Avoiding the sweep

I know, I know, same picture again. Until I take another one (and given my record, that will be next season), this will be my baseball picture. Sorry.

So, it's 10.30 at night and, as usual on a cloudy cold evening, I'm watching the Jays again. 11th innings, one run each and the Jays trying to avoid being swept by Oakland. Now 1-1 after three and a half hours might seem dull but it just so isn't. Pitcher battles are sort of what it's all about. Baseball fans point out that baseball is the only game where the defense has the ball. Obviously, they've never heard of rounders or cricket or possibly croquet. Not sure about croquet - not sure if croquet has either defense or offense. Not sure anyone knows the answer to that one. Anyway, defense is what makes baseball so much better than rounders. Pitching is what makes baseball a bit like chess. I have a feeling no-one is buying this...

So, a quick update - the Jays have two on base - one at second, one at third - and two out. They had this last innings and blew it. All they need is a long fly ball. It's two balls, two strikes. Come on, just one hit...oh. Another terrible ground ball out. This game will run and run and I'm staying up until it's over. However, I don't think anyone needs my running commentary so, non-baseball fans, you'll just have to look up the score tomorrow.

For some reason the Jays have decided that they will randomly wear their old sky blue uniform at certain home games. They are using exactly the same design as the original. Imagine Man City in the eighties, onlt without the disturbingly tight shorts. Nice look...

Opening day and an amazing show

So, this is the view from the box at the Rogers Center on opening day. Blue Jays pitching to the Red Sox, packed house and the Jays winning. And win they did. An amazing atmosphere, almost like October baseball for game four. The Jays did well against the Yankees but lost the series 2-1 but went on to sweep the World Champions. Could we have a contender team this season? Maybe. The pitching staff is strong and the offense is hitting the ball out of the park. Oh, those heady dreams of spring...

After recovering from Ed Rogers' generosity (well it's not like he doesn't get enough of our money the rest of the year), we all woke up on Saturday to warm sunshine and a cloudless sky and...the rooftop has opened! This may not seem so big a deal but after the winter we've had this was like rebirthing. Finally, the snow has gone and we can change from red to white. At least for now. The snow may come back.

Last night i saw what was possibly the greatest show I've ever seen. British Sea Power and Yo Le Tengo. It was a free live TV shoot, so I was thinking, you know, six songs each? Oh no, two complete sets in front of a hundred or so people in a converted church. British Sea Power - one of my all time favourite bands - were astounding. Yo Le Tengo did a two hour acoustic(ish) set that included questions and requests from the audiences and covers of Shakin' All Over, Sonic Youth and Dylan. Amazing. It was a weird night - we kept expecting someone to tell us it was all a big joke, but no, it was real. Three and a half hours of stunning, stunning music. Sometimes something happens that restores your faith. Last night was it.

It's above freezing, it must be spring!

It's warming up, very slowly. By warming up I mean it's generally above zero during the day. If you don't have to wear gloves to walk home, it must mean spring is round the corner. Hopefully. The weather forecasters are still talking about four weeks to go. At least the snow has pretty much gone for now...

One sure sign that this freezing hell is almost over is the start of the baseball season. It started yesterday. In Japan. The Japanese love baseball and have a thriving league, so this isn't about expansion, just making money. It's the American Dream on tour. 

The season properly starts next week. Toronto get to start with an away series at the Yankees, followed by the Red Sox - the World Champions - at home. This is not an easy way to begin the year. But hey, it's a long year. At least my tickets for opening day are in the bag - and it's the Rogers' box for me (that would be the owner's box, HA!). Weird way of watching a game though, surrounded by Toronto's rich elite supping cosmos and downing oysters. Baseball is all about the beer and hotdogs - but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!

Now UK readers (and, to be fair, many Canadians) don't really get the appeal of baseball. It is, after all, rounders. But that's not fair - baseball is much more than that. It really is a great game - no, it is! It's also part of America's psyche, part of what makes it tick. That's why there was so much fuss about the steroid-taking report earlier in the year. It was as if America itself was in some way being violated by it. Only America could investigate a sport at Senate level - it would be like football being investigated by the House of Lords. Not that bad an idea, actually... 

So, take me down to the ball game and let's play ball!