12:40 AM Eastern
Throwing away back-to-back sacrifice bunt attempts to end the season? Stop me if you’ve seen that movie before. Yep, the Angels “pulled a Blue Jays” in Game Six of the ALCS, paving the Yankees’ way to their first World Series berth since 2003 when they lost in six to the Marlins.
Somewhere, there’s a Yankees fan who turns nine on Tuesday who has yet to have his or her team win a championship in his or her lifetime. He or she might not have to wait much longer, which kinda sucks.
Tonight, Joe Girardi amazingly made only two pitching changes, and three Yankee pitchers stifled the Anaheim bats. The Halos had a chance to take advantage of an ill-conceived idea of Girardi’s to use Rivera to nail down the last six outs, but they took care of that with their shoddy defence in the 8th.
Asking Rivera to get the last six outs of a playoff game isn’t unusual. But asking him to do it with a two-run lead, with a Game Seven set for the next day if he doesn’t isn’t the smartest thing to do (I can’t believe I’m agreeing with Joe Morgan). I wouldn’t have done it, but the Angels allowing the Yanks to score two add-on runs in the 8th WITHOUT BENEFIT OF A HIT made the point moot.
After pulling a “bend-but-don’t-break” routine in the 8th, allowing a run on a two-out single by Vladimir Guerrero, Rivera didn’t have to come out and protect a one-run lead in the 9th because Howie Kendrick couldn’t catch an easy throw from Kendry Morales and because Scott Kazmir couldn’t make an easy throw to first.
Instead, the Yankees have their 40th American League pennant. Mazel tov.
And seriously, Mike Scioscia – Gary Matthews, Junior as a pinch-hitter with two out in the 9th? Never mind the fact that righties hit Rivera better than lefties, that Mike Napoli’s OPS against righties was almost 100 points higher than Matthews’. But it’s Gary Matthews, Jr.! A guy who has perhaps had the best-timed one good year in the history of one good yearing! The man was relatively useless at the plate prior to his out of character <cough>hGH<cough> 2006, and having been busted after signing the big contract, he’s been terrible as an Angel. Now is not the time to try to justify five years and $50 million. Sheesh.
Anyway.
If these playoffs have done one thing – besides highlight just how bad umpiring has become these days – they’ve put the lie to this “Twins and Angels play the game the right way” bogosity that had become accepted as gospel the last few weeks.
The Angels handed the first two games of this series to their Bronxular hosts with shoddy defense, they couldn’t run the bases (nor could the Twins!) and tonight, with the season on the line, their pitchers couldn’t throw strikes – either to the plate or to the bases.
The Yankees won the pennant despite a Blue Jaysesque inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Actually, that’s an insult to the Blue Jays. The Yanks hit just .183 with RISP for the series – 11 hits in 60 at-bats – and that includes the pop-up that Erick Aybar and Chone Figgins let drop between them in the first inning of Game 1 that really set the tone for the series. Three of the four Yankee wins can be attributed almost completely to the incompetence of their opposition, and that’s not supposed to happen in the playoffs.
So we have the Yankees looking for their first World Series championship of the decade (2001-2010 – decades don’t start with the year that ends in zero, they end with them. There was no year zero. I will not debate this.) against the Phillies, who are looking for their second, and their second in a row. If the Phillies win, they’ll become the first back-to-back champs from the N.L. since the Big Red Machine.
The Phils aren’t your typical National League team. In fact, you’ll hear several pundits refer to them as an American League line-up that just happens to play in the N.L. over the next few days. It’s true. But even with a DH, whether it be Matt Stairs (for whom the new Yankee Stadium was built), Greg Dobbs or Ben Francisco (I’m assuming he goes to left and Raul Ibanez comes off the field to DH against lefties), their line-up still isn’t as potent as the Yankees’ (have you had enough of the parenthetical comments yet? I’m just asking.).
The Yanks will likely throw a left-handed starter four times in the seven games – maybe five – and that’s not good news for Ryan Howard, who goes from being all-world to being John McDonald when a lefty comes in. Seriously – Howard’s OPS against lefties was two points WORSE than McDonald’s overall OPS this season.
Surprisingly, lefty sluggers Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez were better hitters against left-handers this season, and having a lefty in there gives Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz each a huge boost.
The Phils will put up a good fight if they can throw strikes and take care of the baseball (I figured – football reference, I might as well talk like the football people). The bullpens may wind up being the difference; I guarantee you we won’t see any six-out save attempts out of Brad Lidge.
Our first Blue Jay A Day Pre-Pre-Game Show will be Thursday night in advance of Game 2 because the Raptor game on Wednesday will lead to us joining Game 1 in progress. I’m going to try to get Aaron Hill for that show, but if he does it, it’d be a first for him. We’ll let you know both here and on Twitter who our first Jays guest will be as soon as we book him.
Also, before the World Series begins, I’m planning to pre-play it using the great Dynasty League Baseball simulation – with yours truly managing the Phillies while the game’s creator, Mike Cieslinski, manages the hated Yankees. The results will be posted right here.
We may only have a week of baseball left this year! If that’s it, let’s hope we see four straight Philadelphia wins!
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome.
Click here to subscribe to Wilner's blog
Michael,
How good is Cliff Lee?
Despite pitching in the AL, he managed to pitch just over 30 innings the last two seasons against Boston and NY. That’s like a start and a half against each team each season. This season he pitched okay in 12 innings against the Yankees but he did have a .320 BAA so it seems like he was pitching out of jams against them.
This season alone Roy Halladay pitched 70 innings against BOS and NY and pitched better than Cliff Lee against the Yankees, and probably would have against Boston had Lee had more than 1 start against the Sox.
I guess what I’m asking is what would Cliff Lee look like pitching for a team in the AL EAST where he’d regularly have to face two of Boston, NY, or Tampa?
In turn, how super human might Roy look if he goes to one of the weaker divisions in the off-season? (I guess they’re all weaker than the AL EAST.)
MW: Lee certainly looked pretty good in his Game 1 start against the Yankees but it’s true, he has gotten to feast on plenty of lesser lights over the course of the past two seasons.
- Uncle BenWhat’s even more troubling is that this is the second time this series the Matthews for Napoli sub has happened against RHP. If I were an Angel fan I think I’d literally be pulling my hair out over that one.
It’s amazing to me how poor the managing has been for a few teams so far this postseason. Not gonna go into all of the criticisms, but Torre’s handling of the pitching staff, Girardi’s micromanaging and Scoscia’s general awfulness do hurt their team’s chances, regardless of the outcome of the game. It’s an argument people have had for years over player evaluation, but I think it would be interesting to see how a strictly by-the-numbers type young manager would fare in the big leagues.
Now I don’t mean a guy who’s going to micromanage like Girardi was based on small sample sizes, I mean a guy that really knows the data. A guy that believes in the stuff that allows us to best quantify the risk vs reward of any potential move and understand how asinine something such as pinch running for A-Rod on first base in a game that could very well go to extra innings is. Or if you prefer, a guy that understands how ridiculous it is to have Kevin Millar batting cleanup or justifying his non-moves by saying he doesn’t want to upset veterans…(Lord knows I could keep going)
Really what I mean is a guy that knows his players strengths/weaknesses (why is it so hard to use RH/LH split data to your advantage?), values defense appropriately, and understands the significance of sample size.
It’s obviously not always going to pan out right, but for every Jeff Mathis hot-streak in the playoffs seeing time over the far more valuable player in Napoli I’m sure you can find three Ronnie Belliard starting over Orlando Hudson situations that really hurt the team’s chances.
Obviously I’m ignoring the day-to-day stuff involved with handling MLB players, and I’m not sure how you’d even go about measuring a manager’s effect on a club, but I do think it’s something worth pondering.
MW: There’s no question it’s worth pondering. Sometimes I wonder if you could put the super-gruff veteran motivator-type to do all of the ego-handling stuff and put a bug in his ear in the game to make sure he made the right moves.
- karimHow do you think Indians fans are feeling about the game 1 matchup?
MW: Wistful?
- WesleyMike I agree with you about how poorly the Angels played. When I saw Izturis in game 2 wearing that awful red hood to stay warm I figured they did not have their head in the game. Then he makes a poor decision throwing to 2nd and throws the game away.
Can the teams adjust their rosters before the WS ? I’m wondering if the Yanks may want to get Hinske’s bat back in the lineup.
MW: Yes, teams can adjust their line-up in-between series so long as they had people on the disabled list when the season ended. And Hinske’s back in there, sitting on the bench in a third straight World Series.
- RezMike, I agree wholeheartedly with you that the Angels did it to themselves. I thought that they had a shot when they came from behind in game 5 (Yankees in the regular season were 74-2 with a lead going into the 7th inning). I thought they had a shot when they got an earned run against Mariano (whose ERA in yankee stadium was 0.00 over the last 36 post-season innings pitched there). But to be sure the Angels completely blew it the in the 8th. It would have been great to see Rivera blow his save in the 9th inning and then to see him come on in tonight’s hypothetical game having pitched 40 pitches in the game before. Oh well it goes to naught.
I think the Yankees have the better team both from a pitching and batting perspective. But the Yankees have not done well with RISP that’s true and their pitching staff with the exception of Sabathia hasn’t been exactly golden either. A-Rod is on a complete tear.
But we haven’t seen the home runs at Yankee Stadium that we were expecting to see. Perhaps it is the way pitchers are pitching, but it could be the weather physics and layout of Yankee stadium that is helping. Baseballs are known to fly shorter in humid and colder weather, with Yankee Stadium’s short right field lined up to carry balls when the wind is coming directly from the west. For Wednesday night’s game they are calling for rain and an east wind (so I don’t expect home runs) but on Thursday, it’ll be blowing from the west with fair weather (home runs).
Anyway, it will be great to see Philly again. Hopefully, the Yankee’s RISP woes will continue and Philly can win it in 6 at Yankee Stadium.
MW: Hopefully, the Phillies will win in 4!
- Timmichael,
- darrell bishopcan’t imagine this isn’t going to be just a great world series final for the books based on the 2 teams making it.
it’s also very nice to see that the 2 apparent best teams in the sport got there & will be going head to head.
it always seems that in almost any sport at least in recent memory, 1 of the teams getting to the end or winning it were some kind of a surprise one way or another. ie. getting hot at the right time etc… (pick your poison as for the reason why i suppose)
not here. not for this one though. the defending champs looking better than ever (except for perhaps a spotty looking bullpen coming up the rear) and of course the despicable yanks who mostly everyone thought looked like the team to beat once they got their legs underneath them this year.
but lee vs. sabbathia in game 1. nice…
and i guess we’ll have the cleveland indians watching on like very proud parents for that one no?
‘We may only have a week of baseball left this year! If that’s it, let’s hope we see four straight Philadelphia wins!’
I love that. I guess you’re supporting the Jays then? I’ve always thought you were a baseball guy, and you weren’t like a Jays fan, hating the Yankees!
But now we got company. :)
- PeterHello Mike,
Are you still in on the Jays signing Chone Figgins after his disappointing playoff performance. In 35 at bats he only had 3 hits and had a batting average of 086. Figgins also didn’t get a stolen base in the playoffs and he didn’t even make an attepmt to steal. I don’t know if I would want Figgins after his dissapointing playoff performance. Right now I would rather have them go after a power hitter like Hank Blalock or even make a run at Canadian slugger Jason Bay. But if Figgins can play the way he did in the Regular Season than I would chance my mind and offer him a 4 year deal worth 4 million a year. What do you think the Jays will offer him if they do go after him. Figgins also said that he wanted to play for Cito last season. That is a good sign. What do you think of the jays going after players like Bay, Nick Johnson and Hank Blalock. I would love a Hank Blalock in the lineup with his batting power. He would be a great cleanup hitter. And Figgins would be a good leadoff. Either one would be great at 3rd. Lastely, I hope the Jays resign Jose Bautista. He showed his power in September. What do you think of his chances coming back?
MW: I don’t think the chances are great, since he’s going to be pretty expensive. He looks like a non-tender to me, but he looked like a non-tender to me last year, too. Do you find it at all strange that you’re willing to ignore a 162-game sample for a nine-game one with regards to Chone Figgins? I like Nick Johnson a lot – Blalock is my least favourite of the bunch you mention. Great power, but he can’t stay healthy. I don’t think the Jays are going to be spending a bunch of money this winter anyway.
- DaveHere is a list of the full time first basemen from 1999 and I hope you tell me which one deserved to be a gold glover: Jim Thome, Mike Stanley, Carlos Delgado, Fred Mcgriff, Lee Stevens, Tino Martinez, Jason Giambi, Jeff Conine and Tony Clark. Yes, Tino Martinez is a better fielder than Giambi but even as a Yankee fan, I do not associate Tino with “gold glove”. And, lets say Tino would have won the gold glove, you would be saying how the gold glove is a joke since Tino, who was not a great fielder, won it. So the right thing was done by giving it to a gold glove caliber first baseman in Palmero.
With regard to Mclouth, its funny that no two people who think Mclouth was not deserving can agree who was deserving. Lets talk about the names you brought up. Jody Gerut – I really do not understand. You had a problem with Palmero who only played 30 games at first, but you have no problem with Gerut who started 71 games in the outfield. In regards to Young and Ross, sticking with your logic that good offensive players get the award, Mclouth’s numbers were not much better than Young and Ross. They both hit 22 home runs while Mclouth hit 26 home runs. Young had 85 runs batted in while Mclouth had 94. Are you telling me because of 4 home runs and 9 runs batted in they gave it to Mclouth? Lets get real.
MW: This an argument that you’re not going to win. You’re not going to be able to convince me that you’re right, and I can tell that I’m not going to be able to convince you that you’re wrong. Our viewpoints are so opposite that there’s no point debating.
- elliottI was rooting for the Angels, that’s too bad they lost. Go Phillies!!
- AmyIt’s unfortunately inevitable: the Yankees will win the Winter Classic.
Their incomparable offence can cover over a multitude of sins, like no other in pro baseball.
I’m almost positive you had Aaron Hill on the BJADPPGS during either the ’06 or ’07 post-season. I vividly remember being the first caller that night and asking him whether he preferred playing 2B or SS. (He said 2B).
MW: I don’t believe I’ve ever gotten Hill to do a BJADPPGS, but I could be wrong. It’s far from inevitable that the Yankees will win the World Series.
- Adrian, co-alumnusThis series is geared for Jayson Werth to be the series MVP. All that lefty pitching ans that extra short porch in right with Werth’s opposite field power should provide a few souvenirs for the Yankee faithful.
I am a sucker for a good underdog story so last year I was kind of rooting for Tampa, but my hatred for all thing Yankee gives me one choice, GO PHILLIES!!!
(No way Hinske gets another ring sitting on the bench!)
MW: So far, Cliff Lee has the early lead in that race, followed closely by Chase Utley.
- T.J.For certain the umpiring has been shoddy this post season. They just can’t seem to make up their minds as to giving the Yankees their usual freebies at the plate or on the basepaths – hence some crazy calls.
One thing for sure was the poor managing of both the Angels and Yankees. The Yankees use of their pitching staff and the Angels use of their bench. These guys (both field bosses)were making even Cito look good once in a while.
With the W.S. on the line, I would bet we will see Girardi with a serious case of Citoitis! Should be fun to watch him as I see him as a “panic button” kind of manager who will without doubt make some real dumb moves with his pitchers,especially over pitching his closer. We might even hear “Enter Sandman” in the 6th inning to help calm Girardi down!
The Bronx Boys will have to be perfect in my mind to beat the Phils. The Phils may need a miracle to out slug the Yankees. However miracles do happen – the Leafs actually won a game didn’t they!
Thanks Mike, keep on doing what you do best. Good luck on your managing with the DLB simulation. No matter what, don’t pinch hit for Howard regardless of the situation! It’s the WS and he will beat the odds even up against a lefty!
- Bob (from Burllington)Michael,
Bronxular? Bogosity? Interesting new terms…although bogusity may be how it should be spelled.
I can’t believe how poor the umpiring has been in the playoffs. What can the league do to improve this?
I fear you may be right about the Broxular Baumers being the favourites, but I’m pulling for Matt Stairs and the Phillies. Do you think Eric Hinske will get into this series?
Let’s hope for a good one!
MW: I think we’ll see Hinske at least once or twice off the bench, yes. And it’s pronounced “Boh-GOSS-ity”, so it can’t be spelled with a “u”, I don’t think. To improve the umpiring, playoff assignments must be based on merit and nothing else.
- Jim from WoodstockIts too soon to see Burnett pitching in the World Series- it hurts.
What makes a player more adept to playing in either league?
MW: It’s easier to pitch in the National League because you get to face an opposing pitcher, and generally teams aren’t as deep offensively. Inferior pitchers look better in the N.L., so often inferior hitters look better, too, because they’re facing inferior opposition.
- a.j.Mike.
Like you, I don’t make predictions because I’m forced to defend myself if I’m wrong, however, I will make this prediction, the Series will not be a sweep either way, I think we’re looking at a 6-gamer, maybe 7. They’re both evenly-matched, the Phillies are the only NL team that can hit the long ball with any AL team including the Yankees.
On another note, why is the World Series starting on October 28? I always used to think the baseball season was the right length, now it seems like it’s going the same path as the NHL. I think the LDS should be a best-of-3 and the LCS should return to a best-of-5 and the World Series should stay a best-of-7. That way, the baseball season will end before Halloween like it always used to. No wonder they ‘re always running into weather issues in the post-season. I don’t want to even think what might happen if the Minnesota Twins make the World Series next year, We might be watching baseball with the Christmas tree and presents in the living room and snow falling outside.
Thanks Mike.
Peter, St.Catharines
MW: The baseball season used to end well, well before Hallowe’en. Reducing the length of the earlier-round series isn’t the answer, because that would make the 162 game season worth so much less than it already does. And you don’t make predictions because you’re forced to defend them when you’re wrong? Nobody can make predictions that are right a decent majority of the time – that’s not a good reason.
- PeterIf Ryan Howard is that bad against lefties, then the Phils are in trouble. This series is AROIDS time to put the playoff choke label away.
I think this series gets interesting if Cliff Lee can work ties against Sabathia and make it a battle of the pens.
McGwire as hitting instructor for the Cards. Your take?
MW: Work ties against Sabathia? Hasn’t Rodriguez already put the playoff choke label aside? It was a ridiculous label anyway – his career playoff OPS was 118 points HIGHER than Derek Jeter’s going into this World Series. My take on McGwire as Cards’ hitting coach is that he didn’t seem to be that good a technical hitter. He had power and he took a lot of walks, but he also struck out a ton and hit for a low average. Don’t get me wrong, I like those qualities in a hitter, but it seems tough to teach.
- Aaron KerOf course I’m rooting for the Phillies.
However I’m also occupied with the latest Jays news. Paul Beeston will be the CEO and Pres. Colour me unsurprised but I am pleased. (I think) I just hope he cans the Flashback Friday mindset, and puts together a team that doesn’t have to rely on nostalgia to pull in a crowd.
MW: I don’t think the Flashback Fridays are going anywhere. And wouldn’t you welcome Pat Gillick to the front office, too?
- isabella reyesThe Beest needs to fire, er, re-assign The Cito1
MW: Hopefully, that decision is up to Alex Anthopoulos.
- Sean in LethbridgeHey Mike,
I’ve heard multiple times that Beeston can’t contact Pat Gillick about possibly working for the Blue Jays until after the World Series is over because of tampering rules. If that’s the case, then how would the Jays have possibly been able to know whether or not Gillick was interested in the presidential opening if they couldn’t talk to him? I’m just unfamiliar with the rules and I’m wondering what exactly constitutes tampering.
Also: I agree with you about the decade semantics, but I figure it’s easier to just conform to the way everybody else does it rather than try to explain to somebody that 1990 was not, in fact, in the ’90s. Mathematically your way is obviously correct, but in all fairness it is a little counter-intuitive in that sense.
MW: Except that 1990 was, in fact, in the 90s. The 90s went from 1990-1999. But 2000 was not in the 21st Century. As for tampering rules – you’re not allowed to talk to someone who is employed by another team unless you have permission from that team.
- TyI feel that League and Kazmir have done nothing to shatter the myth that us lefties are wild…..
I look at the Yankees taking the credit for advancing to The Show, yet if it were not for the sloppy, ineffective play of the Angels et al, they would also be watching from the wings.
Nice to see that Beeston finally removed the “Interim” designation, as I thought he might. Now, maybe they can get serious about putting a contender on the field and start filling the seats.
Big Business Rules!!….or we might have a day game or two.
I hope the Phillies sock it to ‘em in four, and that Matt Stairs has a walkoff in Game Four!!
MW: How awesome would that be? You do know that Brandon League is a righty, right?
- JackI knew it! I knew it! I knew it! I said on one of your live chats (the second one) that I thought Paul Beeston would be the permanent president of the Blue Jays because I did not understand how he could assure Alex Anthopoulus the GM’s job any other way. I’m thrilled with todays news. I’m certainly getting what I wanted, which is good ol’ Canadian know-how driving the bus. Better days are ahead.
In the end, I believe J.P. was fired for a myriad of reasons, but the straw that broke the camels back had to be the fact that the fans voted with their wallets by not showing in droves in September (save for the last series against Seattle) All of those empty seats and you have to believe that some belonged to season ticket holders. The prospect of season ticket holders not re-upping in droves would get anybodys attention. Now if we can just get the old uniforms from the World Series years back………
MW: I don’t think that one ugly series was even on the first page of reasons why Ricciardi was let go.
- Jim in OhioOnce again a Toronto pro sports franchise is going the “retread” route when it comes to hiring managment!
For once however, a Toronto pro sports franchise has gotten it right!
How could you ever go wrong with having Beeston back in the fold full time for the next 3 years. This will work even better having his choice of GM in place and one who has been under his wing (so to speak)for the last year. It’s a win-win for the organization and the fans.
You know there is no way Beeston signs for 3 years without a committment from ownership. Most definately a turning point for the Blue Jays.
Not really a surprise and it’s gonna be a lot of fun!
Thanks Mike and keep up the great work you do. Go Philies!
- Bob (from Burllington)The much bigger story here for Jays fan is the hiring of Beeston for three years. Congratulations to keeping someone who knows and is dedicated to baseball on the staff. That decision, in of itself, gives me a great deal of hope that Rogers and the Jays will do what they can to put a competitive team on the field.
Who won the Dynasty world series? Go Philly!
- TimWith Beeston announcing a three year deal I’m just curious on what your thoughts are on what this means for the franchise in terms of direction. After listening to the audio clips from AA and Beeston my guess is a small payroll bump this year building towards a large go for it all in 2011 or 2012.
MW: A small payroll bump could happen, or a small drop in payroll could as well, but I’m not expecting any more than that. I think you’re on the right track.
- ClintHey Mike. As you know I listen to the Jays and post season talk from the fan website here, but after the game ends on TV, I turn on the live stream only to hear a replay of the game starting all over again. What time should I tune in (Pacific time) if I want to listen to the post season talk on the live stream, or is it not available to me?
MW: Generally our post-post-game shows have been very short, but I’m not sure why you’re getting a replay of the game. Generally we start up about 40-45 minutes after the last pitch.
- Matt from BCUpon further reflection, I think you’re right that 2001-2010 is a decade — but everyone else is also right that 2000-2009 is one, too. The word “decade” is defined as “a period of 10 years,” so it’s just as correct to say that 2000-2009 is a decade as it would be to say that 1778-1787 was a decade. Society in general just tends to talk about decades starting in years that end in “0″ so we can say things like “the 80′s” rather than “the ten year period starting in 1953 and ending in 1962″.
MW: You’re correct, but so am I.
- TyEvening Michael of the Ballyard,
Looking at tonight’s score, I’m sure you (and legions of Yankee-haters everywhere, myself included!) are thrilled with the score of tonight’s game 1. I dunno about you, but I didn’t think the New York Post did the smartest thing in the world by giving the Phillies some bulletin board material before the series even began – found this article on philly.com, with the mocking cover photo on yesterday’s Post (in case you haven’t seen it): http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20091027_N_Y__Post_mocks_Phillies_as_Frillies.html
Hopefully the “Frillies” make them eat their own words…btw I haven’t heard yet, do “Aura” and “Mystique” still appear nightly at the new Yankee Stadium?
MW: They didn’t tonight. And Shane Victorino has nice legs, huh?
- CFletcherMike please don’t use ‘hopefully’ like that. It’s wrong, wrong, wrong!
And, yes, I’d love to see Gillick back here. But I was referring to the team on the field. I’m sick of cheering retrospectively for Olerud etc. They were great players but it’s time we had another bunch of contending guys we can cheer for right here, right now.
MW: Hopefully, someday I’ll use the word “hopefully” correctly.
- isabella reyesHey Mike,
I noticed you seemed to (sort of) agree with a comment saying that there will be a small payroll bump this year, and the Jays will make a run for it in 2011-2012 with a higher payroll. Do you think there is any chance, if that is the case, the Jays would trade Halladay in hopes of resigning him the following year? I used to think there was no chance of that happening, but if Halladay sees the bump in payroll (and subsequent moves) he may be interested in making a run at it all with the Jays, with the new parts they acquired in the trade, and the additional payroll to actually afford him.
Thanks Mike.
MW: They might try, but I don’t think a Halladay on the open market would be as inclined to return to Toronto as would a Halladay who had stayed here all along. It’s certainly a big gamble to take.
- JohnI dig the parentheticals, but “I’m just asking” should have been a second-order (by which I mean nested [one parenthetical embedded within another] parenthetical.)
Phils in 6
- MGi respect your opinion, the only thing that bothers me about the media is when they dont present all the facts.I have heard the Palmero arguement about 10 times but not Once was somebody able to tell me who should of won the award.Sometimes if people would dig a little deeper into the facts they would understand its not as simple as they thought it was
MW: ANYONE else should HAVE won the award.
- elliott