Really, Jays fans?

I'm back from a long break, and here I talk about how Jays fans just aren't getting it.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/453650-really-jays-fans

Detroit and Montreal getting screwed in second-round series

All throughout the Kings-Canucks Western Conference Quarter-Final series, Vancouver fans were screaming about the officiating. Canuck supporters were convinced the referees were calling penalties after penalties because the NHL wanted to see Los Angeles advance into the next round. Big market, big ratings, right?

So, if these fans are right, that means the league now is trying to screw with two of the Original Six teams--Detroit and Montreal--right?

From a schedule standpoint, it's bizarre.

The Red Wings finished off the Coyotes in their series in Game Seven on Tuesday, then had to open their second-round series in San Jose on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Canadiens outlasted the Capitals in their seventh game on Wednesday to finish off an emotional series, and then had a short turn-around as they played in Pittsburgh to begin their next series on Friday.

The Canucks-Hawks series? It didn't start until Saturday night (CBC Hockey Night in Canada), giving both teams quite a few days of rest after each club wrapped up its first-rounder in six games. (Since when did Vancouver become Canada's team? I thought Saturday Night hockey was reserved for teams like the Canadiens, who play the Penguins in what should be a series that gets good ratings.)

Philadelphia-Boston? It started Saturday afternoon (NBC), again with both teams having had a lot of rest. (Again, one would have assumed NBC would have wanted Detroit-San Jose open up on Saturday, with the Red Wings having a big following... no problem playing an 11 a.m. Pacific Time game in California, of course.)

If Vancouver fans were crying foul in the last round, then it should be Detroit and Montreal supporters this round.

Blue Jays recap

The 2010 Blue Jays have started the season surprisingly well, winning four of their first five games to lead the tough AL East. But how long before they plummet down the standings?

The pitching has been good so far, but how will the staff respond as the number of innings pile up? Remember, there is no more Roy Halladay, who not only pitched quality innings for the Blue Jays and sucked up innings to keep the bullpen rested.

The opener in Texas started out well, with No. 1 starter Shaun Marcum taking a no-hitter into the seventh. (How many times have we seen Marcum take a no-no late into ballgames?)

The Blue Jays had a 3-0 lead over the Rangers when Marcum walked Josh Hamilton and Vladimir Guerrero singled for the first Texas hit. With the no-hit bid broken, manager Cito Gaston still kept his starting pitcher in the game, but the next batter, Nelson Cruz, took Marcum deep to tie the game.

In the eighth, Vernon Wells knocked in the go-ahead run, meaning Marcum was still in line for the victory. But alas, the Rangers rallied for two runs in the ninth off Jason Frasor to win 5-4.

After the game, the media crucified Gaston for not lifting Marcum immediately after he had allowed the first hit. In fact, the manager didn't even have anyone warming up in the bullpen at the time! Or at least Gaston or someone should have gotten out to the mound to slow the game down, as the media guys were saying.

The Blue Jays then salvaged the last two games of the series in Texas, including a thriller in the finale. Down 1-0 in the ninth, Wells homered to tie it, before Edwin Encarnacion's sacrifice fly scored Lyle Overbay (who had tripled). Mike McCoy added an RBI single to make it 3-1.

Wells, who went 6-for-10 in the series, became the first Blue Jay to homer in each of the first three games of a season. He had four home runs and seven RBIs.

On Friday night in Baltimore, the Blue Jays did it again, rallying for a two-run ninth to upset the Orioles 7-6. Brandon Morrow, acquired from Seattle in the offseason, was brutal in his first start, giving up five runs and walking five in five innings.

The second consecutive ninth-inning comeback prompted FAN 590's Mike Wilner to say after the game that the Blue Jays never even come back like this five times last season. But now, two in the first four games?

No comeback was needed on Saturday, when the Blue Jays beat the Orioles 3-0 in Dana Eveland's debut with Toronto. The left-handed Eveland pitched five-hit ball in 7.1 innings, and catcher Jose Molina drove in two runs, as the Jays won their fourth straight game.

It didn't look good in the fourth inning, when Toronto loaded the bases but got only one run when Molina was hit by a pitch. McCoy, a rookie, could have blown the game open but instead flied out to center for the final out of the inning.

But Eveland, who had an unimpressive 13-17 career record and a 5.54 ERA coming in, did the rest.

The Blue Jays are expected to finish in last place this season behind the Yankees/Red Sox, Rays, and Orioles. We'll see how many games Toronto can win this season in Cito Gaston's last year as manager.

Vikings Classless?

The Minnesota Vikings ran up the score against the Dallas Cowboys in their NFC Divisional Playoff game on Sunday.

Minnesota was already ahead 27-3 with under two minutes left, and on 4th-and-3, Brett Favre threw an 11-yard TD pass to seemingly rub it in to the Cowboys.

Were the Vikings classless?

I think so.

But head coach Brad Childress denied they were trying to run up the score. He shrugged it off as his Vikings simply doing their "job to score points." Sure, whatever, coach.

Why does winning ONE Super Bowl make you a legend?

So, the San Diego Chargers lost again in the NFL playoffs on Sunday, 17-14 to the upstart New York Jets.

Despite the fact the Chargers had won 11 straight to end the season and finished 13-3, they fell to the 9-7 Jets in the AFC Divisional Round.

Nate Kaeding missed three field goals for the Chargers--his only three attempts of the game--from 37, 57, and 40 yards. It wasn't the first time Kaeding had struggled in the playoffs, and who knows, maybe some day he'll end up on the NFL's Top 10 Meltdowns list (which includes kicker Mike Vanderjagt and QB Brett Favre... and also coach Marty Schottenheimer, whom we'll get to later).

Now, the Chargers' recent playoff struggles could be traced to two head coaches: ex-coach Marty Schottenheimer and current coach Norv Turner.

In 2004, with Schottenheimer in charge, San Diego finished 12-4 and won the AFC West, but lost to the Jets in their Wild Card Game. (Kaeding missed a field goal attempt from 40 yards in OT in that one.)

Two years later, Schottenheimer's Chargers finished 14-2 and earned a first-round bye. But the Chargers again lost their first playoff game, allowing the New England Patriots to come back from a 14-3 deficit and win 24-21. Of course, in that game, the noteworthy events were Schottenheimer going for it on 4th-and-11 instead of trying a 47-yard field goal in the first quarter (QB Philip Rivers lost a fumble, which set up a Patriots field goal later in the quarter) and New England scoring 11 unanswered points in the final 4:36. (Kaeding missed a 54-yarder with three seconds left in the game.)

Schottenheimer was gone after that season, having lost six straight playoff games and pushing his career playoff mark to 5-13. As many critics have noted, if you want your team to make the playoffs, you want Marty as your coach. If you want to make it to the Super Bowl, you don't want him. Indeed, Schottenheimer was 200-126 in the regular season with the Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, and Chargers, but his teams had never made it to the NFL title game. (And he had Lin Elliot kicking in Kansas City, and the kicker--like Kaeding--missed three field goals in a stunning upset loss to underdog Indianapolis in 1995.)

Then enter Turner, who had his own dubious record. In 2007, Turner led the Chargers to an 11-5 record and two playoff wins to get to the AFC Championship Game. Alas, despite Rivers' heroics, the Chargers fell to the 17-0 Patriots.

In 2008, the Chargers were 8-8 but beat the Broncos in the regular-season finale to win the AFC West. They upset the Colts before losing in Pittsburgh in the AFC Divisional Round.

And this year, Turner's boys were 13-3 but they lost to the Jets in their first playoff game this weekend.

Turner is now 4-4 in his career in the postseason.

Now, enough of picking on the Chargers and their coaches. What about in Dallas?

Wade Phillips, head coach of the Cowboys, had been 0-3 in the playoffs before this season. The Cowboys franchise hadn't won in the playoffs since 1996.

But that changed when the Cowboys beat the Eagles in their NFC Wild Card Game last weekend. Alas, their magic ran out when they were clobbered 34-3 in Minnesota on Sunday.

Phillips is now 1-4 in his playoff career.

So, Schottenheimer, Turner, and Phillips have not had any luck in the playoffs.

But my question is, why does it take just ONE Super Bowl for a coach to be proclaimed a genius?

For example, whenever there is a coaching job available, for example in Buffalo, you heard about the so-called A-List of coaches who could be possible candidates to take the job.

That A-List includes:
-Bill Cowher
-Brian Billick
-Tony Dungy
-John Gruden
-Mike Holmgren (before he joined the Browns)

Each has a Super Bowl ring. Exactly one. In Cowher's case, in his first 13 years in Pittsburgh, he was ringless and the Steelers had hosted six AFC Title Games but lost five of them.

Cowher was only 8-9 in the playoffs up to that point and hardly a genius.

Then in 2005, the 11-5 Steelers--the AFC's sixth seed--won all four games in the postseason, including the Super Bowl.

And Cowher is forever known as a legend.

A similar deal for Billick, an offensive genius as an assistant in Minnesota.

Billick then went to Baltimore and led the Ravens to a 12-4 record in 2000. Baltimore then routed the Broncos and upset the Titans and Raiders to get to the NFL title game, before dominating the Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV.

Since then, the Ravens made the playoffs only three more times under Billick before he was fired on December 31, 2007.

The most disappointing playoff loss came in the 2006 season, when the Ravens were 13-3 but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Colts 15-6 in their first playoff game.

But, Cowher, Billick, and the others, are geniuses.

With ONE championship.

Jets in the AFC Title Game

Well, perhaps rookie head coach Rex Ryan is on to something....

When the New York Jets lost to the Atlanta Falcons at home with two weeks to go, they dropped to 7-7 and Coach Ryan assumed his team had been eliminated from playoff contention.

But once the Jets won their final two games and clinched the No. 5 seed in the AFC, Ryan proclaimed his club to be the team to beat. In fact, he gave his players an itinerary which included the Super Bowl in Miami and a parade in NYC to celebrate a championship.

He told the press that he didn't see why his team shouldn't be the favorites to win the Super Bowl. After all, he believed in his club and he knew the Jets had the best defense in the NFL and they could run the ball as well as any other team.

After the Jets beat the Bengals on Wild Card Weekend, they went to San Diego and knocked off the Chargers--who were coming off 11 straight wins to end the season--in the AFC Divisional Round.

Now, they will head to Indianapolis to face the top-seeded Colts in the AFC title game.

Wouldn't it be ironic if the Jets could upset the Colts 41 years after New York shocked the Baltimore Colts to win Super Bowl III?

Back in January 1969, Rex Ryan's father Buddy Ryan was in his first year as a coach (Linebackers Coach) with the AFL's Jets. And Buddy Ryan won his first Super Bowl ring with the Jets.

And talk about karma.

In Week 16, the Colts were 14-0 and playing the Jets in Indianapolis. But Colts head coach Jim Caldwin rested MVP QB Peyton Manning and other starters. Backup QB Curtis Painter was ineffective, helping the Jets win to stay alive.

In Week 17, the Bengals, who had clinched the AFC North and had nothing much to play for, also rested some players and were blown out 37-0 by the Jets.

Had the Jets lost against the Colts, they would have been all but eliminated. Instead, with the win in Indy, they took control of their own destiny over the Broncos and the other AFC Wild Card pretenders.

Had the Jets lost to Cincinnati, they would have finished out of the playoffs. It was that simple: Win in Cincinnati, and they would claim the No. 5 seed. Lose in Cincy, and they were out.

Of course, they made it, and upset the Bengals in the Wild Card round.

Wouldn't it be ironic this Sunday if they upset the Colts too? Beating the two teams that basically allowed the New York to sneak into the playoffs because those two teams decided to rest starters?

One thing for certain: the Giants must be kicking themselves now. The Giants, who started 5-0, collapsed at the end and missed the playoffs.

Had the G-Men been able to make the postseason, who knows? Maybe New Yorkers could be dreaming of an all-New York Super Bowl this year.

And had the Baltimore Ravens (the No. 6 seed) been able to upset Indianapolis on Saturday, then the AFC Championship Game would be played at Giants Stadium instead.

Peyton Manning: A Team Player

I'm not a Peyton Manning fan.

But, here's my take on the way he handled himself when rookie coach Jim Caldwell took him out of the game.

According to the AP, Manning was quoted as saying: "It was the plan, the organizational philosophy that we were going with, and, as players, we support that."

He was SOOOO unlike that Minnesota QB.

Baseball, Football: Random Thoughts

So, the Philadelphia Phillies finally acquired Toronto ace Roy Halladay in a complicated four-team trade in mid-December, sending their ace Cliff Lee to Seattle in the process.

A few things about this deal (and the teams and characters in general):

* Division titles and pennants are not won in the off-season. Many are ready to hand the NL East to the Phillies for the third straight year, but... Remember when the Mets, coming off an NLCS loss in 2006 and September meltdown in 2007, acquired two-time AL Cy Young winner Johan Santana?

Everyone wanted to give the division to Santana--and the lefty did his job (16-7, 2.53) in 2008--but the Mets missed the postseason.

Roy Halladay might lead the Phillies in wins in 2010, but it's too early to simply give the NL East to Philadelphia.

* This makes yet another Toronto player who wants to leave his team. Who cares if he took out an ad in the Star to thank his fans? Other athletes have done the same thing before; it's just PR.

And didn't he announce when the trade was made that he wanted to be a Phillie?

Just for karma, let's hope the Phillies crumble in 2010. Athletes who are under contract and then say publicly they want to be traded.... well, let's hope for karma.

* Bob McCown and others keep insisting the Blue Jays have never played a meaningful September game since 1993. No wonder David Wells chastised the Toronto media in his autobiography.

Back in 2000, the Jays had a shot and were in first place in June. They were still in wild-card contention late in September. And gee, didn't Roy Halladay have a 10.64 ERA that year? With Wells and his 20-8 season and Frank Castillo contributing, it was Halladay and Chris Carpenter who were horrible.

Had Halladay pitched well, then who knows, the Blue Jays might have been in the postseason in 2000.

So, who cares about the 2003 Cy Young and other wins? It was in 2000 that he choked.

* Some fans just don't get it. They look at wins and losses, and use that to decide who's better or worse.

Some bloggers see Cliff Lee being "better" than Halladay in 2004, 2005, and 2008.

Lee went 14-8 with a 5.43 ERA in 2004. He was 18-5, 3.79 in 2005. He then won the Cy Young in 2008 with a 22-3 mark and a 2.54 ERA.

Halladay: 8-8, 4.20 in 2004. Then, he was 12-4 with a 2.41 ERA in 2005. He lost out the Cy Young in 2008 by going 20-11 with a 2.78 ERA.

Yes, clearly Lee beat out Halladay in 2008.

But 2004-05?

Sorry, I don't think so.

* Blue Jays will be awful for a while, so why bother showing up for games? Seeing they've traded Halladay, that means they've basically given up on the 2010 season.

And Rogers, a big corporation, has decided not to spend money to compete in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox.

Some Toronto fans think they can trust this team again because a Canadian general manager has taken over.

What a joke. Who cares about the nationality of the GM?

And what about their lame-duck managerial situation? Cito Gaston, whom the players revolted against before the end of the season, will be back for one more season in 2010, before moving into an advisory position with the team.

Why bring him back as manager? He's proven before he can't succeed with a young team (his '92-93 championship teams were veteran squads), he can't handle a pitching staff (1991) that doesn't have superstar arms, and now the players seem to have issues with him.

This will be a long year in Toronto.

**************
Funny how a long season can have so many so-called winners.

In the NFL in 2007--the year the Patriots went 16-0--the Dallas Cowboys were supposed to be untouchable in the NFC.

Yet they were bounced by the Giants in their first playoff game.

Last year, the Giants were supposed to be untouchable in the NFC.

And they suffered the same fate in their first playoff game, at the hands of the Eagles.

What about the 2009 season?

* Chicago got Jay Cutler, and was supposed to contend in the NFC North. Wrong.

* When Mark Sanchez and the Jets were 3-0, and the Giants were also unbeaten, New York fans were dreaming about the possibility of a New York-New York Super Bowl. Uhm, no.

Even Rex Ryan was proclaiming his Jets were for real after they knocked off the Patriots in Week Two. Now, with two weeks left and his Jets 7-7, he was publicly saying they're not a playoff team (despite the fact they still had a mathematical shot at it).

* When the Giants started out 5-0, everyone was saying there were untouchable. Then they lost four straight and everyone wrote them off.

This team though, reminds me of the Super Bowl-winning team that knocked off the 18-0 Patriots.

* When the Patriots blew out the Titans 59-0 to put Tennessee at 0-6, everyone was saying Tom Brady was back and New England was untouchable. Then when the Pats lost to the unbeaten Colts and Saints, everyone wrote them off.

I should say that the Patriots, now 9-5, will win the division, and remember when they won their first Super Bowl against the Rams? They were a five-loss team back then too.

* Denver was 6-0, and then everyone thought head coach Josh McDaniels was a genius for dumping Cutler. Hmm. A 2-6 slide later, and people were chastising him for trash talking with players from opposing teams on the sidelines.

* When the defending champion Steelers were 6-2 after five straight wins, people were saying they were going to repeat.

Well, they then lost five straight, including losses against lowly Oakland, K.C., and Cleveland. Then last week, Mike Tomlin decided to go for an on-side kick with the Steelers ahead by two. It worked out and they won it on a last-second TD, but what does that say about his lack of trust in his defense?

Well, they're 7-7 now, and it doesn't look good.

* The Vikings were 10-1 and were supposed to be a Super Bowl team. Now, two losses in their last three and possible turmoil between the coach and QB... Well, we'll see.

* Now the new flavors are the Eagles and Chargers, the two hottest teams in each conference other than the 14-0 Colts.

* Oh, and the Ravens too. Baltimore is supposed to be a tough team, a contender, despite its 8-6 record (after starting out 3-0). But, the Ravens will be playing in Pittsburgh, a team they've had lots of trouble with.

We shall see.

But I still say it's too early to count out the Patriots. They almost beat the Colts and fell juuuust short on that 4th-and-2 call.

Why the Vazquez-to-New-York trade makes no sense

The AP has reported that the Yankees have re-acquired right-handed pitcher Javier Vazquez, who spent the 2009 season with the Braves.

This makes no sense at all.

Find out why I think so here.

Tale of Two Athletes: Brodeur and Favre

The comments made by two star athletes in two different sports over the weekend were notable--and a sharp contrast--but surprisingly, not much was made in the media of the one that actually was part of the winning team.

On Saturday night in Atlanta, the New Jersey Devils fell behind 3-1 before the end of the first period, with goaltender Martin Brodeur giving up three goals on only six shots. Devils coach Jacques Lemaire pulled Brodeur after the period, and inserted backup Yann Danis to start the second stanza.

The Devils, who had outshot the Thrashers 24-6 in the opening period, didn't quit after their No. 1 goalie was pulled. New Jersey rallied--scoring four straight goals over the final 40 minutes--and pulled out a 5-4 victory.

Was Brodeur upset about getting the quick hook?

As reported by the Associated Press, Brodeur didn't even beg Lemaire to put him back out on the ice. "No, no, no. We needed a kick in the butt. It's all about winning, with me or without me" (AP, Devils lift Brodeur after period, still win 5-4, Dec. 19, 2009).

The star goalie also acknowledged his coach's right in removing him from the game. "After three goals on six shots, we had to do something."

As Lemaire put it, "We changed goalies to make a difference...it was a good opportunity to put Danis in and rest [Brodeur]."

And the Devils did come back despite having their top player on the bench.

Now, Brodeur's unselfishness didn't really get much press.

Still, it was certainly refreshing to know that an elite athlete was putting his team ahead of his own ego.

But on Sunday night, that wasn't the case in Carolina, when another star wasn't having a stellar game. The difference was this player refused to get pulled.

Brett Favre, quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings, was involved in what he called a "heated exchange" in the second half with head coach Brad Childress.

With Minnesota leading the 5-8 Panthers by a score of 7-6 in the third quarter, Childress reportedly thought about removing Favre from the game because his QB was "taking a beating" (AP, Childress considered benching Favre to protect him, Dec. 21, 2009).

Favre had already gotten sacked four times and been hit several other times during the game.

The quarterback, however, strongly objected and lobbed to remain in the contest, and ultimately did.

Alas, the Vikings' defense allowed three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers came out on top, 26-7.

Favre threw for 224 yards and was 17-for-27 with no touchdowns. He had one interception, which came in the Vikings' final possession of the contest, when the game was already out of reach.

As he put it, "Brad wanted to go in a different direction. And I wanted to stay in the game. It's not 70-6, but we were up 7-6. I said I'm staying in the game. I'm playing. ... No way being up 7-6 and getting banged around a little bit would I consider coming out" (AP, Favre, Childress argue, Panthers beat Vikings 26-7, Dec. 20, 2009).

For Minnesota, the loss on Sunday night was its second in three games. The Vikings are now 11-3 following a 10-1 start.

Of course, concerns over Favre's health isn't unwarranted. Last season with the Jets, Favre led his team to a 9-3 start and had people talking Super Bowl--until he started throwing interceptions and the Jets missed the playoffs by dropping four of their final five games.

Naturally, it was within Childress's right to want to keep his QB fresh. Childress, after all, is the head coach. Not Favre.

And the Philadelphia Eagles (10-4), who have the tie-breaker over Minnesota, are now suddenly right behind the Vikings, sitting only one game back for the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

Childress supposedly wanted Favre to get enough rest for their final two games so that they can clinch the No. 2 seed and get a first-round bye in the playoffs.

But Favre wouldn't have any of it.

Now, was it okay for Favre to demand to remain in the game?

Sure, his team was ahead--thanks only to a missed point-after by the Panthers; otherwise it would have been 7-7--but it wasn't as though Favre was lighting it up against the Carolina defense.

Both Brodeur and Favre, of course, will end up in the Hall of Fame after their playing careers are over. Both are regarded as the best at their respective positions. Both have won championships and own numerous records.

In fact, Brodeur, the winningest goalie in NHL history, had just set the league record for goalies the previous night by playing in his 1,030th regular-season contest. And he didn't argue about getting pulled on Saturday. All he talked about was the importance of the team winning the game.

On the other hand, Favre, who owns the NFL records for QB victories and career touchdowns, argued with his coach on Sunday night and kept talking about "I.... I... I..." after the game.

What a difference between the two.

Interview with Bill Ranford

I had the opportunity to speak with two-time Stanley Cup winner Bill Ranford earlier this week, as part of the research I'm doing for my next book project (or one of them anyway).

The 1990 Conn Smythe Trophy winner was gracious enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to do the interview.

Click here to take a look at some of the highlights of the discussion.

No. 7 hitter getting it done so far on 4th of July

Through six innings at new Yankee Stadium, the No. 7 hitter has been getting it done.

Alex Rios, now batting seventh (with Vernon Wells hitting sixth), is 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs, and Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays have a 5-3 lead over the Yankees through six.

With Toronto down 1-0 in the second, Lyle Overbay walked and Wells hit a ground-rule double that got into the right-field stands. Rios then took Chien-Ming Wang's pitch to centre, just past the pitcher, and the Jays had a 2-1 lead.

In the sixth, with the Jays down 3-2, Adam Lind hit a two-run homer off Wang, and then Rios added an RBI single with two on and two out off David Robertson.

Where was this offense from Rios all season long?

Media wants Vernon and Alex out

For a while now, the Toronto print and radio media--or at least some of them--want to see the Blue Jays sit Vernon Wells and Alex Rios.

The Blue Jays, even with the 5-0 win over Tampa Bay on Canada Day, have been slumping, and in danger of falling out of the Wild Card race (with their four-game series at Yankee Stadium coming up).

While the pitching has been good despite all the injuries to the starting rotation, it hasn't been enough.

They have been getting contributions from Scott Rolen, Lyle Overbay, and Adam Lind. The top two hitters in the lineup, Marco Scutaro and Aaron Hill, have been getting on base.

And ironically, it's the two biggest bats (and contracts) in the Jays lineup that have not delivered.

What if both Wells and Rios could still hit? They'd be leading the Wild Card race for sure. On Wednesday, Wells was held out of the starting lineup (though he did make an appearance as a defensive replacement in centre field late in the game), and Rios did nothing as the No. 7 batter.

Big series coming up against the Wild Card-leading Yankees, who have won seven straight...

A bad loss to the Phillies

The Blue Jays lost 5-4 on Sunday to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, allowing the struggling world champions to leave town with a rare series victory.

Brian Tallet (5-5) was staked to a 4-1 lead--on two home runs by Aaron Hill (now with 19) and a two-run shot by Jose Bautista--but couldn't hold it.

Meanwhile, the ancient Jamie Moyer (6-6) settled down after the early home runs and managed to pick up the win for the Phillies.

Chan Ho Park pitched two perfect innings against the Blue Jays, who must have felt happy once the Korean reliever was removed from the game.

In the eighth, the Blue Jays loaded the bases against Ryan Madson, but Russ Adams, pinch-hitting for Bautista, popped out to shallow left to end the threat.

In the ninth, the Jays put the first two men on base against Brad Lidge--who came in with a 7.86 ERA--but Hill fouled out for the first out. Pinch runner John McDonald was caught stealing for the second out, and Vernon Wells grounded out to short to end the game.

Lidge, who was making his second apperance since coming off the DL, got save No. 14 in 20 opportunities. Last season, Lidge was perfect in save chances during the entire season and postseason as the Phils wont he World Series.

The Blue Jays were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

On a positive note for the Jays, Hill now has a career-high 19 dingers, breaking the team record for home runs by a second sacker. Hill had hit 17 in 2007, which tied Roberto Alomar's record set in 1993.

Tallet threw 110 pitches, giving the Jays six innings of work. He gave up eight hits, six walks, and struck out six.

The good news is that on Monday, Roy Halladay (10-1, 2.53) will return from his groin injury to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of their big three-game set at Rogers Centre. Tampa Bay jumped ahead of Toronto in the standings with its Sunday win against Florida.

Scott Richmond and Ricky Romero will also start for the Jays in the Tampa series, with Romero getting the Canada Day assignment. Then following an off-day, it will be off to Yankee Stadium for another big four-game series against New York.

Tallet pitches Jays back into Wild Card lead

Tallet does it again.

Brian Tallet pitched a three-hitter with seven strikeouts in six innings, and the Blue Jays welcomed the Reds to Rogers Centre by beating them 7-5.

Tallet walked only one batter, leaving after the sixth with the score 6-0.

Cincinnati plated four runs after loading the bases off two relievers in the seventh, but couldn't come all the way back.

Meanwhile, in Atlanta, the Yankees were blanked 4-0 by Tommy (not Glavine) Hanson. Chien-Ming Wang fell to 0-6. Beautiful!

A-Rod is now batting .207 for the Yankees.

The Jays (39-33) and Yanks (38-32) are now tied for the wild card lead. Both are five back of Boston for top spot in the AL East.

Jays can't score in Washington

So, the Blue Jays have had a weird road trip thus far.

First, a three-game sweep in Philadelphia against the NL East-leading and defending WS champion Phillies.

Now, the Jays can't beat the worst team in baseball--by far--in Washington. The Nationals were 18-46 going into the series, and have been terrible this season.

But after a pair of extra-inning wins over Toronto, you just have to wonder if the Nats' pitching is that good, or the Jays' hitting that bad.

Brian Tallet pitched well--again--on Friday night, giving up just a run in five innings (before being pinch-hit for in the sixth). Brett Cecil did the job on Saturday, giving up three runs in seven innings.

And yet the Jays lost 2-1 in 11 innings Friday, and followed that up with a 5-3 defeat in 12 on Saturday.

It was Adam Dunn with his bases-loaded single in the first game, sticking it to the Jays (remember how the GM, J.P., dissed Dunn last season, when the Nats slugger was still in Cincinnati?). Then in this latest loss, it was Willie Harris' two-run "walk-off" bomb off Scott Richmond, normally a starter coming on in relief to save the bullpen.

On a night when the Yankees lost 2-1 in Florida (and the Angels losing at the moment to the Dodgers in the Weaver-Weaver brother pitching matchup), the Jays could have gained ground in the Wild Card race by beating the majors' worst team.

But they just couldn't do it.

Jays sweep Phils, one game back in Wild Card

Well, despite all their injuries, the Blue Jays swept the Phillies in Philadelphia on Thursday.

This time, it was thanks to ex-Phil Rod Barajas, whose pinch-hit homer leading off the ninth gave Toronto an 8-7 win.

Brad Mills, making his ML debut, lasted only 3 2/3 innings, giving up four runs. Cito Gaston was forced to use seven relievers in this one.

Despite blowing the save in the eighth inning, Jason Frasor got the win (now 5-0) by getting the final out before Barajas' heroics.

B.J. Ryan got one out in the ninth before Jeremy Accardo retired the final two Phillies for his first save.

Accardo was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to take the spot of closer Scott Down (DL). Mills, a lefty who was 1-8 with a 4.48 ERA in Triple-A, was called up to take Casey Janssen's spot.

Amazingly, the NL East-leading Phillies are only 2-10-1 in home series this year (with both series wins against the awful Nationals) and are 13-19 at Citizens Bank Park. On the other hand, they are an ML-best 23-9 on the road.

Speaking of the lowly Nats, they stunned the Yankees again at new Yankee Stadium, winning 3-0.

Someone named Craig Stammen (0-2, 5.86 in 5 career starts--all this year) pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings for Washington for his first ML win--at the Yankees' expense.

New York (37-29) has lost six of nine.

With the Yankees' loss, the Blue Jays (37-31) and idle Angels (35-29 and who have won six in a row) are 1 game back in the Wild Card standings. Tampa Bay, which has now lost two straight following a six-game winning streak, is now three back.

The Jays are in third place in the East standings, four back of the Red Sox.

For now, Toronto remains in the race, but for how much longer?

With ace Roy Halladay (10-1, 2.53) on the DL, and with Mills being the FOURTH starting pitcher this season to make his ML debut for the Jays, the team is in big trouble.

Their top five projected starters--Halladay, Janssen, Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan, and Jesse Litsch--are all on the DL.

The ironic part about all this?

A.J. Burnett, the guy that was supposedly the brittle one, is healthy and injury-free! Burnett, who was part of the Jays' 2008 rotation, isn't doing that well in the Bronx in '09, but at least he's managed to stay off the DL. For now anyways.

The Jays now start a three-game series in Washington against the hapless Nationals (an MLB-worst 18-46), a team that just took two of three in New York against the Yanks. (They could have won all three, if not for a blown lead in the late innings in the first game.)

If the Jays don't sweep this weekend series, you can call them officially dead. You've simply got to win games you're supposed to win, if you want to stay in the race.

Jays win again but lose Halladay and Downs to DL

Well, the Blue Jays won their second straight game in Philadelphia on Wednesday, and coupled with the Yankees' 3-2 loss against Washington (!!), are only two games back in the Wild Card standings.

The only thing though, is that Tampa Bay and the Angels are now in the mix too, having put together six-game winning streaks.

But the real bad news came when it was announced Roy Halladay (10-1 this season) and closer Scott Downs will be placed on the DL on Thursday.

Before Wednesday's game, starter Casey Janssen (2-3, 6.23) was placed on the DL also.

That means the Blue Jays have their projected top five starters--Halladay, Janssen, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum, and Jesse Litsch--on the disabled list.

Say good night to the Jays' season.

* * * * *

Meanwhile, how about that Chien-Ming Wang? He's now 0-5 this season, and it seems like every time he's on the mound, the Yankees find a way to lose.

Perhaps they should trot him out every day.

Also with the Yankees, it is unfortunate to hear about what happened to ex-Bomber Mel Hall earlier today. 45 years is a long time.

* * * * *

I guess I was wrong about Scott Richmond.

He hasn't slumped at all. In fact, he fanned 11--a career-high--as Toronto beat Philadelphia 7-1 on Wednesday. This came after the Jays rallied in the ninth inning one night earlier and stunned the first-place Phils 8-3 in 10.

Ricky Romero started Tuesday's game and did all right, though he struck out three times in three at-bats, stranding eight baserunners. If you remember, for interleague games, the Jays lose the DH in NL ballparks, thus pitchers have to bat in such contests away from Rogers Centre.

But that's not the worst thing to have happened Tuesday.

Downs' injury came when he strained his big left toe while swinging at a pitch during the Jays' five-run 10th inning. Yikes. And to make things worse, Downs' at-bat came AFTER Toronto had gotten the five runs (and he made the final out of the inning with his groundout), so that means Cito Gaston could have pinch-hit for him and brought in another reliever to pitch in the bottom of the inning.

Toronto left the bases loaded in the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings, but still recovered with those five runs in the 10th.

I would guess Cito would much rather have lost the Tuesday game than to lose Scott Downs.

Halladay beats Royals

It was vintage Roy Halladay on Sunday afternoon against the Kansas City Royals.

While Halladay was doing the pitching, Lyle Overbay and Aaron Hill were doing the slugging for the Blue Jays.

After Vernon Wells' sacrifice fly in the first inning gave Halladay a 1-0 lead, Overbay doubled the advantage with a solo homer in the second.

Hill, who sat out Saturday afternoon's contest, was back in the lineup. He added a two-run bomb in the third, ending an 0-for-25 slump in the process.

That was plenty enough for Halladay (10-1), who went the distance on a seven-hitter, becoming the first 10-game winner in baseball. He fanned six and didn't allow a walk.

While Halladay was virtually untouchable, he did run into trouble in the seventh, allowing three singles to load the bases. The Doc, however, promptly got a strikeout and groundout to first base to end the threat.

Royals starter Kyle Davies (2-6) also went the distance, giving up nine hits in his eight innings of work.

On the out-of-town scoreboard, the Yankees are trailing the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 in the seventh, while Boston is losing to Texas 5-3 in the sixth.

The Jays began the day in third place behind the Red Sox and Yankees, three games out in the AL East. They trailed New York in the Wild Card standings by 2 1/2 games heading into Sunday's action.

Richmond & Jays lose to Royals

No, it wasn't the seventh game of the 1985 ALCS, but the results were the same.

The Kansas City Royals, thanks to a three-run triple, turned the tide Saturday afternoon, pulling out a 6-2 win at Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays had staked Scott Richmond to a 2-0 lead on Raul Chavez's two-run homer--his first dinger of the year--in the third inning.

However, after looking good for the first few innings, Richmond ran into trouble in the fifth, when the Royals scored five runs.

Mark Teahen hit a two-run home run off Richmond, before the right-hander allowed a double and walk, as the Royals threatened to take the lead with two outs.

Richmond ran the count to 3-0 on David DeJesus and then walked him two pitches later, loading the bases for Willie Bloomquist.

Why didn't manager Cito Gaston pull Richmond right there? Yes, he'd pitched four scoreless innings leading to the fifth. But he'd also given up two runs in the fifth and had loaded the bases, having walked the last two batters in a row.

Instead, Gaston left his starter in the game, and Bloomquist--who was hitting well against the Blue Jays, as color commentator Rance Mulliniks had said in the pre-game--delivered a drive to deep center to clear the bases.

Kansas City 5, Toronto 2.

Then, Gaston came out to take the ball from Richmond, one batter too late. Reliever Shawn Camp, who replaced Richmond, went on to pitch 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

This was an absolutely winnable game for the Blue Jays. Had Cito removed the starter one or two batters earlier, who knows, the game might have been different.

Still down by three in the seventh, Chavez came up, with two on and two out. But the catcher--not a long-ball threat by any means--grounded out to third to end the inning.

The Royals added a run in the eighth, and won it 6-2.

Alex Rios left two more runners on base, and went 0-for-3 with a walk. This after that disastrous 0-for-5, five-strikeout showing on Thursday afternoon.

The 3-4-5 hitters--Rios, Vernon Wells, and Adam Lind--combined to go 0-for-10.

The walk that Rios got came in the ninth inning, when he, Wells, and Lind were up, with the Jays down by four runs.

However, Wells promptly hit into a double play, and Lind ended the contest with a fly to right.

With the first-place Yankees also losing on Saturday afternoon, a victory over the Royals--who had lost eight straight--would have helped in the standings.

But chalk up yet another loss, in a very winnable game.

The good news is ace Roy Halladay (9-1, 2.77) will be back on the mound Sunday afternoon, as the Jays look to win the series.