Inland Waterways » mindset coming back from

The Chicago Cubs have been taking a lot of heat lately. First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". But the bigger target was the franchises owners of the past four years, the Ricketts family. Under their stewardship, the Cubs have compiled a record of 273-375 and havent come close to being a contender in any of the four seasons. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein felt compelled over the weekend to defend the Ricketts, saying at the Cubs Fans Convention in effect they were absorbing short term pain for long term gain. Epstein explained that the Ricketts had a long term plan that would ensure success for the organization. Last I looked, the Cubs havent won a World Series since 1908 and havent been in a Fall Classic since 1945. Thats not the point of this story though. I decided to compare the Blue Jays record to that of the Cubs over the last four seasons. The Cubs are 273-375. Thats an average of a little more than 65 victories per season. The Blue Jays are better but not by a significant amount. Their record from 2010 thru 2013 was 313-335. So the Jays averaged a bit more than 75 victories per season. Thats 10 more per season over the four years, but still under .500 and still nowhere near a post-season position. The Blue Jays record of futility in nowhere near that of the Cubs, but just the same, they havent been to the post-season since 1993, a stretch of 21 seasons. Over that span Kansas City is the only other Major League club that hasnt made the playoffs. The Blue Jays record since Rogers acquired the club consists of five winning seasons, eight losing seasons and one .500 campaign. The Cubs may be breaking their fans hearts, but the Blue Jays are hardly inspiring the planning of victory parades either. The Days of Key When the Dodgers signed their ace lefty Clayton Kershaw to that massive seven-year $215 million contract last week, it brought back memories of a veteran left-hander the Blue Jays had to make a decision on back in the off-season of 1992. Jimmy Key wasnt in the same talent class as Kershaw, but he will go down as one of the top pitchers in Blue Jays history. In nine seasons with the organization he went 116-81 with a 3.42 ERA. Key was to become a free agent after the 92 season. He and his agent wanted at least a four-year contract. Blue Jays GM Pat Gillick had a steadfast policy at the time of giving no more than three years to starting pitchers. So sure enough, Key left, signing a four-year deal with the Yankees. He was outstanding in his first two years in New York, and in fact led the American League in the strike-shortened 1994 season with a 17-4 mark and a 3.27 earned run average. In 1995 though, he blew out his arm and missed almost the entire season. Key bounced back strongly in 1996 though, and actually outdueled Hall of Fame-elect Greg Maddux to beat Atlanta in the final game of the World Series. That would be his final game as a Yankee and earned him a second World Series ring. Jimmy Key would sign with Baltimore for 1997, where Gillick was now in charge and would finish out his career with the Orioles. In an ideal world Key would have pitched his entire career in Toronto. I still distinctly remember three landmark starts in his career, that helped define the pitcher and the man he was. On the final day of 1987 season at old Tiger Stadium, the Blue Jays had dropped six straight games and needed a victory on that last Sunday over the Tigers to force a tie-breaker with Detroit. Key engaged in an epic pitchers duel with Detroit southpaw Frank Tanana. Detroit won the game 1-0 on Larry Herndons home run that barely cleared the low fence in left. The Tigers went to the ALCS against Minnesota and the Blue Jays went home. In 1991, the Jays were facing Minnesota in the American League Championship Series. The organization made the decision to go with knuckleballer Tom Candiotti in the opener at the Metrodome against Jack Morris. Many felt Key should have been given that start. Just being around Jimmy as long as I had been, I could see how angry if not crushed he was at the snub. Candiotti was horrid in that game and the Twins got the quick jump in the series. Key finally did start in Game 3 with the series tied at a game apiece. Jimmy pitched six innings of two-run ball, but got saddled with a no-decision. The Twins ultimately won 3-2 in 10 innings on Mike Pagliarulos homer off Mike Timlin. Minnesota would go on to take the series in five games. I said to myself after that series that resigning Key would be next to impossible after he was passed over for that Game 1 start. To his credit, Jimmy put all that behind him and had a strong season in 1992. The game I will never forget was Game 4 of the World Series against Atlanta. Key was at his absolute best and went 7.2 innings against the Braves. When he walked off the mound towards the dugout, he received an incredible ovation and tipped his cap. I just felt at that moment, and Im sure Jimmy did too, that it was his final performance as a Blue Jay. As mentioned earlier, Key signed that four-year deal with the Yankees in the off-season, and the Jays took a fair amount of grief for letting him go. To this day I cant remember any other Blue Jays player who ended his time in Toronto with a moment like that. First Impressions Drake did an incredible impression of Alex Rodriguez on Saturday Night Live. If they ever do a movie about this sordid tale, Drake can play A-Rod and actor/comedian/radio host Jay Thomas can play Anthony Bosch. Thomas played Carlas second husband, the hockey player Eddie Lebec on Cheers. His character died when he was run over by a Zamboni, and Thomas bares an uncanny resemblance to Bosch. First Date The Blue Jays season opener at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays has an unusual starting time. They kick off the season at 4:10 in the afternoon in the opener of a four-game series on March 31. Air Force 1 For Sale . A veteran of 16 NHL seasons, Prospals career was highlighted by him ranking fourth in points scored, third in assists and sixth in games played among all Czech Republic born players in NHL history. Cheap Air Force 1 For Sale . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans. http://www.airforce1canada.com/ . Born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, where he later pitched for the As, Ross beat the Giants for the first time in six career appearances by throwing eight scoreless innings to lead the San Diego Padres to a 2-1 victory Friday night. Wholesale Air Force 1 Canada .Y. -- In a span of three days, Shabazz Napier and Connecticut knocked out both Philadelphia schools in the NCAA tournament. Cheap Air Force 1 Canada . There was little fanfare, though, when the Yankees captain was taken out of his final regular-season Subway Series game in the eighth inning. Jeter watched the last four outs from the bench, pulled off the field during a double switch Thursday night as the Yankees held off the Mets 1-0.NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Predators are back at work ready to prove the best start in franchise history is no fluke, even with goaltender Pekka Rinne still sidelined.And they want a fast start coming off the All-Star break.Its very critical, forward James Neal said Monday. I think everyones got the same mindset coming back from the break. We want to gain ground, and you want to make up as many points as you can. ... Weve got to be ready here, and ... I think everyone just kind of recharged, really got their energy back and ready to go.Well, not everyone got to rest over the long All-Star weekend.Coach Peter Laviolette and his assistants worked the game and got the win with Team Toews in Columbus along with defenceman Shea Weber, who won the hardest shot competition with a 108.5 mph blast, and rookie Filip Forsberg who scored the first goals by a Predator in an All-Star game.At the All-Star break, the Predators lead the NHL with a .722 winning percentage. Anaheim has a league-best 68 points — three ahead of Nashville, which has two games in hand on the Ducks. Nashville (30-10-5) has gotten at least a point in 11 of the last 12 games going into the break and also lead the Central Division at 12-3-2, matching the wins they got in the division all last season.Laviolette tried to help his Predators get back up to speed Monday by pushing them through practice and drills quickly.It gets harder and harder, Laviolette said. The more is at stake as the season winds on here. The teams always will be fighting for something now. The playoffs, once you get through January and reach the halfway point of February, it starts to really narrow in on the playoff picture and whats happening arouund the league.dddddddddddd So it doesnt get any easier than that.Rinne skated Monday, but the leagues top winning goalies return from an injured knee remains unchanged. He hurt his knee Jan. 13 and still is expected to miss between three and five weeks. The Predators managed three points in three games without him before the break.Carter Hutton at least got his first win in net for Nashville this season with a 4-3 victory over Washington on Jan. 16 and just missed a second in a 2-1 overtime loss at Montreal last week. Laviolette said Hutton has given the Predators a chance to win and thinks they will play hard in front of the goaltender.The Predators also recalled Marek Mazanec from Milwaukee in the AHL on Monday. Laviolette declined to say whether Hutton or Mazanec will be in net Tuesday night against Colorado. Hutton is 1-4-3 this season.He definitely deserves better, centre Mike Fisher said. Hes played some good games where we couldnt score in front of him. We know hes a good goaltender. Well focus on what we need to do as a team no matter whos back there.Nashville currently leads the league allowing only 2.24 goals per game and ninth scoring an average of 2.96 goals per game.The Predators take a seven-game winning streak on home ice into Tuesday nights game, and another win will tie the franchise record set between Jan. 6 and Feb. 8, 2007. Then Nashville hits the road for three straight road games at St. Louis, Colorado and Pittsburgh as part of a tough stretch of four games in six nights.Fisher said the Predators just have to keep focusing on themselves and trying to play better.Weve managed to be consistent throughout, Fisher said. We got to keep that going. 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