Rogers Corporation Does it Again

Rogers Centre - Home of the TORONTO BLUE JAYS.

Rogers Corporation - owners of the ROGERS CENTRE.

Rogers Sportsnet -- owned by ROGERS CORPORATION.

"We take pride in promoting the Toronto Blue Jays ..... ....... ...... "

Oh yeh???????????????????????????????????

So why then, when the TORONTO BLUE JAYS are playing their final home game of the season would Rogers Sportsnet be broadcasting ANYTHING other than that game?

Noooooooooo, they leave it to TSN2 -- a channel only available to subscribers of a specialty Sports package -- to broadcast the game.

So, what happens to fans like me who aren't at home with their satellite dish which packaging I make very sure includes my baseball package?

I can't watch the game because not everyone thinks that sports packages are necessary to their everyday life (for instance, once the final pitch of the baseball season has been thrown, I switch packages with my satellite service , replacing the sports bundle with something else because baseball is the ONLY sport of interest in this household).

My daughter does not subscribe to the extra sports packages with her cable service so I was unable to watch my beloved Jays pull off what was reportedly a very exciting come-from-behind win in their final home game of the season.

This might very well be the season that ends my love affair with these boys.

Not because I want the affair to be over, you realize.

But how long can someone keep hoping that ownership will really take interest and do what's necessary to return this team to what it really can be?

I truly believe that the "powers that be" sold Cito Gaston a bill of goods when they talked him into coming back.  They must have made significant concessions to convince him he could work with them again (in spite of the back-stabbing they had given him back in the '90s; I know, different owners, but same philosophy apparently).  Or it was just his pure love of the game and the Blue Jays that drew him back.  I don't know.  But whatever it was, he was not given the tools he needed to do the job he was asked to do.  And nobody can do a good job without the proper tools.

So the end of the Blue Jays is imminent.

It's been a long, slow death.

What really riles me is what the organization has done to Roy Halladay.

A pitcher of Doc's caliber should be recognized for not only his contribution to the game, but also for his continued commitment and professionalism in spite of the lack of support he received.  Several of his losses were due to lack of run support, simple failure of the players to get those runners in.  While some of his recorded losses were clearly his, many of his "no decisions" through the years were because of bullpen losses after he had pitched brilliantly and should have had a win against his name.  Turn those "no decisions" into "wins" and how many of his seasons would have finished with Cy Young numbers?  He has had an exemplary career and his one wish is to end it with a World Series ring.  I'm sure he would have liked to win that ring as a Toronto Blue Jay but  that's obvioulsy not going to happen!

Doc is approaching his best before date and he deserves that ring before his career ends.  It is not going to happen in the Toronto organization.  That is abundantly clear.  I truly hope that Roy lands somewhere that he is happy and that gets him that ring.  But it had better be with a Central or West Division team (beat dem damn Yankees and/or Red Sox)!   God, please don't send Roy to the National League -- they make their pitchers go to bat and he might get hurt!