That's the way baseball works. No cap means you can buy success which is why it's funny when the big spending teams don't win it. I feel most sorry for the Blue Jays who IIRC used to be the best supported club in basedball when I first fell in love with the game. Not having the corporate and media centre around them like in New York and Los Angeles really hurts the smaller clubs which is why you should all be supporting the Reds next year!

So it's almost a done deal. The Phillies get Halliday plus some Mariners prospects, The Mariners get Cliff Lee and the Jays get 3 top Phillies prospects. The more I think about this deal, the more I realise that everyone's a winner here. There are some Jays fans not happy whith what we got, but the more I read about the 3 guys coming our way, the more I like the sound of this deal. It really does mean that 2010 is a write off (as if we didn't know that already) but if that means a better team in the future then so be it. 2010 is going to be brutal though. We basically have 3 starters all coming back from TJ surgery and the Rookies of 2009. Our O has actually got a little bit worse (so far) with the loss of Scoots. Like I said, brutal.

Anyway, the Halliday deal should be done by tomorrow. He's going to eat the National League for breakfast. You can also expect to see a marked improvement in the other starters at Phillie. He had a huge impact on AJ Burnett and all of our young arms. He's professionalism and dedication personified.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have been able to watch Roy at work for the past 4 seasons. I hope he gets the success we couldn't give him. I can't think of a more deserving player.

OMG! Is that really how long you've been over there now? Talk about time flying. Crazy stuff.

I know! It was clearly the right move though as after 4 years I'm still loving it. I've usually moved on by now. I guess this place suits me (despite the -14 temperature on the way to work this morning).

So the Doc deal is done. We get 3 very good prospects out of it - might see Wallace towards the end of the 2010 season but I don't expect to see Drabek until 2011 and D'Arnuad maybe not til 2012. As long as we can hang onto Lind & Hill and at least 3 of the other young starters we could have a decent side by 2013

We'll even be finished with the worst contract in baseball by then too.

The Yankees shaping up nicely for 2010.

C- Posada, Cervelli
1B- Texiera, Johnson
2B- Cano, Pena
3B- A-Rod, Pena
SS- Jeter, Pena
LF-Cabrera, Gardner
CF-Granderson, Gardner
RF- Swisher, Johnson

May still bring in another outfielder or 2, and maybe look for an infielder. The most important thing is that were getting younger.

Brandon League plus a prospect to Seattle. In return we get Brandon Morrow. As long as he can stay healthy it's a great deal for us. League has failed to live up to his potential here in Toronto. Yes he can hurl a wicked fastball, but he's struggled with control and consistency and he can't pitch for more than one inning a game. If you bring him back for a second then be prepared to see a few long balls.

Our line-up is looking a bit weak in right field and at 3B but stronger in pitching. 3B is becoming a worry and we will have to move Youk over and play Kotchman.

C: Martinez, Varitek
1B: Youkilis/Martinez/Kotchman
2B: Pedroia
3B: Lowell/Youk/Lowrie
SS: Scutaro/Lowrie
CF: Ellsbury/Reddick/Cameron
RF: Cameron/Reddick
LF: Drew/Reddick

P: Beckett, Lackey, Lester, Dice-K, Buchholz, Wakefield

Roy Halliday & his wife took out a full page ad in the Toronro Sun today to thank the Blue Jays organisation, the Jays fans and the City of Toronto. The man is all class.

Legend....

Pittsburgh Pirates world series champions 2010.

Can I suggest you seek help, as it looks like you may have a potential drink problem

Couple of stories that some of you may have missed.

[url=http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7148421&topic_id=7898602Another drugs cheat comes clean. Quelle surprise! It's Big Mac[/url

[url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100118&content_id=7934432&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlbRevenue gap widening[/url

Will definitely be better this year, expecting a lineup like this.

C Doumit
1B Jones
2B Iwamura
3B La Roche
SS Cedenco
LF Tabata
CF McCutchen
RF Milledge


1.Maholm
2.Ohlendorf
3.Duke
4.Morton
5.Hart


Still a very young team but the farm system is brilliant.

Bluejays reliever [url=http://www.dirkhayhurst.com/Dirkhayhurst.com/Welcome%21.htmlDirk Hayhurst[/url called me last night to thank me for donating to his relief fund for Haiti. We had a nice little chat (about 10 mins). He's a thoroughly nice guy, very interesting and a little off the wall. If you're at all interested in baseball, you should read his soon to be released book, The Bullpen Gospels.

So I guess my curse strikes again. Dirk Hayhurst to have exploratory shoulder surgery just weeks after talking to me. I really need to stay away from my own teams players.

Check out [url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990413/?c=1[iSugar[/i[/url for a good little film about the MLB scouting process and how it impacts on the lives of those not from America.

Marcus Thames and Randy Winn signed to fill voids in the outfield. That's us more or less done recruitment wise. We still may pick up a middle infielder though.

[url=http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100208&content_id=8041100&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cinAroldis Chapman - the Reds next big hope[/url. If he works out then him with his high 90s arm coupled with the improving Homer Bailey could anchor the Reds for the next five years or so. Add into that the possible progress of Cueto and the returning Volquez and this could be a pitching staff worthy of a division champion. Chapman is definitely a gamble but for a club like the Reds it's one worth taking for me.

Just ordered my Roy Halladay Phillies jersey.... Can't wait for it to come in!

Can I borrow it for Spring Training? I'll be going to a Jays-Phillies game. I could get it signed for you!

Oh, and Pitchers and Catchers reporting this week. Jays first team workout is just next week. It's nearly here

[url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100220&content_id=8105948&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlbLink[/url

Johnny Damon expected to sign 1yr/$8m contract with the Tigers.

Where RL leads, the world follows – [url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100224&content_id=8128628&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlbMLB to begin HGH testing in the minor leagues[/url.

Spring training is here.

Jays 5-1 so far in ST. I know we tend to peak too soon but this is ridiculous.

I only hope they can keep it going through til the end of ST. Last year I saw ST 3 games, 3 defeats. This year I'll be at 4 games and would like to see us win at least one fo them.

Roll on March 26th

Are you all gonna get giddy and mouth about the Yankees starting badly like last year?