A Jays Junkie is Born!!!

April 2nd, 2011 @ 2:25PM NST - 5 minutes before Kyle Drabek's first pitch of 2011: My first child was born.  I remember I had been eagerly awaiting Drabek's first appearance of the season. Not in the way I eagerly anticipated the arrival of my daughter... but eagerly awaiting just the same. In fact, during the harrowing drive to the hospital that morning, I joked with my laboring wife that it would be nice if we could be done with the delivery by 2:30PM so we could catch Drabek's start in its entirety. She's a Jays fan too, so she appreciates humor of that nature... I think. So after the whole intense delivery ordeal, our newest family member arrived safely and right on time at 2:25PM with 5 minutes to spare until game-time. And the delivery room television, as it turns out... had only basic cable. No Rogers Sportsnet. No Blue Jays game. Oh well... our little girl was happy and healthy, and all was as it should be. Drabek went 7 strong for a win against the Twins, allowing only 1 hit and 1 ER despite the absence of my viewership. This marks the day I realized I sometimes bookmark important times in my life by noting what the Jays are doing.

 

October 23rd, 1993 @ 12:39AM AST - Nearly 4 hours past this 13 year olds bedtime: a Jays Junkie was born.  Joe Carter hit his infamous blast off 'The Wild Thing' Mitch Williams, and the Blue Jays were endeared forever to an entire generation of fans.  I had been a casual Jays fan as long as I could remember, and the 1992 World Series win had cemented that emotional endearment. But after my attention was ensnared by the 1992 World Series, 1993 was the first season I really followed from opening day. I was excited by the return of Fernandez, and I understood the ramifications of borrowing Rickey Henderson. And after following the Jays from Day 1, the exhilaration I was rewarded with as a fan was so much more with the 93 World Series than with the 92. And I follow from Day 1 ever since looking to again experience that same sense of pride knowing I was there right from the start.

 

January 18th, 2013 - The day we had successful ultrasound results to confirm my wife is 12 weeks along expecting our 2nd child: This Blog is born.  AA has given us an off-season to remember. I have been clicking refresh on Sportsnet.ca constantly awaiting Jay’s updates.  Because every time you forget to check, it seems like something big happens. I have read everything I can read, and there's just not enough Jays coverage on the internet to satiate my appetite. I have taken to speculating on what could be next, and have driven my poor brother-in-law nuts with blog-type emails. He politely suggested I need a blog.  And this season, since I know I'll constantly have something to say, I need to start this blog to give that poor guy's e-mail inbox a break. Also I have a new 'Word of the Day' calendar that requires a forum for practice. And so it begins. I watch it all, I have an opinion, I'm entitled to it, and I'm entitled to express it.

 

April 2nd, 2013 - My daughters 2nd Birthday: An opening day pitch will be thrown for the Toronto Blue Jays. Who will throw that pitch? That could be a topic for some speculation as the date draws closer. Regardless, I can't wait for that day. Daddy hopes he'll be allowed to slip away from the birthday party by 8:30 PM NST... but it'll be a great day regardless. Go Jays Go!