The Jays are comeback kids? Really?

This Toronto Blue Jays team is already proving to be comeback kids with a lot of fight in them! Two straight wins coming in the ninth inning? Are you kidding me? I haven't seen this kind of stellar production since this guy started ruling Philadelphia. Last year Toronto won just THREE times when trailing after 8 innings, and now they've done it twice in two contests!

The best part is that fact this team has, to this point, been able to come up with a clutch hit here and there, produce a timely bunt, sacrifice fly, advances runners etc. Toronto is doing the little things late in ball games that make all the difference, something that was severely lacking for a long time.

Let's not kid ourselves yet though. The Jays are only 3-1. They started last year 27-14 before fizzling out quicker than the brutally lame show of the worst baseball broadcaster ever. They are also employing a very inexperienced rotation and have some borderline hacks throughout their lineup. Still, it's a pretty cool sign to know that this club doesn't have any quit in them. Maybe when the Jays get really good in a couple of years (please god make it happen!), they can be doing it up big time when games are actually counting toward a pennant race.

Vernon Wells crank show continues

What more is there to say about Vernon freaking Wells? V-Diddy is on an absolute tear to start the season after cranking out two more home runs against the Rangers tonight. I almost feel like I shouldn't continue to mention how Wells (pun intended!) he's doing for fear that Vernon, a staunch reader of Toronto Blue Jays Way, will get a swelled head and start resting on his laurels, leading him to stink like he has the past two years.

Wells' two dinger night against the Rangers pushes his total on the campaign to 3 in just the first 2 games, putting him on record pace for an astounding 243 long flies! But wait, there's more. In two games, Wellsy (how come it's way easier to think of catchy nicknames for Vern Diesel than any other Blue Jay) already has matched the home run total he amassed in the first 17 such outings in '09! Not only that, but Verny mashed two tators in one game for the first time since September 28th, 2008! That's a lot of firsts! And a lot of exclamation marks!

Being from Texas, Wells has a lot of family and friends that come watch him at the Ball Park in Arlington. Most notably, his dad was there for both games. So it's pretty obvious someone must capture him and bring him to every single Jays game all season. Who's up for the task?

Note: Though I'm sure it was already incredibly obvious, Vernon Wells does not read this blog. I think. Nor has he ever heard of it. I think. But what do I know? Nothing. I think.

Tallet's effective wildness earns Jays first win

Brian Tallet may appear unorthodox, out of place and a bit of a misfit (but who doesn't love his 'stache?) more often than not, but give him credit; it's never pretty, but he gets the job done. He's effectively wild in the starters role, and more often than not, gives the Jays a good chance at clawing out a victory.

One part of the statistical ledger is pretty impressive, the other, not so much. The good: 6.2 innings, 4 hits, 6 strike outs. The bad: serving up back to back bombs in the 4th inning after being given a 2 run cushion, allowing 3 walks, one of which came around to score, tightening the screws in the 7th frame. In every start, he'll have a stretch where he looks dominant, like when he retired seven in a row from the 1st to 3rd inning, followed by a rough patch, like when he served up the two aforementioned dingers on two pitches.

Tallet, who last year had 22 good starts and 3 miserable ones (where he gave up 8 earned runs twice and 10 in another) to his credit, is able to put together a decent outing even if he doesn't have his best stuff on that particular night. With this young starting rotation sorely needing veteran leadership, all the quality starts that Tallet can put together are a huge boost. Maybe now that he has the next four games off, he can learn some tips on how to look busy from this guy.

Purchasing a Jays season pass a major pain

Who knew picking up the Toronto Star Blue Jays season pass could be such a painstakingly slow process? After my adventures at the Rogers Centre box office today, I deserve a prize. Perhaps some Gustavo Chacin cologne?

I purchased (or so I thought) my Toronto Blue Jays Toronto Star season pass online a couple of weeks ago. Instead of going through the hassle of picking it up during a busy home opener I figured I'd do the smart thing and swipe it today when it would be quick and painless. Not so much. I get to what I believe is the gate to pick up my pass, only to find the teller does not know baseball, or who the heck the Blue Jays even are. Seriously. This is truthfully an actual conversation I had today "I'm here to pick up my Toronto Star Blue Jays season pass"..."For what?"..."Um, the Blue Jays"..."who?"..."uhhhh, the pass for the Blue Jays season tickets"..."oh, go to gate 9" That really happened. You can't make this stuff up!

When I got to the correct gate, I was told that I had to pay the $115 for the pass despite paying for it already online. Once it was determined I somehow didn't (even though I had a message saying I did, and that I needed to go the box office and pick up the pass), I showed my confirmation number. The teller then proceeded to say that he couldn't give me a season pass because they were out of them, even though he had a new one all ready RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

After that, the clown said he'd do me a favour and knock off the $15 for buying it at the box office instead of online. Gee, thanks buddy. Now can I just actually get the season pass already? At that point he brought his manager on board to make sure the transaction went through correctly, which didn't go so well. While they were trying to understand what to do, they laughed throughout this whole process. HAHAHA was exactly what was going through my head at this precise instant. Not.

Having finally made sense of this whole monstrosity, the dude gave me a receipt to sign for, except he only had the $30 on it for the two tickets I bought for opening night. So he had to swipe my card again for the $115 paid for the season pass! Really. All this actually happened. I just wish sometimes I wasn't a patient and understanding person. Situations like this would be so much more fun if I flew off the handle a lot more easily.

Oh, and have I already mentioned how stupid it is to have a seasons pass for 80 of the 81 contests but not include the home opener as part of it? That's right, I did! This whole process was a complete and utter disaster. Oh, and by the way, I'm excited for the home opener, and then using the pass the following night. If it even works properly.

Meet Mr. Clutch, Vernon Wells

In an occurrence roughly as rare as one of my pickup lines actually working on a woman, Vernon Wells was clutch in the season opener against the Rangers today. Clutch meet Vernon. Vernon meet Clutch. In his very first at bat, the $126 million dollar man blasted a 2 run shot off Scott Feldman, finishing 3 for 4 with 3 runs batted in. Last year it took him a grand total of 7 games to reach that home run and RBI total.

The most important aspect of Vernon's fine performance was his clutch (has that word ever been mentioned in the same sentence with Vernon before?) hit during a tense tie ball game in the 8th inning. After falling behind by two strikes and facing a bases loaded situation with 1 out, it seemed a certainty Wells would strike out, pop out, ground into a double play, or any combination of a play resulting in him strolling back to the dugout. Yet he came through, driving in the go ahead run with a sharply hit base rap. Those are the kinds of hits he'll be judged on all year. Not the 2 run blasts he might rack up in the first inning, but the important run scoring plays late in contests.

I've said a few times to colleagues of mine, tongue firmly planted in cheek, that the biggest reason why Vernon Wells will do so well this year is because the Jays are expected to be out of contention by the end of May. As history has depicted to us several times, he starts to show up just in time for when the club is playing out the string in late summer baseball. However this year I believe it'll be different, as I wrote about last week. The main reason being because Wellsy is healthy heading into a campaign for the first time in years. Today's showing is an early indication of what might be in store for Vernon and the Jays offense this season. If Wells turns out to fall flat on his face, feel free to reference this post of mine. It's entirely possible. After all, Wells and Clutch just met today.

Frasor blows season opener

Shaun Marcum nearly pitched a no hitter on opening day. Then it was broken up. Then the Rangers tied it. Then Vernon Wells picked up Marcum by coming up clutch. So the Jays must have won right? Wrong. Jason Frasor blew the contest in the bottom of the ninth inning in his first game as the anointed closer. Oh boy, it's easy to see how this might end bad.

Let's not get an itchy trigger finger and panic just yet, however. It was, after all, against a great Texas ball club that I predicted would make the American League Championship Series. Plus it was only the first game of the season. Having said that, Frasor's grasp on the closer's job in Toronto is tenuous at best, given the fact the Jays brought in Kevin Gregg in the off season, and also have the reliable Scott Downs who can close out games. I'd be getting a little bit scared if I were him.

Frasor better watch his back because when B.J. Ryan blew a bunch of games the past few years he felt my stinging wrath in the form of the nickname "Blow Jay Ryan." So if Frasor bungles a few more save opportunities, perhaps I'll think of another lame pseudonym to use for him like Frivolous Frasor, or Feeble Frasor or Featherbrained Frasor. Featherbrained Frasor sounds about right. If that isn't enough motivation for Frasor, I don't know what is.

Marcum brushes with history on opening day

Shaun Marcum certainly knows how to make a pretty damn good impression. In his first regular season game in 565 days, he was absolutely lights out. This coming from a guy who was only one of three pitchers (Scott Erickson in 2002, Carl Pavano in '07) to make an opening day start after missing the entire season beforehand.

Marcum painted the canvas with perfect strokes, mixing speeds and using all sides of the plate without allowing a hit in the first 6.1 innings against the Rangers. The guy hadn't pitched a big league game in two seasons yet he was within 8 outs of recording just the second no hitter in franchise history. Marcum ran into a bit of trouble with one out in the 7th, walking Josh Hamilton before surrendering his first hit to Vlad Guerrero. With the Jays hanging on to a 3-0 edge, the lead was wiped out on one swing of the bat by Nelson Cruz. It appeared he barely connected when it left the bat, yet somehow Cruz managed to muscle the tying homer to right centre off of Marcum.

The 28 year old ace of the Jays staff was still in line for victory after Vernon Wells gave Toronto a one run lead in the 8th, but that went by the wayside following a brutal performance by Jason Frasor in the final frame. That's too bad, because it would've only been fitting that in his first start back Marcum would earn the victory.