on neutral soil during the regular season was against the Expos in Puerto Rico in 2004 when Dave Bush made his MLB debut. Off the top of my head, I also remember them opening the 1996 season in Las Vegas to play Oakland and in Puerto Rico to face Texas in the 2001 campaign.

It seems that Tropicana Field has been a house of horrors over the years to the Jays so a change of scenery might not be a bad thing.

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Thursday, February 14 2008 @ 02:42 PM EST.

Blue Jays Are Going To Disney World! | 28 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

VBF - Thursday, February 14 2008 @ 04:12 PM EST (#180030) #

Only the Rays could schedule a three game series in a minor league stadium and have it make financial sense.

ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, February 14 2008 @ 09:09 PM EST (#180038) #

Obviously this also reflects the extent to which the Jays are (or more accurately, are not) a draw.

CeeBee - Thursday, February 14 2008 @ 11:28 PM EST (#180045) #

" Obviously this also reflects the extent to which the Jays are (or more accurately, are not) a draw. "

Considering that the Jays had the 6th best road attendance in the American league last year I'm not sure thats true. I dont know where to find team home attendace broken down by visiting teams so maybe Toronto is a bad draw in Tropicans I suppose.

ChicagoJaysFan - Thursday, February 14 2008 @ 11:49 PM EST (#180046) #

Considering that the Jays had the 6th best road attendance in the American league last year I'm not sure thats true

With an unbalanced schedule, it's hard to say how much of that is the Jays and how much of that is their schedule. As you also said, I don't know how to break it down by teams, but the Yankees average 10k more per game at home than any other American League team. Boston has the 4th highest AL attendance and sell out every game. I'd guess that their attendance doesn't fluctuate too wildly when the Jays visit (obviously the Sox doesn't), but again, I don't know where to find out for certain. Either way playing those two teams more than most is going to help your road attendance look a lot better.

On a quasi-related note (but more related to other discussions about Jays and fan attraction) ... ranking attendance and only examining the American League makes things look more favorable for the Jays than they actually are. They may be 6th in the AL in road attendance, but they're actually 22nd in the majors (link). And if you're curious, the three NL teams that Tampa hosts this year all have better road attendance than the Jays: Florida, Houston, and the Cubs.

Barry Bonnell - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 09:30 AM EST (#180052) #

Fasano says that J.P gave him his word that he would be the back-up. Fasano sounds absolutely crushed that the Jays signed Barajas. If we didn't know before J.P's word means squat.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080214.bluejays15/GSStory/GlobeSports/home

John Northey - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 10:14 AM EST (#180053) #

If Fasano really thought that his job as the backup was secure after signing a AAA contract and hitting below his weight the last two seasons in the majors (234 AB's total, but pretty horrid ones) then he really needs to give his head a shake.

I suspect JP told Fasano that he was to be the backup at that time, but only because he didn't find a better option. Much like McDonald assumed his role as the starting shortstop was a lock due to his 2 year deal. Bad assumptions to put it mildly.

FranklyScarlet - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 10:14 AM EST (#180054) #

Unfortunately for Fasano, that's not how it works in MLB.
We don't know what JP told him.
And Fasano may have heard what he wanted to hear.
He is, indeed, a back-up.

Chuck - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 10:51 AM EST (#180055) #

He is, indeed, a back-up.

In his dreams. He is a backup's backup. Or maybe a backup's backup's backup. He's a 36-year old catcher who's not a sure bet to hit .200. And while he may be a fan favourite thanks to some facial hair, he's a fool if he thinks anyone's going to commit half a million dollars and a major league job to him.

jgadfly - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 11:48 AM EST (#180057) #

I realize that this is really cheap and easy but if I don't maybe no-one will stoop so low ... JP: ..."maybe Sal misremembers what I said"... ah whatever happened to the good ol' days of plausible deniability ? ...

Bid - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 12:07 PM EST (#180059) #

I think the consensus here has been that Sal's best opportunity with the Blue Jays was coaching, irrespective of how much, or more likely, how little game time he got either in Toronto or in Syracuse this year.

So it seems an unwise tack to have taken in the McLeod interview unless he intended to burn off his Jay's future. He has presented as a smart guy tho, hasn't he?

CaramonLS - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 12:43 PM EST (#180062) #

Well, a lie is a lie. If JP told Sal he was going to be the Backup catcher and didn't follow through, that is pretty disgraceful.

zeppelinkm - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 01:16 PM EST (#180063) #

There's a pretty sweet quote in there from Fasano.

In reference to having successful surgery on his knees and feeling completely healthy:

�I don't think they ever really saw me with two good wheels.�

I agree with Cameron though - a lie is a disgrace. Why can't JP be upfront with a player in a private negotiation? "We like what you bring to the table but realistically you are our plan B for backup". That puts the ball in Fasano's court and if he signs and then JP signs Barajas there is no ill will.

Whether or not Fasano is delusional in thinking he's an acceptable back up catcher is irrelevant. If JP told him that he was certain to be the backup catcher, then it's JP who made the mistake because he knows better. It's unfortunate for Fasano because it's JP's error in judgment but it's Fasano who pays the price.

Pistol - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 01:22 PM EST (#180064) #

I don't think there's any reason that Fasano would be lying here, but one, he signed a minor league deal so that ought to tell him something, and two, Ricciardi was pretty clear in the media that they were looking at other catchers even after they signed Fasano.

"This just gives us a little bit of security," Ricciardi said on Friday, discussing the Fasano signing. "I still think we'll continue to try to address that area. I don't know what we'll be available. It might be via trade, and there are a few guys still out there who could fit our need via free agency. We'll see. Right now, at least we have a comfort knowing that we have a guy there."

Flex - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 01:33 PM EST (#180065) #

Let's not be so quick to call Ricciardi a liar and get all outraged about it. It's entirely possible he said something like: "Right now, Sal, you're our backup." or "Sal, I'd say you're going to be our backup." or "Sal, we want you here as our backup to give our kids more time."

Each of those things could be interpreted by Sal as saying "I'm the backup," but none of them imply a guarantee and none of them are lies.

timpinder - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 01:34 PM EST (#180066) #

What do the bauxites here think of Gibbons' potential batting order? According to McLeod, Gibbons is leaning toward having Eckstein lead off, Stairs and Johnson platoon in the 2nd spot, followed by Wells hitting 3rd, then Rios batting cleanup. It's certainly not what I had in mind, so I'm looking for other informed opinions.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080214.gibbons15/BNStory/GlobeSportsBaseball

CaramonLS - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 01:40 PM EST (#180067) #

vs. LHP that is fine, but I assume this isn't only against Lefties.

I'd tear my hair out if he actually planned to use that against right handed pitching.

Ducey - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 02:34 PM EST (#180069) #

Didn't Barajas back out on JP after giving his word he was going to sign last year? (maybe I am misremembering)

Maybe some bad Karma not keeping your word?

Barajas doesn't keep his word, has to come crawling back for less money a year later. You got to figure that there is a cosmic target on Zaun's back where he will get injured forcing JP rely on Fasano for 4 months while he hits .127

Chuck - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 02:46 PM EST (#180071) #

BP's Will Carroll posts a red light for Vernon Wells.

ANationalAcrobat - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 03:11 PM EST (#180072) #

I'm with ya, Caramon. I'm optimistic that Eck/Wells will get dropped after a month or so though. Hell, if things really don't work out after a month or so, Gibbons could be the one getting dropped: he certainly does not have a contract for 2009.

VBF - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 03:23 PM EST (#180073) #

I don't really see how Fasano could think he was a guaranteed backup when you've got Thigpen and Diaz both in the loop. Barajas hurts his shot, but how many seasons have we gone through using two catchers?

VBF - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 03:27 PM EST (#180074) #

On the topic of Fasano...

A little extra weight certainly didn't hurt our friend David.

Bid - Friday, February 15 2008 @ 05:12 PM EST (#180077) #

While you're enjoying the Will Carroll piece, click thru to strained eyelid. I believe Chris and Kevin were on a date.

FranklyScarlet - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 10:22 AM EST (#180088) #

Chuck

My back-up comment was intended to be just like you see it. He is a back-up, but not with the big club unless we go hurting again.
JP did not lie to Sal. He is a back-up. JP improved the club signing Barajas. The disgraceful comments are a little much. IMO.
Barajas did not come crawling back, either. He was reached out to by a number people on our staff.

Where is the entitlement for Sal coming from?

jeff mcl - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 11:41 AM EST (#180089) #

Read the article, but am now wondering how playing on turf could affect recovery time for a shoulder injury?

CaramonLS - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 04:41 PM EST (#180092) #

My back-up comment was intended to be just like you see it. He is a back-up, but not with the big club unless we go hurting again.
JP did not lie to Sal. He is a back-up. JP improved the club signing Barajas. The disgraceful comments are a little much. IMO.
Barajas did not come crawling back, either. He was reached out to by a number people on our staff.

Where is the entitlement for Sal coming from?

No, the disgraceful comments are par for the course and if you bothered to actually read what people were saying they were always prefaced with an "if". IF JP lied to Sal and told him he would be the backup catcher with no special conditions come the beginning of the season, that is disgraceful. His talent level doesn't even need to come into question here because that has nothing to do with the issue at all.

scottt - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 04:46 PM EST (#180093) #

Fasano is in the same position he was last year. Barajas was a good signing, but J.P. was going to sign a veteran to be the real backup all along.
Both Barajas and Zaun have spent time on the DL last year, so Fasano is as likely to be called from Syracuse as anywhere else in AAA.

Is Sal asking J.P. to release him without compensation if anyone is interested in him? That's a lose/lose proposition. The door is likely to close on a coaching job no matter what J.P. says.

Gibbons was changing the batting order every day last year, so I'd be surprised if he doesn't do the same again. His job is on the line this year, so he should be less patient. As long as he doesn't bunch all the lefties together, things should be fine.

I don't know about playing on turf, but Wells better stay away from diving catches and Rollen from flipping second basemen.

FranklyScarlet - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 08:30 PM EST (#180096) #

I read Caramon, I read. And further, I speak regularly with the Coaching staff.
His talent level does matter...LOL. My goodness.
Scott.....great observations. This is going to be a fun season.

ANationalAcrobat - Saturday, February 16 2008 @ 09:17 PM EST (#180097) #

His talent level does matter...LOL. My goodness.

You're implying that it's ok to lie to a bad player to get him to sign a contract; that's ridiculous. It's a brutal injustice if this is indeed what JP did - I can't wait to hear his side of the story.

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