The Republic of Sport

sisl (strangerinastrangeland)

sisl (strangerinastrangeland)'s Comments

Posted Tuesday August 11, 2009, About: Why Jays gave up on Rios & season

I'm just a little tired of players signing large long-term contracts and then "under-performing" for all but the last year of the contract. Shouldn't there be some performance clauses in these contracts? If the player has a bad year, he doesn't get his full pay. These guaranteed contracts aren't fair to the fans, owners or players. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for Rios. Maybe Guillen will light a fire in him. Also, 50 yr fan, Rogers Communications Company is in debt 9.1 Billion (you can check their recent financial statements). They're probably dumping salary to prepare the team for sale. I'd love to see Mark Cuban or Balsillie buy them. It would give the fans some hope.

Posted Sunday July 12, 2009, About: Cash-strapped Jays may package Wells with Halladay

Lenders are nervous these days.

Posted Sunday July 12, 2009, About: Cash-strapped Jays may package Wells with Halladay

Ben, my numbers were understated. Rogers Communications Inc. most recent income statement (as of Mar 31'09) shows a total debt of $9.24 Billion.

Posted Saturday July 11, 2009, About: Cash-strapped Jays may package Wells with Halladay

Wells is making light of his unpopularity with the Toronto fans. He says: "I've got a new nick name in Toronto.............................its 'BOO'". Goodbye Joe (Sakic?): When a company (Rogers) has $5 Billion in debt it doesn't matter who wants to control the payroll (Ricciardi, Cito, Beeston, the Rogers family etc.), the people who control the payroll are the lenders (the people that loaned the $5B in the first place). They might have instructed management to dump payroll so the asset (Jays) is more saleable. There's people who know what's going on, but they're not saying much yet. Maybe they'll come clean soon and let the fans know the story.

Posted Saturday July 11, 2009, About: Cash-strapped Jays may package Wells with Halladay

Rogers (the Jays owners) are $5 Billion in debt. Wells might just respond to a change of scenery, as he's hitting over .330 on the road in '09. He's hit .300 with 30 hr and 100 rbi several times (including a pro-rated '08). He just can't hit at home as the fans are so hard on him.

Posted Friday July 10, 2009, About: Reds talking to Blue Jays

I'd have to disagree with you, Truth. Rolen has been a model citizen since he arrived in Toronto. He's worked hard, played the game right, a "team-first" guy, his defence is "out of this world", and he's never complained. He's been a great influence on the Jays young players. Last year Cito and Tenace helped him with some adjustments to his swing to help take the pressure off his surgically repaired left shoulder. He incorporated the adjustments in '09 and his batting average jumped 75 points. He doesn't hit for too much power, but he's currently quietly riding a 25 game hitting streak. He still hits lots of doubles and the occasional home run. I can't imagine why LaRussa benched him, as Rolen won't talk about that.

Posted Friday May 08, 2009, About: Boras clients linked to performance-enhancing drugs

Boris Badenov!

Posted Wednesday May 06, 2009, About: Boras wants World Series changes

It looks like Boris Badenov doesn't have many supporters. I just wonder if there's many of his clients on World Series winners over the past 5 years? It seems to me that what Boris sees as beneficial for MLB is quite different than what the fans see as beneficial.

Posted Monday May 04, 2009, About: Scout: Secret to Blue Jays' fast start

Cito (and his coaching staff) have an uncanny knack for building confidence in their players, both by word and deed. Ricciardi has put a team together that puts the team first (no big egos). He's also stockpiled a stable of young arms who continue to suprize people by fitting right in at the major league level. Sure the schedule's been soft, and its still early, but the Jays have gotten to 18-9 while losing 6 starting pitchers! When some of those starters return, they could continue to suprize people. Love those Jays!

Posted Monday March 16, 2009, About: Abreu surprised Yankees didn't offer

The Yanks actually played it quite smart. They let Abreu and Giambi go and get 4 first round draft picks in the '09 draft (not bad). They needed to do something to get some drafts since they gave up a ton of them by signing Tex, Burnett and CC.

Posted Wednesday March 11, 2009, About: Fehr refutes Selig's steroids accusation

I'd love to see all interested media organizations get together and conduct their own MLB drug tests. They could look at the stats and flag the gaudy increases in power numbers then test the player. They could also compare minor league pictures of the players to major league pictures and flag the obvious juicers. All of this testing could be voluntary on the players part, but then, if the players refused the test, their refusal would be published in the media. I just can't trust MLB, the union, the owners, the agents or the players to police the sport. I'm surely suspicious of certain players that are routinely passing drug tests when all the evidence points to PED's. Maybe SI could head this up? If MLB won't clean up its own mess, maybe the media (backed by the fans) would do it. I'd love to see these current cheaters nailed.

Posted Monday March 09, 2009, About: La Russa's 'roids stance conflicted?

The whole problem with the roid issue is that MLB and everyone connected with it benefits from the players using PED's. The owners, the players, the agents (especially Scott (Boris Badenov) Boras, the management, MLB, the union etc. The only ones that lose are the honest players and the fans. I just can't trust MLB, the owners or the players to expose the use of PED's. Its the fox guarding the hen house syndrome. The only group that can do this (i.e. police the MLB drug policy) is the media. And that's what they've done. I'd like to see more media exposure of stuff that's going on now and has gone on in the past. Good going SI for your investigative work. Keep up the good work! Lets have a level playing field, finally.

Posted Friday February 20, 2009, About: Halladay faces Jays dilemma

Its plain to me that the Jays can't pay Doc what he's worth ($200 million for 7 years). Maybe the Jays can get a deal like Cleveland did when they traded Colon to the Expos for Sizemore, Lee Stevens, Cliff Lee and Brandon Phillips. The most one sided trade in history (thanks to Omar Minaya).

Posted Friday February 20, 2009, About: Halladay faces Jays dilemma

The remarkable thing about Doc Halliday is that he makes everyone on the pitching staff better (Jays had the lowest ERA in the league in '08). He does this by example (his work ethic, attitude, focus and low key approach). He has greatly influenced the Jays young pitchers (Litsch and Marcum both have career ERA's in the mid 3's). Even AJ acknowledged that Doc turned his career around in '08 (the jury's still out on that one, tho'). Deuce, don't count the Jays out yet. They've got Hill, Accardo and Janssen back, and they have some good stud starters that are just about ready to contribute (Cecil and Mills). The Jays had a better team batting average and lower ERA than Tampa in '08. Go Jays!

Posted Friday February 20, 2009, About: Halladay faces Jays dilemma

Doc came close to winning the ERA title in '08. I wonder what he would have done in the NL. I wonder what Lee, Santana etc. would have done in the AL east? I think Doc is by far the best pitcher in the league. In any other weaker division, instead of winning 20, he'd easily win 25, and instead of an ERA of 2.75, it would be 1.75. The Jays are going to be a better hitting team in '09, as Cito and Gene Tenace have a whole year with them. They will be competitive in '09.

Posted Wednesday February 11, 2009, About: Jays close to signing Millar

I'm sure glad true Jays fans don't have to worry about other teams fans coming onto their page and trashing the team. The "doom-sayers Jays 'fans'" do a perfect job of trashing the team themselves. Good job!

Posted Wednesday February 11, 2009, About: Jays close to signing Millar

I like JP as GM. I think he's the best assessor of pitching talent in MLB. I could run off a list of pitchers that he's drafted and signed, but their team ERA in '08 says it all. Their team ERA has steadily dropped over the past several years. Also, I like the guys JP signs. He stays away from the prima-donnas and goes for unselfish team players. The Jays have all the makings for a big year. They're under the radar, too. Believe it or not, they had a better run differential than Tampa Bay in '08. The Jays are going to go about their business in a hard working, low key way (just like Roy Halladay conducts his business). They'll contend for a playoff spot in '09. Enjoy the ride, Jays fans.

Posted Wednesday February 11, 2009, About: Jays close to signing Millar

Millar brings a lot more than just a decent bat and good defence. I remember in 1990, the Jays were struggling in the clubhouse (they were "over serious" and tight on the field). Pat Gillick (Jays GM at the time), traded for Joe Carter and Roberto Alomar and the team started playing in a more relaxed way, and had more fun. It led to two World Series championships. The Jays already had the best pitching in the league in '08 (3.49 team ERA in the AL east-good for at least a 2.50 ERA in another division). Now they have Cito and Gene Tenace getting the hitters untracked. Millar is the missing piece. He'll be the "team idiot" that helps everyone have fun. I hope you sign with the Jays, Kevin! The Jays are going to suprize some people in '09. Putting together a winning baseball team is a lot more complicated than just getting the guys with the best stats. Love those Jays.

Posted Wednesday February 11, 2009, About: MLB & union tensions growing

The players have the MLB players association to represent them. The owners have the MLB commissioner to represent them. Who represents the fans??

Posted Friday December 26, 2008, About: Wells short on Jays optimism

IF the Jays have no injuries, and IF they hit to their career averages, I project the following:
Scutero 60 rbi
Snider 80 rbi
Rios 100 rbi
Wells 110 rbi
Overbay 85 rbi
Hill 80 rbi
Rolen 80 rbi
Lind 70 rbi
Barajas 60 rbi
(Part time players Macdonald, Bautista, Inglett & Thigpen=100 rbi)
That's over 5 runs per game. With Cito, Tenace and the rest of the coaching staff, that could go higher.
The Jays led the league with a 3.72 e.r.a. in '08. I know we can't expect a repeat of that since there has been some injuries and departures, but, realistically, we can expect an e.r.a. in the 4.5 range. This will make them competitive. The pitching could suprize, and, if so, they could end up with near 90 wins. Optimistic? Yes. Realistic? Yes. Don't count them out yet.

Posted Friday December 26, 2008, About: Why Dodgers may end up with Manny

The yankees need more than Tex to replace the lost 200 rbi and 50 hr that Abreu and Giambi provided. They need a LOT more, since their run production in '08 was down 200 runs from '07.