So, this is it. My maiden voyage into the blogosphere. For those of you who don’t know me, well, first of all, why would you come to this page? Seeing as you did, though, an introduction:

I’m the dumb-looking guy in the picture up there in the corner. I’ve been covering the Blue Jays specifically and the Great Game of Baseball in general for the Fan590 since April of 2001, the beginning of Gord Ash’s final year at the reins, and I’ve been the third voice in the Blue Jays’ broadcast booth since the 2002 season, working all six of my seasons with the incomparable Jerry Howarth, three with the late, legendary Tom Cheek (vote Tom for the Frick – every day in November – find the link on the front page of this site), two with Warren Sawkiw and this last one and, hopefully, many more, with Alan Ashby.

Oh, this seems like a pretty good time to throw this in here. Although I’m a big stickler for proper spelling and grammar – I rail against the disintegration of the English language on a pretty-much daily basis – get used to the run-on sentences. There will be plenty.

I also host the pre- and post-game shows before and after every Blue Jays and post-season broadcast on the Fan Radio Network (yes, someday the twain shall meet).

What I get to do for a living is an absolute dream come true, and despite how I might sound when I get riled up by the “on-base percentage doesn’t matter” or “why didn’t Vernon Wells bunt with the go-ahead run on first in the 6th” crowd, that sheer and unadulterated frustration is part of the fun. I love every minute of it, and I thank all you listeners first for listening, second for calling in and contributing, and third, for indulging me.

I remember when I was slugging it out, broadcasting minor-league games for teams like the late, lamented Welland Pirates (saw Tim Wakefield’s first knuckleball!), Hardware City Rock Cats (Todd Walker’s professional debut!) and Watertown Indians (Dustan Mohr, anyone? – this is getting tough), I would listen to big-league broadcasts on the drives home. The post-game shows always bothered me in that the host would almost always take what the callers were saying at face value, even if they were completely wrong. I hated that, and swore that wouldn’t happen on my show. I like to think it doesn’t.

I’m married with two beautiful young daughters aged 6 and 2, so a lot of my off-season time is spent watching various and sundry Princess movies, the Backyardigans and Hi-5. You know, if I had to choose one colour, just for me, I think I would take them all, you’ll see.

Also, I’m a pretty big baseball-simulation gamer. I’m in two leagues, one Toronto-based (THROW) and one that’s run out of Texas (FEBC) in which I’m the only Canadian (and Champion 5 of the last 7 years – woo-hoo!). We play Dynasty League Baseball, which is a tremendous sim board game. But I couldn’t get Matt Garza for Delmon Young, which was a terrific swap, I think. I just got Ervin Santana and Carlos Quentin for him. That might work out, too.

Oh, and I have a weakness for the brilliant and cheesy music of the 1980s. You may find the occasional Duran Duran, Tears for Fears or what have you reference within these walls. Do not be afraid.

From this point on, there will be regular posts. Less regular in the winter, every day during the season. I’ll have something for you tomorrow anticipating my trip to Nashville for the Winter Meetings, and then plenty of stuff for you from Nashville. Nothing against the fine people who run the Opryland hotel, but it’s an AWFUL place to be a reporter during a Winter Meetings.

I have to tell you, this is a pretty daunting task. There are so many great writers putting out Blue Jays blogs, both professional and otherwise, and I’m a big fan of several blogs out there, so I hope this one will fit in alongside the Blairs, Bastians and Griffins, Drunks and Bauxites. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Thanks for reading, and please, please, please cast your vote for Tom Cheek for the Ford C. Frick award, which would give him a place in the broadcasters’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. There is no one more deserving of the honour. You can vote by clicking on the link on the front page of this very website.

One last thing: I’d love to hear from you. Hopefully there’ll be enough feedback to get one of those crazy mailbags going. Feel free to add something to the comments sections below, but also, you can reach me e-mailically at “wilner590@hotmail.com”.