Some Thoughts On Blue Jays Opening Day

So…here we are. The Blue Jays play their first real game of the year today. As years go, this is going to be…a year. I of course have my mandatory opening day optimism, but I seriously can’t get a handle on what my expectations should be.

On one hand this team looks an awful lot like the awful one that was supposed to be not awful in 2013, but on the other I still can’t quite figure out why last year was so bad. Sure there were injuries, but a lot of teams have injuries. World champions have injuries. And the Jays were missing a pretty big piece of the puzzle in Jose Reyes when they went on their best run of the season and I don’t think things got truly out of hand until they were well and properly out of the race for good, so that excuse only goes so far.

Josh Johnson. Yeah, there’s that. He was supposed to be a big part of the success they were supposed to have, and to put it mildly, he…wasn’t. In fact, the Jays often succeeded in spite of the rotation, at least as much as you can call using 13 starters or whatever it was a rotation as opposed to a revolving door of Jesus fuck.

I think that’s what’s tripping me up, actually. This year’s pitching staff looks quite a bit like last year’s pitching staff, and last year’s pitching staff didn’t exactly inspire or deserve a whole lot of confidence. I don’t worry so much about the offense, because it’s there up and down most of this lineup. But right now we’re only an injury or 2 away from having to watch J.A. Happ throw batting practice every fifth day or worse, pretending that Ricky Romero found a time machine and used it to go back a couple years to that time when he was awesome like some folks were trying their best to convince us and themselves he had during the spring.

But for now, it’s opening day. Drew Hutchison has looked great coming back and deserves his spot. Dustin McGowan deserves his too, as long as his arm doesn’t fall off. You pretty much know what you’re getting with Dickey and Buehrle, and that’s usually a good thing. As for Morrow, there’s still room to hope he’s going to be as good as or hopefully better than the guy we saw in Montreal this weekend. For better or worse, we have what we have. Like I’ve said before,the talent is there. Hopefully this year we get to see it.

Now all that’s left to do is watch the games and keep hope alive until the wheels come off, which they won’t…right? Not this year. Oh, and I also have to make sure the beer is cold and that there’s ice in the freezer. Can’t forget that. And I can’t forget the musical accompaniment either, because it’s a must.

Happy opening day, everyone! At least I hope it’s happy. We’re playing the Rays in Tampa, usually not the happiest of places for this team.

By the way, our friend Ro is off on her trip right now and judging from Twitter, having a great time. If any of you nice folks helped send her there, thanks a lot. I appreciate it, but not nearly as much as she does. And Ro if you’re reading, I hope you enjoy the games, at least as much as you can enjoy watching your guys get swept by my Jays. Hahaha.

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5 Comments

  1. We bobbled and bungled our way to a comeback 9-8 victory last night in Arizona. Go Buster and Brandon B.!!

    1. The Jays got absolutely thumped. 9-2 Rays was the final. Dickey ended up walking 6 and of course the Rays made him pay for it. Pretty sure they said 6 walks was an opening day starter record. Not the kind we need to be setting when we’re supposed to be getting the season off to a nice start. Oh well, it’s a long year. You can’t live and die on a single game.

      How have you been, anyway? Haven’t heard from you in a little while.

  2. We’re okay but life has been sort of frantic lately. I was sick for almost a month and Ray was in hospital part of that time. Also, two of the three girls are staying with me until Elcie finds another apartment. She’s 21 and Rochelle is 19. We are very crowded but we manage.

    Love to Carin.

  3. Rochelle is having problems finding her way – hope she can. Elcie is scheduled to become part of a job crew – kitchen work, light housework, etc. Nothing she can’t handle, they will transport, and she will be able to supplement her disability income. Rebecca is going to extension classes until the next community college semester.

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