Game 11: Farewell to the Metrodome
“I won’t say I’ll miss this place, but there are a lot of things I’ll remember about it.”
That comment comes from Blue Jays shortstop John Mcdonald and it pretty much sums up the overall feeling about the Metrodome. From the day the ballpark opened in 1982, visiting players didn’t like playing in the teflon-covered dome.
“After you played in it one game, you really didn’t want to play in it again,” said Toronto first base coach Dwayne Murphy, who was with the A’s in ’82. “You’d lose too many balls and too many games were decided by lost balls. The top was really white and clean.”
Other aspects that visiting teams won’t miss: the long flight of stairs — 48 steps in all — that leads from the clubhouse to the dugout. Kevin Millar recalled having to walk up the stairs behind Nomar Garciaparra during their days with Boston.
“He’d go step by step by step. That’s a long walk,” Millar said with a laugh.
There are some special memories here for a few players, though. McDonald gloved his first career grounder as a shortstop at the Metrodome, teaming with Roberto Alomar for a double play when they were both with the Indians. Rookie Travis Snider, making his first and last trip to the dome, had his first career mult-homer game here on Monday.
“Those are the ones that you really remember,” Snider said.
I’ll be writing a story today on more Metrodome memories from the Jays.
Other items from today…
Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston on Alex Rios’ early struggles: “We’re still trying to get him off his back side. He’s a little bit late getting started right now. It’s timing. It’s all about timing and he’s just starting a little late. We’re talking to him about it.”
Gaston was also asked about the fact that Jose Bautista and Kevin Millar both were in the lineup again against a left-handed pitcher. Gaston has insisted that it’s not a platoon situation with left fielder Travis Snider and first baseman Lyle Overbay, and one reporter compared it to the saying, “If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck…”
Gaston laughed and said, “It’s still early. It’s still not a platoon, even though it walks like a duck and talks like a duck. The duck will walk differently soon.”
Today’s lineups:
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (7-3)
1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Aaron Hill, 2B
3. Alex Rios, RF
4. Vernon Wells, CF
5. Adam Lind, DH
6. Scott Rolen, 3B
7. Kevin Millar, 1B
8. Rod Barajas, C
9. Jose Bautista, LF
Starter: RHP Roy Halladay (2-0)
MINNESOTA TWINS (4-6)
1. Denard Span, CF
2. Alexi Casilla, 2B
3. Justin Morneau, 1B
4. Jason Kubel, DH
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF
6. Brian Buscher, 3B
7. Delmon Young, LF
8. Jose Morales, C
9. Brendan Harris, SS
Starter: LHP Francisco Liriano (0-2)
~JB
Major League Bastian 
I am looking for Doc to have a good outing this evening. Despite the overwhelming media hype, Doc has not pitched very well in his first two starts (IMO). He has not been sharp, like he usually is, pitching only well enough to win. If he is sharp tonight, we may be looking at taking our 3rd series in a row!
Nice home opener for the Yanks. Cleveland-10, Yanks-2. Personally, I think if they keep running Sabathia out there for 122 pitches this early in the season, they will pay the price, particularly with Sabathia not being sharp and walking 5 guys in 5 innings.
Anyonene like J.P.’s aquisition of Jose Bautista yet? How about Marco Scutaro? I’m soooo glad all the John Macdonald lovers how shut their yap. Makes me want to puke when I hear all this Johnny Mac garbage and how good of a shortstop the guy is. Worst player in baseball.
Maybe J.P. did a good thing bringing Kevin Millar HUH? Just hit a Grand Salami! Some not bad defense the other night too. Just ask any real Yankee fan and they will tell you how much they like Kevin Millar and how he @#$%^&* them over. Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t J.P. bring in Scotty Downs too!
I still like Johnny Mac. and feel that Cito should be using him a tad more but with the team winning, i’m obviously not going to be complaining about it.
I’ve always thought JP has done a good job, both with the teams he’s fielded, and the talent he’s amassed on the farm.
Though Johnny Mac is not one of the better players in MLB, I don’t think he’s nearly the worst. There are some pretty bad back up catchers out there.
JB – saw you next to the Griff on the SportsNet this eve.
You seemed to be working hard; while as it has been pointed out elsewhere, the Griff seemed to be reading a novel. Was it a Harry Potter, or a Nancy Drew?
Good news!
Though rookie Travis Snider has been playing against right-handers and Bautista against lefties, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston won’t call his LF situation a platoon. “Still early. There’s still an opportunity,” he said. “Even though it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, the duck’s going to walk differently soon.”
JMac is a great guy to have on the bench. No reason to call him the worst play in baseball, he is what he is a great defensive shortstop. The Jays could do alot worse for thier backup.
Scutaro is putting alot of unbelievers in their place. I dont think anyone could have predicted how well he has done, but he was definatly underrated. Obviously he is not going to keep it up at this pace, but Cito has shown confidence in him and who knows how long he can run with it. He is giving this team exactly what they needed from ****/leadoff guy.
One of the biggest improvements in this year’s team it the play off the bench, and the DH spot. You usually expect your bench players to come in and make the plays defensively, but when they hit well, that’s a great bonus. The Jays can’t afford to pay their bench guys millions of dollars like the Skankies and Sox do, but they are sure doing the job for us.
It’s going to be hard getting JMac into a game, the way they are hitting, but the time will come. I wonder what the lineup will look like? I thought you might just move everybody up one slot, and let JM hit ninth.
Heres my line up when Mcdonald starts:
Rios
Hill
Lind
Wells
Rolen
Overbay
Barajas
Snider
Mcdonald
rshobie
Mcdonald is NOT the worst player in baseball! Granted he is far from an everyday player but his Defence will continue to make him a valuable piece of our bench. Lets hope Scutaro keeps up his level of play so we dont have to rely on Mcdonald for anything other than the occasional start or pinch runner.
LOL at the skankies.
Although, it’s only two games through the rotation, check out our starters in AA New Hampshire.
Reidier Gonzalez: 1.23era/.75whip
Luis Perez: 1.50era/1.08 whip
Fabio Castro: 0.00era/.94 whip
Marc Rzepcyznski: 6.75era/2.38 whip
Randie Boone: 0.00era/1.00 whip
Rzepcyznski is the highest touted prospect of the 5, but he had one disastrous start and gave up 5 runs in 3 innings. Impressive group of starters to say the least.
Yeah, I think they just threw 2 straight shut outs? Something tells me we should keep an eye out for Castro.
JP sure has knack for finding good pitching.
Justin Jackson is also off to a good start in A+ Dunedin.
Hitting .300 with a .364 OBP. 3 stolen bases. No power yet, but that should come…
It will be nice to see where these guys are at in a month or two when the stats level out and you can get a better picture of what they are capable of doing.
Check this out:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090420&content_id=4350296&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Talk about getting ignored!