5:21 PM Eastern
Well, I’m back from a week of cruising through the Eastern Caribbean, and sadly, can barely get out of bed. The room just won’t stop spinning.
I should ask the Drunks how best to handle it, but chances are it’s mostly to do with the head cold/sinus infection I came down with on the ship back on Wednesday night, after a lovely tour of Grenada during which we checked out a lovely waterfall and the Grand Etang Crater Lake - up there, my wife got to feed a banana to a wild monkey, very cool.
The highlight of the trip came on Tuesday, when we stopped at Dominica. The poorest island of the five, and ugliest, city-wise, but we went up to a twin waterfall (Trafalger Falls) and actually got to go into a shallow pool at the bottom of the falls - warm water, just beautiful, and the scenery was outstanding. It was a really great trip, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to sail the Caribbean. St. Thomas had a fantastic beach (Emerald Beach - I think we piggybacked onto a Best Western resort), as did Aruba (Palm Beach - sadly no Sidney Ponson sightings) and I was too sick to see much of Bonaire at all.
As far as the boat went, we wrapped up the cruise by winning the final game-show rip-off of the week, their version of Jeopardy!, by being the only ones not to wager everything on the final question, and cashing in when all nine teams got it wrong (no one knew Louis Washkansky’s claim to fame - no fair googling). Thanks to my old high school teacher Richie Stoll for the advice: If you’re not leading going into Final Jeopardy, the only way to win is to have the leader answer incorrectly, so wager accordingly.
It was nice to finish off in the winners’ circle (and with a set of lovely tote bags) after having been on the losing end in the ship’s version of The Price Is Right, losing by two in Movie Trivia (big brother would have been so disappointed), and failing to qualify for the final in either the Blackjack or the Slot tournament. Oh, and don’t play three-card poker.
So the sinus thing is one reason that I’m in rough shape right about now, the other is probably combining that with the flight back from Puerto Rico (via Atlanta yesterday - Hartsfield airport in honour of the Blue Jays’ first manager, don’cha know). I’m pretty sure I’ve got some sort of an inner-ear thing going on right now, Ken Dayley style, just hoping it doesn’t last three years.
I’m keeping as much of an eye as I can on the Winter Meetings from afar, though I won’t be as prolific writing about anything unless the Blue Jays do something or I start to feel better. I can’t say I’m terribly excited about Gerald Laird going to the Tigers, and I’m not going to get into the rumours as much from home as I would had I been there. Though just remember I told you that the Cardinals would eventually be in on A.J. Burnett.
There are about 50-60 comments in the hopper right now that I’ll get too as soon as I can sit long enough to deal with them, and I’ll be checking in with a post at least once a day through Thursday, when the meetings wrap up with the Rule Five draft.
Tomorrow, the Ford C. Frick honouree will be announced, so everybody keep your fingers crossed that the voters finally made the right decision this time!
Reasonable, rational comments are always welcome.
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Hey Mike,
If I would have known you were stopping in Grenada I’d have gotten you a good table at the best restaurant on the island - La Boulangerie.
Hope the room stops spinning soon.
MW: Thanks.
- CameronHey Mike
Read an article my Jordan Bastia that talked about trade rumours between the Mets and the Jays involving B.J Ryan. I just wanted to say that it is probably not a good time to trade him seeing as he just came off a rehab season where he wasnt in top form. It woyuld be better to keep him till next offseason where he will hopefully be coming off a better season. I guess the other side of that arguement is the amount of money he takes up and the amount of depth the Jays bullpen has but I still think that they should wait.
Heres the article
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081208&content_id=3706632&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor
MW: It all depends on how the free agent market for closers shakes down, and who’s willing to give up what to fill the hole if they still have it. I don’t think, though, that this would be a case of trading a player at the bottom-end of his value.
- JamesHi Mike, first off I wanna plead with voters to honour Mr. Cheek the way he deserves to be honoured. Secondly, I would like to ask you why is JP so gung-ho about resigning Mr. Burnett instead of going after a pitcher like Ben Sheets? Mr. Sheets is a very similar version of Mr. Burnett and would come quite a bit cheaper. It makes sense in my mind! How about for you?
MW: I know that J.P. was a big fan of Sheets, but I don’t think the money’s there now.
- LoganHey Mike,
San Francisco has made it be known that they are interested in spending big money to improve their team. Do you think the the Jays could have a potential trade partner there? Could the Jays improve their economic situation by trading Vernon Wells to San Fran 1st baseman John Bowker and Matt Cain? They would save big money by doing so and then play their young outfielders.
MW: There’s potential there, for sure. The question is, would the Jays be selling low on Vernon? But Rios seems ready to play centre, Bowker is a nice bat with power potential and Cain would slip into the rotation. One wonders if the price would be too high for the Giants.
- JonSo JP is saying Jays are in need of pitching..and implying that other than reclamation projects such as pavano, they are looking to trade for it.
trade what? hitting? this team cannot afford to give up any hitting.
the only thing i can see making sense is to trade younger pitching for current pitching…but with the economics being what they are..wouldnt it make more sense to just bring up those kids and let them have a shot themselves?
MW: That’s probably what’s going to happen. But the Jays would trade some hitting, like Overbay or Lind, also Rolen or Wells if they could move the contracts.
- sammy jalalzaiHate hearing about someone who fell ill on a vacation - tough one there Mike.
You trip sounding fantastic nonetheless. Very descriptive as to the scenery. Crazy eh - how some of the poorest areas in the world are the most breath taking.
Not that you would have been feeling that great for it right now - but I just can’t understand why the Fan 590 does not have you covering the Winter Meetings for MLB. Makes no sense - you go down to cover spring training and something as big as the meetings nada!
If it’s an inner thing you got going on there Mike - it’s for sure it can hang around for a long time. Flying for sure would not help when it comes to that kind of condition. Maybe there’s a health care provider reading your blog who can help out.
I remember you mentioning the Cards as to AJ - we will soon find out I am sure about him and plenty of others.
Take care - all the best for a speedy recovery.
Thanks.
MW: Thanks. The recession is affecting everyone, including the Fan, which is why I’m not in Vegas and probably won’t be in Spring Training as long as I usually am.
- Bob from BurlingtonCan I please have my two minutes back. Terrible post.
MW: I’m sick - what did you want?
- MikeMike,
If the Jays don’t make any free agent signings, what do you think the jays record will be in ‘09?
I’m thinking Under .500 for sure, just a matter of how many games
MW: What if they make some trades?
- MikeBMike:
Vitamin C occurs so naturally in so many fruits and juices, that you got sick is surprising. That you expect J.P. to do anything significant is shocking.
Do not stay any so long next time, you are missed. Get well soon.
MW: Huh?
- Richard SpackmanMW: What may be likelier to happen is that they stay at about $80 million this year (2009) and go to $110 million in 2010.
$80 mil 2009:
Rios
Hill
wells
New DH $3-8 mil 1yr
Snider-Lind
Overbay
Rolen
Barajas
Scutaro
Lind-Snider
Bautista-Inglett
J Mac
Thigpen-Arencibia
Halladay
New SP ($3-8 mil)-McGowan
Litch
Janssen
Purcey-Cecil
BJ
League
Accardo
Downs
Carleson
Frasor
Tallet
80-90 wins?
what would the `10 Jays look like with $110 mil ?????
The future is not so bleak, is it?
MW: It’s not that bleak. The immediate future isn’t pretty, though.
- andrew - KWSo the Jays are showing interest in Rafael Furcal - do you think the Jays have a trade lined up to squeeze in Furcal’s contract?
Hope you’re feeling better.
-Lee
MW: I don’t think they have one lined up, but I think they’ll make one if they sign him. However, I don’t think they’ll sign him.
- LeeHi Mike,
Sorry to hear you were sick on your vacation. My parents just got back from the Dominican, and my father came down with a bad bit of food poisoning and had to go to the hospital. Definitely not the way you want to spend your vacation. Although, it is good to get away. Glad to have you back, thanks for the updates!
- Ian