Blue Jays, Play Ball!

Just got back from a terrific 2.5 hours shared with 50,000 people at the Rogers Centre. The Jays won, the Twins lost and a Toronto sports team is above the .500 mark. Does it get any better?

A lot of the fun came from being in a rollicking packed house. Plenty of cheering, clapping and good-natured booing made for a terrific baseball atmosphere in the usually tomb-like dome. Hopefully, the crowds will keep coming to see the new and improved on-field product.

The night began with tributes to Tom Cheek, Kirby Puckett and anthems played by the Blue Man Group. Once the game got underway a duel between two ex-Cy Young winners displayed two shaky aces but Halladay was the better pitcher, even if Doc was generous enough to let ex-Jays Shannon Stewart and Tony Batista knock in runs for Minnesota. The keystone combination of Hill and Adams was solid, turning a nice double play and Vernon Wells also flashed the leather.

Most of the team's winter cash was on the field with catcher Molina a standout with the bat and closer B.J. Ryan putting the crowd on its feet to close out the ninth. Good work, boys. Keep it up for another 161 games and champagne baths and trips to Mickey Town will be yours.

Personally, though, the best part of the night for me was having my 11 year old niece beside me. I taught her how to score a game, something which is rarely done these days (that makes me sound ancient but I don't care), and which drew interested over the shoulder looks from other fans. It was as if I was teaching a magic trick amidst the stands, but it's a trick that I'll happily file away and pull out again in a couple of decades. Memories on paper that will let me relive the details of this fine night.