Saturday, August 08, 2009

A rabbi, a monk and Paul Beeston walk into a bar....

While I didn't see the reunion game in Toronto (the Manitoba Senior Baseball League finals were assigned to me), I did see the uniform choice the Jays made.

If the New York Yankees can keep the same uniforms for decades, why can't the Jays go back to their original shirts, or the 1992 vintage? Combine the Friday Blues as a button up and the 1992 whites and you've got a winner.



• Word has it Paul Beeston will have a replacement for himself in 30-60 days. Here's hoping he hires himself.
• The BC Lions have finally figured out exactly how to win a football game. Please don't pass the secret to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers or we won't hear the end of it from Mike Kelly (shout out to Jordie, who seemingly requested my Mike slam. You're welcome).
• Bring back the Jets. Surely they won't require $23 million worth of incentives per year to keep the franchise afloat in Winnipeg. You could put that team in Kamloops, B.C., and not require that. And you'd get better attendance too. That, and in both locations, there's no territorial conflict with the Toronto Maple Leafs, or anyone else in the NHL.
• Red Deer will be reconstructed in Nerf before the NHL changes their minds about Jim Balsille. If you read James Mirtle's blog and the extra documents he posts, you can kind of see their point.
• If Balsille wins the auction for the Coyotes, given the NHL's mistrust of him, would they take the bold step of disbanding the franchise?
 Hank Aaron has asked for the list of steroid users to be released en masse. It may not pass the fourth amendment test, but it would pass the smell test once and for all.
• But here's the thing. If as Jose Cansenco claims 95 per cent of MLB ball players were steriod users, would it really affect the Hall of Fame? Don't people make comparisons amongst other players of the same time period, at least at some level, to determine greatness? Does anyone compare Dave Stewart with Catfish Hunter? I don't. But I would and should compare his record to the one put up by Jack Morris. Same goes for David Cone. The absolute best players of their time should make the cut. Right Tim Raines?
• On Pete Rose, what has a greater effect on the integrity of baseball? Taking a banned substance or gambling on baseball? I'd argue gambling on the game you take part in could have a greater impact, as proven in other sports where point shaving has taken place. That said, if you make a case for Barry Bonds and Ty Cobb, you make a case for Pete Rose. They are a package deal, and take Shoeless Joe Jackson with them.
• Jack Morris has pitched in Winnipeg as a member of the Northern League's St. Paul Saints. (The Saints play in the American Association now.) It didn't go well for him. I was at that game, I believe it was in 1996, in the old ball park/football stadium, now known as CanadInns Stadium, has a gap between two sets of stand that at 7 p.m., sometimes sent a powerful ray of sunlight directly to the pitcher's mound. Jack didn't like this and protested for a delay. As everyone else just played on, he was expected to as well. He didn't last much past the third and gave up on his playing career that year.
 Theo Fleury wants back in the NHL because his stint in senior hockey, which included a season playing with the Steinbach North Stars and an appearace at the 2009 Allan Cup. No doubt, he could play in his day, but there's a lesson Jack Morris displayed all too well in Winnipeg. Cue Kenny Rogers. Know when to fold'em. Everybody now....

10 comments:

Jordie Dwyer said...

When the $50 billion comes into your account, let me know because I want to be there when you buy back the Jets, build the new rink in downtown Beausejour, hire Numminen and Selanne as marketing shitcks, make me the play-by-play guy, give Sager his glory chance to be stick boy and - to top it off - find Bettman and Selig so Fleury can go all out Saddle Lake Alberta on them for screwing things up so badly.

Oh, and let's not forget to send Kelly back to Edmonton, because at least when he was there a few weeks ago - he had NOTHING TO SAY.....

Nick from the 'Peg said...

I have a good feeling Mark Chipman and True North may somehow be involved in the Coyotes bidding. I think the hints dropped by Scott Brown a couple of months back prove that.

If they can afford to pay Jason Krog $600,000 for an AHL season, True North should be able to pay NHL salaries with NHL revenues.

Don't know how much you follow the Moose, but do you think Heisinger has an ace in the hole to fill the scoring punch that left (Krog, Jaff, Cullen)? Ken Wiebe talked about Marty Murray. I wouldn't mind seeing Michel Ouellet for a full season in Antlers either. Goaltending looks good with Schneider probably coming back. Defence will be strong as Nycholat may be here but I think we need one or two more big guns up front to help Grabner and Desbiens. I think Desbiens should get 35 goals this year.

Speaking of the Goldeyes, how awesome is Juan Diaz this year? Should be able to take a run at Sean Hearn's HR record (29) and if he really heats up at Anthony Lewis's NL record of 33. It will be good to see two more teams in the NL next year with Rockford and Lake County. Hopefully the year after Kansas City can get a rival an then we can have one more team in between the Great Plains teams and Chicagoland.

Nick from the 'Peg said...

I have a good feeling Mark Chipman and True North may somehow be involved in the Coyotes bidding. I think the hints dropped by Scott Brown a couple of months back prove that.

If they can afford to pay Jason Krog $600,000 for an AHL season, True North should be able to pay NHL salaries with NHL revenues.

Don't know how much you follow the Moose, but do you think Heisinger has an ace in the hole to fill the scoring punch that left (Krog, Jaff, Cullen)? Ken Wiebe talked about Marty Murray. I wouldn't mind seeing Michel Ouellet for a full season in Antlers either. Goaltending looks good with Schneider probably coming back. Defence will be strong as Nycholat may be here but I think we need one or two more big guns up front to help Grabner and Desbiens. I think Desbiens should get 35 goals this year.

Speaking of the Goldeyes, how awesome is Juan Diaz this year? Should be able to take a run at Sean Hearn's HR record (29) and if he really heats up at Anthony Lewis's NL record of 33. It will be good to see two more teams in the NL next year with Rockford and Lake County. Hopefully the year after Kansas City can get a rival an then we can have one more team in between the Great Plains teams and Chicagoland.

Nick from the 'Peg said...

I have a good feeling Mark Chipman and True North may somehow be involved in the Coyotes bidding. I think the hints dropped by Scott Brown a couple of months back prove that.

If they can afford to pay Jason Krog $600,000 for an AHL season, True North should be able to pay NHL salaries with NHL revenues.

Don't know how much you follow the Moose, but do you think Heisinger has an ace in the hole to fill the scoring punch that left (Krog, Jaff, Cullen)? Ken Wiebe talked about Marty Murray. I wouldn't mind seeing Michel Ouellet for a full season in Antlers either. Goaltending looks good with Schneider probably coming back. Defence will be strong as Nycholat may be here but I think we need one or two more big guns up front to help Grabner and Desbiens. I think Desbiens should get 35 goals this year.

Speaking of the Goldeyes, how awesome is Juan Diaz this year? Should be able to take a run at Sean Hearn's HR record (29) and if he really heats up at Anthony Lewis's NL record of 33. It will be good to see two more teams in the NL next year with Rockford and Lake County. Hopefully the year after Kansas City can get a rival an then we can have one more team in between the Great Plains teams and Chicagoland.

Nick from the 'Peg said...

I have a good feeling Mark Chipman and True North may somehow be involved in the Coyotes bidding. I think the hints dropped by Scott Brown a couple of months back prove that.

If they can afford to pay Jason Krog $600,000 for an AHL season, True North should be able to pay NHL salaries with NHL revenues.

Don't know how much you follow the Moose, but do you think Heisinger has an ace in the hole to fill the scoring punch that left (Krog, Jaff, Cullen)? Ken Wiebe talked about Marty Murray. I wouldn't mind seeing Michel Ouellet for a full season in Antlers either. Goaltending looks good with Schneider probably coming back. Defence will be strong as Nycholat may be here but I think we need one or two more big guns up front to help Grabner and Desbiens. I think Desbiens should get 35 goals this year.

Speaking of the Goldeyes, how awesome is Juan Diaz this year? Should be able to take a run at Sean Hearn's HR record (29) and if he really heats up at Anthony Lewis's NL record of 33. It will be good to see two more teams in the NL next year with Rockford and Lake County. Hopefully the year after Kansas City can get a rival an then we can have one more team in between the Great Plains teams and Chicagoland.

Keith Borkowsky said...

I don't know a ton about the Moose as I don't get any opportunities to see them. But I know as of a couple of weeks ago, Murray was a free agent and didn't know if he was heading back to the LA system with the depth they have at centre. If the Moose have needs there, and it would appear with departures, they might, Murray could play there. Given that he's originally from western Manitoba, it's a good fit.

With Zinger's player personnel abilities, I wouldn't worry too much about the Moose. They will be fine.

That, and Winnipeg would make a good NHL city. That makes it an excellent AHL city and the fans actually give a damn. It shouldn't be too hard to get talent to come to Winnipeg.

I would love to see the Goldeyes make another run. I remember watching their only championship run back at the Stadium. While Canwest has hosted some great playoff series, it would be nice to see them get another title.

It would also be nice to see some interlock or regular season action with the American Association, but we'll see what they do with that.

Keith Borkowsky said...

I will say this much about Chipman. The NHL has to like the way he's dealt with his interest in the league as compared to Balsille.

Keith Borkowsky said...

And of course to Jordie, now that Portage finally listened to me and decided to build a new arena, that may be a better location than Beausejour. And they've got an airport that can handle CF-18 jets. A team charter can land there.

Nick from Winnipeg said...

Hopefully you keep posting here Keith. Always good to see a Manitoba perspective.

I would love to see teams like St. Paul, Sioux City, Sioux Falls and Lincoln play at Canwest again. I remain hopeful that the NL can add another two teams in '11 which will add plenty of variety to the league. It is still good baseball, but 5 visiting teams aren't enough.

I also think they have a chance this year with Ace Walker, Bear Bay and Bill Pulsipher going 1-2-3 can take out anybody in a 5 game series. With Diaz, West, Metheny, Brown and hopefully Wes Long we should have a chance.

I think the Moose need somebody like Murray. There aren't a lot of AHL stars left out there and Murray could hit a PPG on a decent team.

Do you know Keane's status for 09-10.

Keith Borkowsky said...

Nope. I have better access to info on the players from Western Manitoba, and have heard little about Keane.

I intend to post as I am able. I write for the Brandon Sun, and they get first priority.