"It's $9 Beer Night"

So as I'm watching the Oakland A's play our beloved Toronto Blue Jays tonight I'm noticing several shots of children on the Sportsnet telecast, seemingly trying to convince families that it's safe to go to the ball game after several incidents of hooliganism over the past week.

I attended last Friday's home opener at the Rogers Centre, and it was awesome: great baseball, great spit-free Robbie Alomar tribute, and yes... there were some alcohol fueled fights, and alcohol fueled streaking, and some merciless and vulgar taunting of Red Sox fans.

But you know what? Red Sox fans SHOULD be afraid to come and support their team, for the same reason I'd be afraid to be decked out in Blue Jays garb at Fenway. This is how rivalries are born: not by the media, but at the grass root/fan level, and I guarantee you obscenities hurled at Jays fans in Boston wouldn't make the sports pages in the Globe, Herald, Gazette, or whatever the fuck it is they read down there.

As for the Jays so far: I have no idea how to gauge this team. They come within a few outs (and a few breaks) of sweeping the Yanks, whoop the BoSox in a weekend series, and are now getting their asses handed to them by Oakland: failing to do the things essential to long term success - hitting well with RISP, and pitching well in the late innings.

You know what else? If there are first and second with none out, and you're down by one run late in the game... I don't care who's at the plate... bunt the fucking runners over.

I'm also still in the market for a new favorite Jays player, as Gregg Zaun's ability to hit has yet to match his ability to grow a tremendous beard. Frank Thomas is making an early case, but I still don't really see him as a Blue Jay.

I'm going to wait for Scott Rolen to come off the DL ... then it's his job to win. If you caught "The Season - Jays '08" preview, Scott Rolen stole the show:

"Am I a 'ra-ra' guy in the dressing room? No ... but I get into my car, shut the door, and I go to work every day."

That's exactly what I do as well, Scott Rolen... that's exactly what I do as well.