baseballtourist

Murderer's Row Signed Photo tops $350K

Arguably the most feared and dominating lineup of all time - the 1927 Yankees, were dubbed the 'Murderer's Row" and a team signed photo slays the previous record price for a vintage sports photograph - topping out at a killer $350,000.

Catching up with the Jays in June and with Juney.

June 20 - Juney's 70th birthday! Kates and I head to Toronto to share the day with my Ma.

The Jays drag a game into extras for the second night in row against the Nats, and for the second straight night, they lose. Brett Cecil comes up from Sin City to log 7 innings - giving up 8 hits and only 3 runs. A quality start that kept the Jays and their quiet bats in the game; but the offense only managed 9 hits and 3 runs themselves through 12. Jays lose 5-3 and drop to 37-33 on the campaign.

 
June 21 - Sweep averted. Alliteration man goes 7, scattering 8 hits and only alowing 2 runs. Lyle Overbay kicks it into high gear with 5 rbi's. 13 hits total for the team (that's more like it!). Jays win 9-4 and inch upwards to 38-33. 

June 23 - After an off day, Etobicoke boy, Joey Votto and his Reds come to town to take on the Jays. Tallet's lip appendage pitched VERY well. The line - 6 innings, 3 hits,  no runs, 7 strikeouts. The hitters threw 12 hits and 7 runs on the board, enough to withstand a late inning charge by Cinncy. As for Votto (who is on my fantasy team and has been recovering from a mysterious inner ear/anxiety illness for the better part of a month)..he shook of the rust and went 1-4. Jays win 7-5 and improve to 39-33.

Next game....I was there! With the gang - Kates, Juney, 'The Rev" and 'Ash'. That is officially a baseball event and deserves its own post.

I'm back on track. Jays are hot and cold. Lot of milestones. Ok, now I am tired.

I'M BACK !! After a long delay...no excuses, just been busy! I have 16 Jays games to cover and a bunch of other stuff as well.....and I'll do 8 Toronto games now and 8 in another post...so bear with me and pls forgive my slacking.

I mentioned in my last post that Ricky Romero was facing another tough test in Texas on June 10, as the Jays looked for a 4th straight win. The game was rained out. 

On the 10th - the MLB Draft 1st overall pick went to the lowly Washington Nationals - and to no one's surprise they selected San Diego State's righthander - Stephen Strasburg.  Coached by a favourite player of mine, HOF'er -Tony Gywnn, Strasburg went 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA in 15 starts the past season at San Diego State. He also struck out 195 batters with just 19 walks in 109 innings.

Back to the jays and Rangers - the two teams dried off the field and faced off on the 11th...with the Jays looking for a sweep of the shortened series. It was as anticipated - a pitcher's duel. Romero lasted 6 and a third, giving up 5 hits, striking out 6 and allowing only one earned run; but that was all Millwood and the Rangers needed. Texas wins 1-0 and the Jays fall to 34-28 over all.

Meanwhile in Cleveland - a seagull pulls a "Dave Winfield" (albeit, not as fatal) and helps the Indians win against the Royals and perhaps, wings its way into Zack Hample's next book? The Jays add Canuck talent to their minor league rosters - by taking an Ontario native and another BC boy, (this time from Ladner) in the draft. James Paxton, a left-hander from the University of Kentucky is the Left-Coaster and Toronto also chose Canadian lefty, high schooler Jake Eliopoulos, from nearby Newmarket, Ontario.

June 12 -Loving the retro uni's...NOT loving the fact that Doc strained his groin and had to leave the game against the Marlins in the 4th inning. As usual, Halladay kept the team in it, departing the game down 1-0. Scott Richmond came in from the bullpen and the Jays tied it up, and then took the lead. Florida chipped away until they put the game away for good in the 8th with 5 runs off Brandon League, who took the 7-3 loss. Jays drop to 34-29.

June 13 -  Alex Rios, he of the off-again, on-again season, went 4 for 4 with a dinger and the Jays had a chance to win in the 9th, when Wells couldn't get his hit (going 0-5, for the game). Janssen took the loss, giving up all 5 runs, on 5 hits including 2 home runs - departing after only 3 and 2/3. Jays lose a tough one 6-5 and end the day at 34-30.

Do you remember when Dye and Konerko hit their respective 300th career home runs in back-to-back at-bats in the same game? Today, two important hitting milestones were reached by teammates in the same game, but this time they were separated by a batter. Astro's Miggy Tejada and Lance Berkman hit their 2,000 hit and 300 dinger respectivley, in this fashion. Trivia question -who was the batter between them? Answer.

June 14 - NO! Marlins sweep. Roy misses start and Tallet's mustsache couldn't pick up the pitcher where they left off after the last outing together...as they allowed 8 runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings! It was just too ugly to keep writing about. Jays drop a series and are nearing the .500 level, at 34-31.

June 16 -  I watched this one and while it was a win, it wasn't pretty. After a needed day off the Jays traveled to play the Phillies and gave the ball to the Alliteration Man. He didn't disappoint - lasting 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits and striking out 9 batters. The Jays tied the game in the 9th and had a great chance to win it with the bases loaded in each of the last 3 innings - finally pounding out 5 runs in the 10th, to win 8-3 and move to 35-31 for the year.

June 17 - Scott (North Vancouver) Richmond strikes out 11 of the first-place, defending champion Phillies and Scutaro and Hill bang out 3 hits and the Jays win 7-1 and pull up to a 36-31 record.

More Astros milestones - man this team is old! Pudge squats for 2,227 games - behind the plate that is. A season of milestones unfolds for the man who had no team in the Spring as Rodriquez breaks he another Pudge's record (Carlton Fisk) for most games caught in MLB history.

June 18 - Mini Sweep! Taking 3 games from the Phils after dropping 3 at home to the Marlins. This game reflected the type of month the team is having..back and forth, see-sawing leads and frustrating and exciting ball. Another Jays rookie pitcher makes his MLB debut in '09 - this time, its Brad Mills who goes a pedestrian 3 2/3 innings giving up 6 hits and 4 runs, while striking out 2. Barajas hits a pinch hit dinger in the 9th and the Jays starting catcher - Chavez and Lind (my guy!) also poke one out, each. Marco Scutaro (say it again KTV!) pranks the Phils, by stealing 2nd, seconds after he reaches first base, after a walk - never seen that before! Jays squeak one out 8-7 and land at 37-31.

June 19 - From the home of the first place Phillies the Jays travel to visit the cellar-dwelling Nationals, and they pounded them right? Nope! After having to call on almost the entire bullpen in the previous game, Cito pulled a decent Tallet (not by the mustache, mind you) after 5 innings, and only down one run - to play the percentages and replace Tallet's bat with a pinch hitter. Cito has said that he isn't a fan of interleague play - as AL team pitchers just don't get enough hitting experience to make it equitable. The gamble didn't work and while the relief corps help on and Toronto tied it up, they lost in extras (2-1). Jays drop to 37-32. 

Whew! Tired. Must rest. Back soon (really).

Jays on a bit of a roll, but I'm behind. SkyDome is 20 !

I have been watching the games and keeping up on the collecting hobby news, even monitoring the losing status of my MLB Fantasy team (damn that Matthew!).

The Jays have turned it around since last Friday..starting with a big win over Greinke and the Royals.

June 5 - Alliteration Man picked a great time to pull it together - going 7 great innings, scattering 5 hits and 3 runs. The Jays offense did what no team has been able to do to the KC ace...knock him out and hit a home run off him (2, in fact). Overbay (more on him later) and Lind took Zack yard, putting him out of the game after 5 innings, and having given up 7 earned. Greinke's ERA 'shot' up to 1.55 after the game! Jays improve to 31-26.

 

Need to mention that this weekend (in fact, the June 5th game) marked the 20th year of the Rogers Centre...formally called the SkyDome. Having worked in the stadium for 10 years, off and on and lived next door for a season...and having gone to countless events there, I have a fondness for the concrete and steel monstrosity. I also have some great  memories from the Jay's former home, 'The Mistake on the Lake" - the old 'Ex" as it was known. Ask me the one about Matt falling up the stairs into his pizza "Come on Jess!!".

 

June 5th was another of the Jays'  'Flashback Fridays'....I love the retro Jays uni's; especially the powder blues! Above is my Tony Fernandez, 1988 gamer (with some other Jays items), that is signed by the Dominican gold glove shortstop. Tony is a classic Jay and a standout player from my early days as a fan of the team. He played 17 years in the bigs, including 4 separate stops in Toronto (1983-1990, 1993, 1998-99 and 2001). He picked up a World Series ring in 1993, 4 gold gloves, 5 all star selections and was honoured with his name and number being added to the "Jays Level of Excellence".

1988 was a great year for Tony - 186 hits including 41 doubles, .287 batting average, a .971 fielding percentage, on his way to his 3rd gold glove of 4 in a row. Tony finished his career with 2276 hits and a .278 BA.

I just finished reading a interesting book entitled - 'EL BEISBOL - Travels Through the Pan-American Pastime',  By John Krich. It is written in 1989 and covers a baseball-loving writer's journeys through Latin America. Tony is highlighted, as is the 'shortstop factory' - Tony's hometown - San Pedro de Macoris.

 

Back to the Jays..and a loss to KC on June 6th - Scott Richmond of BC, looked great at the outset...allowing only one single to George's fantasy team member (that I recommended, no less) Callaspo. Scott was otherwise perfect through 4 innings. Didn't last...as the Royals got 5 runs in the 5th and took the game 6-2. Jays falter to 31-27 overall.

June 7th - enter Roy Halladay. Complete game. Shutout. 6 Ks. Done. Major League leading 10th win of the year. Lyle Overbay continued to look good - slugging a long shot of the top of Windows Restaurant in dead centre. I managed in Windows for a few years and this is a feat. Only happens a few times, if at all all season. Hill snaps his 0-25 slump with a home run of his own, and amazingly, still held the MLB hit lead despite the slide, in which his average dippedc from the .340's to just over .300. Great game to watch! Jays win 4-0 and move up to 32-37 on the campaign.

June 8 - Jays, with Casey Janssen on the mound, travel to hitter-friendly Arlington to face the Rangers for 4. Overbay earns 'MLB Player of the Week' nod (not THAT kind of player) - hitting at a .533 clip, with 2 impressive dingers and 8 ribbies. Adam Lind knocks 2 out of the park (of course, I sat him in my fantasy league for the first time all year...to give some 'hot' hitters a chance to shine...see what facing Ashley does to a man's mindset). Casey pitched well enough to win and the Jays hung on for a 6-3 victory (33-27).

June 9 -The Stache of Brian was dominating! Actually, the hairy appendage itself looked a little diminished in this game - kind of blending in with his chin stubble...but it piched well! 7 innings (tying his longest outing ever) and gave up 2 hits. Lind hit another big fly (good form the Jays, bad for my points) and Hill also knocked one out (good for Kates and also proving that the 0-25 snide is forgotten).Jays inch up to 34-27 on the season.

Another big test for Romero tonight...no let down after beating Greinke last week, the Alliteration Man must face Texas' Kevin Millwood.

He does it! He does it too! They do it and then they don't and don't again.

 Randy, Ichiro and the Jays, Jays, Jays, I mean.

June 2nd - Ichiro didn't waste anytime getting his hit - a lead-off infield single in the bottom of the 1st. He set a new franchise record - hitting safely in 26 straight games. Always one to jump on things a tad late, perhaps I should look at Ichiro for my "Hit Streak Contest" pick? Nah...flash in the pan!

In T.O. The D.R. pitched "lights out" - settling a new personal, one game, strikeout standard with 14 Ks. Roy threw a complete game, 9- hitter, giving up 4 runs. Jays knock in 6, to take it. Halladay's league leading 9th win moves the team to 30-24 overall. I know that Greinke (who pitches against the Jays on Friday is good, but I would still put my $ on Roy).

June 3rd -  It may be too early for awards, but he is almost half way to DiMaggio's hit streak of 56. Mr. Suzuki pads his team bench mark - moving to 27 straight. I watched this game, and it was good one! Beltre provided all the Seattle offense including a homer and a walk-off single in the 9th. O's slugger, Luke Scott did likewise for the losers (Nice! I added him to my Fantasy team this week). Rookie catcher Wieters, whom I also added - not so good (0-3). Seattle didn't play last night (June 4) but are underway shortly tonight (June 5th) vs. Minny.

Also on the 3rd - "The Big Unit" looked to ring up his 300th win, but the rains washed his chances and the game away. Zack, who attended the monsoon, didn't have any fun either. Image is from Zack's blog (hope you don't mind sir?).

Back at Rogers - it wasn't pretty. Jared Weaver and the A's stuck it to the Jays and Casey Janssen. 8-1 loss - Jays drop to 30-25.

June 4th - Any big news? Giants and Nats play two. Randy gets his 6 innings in of 2 hit ball (with one earned run) and departs with a the slimest of slim leads. SF holds on (adding a cushion) and wins it for him with virtually nobody around to see it. Come on Washington - this is only the 24th pitcher ever to have thrown for 300 career victories, and maybe the last?! Who else will want to pitch for 21 years in this era? The guys is 45! Look at the image above! I can only get in that pose, if I fall off the couch!

Any not so big news? Jays lose a squeaker as Tallet's "stash lasted 6 and the Jays, despite leaving tons of runners in scoring position, rallied to tie the game - then drop a 6-5 decision. Angels leave town with the series and the Jays stay at home to play KC. At 30-26, 500 ball is looming....a don't see this team as mediocre...just pitching delpleted.

Pacific Baseball - 25 game hit streak /500 strikeouts/ 300 win watch

Since moving to Vancouver I have be 'forced' to watch a lot of Seattle and San Fran Giants games, due to the pacific time zone TV scheduling. I don't mind really - after all, it IS baseball. Seattle is better this season and San Fran has a competitive team too. Both have great ballparks.

I enjoyed my first game at Safeco with Kates, last summer and just returned from a May, two game set in  SF.  KTV and I had fun with Ichiro in Seattle and he is having a blast of his own lately - having hit safely in his last 25 games....tying a Mariners team record. He will go for 26 tonight vs. the Orioles.

Already today, 2008 NL Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum notched his 500th career strikeout. Did it fast too...69 games. Not bad. Not something I would typically mention, but I just wanted to find a way to get a picture (above) of Tim that I took from the field at AT&T during the second game in May that Wally and attended (it was photo day).

The first game of our SF weekend ended up being the 297th win of "The Big Unit's" career. Randy is sitting on 299 (wins and will pitch for 300 tomorrow in Washington, against the cellar-dwelling Nats. Here's a couple of shots I took of Johnson - one from the field (the game after his 297th) and one from our seats (from his previous night's victory). It takes a long and healthy career to reach 300 victories - consider that it took Randy a month to move from 297 to 299.

2 out of 3 ain't bad

May 29 - The Jays return to the friendly confines of Rogers Centre (can that description only be used for Wrigley Field?); where they have been very good in '09. They donned the sexy baby-blues and readied themselves to tackle Tim Wakefield's knuckler. Casey pitched a solid game - just like I hoped he would, and just what the boys needed - 7 innings, 3 runs allowed. The offense, led by Rolen and Scutaro plated 5 runs in the 5th and the pen held tough. Jays 6, Sox 3 - losing streak mecifully over. Team moves up to 28-23 overall.

May 30 - Rios, Scutaro and Lind provided the bulk of the hits and ribbies and Brian Tallet's 'stash combined with an effective Brandon League and a closer-like Scott Downs, to nibble at Boston pitching and quietly take the first two from the Bean-eaters. Jays win 5-3 and at 29-23 move back to within half a game of the Yanks and first place. A sweep would go a long way to help the Jays fandom forget the past 2 weeks.

May 31 - Sweep? They didn't have it. Ricky didn't - 4 innings, 6 hits, including 2 more bombs allowed and 5 runs. The hitters didn't - 13 strikeouts (only Wells of the starting nine didn't wiff). Jon Lester DID have it. Jays lose handily (8-2) and drop to 29-24. I think that Ricky might get one more start to prove himself and Cito will make a move. My guess, Scott Richmond will be bumped up and Ricky may see Triple A?