Tha O Team

There's a reason that there are three O's in the word "Toronto". And right now that reason is our Major League Baseball team, the Toronto Blue Jays.

I just got done watching Roy Halladay's masterful domination of the overly-hyped, overrated and grossly overpaid joke of a franchise, New York Yankees. Final score: Jays 5, Yanks 1. I'm truly upset I wasn't able to see it live.

But the story here is so much bigger than the Jays win. Their Major League leading 23rd win of the season, I might add. It's the fact that the Toronto Blue Jays are truly a team to "O" for. If you're not on board yet...this is your chance.

It's rare that I get this amped and even rarer that I can find the time to write an article for Tha O Show about a non-wrestling related topic. Let's face it, I "O" less for wrestling than I do most of my other favourite forms of entertainment these days anyways.

And nothing is making me "O" more these days than my beloved Toronto Blue Jays. If you're not a baseball fan, sucks to be you. If you are, and you have your team already picked out, sucks to be you. If you like baseball and are without a favourite, it's time you join Tha O Team.

Yes, it goes without saying that the Jays are my home team so it's only natural I would cheer them. Been doing the same thing since I was born, so what else is new, right?

But this year, the Jays are doing more than just win games. They are proving that when each piece of the puzzle is put in the right place, a masterpiece can be created.

The mastermind behind this puzzle is Cito Gaston - the manager who brought back to back World Series championships to Toronto in 1992 and 1993. Back at the helm, since mid-last season, Gaston's win-loss record since coming back has been impeccable. 74-49 to be exact. Tonight's game against the Yanks helped to prove why he IS the best manager in baseball.

One small example is his dedication to his starters. Pointed out by SportsNet broadcasters Jamie Campbell and Darrin Fletcher, the Jays' third basemen Scott Rolen was a career 0 for 18 against the returning and now-despised former Jay, A.J. Burnett.

Instead of playing the percentages, Cito started Rolen anyways. Three hits and as many RBI's later, Cito's choice helped secure yet another Blue Jay victory tonight.

Another piece of the puzzle OBVIOUSLY is Roy Halladay - the best pitcher in baseball. With a 7-1 record, Doc is the winningest pitcher in the Majors and continues to be the consistent, dominant force that drives this team to win. The overexaggerated prowess of the New York Yankees was exposed by Doc in masterful fashion.

Let me interject in on myself by asserting yet another reason why the Yanks are my least favourite team in ALL OF SPORTS! It was confirmed during the broadcast that the first FOUR batters in the Yankees lineup will earn upwards of $87 million this year!

Among those overpaid douchebags is Alex Rodriguez (a.k.a. A-Roid) and Mark Texeira - both of whom are currently batting under the Mendoza line. (.200).

Over and over and over again, I hear that the Yankees are the team to beat. They are the most storied franchise in all of sports. So fuckin' what? Michael Jackson is the most talented and successful singer of all time but even being as big a Mike mark as I am, I can admit that M.J. is well past his prime in the world of music.

The Yankees are all hype. They haven't won a World Series since 2000 and their inability to build from within coupled with their narcissistic approach to shelling out huge cash for supposedly-good free agents every year is a formula that they don't realize doesn't work.

The rest of baseball has caught up with your act. And they all know how to handle you guys. You are a slightly above average team at best, with a shitalaz bullpen, which is pathetic considering the calibre of players on the roster and the prices you are paying them to play baseball.

And before any Yankee fan complains about injuries...let me inform you that FOUR of our proposed starting rotation this year our on the disabled list: Jesse Litsch, Ricky Romero, Dustin McGowan and Shawn Marcum. Meanwhile, the Jays STILL find ways to win.

Not to mention, the heart of our order and arguably our best players, Alex Rios and Vernon Wells, are underperforming right now. What do you think will happen WHEN they get hot?

Another puzzle piece placed very nicely in this masterpiece? Aaron Hill. Our underrated second basemen should have been rookie of the year in his first year in the bigs but didn't play enough games to qualify for the honour. After suffering a major concussion last year, Hill has come back as if the blow to the head has transformed him into a superhero.

Hill is the best hitter in baseball right now. The only players with better batting averages are those with significantly less at-bats than him. If he doesn't start in the All Star game this year, it's because of the bias of moronic fans voting across the baseball world in the United States who think Canada is still covered in snow.

Speaking of fans, the people of Toronto have re-earned my love. I've been vex for the past few weeks that the Jays have seen a dip in attendance even though they are baseball's best team. Tonight's game had an attendance nearing 44,000 people - all of whom were rowdier than they have ever been.

Sure the prospect of watching "Mentor VS. Student" in the Halladay/Burnett match-up was intriguing. And it was mad cool to see the Toronto fans mock A.J. with a sarcastic homage to his "doffing the cap" incident of a year ago.

(For those who don't know, last June, Burnett tipped his cap to the Toronto fans while leaving the mound for a reliever after being shalacked in less than four innings. He was being booed at the time. The tipping the cap thing, reserved for players being CHEERED was seen as major disrespect).

The constant "A.J. Sucks!" chants tonight were hype!

BUT I'm most proud of the fans for coming out to support the MLB's best team. They deserve the support a hell of a lot more than the fuckin' can't-make-the-playoffs in four years Toronto Maple Leafs. 1967 was a long damn time ago y'all! But something smells a bit like 1993 to me.

Am I predicting a World Series championship? Even a superfan like me wouldn't be that bold just yet. But I'mma sure as hell get my shit in now 'cause God knows Big Daddy Donnie would jump in and interrupt me on this week's episode of Tha O Show if I wait 'till then.

So until then...fuck the Yankees! And Go Jays Go! The bandwagon leaves now bitches!

Share |