Apolitical Staples

Let me pass along a couple of quick thoughts before I move on to the meat of this post. Politics is boring right now. Maybe it will change once the new Parliament begins. Maybe PM Harper likes it boring. I don't know. But it is hard to get jacked up about politics at the moment.

What is not hard to get jacked up about is the Toronto Blue Jays. In many ways I am a bigger fan of the Blue Jays than I am of the Maple Leafs. First off I was a terrible hockey player but I can play ball. I love playing baseball. Especially the infield. There is nothing I like better (on the sports field) than going deep in the hole as a second baseman and turning a single into an out. So baseball has a stronger grip on my heart than hockey can. Also I can of age as a sports fan with the 1985 Toronto Blue Jays. I was twelve at the time and I fell in love with that team. I vividly remember delivering the Toronto Star daydreaming about what it would take for Jesse Barfield to win the league in home runs or if there was a better outfield than Bell, Mosby and Barfield or why Dave Steib couldn't find a cup that fit (kidding, that came later).

And since the Blue Jays have actually won championships in my lifetime, how could they not hold a more special place in my heart than the Leafs. Does anybody else look back foundly on Roberto Alomar hitting the game winning homerun off of Dennis Eckersley in the ALCS on Thanksgiving. What a beautiful memory. Stuffed on turkey, watching the game with my Dad, my Papa and my brother - all jumping out of our seats in unison with Alomar's hands pointing to the sky.

So you can understand why I am excited about the 2006 edition of the Blue Jays. Their pitching is good and their hitting is much improved over last year. I can imagine a batting lineup something like,

Russ Adams
Frank Catalanotto (Reed Johnson)
Vernon Wells
Troy Glaus
Lyle Overbay
Shea Hillenbrand
Bengie Molina
Alex Rios (Erik Hinske)
Aaron Hill

Obviously the order changes based on the corner outfield platoon but that is much better than the Blue Jays have had in years. Yes, said corners are a concern but Wells well get the protection that he missed since the departure of Carlos Delgado in the form of Troy Glaus. They could still use a little more power but these Money Ball teams have always been more about the double than the homerun.

The starting staff is also stronger than it has been in years.

Roy Halladay
A.J. Burnett
Gustavo Chacin
Ted Lilly
Josh Towers/Dustin McGown

with B.J. Ryan mopping things up in the bullpen. I like it. I can't wait for April. And if you need more convincing to get into baseball this year check out the interview with Jeff Blair over at the MLB website.