ALCS Game 7 pregame
BOSTON — One and done. Someone’s going home after tonight — and I don’t mean just Boston or Cleveland. I’m leaving on a jet plane, heading back to Toronto tomorrow morning.
The only good thing that came out of last night, besides the fact that a couple teams decided to turn one of these matchups into a good series this postseason, was the fact that I finally got some clarity about my schedule. After three straight weeks on the road, I was finally able to figure out when my part in all this was going to come to an end.
First, though, the Red Sox and Indians have to duke it out in this seventh game. I’m interested to see how Dice-K Matsuzaka rebounds after a couple of bad starts. Even if he struggles, I like Boston’s chances with Josh Beckett, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon following in relief. That’s a pretty wicked set up.
And who saw that grand slam coming off the bat of J.D. Bleepin’ Drew? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I sure didn’t I think I was just as stunned as everyone else in Fenway Park. With two outs, Fausto Carmona on the mound, and two outs in the books with Drew at the dish, I thought the inning was over. Talk about an unlikely hero.
Talk about bad timing. A report came out today that Cleveland pitcher Paul Byrd used HGH a few years back. Not exactly the most opportune time for news like that to hit the wire. Anyway, first pitch is about to happen and I have to get to work. By the way, I hear it’s snowing in Colorado.
ALCS Game 7 Lineups
Cleveland (3-3) at Boston (3-3)
at 8:21 p.m. ET at Fenway Park
INDIANS
Grady Sizemore, CF
Asdrubal Cabrera, 2B
Travis Hafner, DH
Victor Martinez, C
Ryan Garko, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Kenny Lofton, LF
Franklin Gutierrez, RF
Casey Blake, 3B
PITCHING: RHP Jake Westbrook
RED SOX
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Manny Ramirez, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Julio Lugo, SS
PITCHING: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka
Go Bears…Man, I should’ve started Brian Griese today.
Major League Bastian 
Hem
I pulled this article off one of a web site. I thoughtyoud find it interesting.
The Toronto Blue Jays increased their team payroll from $51.5 million in 2005 to $76 million in 2006. The Jays signed A.J. Burnett to a five-year $55 million contract prior to the start of the 2006 season and the reliever B.J. Ryan to a five-year $47 million contract. If either player doesn’t deliver during the five-years of their multi-million dollar contracts, Blue Jays owner Ted Rogers isn’t likely to follow George Steinbrenner’s example of throwing money at a problem in hopes of fixing it. Rogers has the money, but not the revenues from the baseball side of his various businesses to justify spending like the Yankees do. The Blue Jays received $31 million from revenue sharing in 2006 – money they directly invested back into their on-field product.
Yankees fan here ………take those Rookies(Rockies) out!! Thanks for the Joe entry……Can we keep Jacoby?
Hem
Here’s another interesting little tidbit. It’s worth reviewing the complete article.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/33/07mlb_Toronto-Blue-Jays_339533.html
Team Value 1 $344 mil
The Toronto Blue Jays are owned by Rogers Communications, who bought them in 2000 for $137 mil.
1-Yr Value Chg. 20%
Ann. Value Chg. 14%
Debt/Value 0%
Revenue $157 mil
Operating Inc. $11.0 mil
Player Expenses $90 mil
Gate Receipts $43 mil
The skinny
The Toronto Blue Jays parent, Rogers Communications, also owns the Rogers Centre. Consequently the Jays have been one of baseball’s biggest revenue-sharing receivers because stadium expenses are deducted from revenues in the league’s revenue-sharing formula. Last year the Jays did the right thing by using their revenue-sharing proceeds to increase player payroll $30 million, to $75 million. The Jays finished second in the AL East (the first team to break the Yankee-Red Sox 1-2 stranglehold since 1997). Rogers Communications, Canada’s largest cable company, generates millions of dollars in incremental advertising revenue by televising Blue Jays games.
*****I guess there’s little question as to why it was such a great deal to buy the stadium. They get to charge “all the expenses of the stadium against revenue” to recieve more revenue sharing dollars—thank you George Steinbrenner. lol
Well, no one ever said Mr.Ted Rogers was a dumb guy-smart move.
However, that also means when the new Yankee stadium is opened the Yanks get the same privelege as we do. Wouldn’t it be hilarious if the Yanks actually qualified for revenue sharing.-NOT
I find interesting that the total players salaries were reported as 90 mill. when the Jays payroll was 75. That means it cost the Jays $15 mill. for minor league players salaries and draft signing bonuses. I guess that means they pick up all the salaries of the minor league players-or the biggest portion of them. Now, that is an expensive “people business”.
I was also very surprsed at how low the gate receipts were. Attendance in 2006 was 2,302,212-so they average only $18.70 per fan.
Now that’s pathetic-considering the cost of game tickets to the Leafs and Raptors. I think Toronto fans need to take it up a notch and start supporting these guys.
gaysumner,
Stay of the Yankees blog with your stupid idiotic statements, you intellectually challenged . To say the Yanks have anything more than a very good minor league system just hows everyone how ignorant, moronic, and just plain stupid you are. Another thing shitforbrains, it is not not impossible to get to the playoffs every year, the Yanks have been doing it for 12 straight years r e t a r d. It is impossible for a **** ***** piece of s h i t team like your Toronto Blue Gays errrrr, Jays. You must be taking a **** way too much lately, that’s why you’re such a r e t a r d. One last thing I s h i t on your head, your ‘ho Mom’s head, and your Dad’s head.
Anyone know if the jays shop at Rogers Centre is still open and untill what time ? i’m thinking about going tonight and haven’t seen anything on the site for store hours.
The world series starts on wednesday and i don’t know about anyone else but I don’t think it’ll be worth staying up late to watch 4.5 hours of baseball when it starts at 8:30. Baseball needs to do something about that. I’ll try and watch as much of it as I can when Francis is on the mound but after that it doesn’t interest me. Then again i’ve always been more a Blue jay fan then a baseball fan. Anyone else got the same gripe though with the start time ?
Well I found out the hours to the jays shop. Thanks to anyone who might’ve answered.
Anyone know if there is any truth to the rumour of Paul Godfrey leaving the organization?
Also, sentinolofgods is a *********!!! YANKEES ****!
I’m starting to hear some rumblings that the Jays had a search committee in order to find someone to replace Godfrey. It was only speculation though.
The best thing that could happen to the Blue Jays?
The NFL coming to Toronto with Paul Godfrey leaving the Jays becoming the football team’s president.
Sentinel
Thanks for posting on our site. It’s nice to see you using your origional alias this time.
Come back soon, I think it’s important for Blue Jays fans to understand how truly mentally challenged the Yankee fans really are.
There has been a consistent rumor which started in May/June that Godfrey’s contract is up at the end of the year and won’t be renewed.
Whether that’s Godfrey’s decision or Rogers was never clear.
Although, considering how much the asset has appreciated, and obviously orchestrating the Sky Dome purchase and what that has meant to the Jays, I find it hard to believe anyone in Rogers doesn’t like th job Godfey has done.
I work for Rogers and don’t like the job Godfrey has done.
Of course I’m an entry level accountant, so nobody cares what I think.
indigo,
Typical female, already assuming something is going to happen. You said Colorado and Cleveland? I think I just saw Cleveland hanging out in downtown Toronto?
Women are always right? Now that is funny!!!!
ROFLMAO
Little slow to the punch there Brian….typical male……lol
I do believe I said women are “usually” right . I see you choose to read but not comprehend, its like that male selective hearing thing…lol
Brian,
It seems even the baseball Gods make mistakes , I might have to learn voodoo…lol…have a good day all and take care
Travis Snider (Blue Jays) went 3-for-4 with a homer and three runs scored. He stroked a pair of RBI singles before smacking a solo shot, his second, in the sixth to raise his Arizona Fall League average to .390.
Indigo,
It’s all in good fun!!!
That is what I say.
This World Series is far from over. I still say Red Sox in 6 games!!!
I would love to see Boston clinch it at home. Of course the Red Sox want to win it in Denver and get it over as quickly as they can. Rockies have too much pride and they will not go down easy. The Cards back in 2004 went down very easy, not the case with the Rockies.
Brian,
You are right , all in good fun , life is too short to take it any other way . Now I wonder how many voodoo dolls it will take …lol..
gsumner,
Snider will be a great addition to the Jays . I need to follow the minor leagues a little more . Thank you for keeping us informed gsumner
GSumner – i congratulate you for trying to discuss with our yankee friends, but your style of citing facts and using those facts to create convincing arguments which people are free to debate over just doesn’t seem to be the Yankee style.
Thanks for the info about snider. Do you guys know if these guys we got from the Reds are likely to make an impact next year ???
Dave
Gosling seems to have a good record in AAA, but failed each time he had the opportunity in the majors; but he is a lefty and we can never have enough of those.
Lopez appears to be a waste of time. We’ve already got a bunch of hanger on utility guys with Luno,Inglett, Adams and Olmedo. To top it off Lopez is a poor defender so I have no idea why they took him.
On the other hand, the price was right for both of these guys.