The significant funds raised at the Gala allows the world-renowned Children’s Hospital to continue expanding a unique facility that provides a place to stay for families of children in long-term care, for serious health issues. There is no charge.

The former Expos who give of their time to attend and sign autographs are the attraction, while Perry’s niece, Kat, taken from us too early, is the inspiration.

This year’s list of former Expos in attendance was led by Hall-of-Famers Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson. Others that returned to Montreal for the event included: Marquis Grissom, Cliff Floyd, Rondell White, Steve Rogers, Moises Alou, Darrin Fletcher, Kirk Rueter, Mike Fitzgerald, Tom Foley, Andy McGaffigan, Balor Moore, Denis Boucher, Joe Siddall, Bill Stoneman, Elias Sosa, Bill Atkinson, Don DeMola, Bill Lee and Lou Frazier. In addition, there was hockey hall-of-fame, former Canadiens defenceman, Larry Robinson.

But the one legend I would like to highlight in this column is Expos icon Felipe Alou, who each year when at the Gala receives one of the longest, loudest and most emotional ovations from the 1,000+ ExposFest supporters. Alou played for the Expos in 1974, his final year as a player. He coached with the major-league team during three different stints, managed in the Expos farm system for 13 years, marred Lucie Gagnon, a woman from Laval and managed the Expos for 10 years.

Reflections on Felipe

Before we begin, it should be noted that I am writing, not from a completely objective standpoint. I have told Felipe, as far back as the 1994-95 off-season, during the strike, at a time when I was in the process of leaving the Expos for The Toronto Star, that he was one of my, personal, Top 5 most admired men of all time. Sure, there are others that have joined my Top 10 list in the past 30 years, but not many.

As a player, on June 8, 1958, Alou became the second Dominican-born player in MLB, making his debut with the Giants. Via his performance and leadership in repping the Latino baseball community, he paved the way for others from his homeland, including two younger brothers, Matty who debuted with San Francisco in 1960 and Jesus who was called up to join his brothers with the same Giants in September, 1963.

The three Alous made history on Sept. 15, 1963, five days after Jay’s recall, appearing in the same outfield for the final two innings of a 13-5 win in Pittsburgh. Felipe insists that Willie Mays was the one who suggested to manager Alvin Dark that the Say Hey Kid come out of the game, with Felipe moving to centre, flanked by Jesus in right, Matty in left. The Alou brothers never had another sharing-the-outfield moment after that, but ended their MLB careers with a combined 5,094 hits, 231 more than the more celebrated DiMaggio brothers – Joe, Dom and Vince.

As a manager, on May 22, 1992, Alou became the first Dominican-born MLB skipper, replacing Tom Runnells with the Expos and paving the way for other Spanish-speaking candidates to at least be interviewed by showing that language did not have to be an impediment to leadership.

Finishing with a record of 1033-1021, Alou is one of six managers in history with 2,000-plus hits as a player and 1,000 or more wins as a manager, along with Frank Robinson, Joe Torre, Frankie Frisch, Joe Cronin and Jimmy Dykes. All are in the Hall-of-Fame except Felipe and Dykes. Add 200 HR to the criteria and the list narrows to Torre, Robinson and Alou. Combine playing and managing and that’s Hall-worthy.

The Wit and Wisdom of Felipe Alou

The Leadership.

**Pedro Martinez on Saturday called Felipe, his father, his friend and his mentor and that after his trade from the Dodgers to Montreal prior to the ’94 season that Alou believed in him despite the critics who questioned his size, his weight, his endurance and his ability to be a starting pitcher in the majors. Now he’s in Cooperstown.

**Lou Frazier was a career minor leaguer with one overpowering tool, his speed and ability to steal bases. Frazier was ready to quit, when as a 27-year-old who had never risen above Double-A, he signed a last-ditch free agent contract with the Expos prior to ’93. Felipe had managed against Frazier in the Dominican Winter League as the skinny utility guy had won the league MVP. Alou was entering his first full season as manager and convinced the front office to bring Frazier north with the team. In his first full season as manager, Frazier appreciates Alou taking that chance.

“Felipe brought me into his office when he heard I had been thinking about calling it quits,” Frazier recalled. “He told me, ‘I will never give up on a player until he shows he has given up on himself.” The St. Louis native went on to steal 37 bases in 138 games, batting .280, as a 28-year-old rookie and including the strike-shortened ’94 season when Expos were headed to the playoffs … that were cancelled.

The Family Dynamic

**Times have changed and family relationships have become softer since the early ‘90s. It must be noted the different dynamic of a father coaching his son in the majors, especially in that time, 34 years ago. Moises Alou had been obtained from the Pirates in trade and after sitting out the ’91 season with injury, he joined the Expos to play for his father. How different were those times in baseball. There was no Paternity List for the birth of a child. Moises was born in Atlanta on July 3, 1966, coincidentally the same day that Braves pitcher Tony Cloninger recorded a record two grand slam homers in the same game. Felipe was at Candlestick Park marvelling at Cloninger’s feat when his son entered the world. The schedule ruled.

**Empty clubhouse at Three Rivers Stadium in 1992 on Father’s Day Sunday morning. As Expos PR man I had arrived to the park early to finish and print the game notes. Borrowing the manager’s office, I was fine-tuning the notes when Moises Alou peeked around the corner, from the tunnel. Seeing his father had not yet arrived, he carefully placed a bottle of fine red wine on the manager’s desk. When asked what was going on, Moises responded, “This is the first Father’s Day I have ever been with my father.” Then quietly he went to his locker to prepare for the Pirates.

**A year later, in June of 1993, I arranged for the great photographer Rich Pilling to take a cover shot of Moises and Felipe Alou, together, for The Sporting News when the Expos arrived in St. Louis. The Expos were again playing like contenders and the Alous were leading the way. Everything was arranged and ready to go, but when we arrived at Busch Stadium, Moises saw the lineup card and his name was not there. Pilling was set up. When I sought out the left fielder, he growled at me, “I will not have my picture taken with that man.” Eventually, yes it happened.

**Felipe Alou treated his coaches like extended family and is proud that in his 10 years with the Expos as manager, he churned out six future MLB managers: Jim Tracy, Pete Mackanin, Jerry Manuel, Luis Pujols, Joe Kerrigan and Tim Johnson. His family tree.

The Wisdom of a Baseball Legend

**When GM Dan Duquette attempted to inject some early analytics into Felipe’s lineup construction: I had set up a pre-game meeting in the manager’s office before the first game of a Mets series at Shea. Duquette had bought into an early stats guru who published a stapled news letter. It had captured the GM’s imagination. The guy’s full time job was with New York City public sanitation. I escorted him into Felipe’s office. The meeting lasted about four minutes as the stats guy emerged looking ashen. “The man told me I should have (catcher) Tim Spehr leading off,” Felipe scowled. A couple of weeks later, at Olympic Stadium I received a New York Post clipping that this guy had been arrested for raising an alligator in his bathtub.

**Felipe on his players feeling pressure: “When you’re in the water swimming with the sharks you don’t feel pressure. It’s only when you are lying in bed later that you start to shake.”

**Felipe on an adverse reaction to the noise and flashing colours of fireworks at Shea Stadium, as we walked to the team bus after a Friday night game: “I do not like fireworks. It reminds me of Americans bombs in Santo Domingo (in 1965-66).”

**On wordlessly listening to a randomly optimistic Braves official sticking his head into Felipe’s office during a hurricane delay in Atlanta to tell him that there may be a three hour window soon that will allow the game to be played: “The man has obviously never been in a hurricane.”

**On pulling open his office drawer in the Atlanta clubhouse during a rain delay with a room full of Montreal traveling media and pulling out a half empty bottle of V.O. whiskey: “I guess Jim Fregosi was here.”

**On hearing late in September ‘92 that GM Duquette was not immediately taking the interim tag off Felipe’s manager title until they evaluated him, even given the Expos strong finish with fans showing him love and approval: “The man wants to evaluate me. He wants to evaluate. I have managed for 16 years. If he evaluates, he will hire me.”

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Consider that through Wednesday’s action, the AL champion Jays, the Red Sox, M’s, Astros, Phillies and Mets were a combined 36 games below the .500 mark. Yes, we all know the cliches seemingly always out there – “it’s early”, “water finds its own level”, “cream rises to the top”, “it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon” and more. But try and tell that to impatient fanbases in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and across Canada.

MLB DIVISION RANKINGS BASED ON W/L (through April 22): Overall the National League is a surprising 26 games above the break even mark in inter-league play. 1-NL Central + 24 (above .500) … 2-NL West +13 … 3-AL East -3 … T4-AL West -11 … T4-NL East -11 … 6-AL Central -12

BLUE JAYS ROTATION ISSUES: The Jays are having trouble in their first defence of an AL title since 1994. Sure, the team has suffered significant starting pitcher injuries, but they had stockpiled eight starters for such an eventuality. What had been a perceived surplus now seems prescient, acquired in anticipation of Shane Bieber’s expected 2026 delay, the Trey Yesavage slow build they knew would happen but they had hoped the could manage better, the Jose Berrios fallout with the uncertainty stemming from his leaving the team during the World Series. What the Jays didn’t anticipate was the season-ending injury to Cody Ponce. In light of that difficult blow, the Jays then signed another veteran starter off the street in LHP Patrick Corbin. It doesn’t get any easier. Now, it seems, they must deal with the mini-tempest surrounding their disgruntled fifth starter, lefty Eric Lauer.

The perceived split began with the 30-year-old losing his arbitration case in February, settling for $4.4M instead of his demand of $5.75M, then returning to training camp complaining about the process and how he was being undervalued because of his swing-man status even though he had been told the team would take care of him. That’s the ugly truth of arbitration. Then came an incident early in this past road trip. It surrounds his non-start, entering in the second inning as a bulk pitcher, coming in behind the opener. Lauer complained about his starting routine being disrupted and how much he hated the role. Problem is he didn’t tell manager John Schneider first. He did say to media that the decision was above his pay grade, which Schneider, when asked later, repeated and agreed with, telling his hurler to stay in his lane and just pitch when handed the ball. Finally came Lauer’s Sunday start in Anaheim, battling despite his velocity and stuff being below what it normally is and seemingly wrapped in more shoulder and upper back tape than a police action at a downtown shooting. Lauer maintained, “Nothing to see here”, while his manager, Schneider, maintained he had, in fact, first seen his gift-wrapped lefty when he was already out on the field. Hmm! On the road trip, Lauer spent more time under the bus than the Jays spent on it in a forced Greyhound ride from Phoenix to Anaheim on Sunday night.

Bottom line is that while there are injuries about to rejoin the team and the 50th anniversary of MLB in Toronto will continue to be a celebration for the Blue Jays. However winning the division and going deep into October, again, is not a given.

Here are the first month’s team power rankings, with some huge changes from the pre-season edition, which is always based on the previous season and the traditional spring mirages.

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1-Dodgers

’26 Opening Payroll: $390.5M (1)

Manager: Dave Roberts

SUMMARY: You always have to just shake your head. Dodger arrogance knows no bounds. They lose a game to the Rockies and hint that there must be cheating going on. They lose their closer Edwin Diaz and rumours begin about acquiring Padres closer Mason Miller. Hello! The Pads sincerely believe they can beat you.

ACTIVE POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: CF Andy Pages 25 … 2B Alex Freeland 24 … C Dalton Rushing 25

2-Padres

’26 Opening Payroll: $262.1 (6)

Manager: Craig Stammen (R)

SUMMARY: Rotation took a blow with injury to Nick Pivetta, but if the Pads get to the 9^th inning with a lead, Mason Miller makes sure it’s over. Great city, great ballpark, great chance to finish second again.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: CF Jackson Merrill 23

3-Yankees

’26 Opening Payroll: $333.2M (3)

Manager: Aaron Boone

SUMMARY: Bombers began the season on fire, but hit an 8-game speed bump. They are back on track now. The rotation cavalry is looming with Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon. Meanwhile a team with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton mid-order should never finish under .500.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Anthony Volpe 25

4-Braves

’26 Opening Payroll: $246.5 (8)

Manager: Walt Weiss

SUMMARY: This is the often dominant Braves performance that people thought they would get last year. Weiss brings a fresh approach to the dugout and DH Dom Smith has been a pleasant surprise. Ronald Acuna Jr and Austin Riley are huge.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: C Drake Baldwin 25 … CF Michael Harris II 25

5-Cubs

’26 Opening Payroll: $240.09M (9)

Manager: Craig Counsell

SUMMARY: The Cubs were off to a concerning start and did not reach above .500 until Game 19 on April 19, but now back on track in the best division in baseball, a five-team fact that nobody ever saw coming.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: DH Moises Ballesteros 23 … CF Pete Crow-Armstrong 23 … IF Matt Shaw 24

6-Reds

’26 Opening Payroll: $146.7M (19)

Manager: Terry Francona

SUMMARY: Feeling good for Tito Francona (friend of Griff’s The Pitch) and his quick start in the, suddenly, powerful NL Central. 1B Sal Stewart and SS Elly de la Cruz leading the way with eight homers each in the Great American Bandbox.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS de la Cruz 24 … 1B Stewart 22 … RF Rece Hinds 25

7-Brewers

’26 Opening Payroll: $129.1M (21)

Manager: Pat Murphy

SUMMARY: The Jays can surely confirm the Brewers if they wish to claim the title as kings of small-ball, a style of play necessary when you’re bottom third in team payroll. But bottom line is they are in the playoffs year-after-year.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: OF Jackson Chourio 22 … OF Luis Matos 24

8-Tigers

’26 Opening Payroll: $236.7M (10)

Manager: A.J. Hinch

SUMMARY: Tigers are built for this year and the immediate future with a lineup featuring just one 30-year-old and a pitching staff of well-paid veterans who have been there, done that, including Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez and CL Kenley Jansen.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Kevin McConigle 23 … 3B Colt Keith 25 … LF Riley Greene 25 … IF Hao-Yu Lee 23

9-Pirates

’26 Opening Payroll: $120.7M (22)

Manager: Don Kelly

SUMMARY: Pirates are doing a good job thus far in proving to their lone superstar Paul Skenes that they can be contenders, before he can demand to leave. But is it sustainable. After a brutal start to thew season, Oneil Cruz is showing all-star form.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Connor Griffin 20 … IF Nick Yorke 24

10-Cardinals

’26 Opening Payroll: $118.6 (24)

Manager: Oliver Marmol

SUMMARY: One of the youngest teams in terms of position players, this was expected to be a total rebuild year, but don’t tell the Cards’ clubhouse. Rotation reads like a firm of Buffalo Injury Attorneys.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: 2B JJ Wetherholt 24 … RF Jordan Walker 24 … SS Masyn Winn 24 … LF Nathan Church 25 … CF Victor Scott II 25 … IF Thomas Segese 24

11-Diamondbacks

’26 Opening Payroll: $186.3M (16)

Manager: Torey Lovullo

SUMMARY: Playoff won’t be easy once again playing in a division with Dodgers and Padres, but a talented, versatile offence led by Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte is a good place to start.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: RF Carroll 25 … DH Jose Fernandez 23 … OF Jorge Barrosa 25 … 1B Tyler Locklear 25 … OF Jordan Lawler 24

12-Rays

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.2M (27)

Manager: Kevin Cash

SUMMARY: Back playing in the worst ballpark in baseball after a year as reluctant tenants at Steinbrenner Field, the Rays rely on Junior Caminero, on team speed and a new crop of overachieving pitchers. Shane McClanahan returns after a full year off.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: LF Chandler Simpson 25 … 3B Junior Caminero 23 … IF Ben Williamson 25

13-Guardians

’26 Opening Payroll: $97.7M (29)

Manager: Stephen Vogt

SUMMARY: Jose Ramirez at age 33 is on pace for a 30HR-60SB season. Parker Messick flirted with a no-hitter two starts ago and combines with Gavin Williams atop a steady rotation. Stephen Vogt going for AL Manager-of-the-year hat trick.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: RF Chase de Lauter 24 … 1B Kyle Manzardo 25 … LG George Valens 25 … SS Brayan Rocchio 25 … IF Juan Brito 25 … OF Angel Martinez 24

14-Rangers

’26 Opening Payroll: $200.1M (14)

Manager: Skip Schumaker

SUMMARY: The trade for Brandon Nimmo, a rebound by Evan Carter and the continued development of Wyatt Langford give the Rangers one of the best outfields in the AL. Danny Jansen 15 starts and has thrown out 43% of base stealers.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: LF Langford 24 … CF Carter 24 … IF Cody Freeman 25

15-Orioles

’26 Opening Payroll: $201.5M (13)

Manager: Craig Albernaz (R)

SUMMARY: Rookie manager suffered a broken jaw in the dugout on a linedrive foul. He is forced to eat baby food while his team is taking baby steps to contention. Found a bonus in team RBI leader 2B Jeremiah Jackson, filling for injured Jackson Holliday.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Gunnar Henderson 25 … DH Dylan Beavers 25 … C Samuel Basallo 22 … 3B Coby Mayo 24 … 2B Holliday 22

16 Athletics

’26 Opening Payroll: $131.9M (20)

Manager: Mark Kotsay

SUMMARY: A’s want their contending team to be ready for the move to their future pleasure palace in Vegas. They look to be well on the way with players like Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler and more.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: 1B Kurtz 23 …LF Tyler Soderstrom 24 … SS Wilson 24 … 3B Max Muncy 24 … RF Butler 25 … IF Darrell Hernaiz 25

17-Mariners

’26 Opening Payroll: $181.2M (18)

Manager: Dan Wilson

SUMMARY: M’s rotation is still imposing but the offence has sputtered early. Big Dumper and Josh Naylor are both batting under .190 and have combined for just six homers. CDN Matt Brash with 9 shutout appearances in relief.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: CF Julio Rodriguez 25 … 2B Cole Young 23

18-Twins

’26 Opening Payroll: $119.2M (23)

Manager: Derek Shelton

SUMMARY: After trading away most of last year’s bullpen and losing starting ace Pablo Lopez to injury, not much was expected but they “wanna party like it’s 1991”. Taj Bradley has stepped up to head the rotation in his first full Twins season.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: 2B Luke Keaschall 24 … SS Brooks Lee 25

19-Blue Jays

’26 Opening Payroll: $300.3M (5)

Manager: John Schneider

SUMMARY: Thankfully flying under the radar with their fans as the first round of Stanley Cup playoffs unfold with three CDN teams alive, the Jays need to sort out the bullpen and welcome some healthy bodies back to the fold. Have $104.5M in payroll currently on the IL.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: C Brandon Valenzuela 25

20-Phillies

’26 Opening Payroll: $311.2M (4)

Manager: Rob Thomson

SUMMARY: Another Top 10 payroll team struggling to win games in April. Ace starter Zach Wheeler and dominant closer Jhoan Duran already on IL and will now be joined by all-star catcher J.T. Realmuto.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: CF Justin Crawford 23 … IF Felix Reyes 25

21-Red Sox

’26 Opening Payroll: $256.1M (7)

Manager: Alex Cora

SUMMARY: Mix in a terrible version of Garret Crochet with an IL’d Sonny Gray and with being out-homered 30-13 by opponents and you have the ’26 Red Sox. Things will improve but for now they’re no better than 21 in the power rankings.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: LF Roman Anthony 22, CF Ceddanne Rafaela 25 … 2B Marcelo Mayer 23

22-Giants

’26 Opening Payroll: $223.6M (12)

Manager: Tony Vitello (R)

SUMMARY: You’re not in college, anymore, Coach Vitello. The former Tennessee Volunteers head coach and his (originally from New York) Giants are 1-6 at home vs. the current NYC teams, Yankees and Mets. Giants are in tough in a division led by the Dodgers, Padres and D’backs.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: OF Drew Gilbert 25 … C Daniel Susac 25

23-Marlins

’26 Opening Payroll: $78.1M (30)

Manager: Clayton McCullough

SUMMARY: The Fish have settled back into a losing record after an 8-5 start, but have a high development ceiling led by a trio of Canadian position players, C Liam Hicks, SS Otto Lopez and OF Owen Caissie (call them the RCM3). Nice to see former Cy guy Sandy Alcantara off to a solid start to his ‘26 season.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: CF Jakob Marsee 25 … C Agustin Ramirez 25 … OF Caissie 24 … IF Leo Jimenez 25 … IF Javier Sanoja 25 … 3B Graham Pauley 25

24-Angels

’26 Opening Payroll: $187.0M (15)

Manager: Kurt Suzuki (R)

SUMMARY: The resurgence of Mike Trout, the dominance of Jose Soriano, the athleticism of Jo Adell, the development of Zack Neto and maybe even the bench coaching of John Gibbons has made this an interesting Angels early season.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Neto 25 … 1B Nolan Schanuel 24 …IF Vaughn Grissom 25 … IF Oswald Peraza 25

25-Astros

’26 Opening Payroll: $228.2M (11)

Manager: Joe Espada

SUMMARY: Astros have a ridiculously high total of 16 players on the IL, including Hunter Brown, plus three other starting pitchers, their closer Josh Hader and all-star shortstop.Jeremy Pena. Thankfully, a healthy Yordan Alvarez with 11 HR, 26 RBIs and a 1.245 OPS is making a bid for MVP.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: RF Cam Smith 23 … OF Brice Matthews 24 … IF Zack Dezenzo 25

26-Mets

’26 Opening Payroll: $368.7M (2)

Manager: Carlos Mendoza

SUMMARY: The Dirty Dozen of Mets consecutive losses came to an end when Juan Soto returned to the lineup on Wednesday night, but that was balanced with an injury to Francisco Lindor (right calf strain) and the continued struggles of Bo Bichette.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: OF Carson Benge 23 … C Francisco Alvarez 24

27-Nationals

’26 Opening Payroll: $102.4M (28)

Manager: Blake Butera (R)

SUMMARY: The youngest front office in baseball is leaning on its young offence to lead them into the future. Pitching is a problem, with a Team ERA of 5.65. How bad? Conside that they felt a need to add LHP Dick Lovelady for a second go-round. That is all we need to know.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: RF James Wood 24 … 3B Brady House 23 … SS CJ Abrams 25 … LF Daylen Lile 23 … 2B Nasim Nunez 25 … DH Jose Tena 25 … IF Curtis Mead 25 … IF Jorbit Vivas 25

28-Royals

’26 Opening Payroll: $181.7M (17)

Manager: Matt Quatraro

SUMMARY: The Royals were one of the trendy picks to take the next step, building off of last year’s 82 wins. Team ended an 8-game losing streak recently, but don’t blame consistent, veteran starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. Vinnie Pasquantino has struggled coming off his WBC celebrity and success.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Bobby Witt Jr 25 … DH Carter Jensen 23 … RF Jac Caglianone 23

29-White Sox

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.2M (26)

Manager: Will Venable

SUMMARY: This team has nowhere to go but up. Have made off season moves to be better, with the best Japanese signing of 2026 being 1B Munetaka Murakami. The Team ERA of 5.12 needs to improve for them to move up in the rankings. But they are young and trying to get better.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: SS Colson Montgomery 24 … RF Everson Pereira 25 … LF Sam Antonacci 25 … C Edgar Quero 23 … 2B Chase Meidroth 25 … CF Luisangel Acuna 21 … C Kyle Teel 24 … OF Brooks Baldwin 25

30-Rockies

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.3M (25)

Manager: Warren Schaefer

SUMMARY: Rox have showed six pitchers make more than one start in the first month and the youngest was 29-years-old, with an average age of 33.5. At Mile High altitude, the toughest part of a Rockies build is attracting and keeping young pitchers. Add to that, they are in tough with other division opponents in the NL West.

POSITION PLAYERS 25 OR YOUNGER: 1B TJ Rumfield 25 … SS Ezequiel Tover 25 … 3B Kyle Karros 24 … OF Jordan Beck 24

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Today is being celebrated as Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball. This is the 79th anniversary of the day that, Jackie, the most important, courageous, ground-breaking, Hall-of-Fame pioneer made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As such, I am pleased to share this column I wrote in recognition of this historic anniversary, last year, April 15, 2025.

I regret that I never was able to meet and shake Jackie Robinson’s hand before he passed away on Oct. 24, 1972, losing a long battle that many believe was related to the stress and diabetes that had combined to shorten his Hall-of-Fame career. Robinson had just delivered to the baseball world, weeks before, in Cincinnati, an impassioned World Series interview at Riverfront Stadium, talking about how far the game had obviously come since he made his debut 26 years earlier, but also how far it had to go, especially with regard to the hiring of African-American managers, of which there were none, at the time.

But despite never meeting the man, I was fortunate enough in 1996, as Toronto Star columnist, to meet, shake hands and interview his widow, then 74-year-old, Rachel Robinson, in the lobby of the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal, sitting down for a lengthy session in support of my feature, a 50-year celebration of his accomplishments, his one season with the Montreal Royals in 1946. I found myself mesmerized by her charisma, magnetism and the power of her personality.

That encounter with Mrs. Robinson remains in my experience as the most impressive person I have spoken to or interviewed in 54 years as a PR person and columnist. Rachel Robinson recently celebrated her 103^rd birthday and is still a vital part of their Foundation, providing youth education opportunities.

Back in ‘96, Rachel was in Montreal for dedication of a statue featuring Jackie, reaching out his hand to children, that the Expos had commissioned at the site of Delorimier Downs, home of the Royals. Montreal had played a major role in the pioneering Robinson journey. He had previewed the first season of his Dodgers’ tenure with the Triple-A Royals, in 1946. In addition, he was an invited CBC TV analyst for a handful of games in 1972, alongside Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Dave Van Horne. However, I missed those moments, as I did not begin my MLB career with the Expos until Opening Day of 1973.

The Montreal Royals season for Robinson was a key tranche of Dodgers’ president Branch Rickey’s plan to integrate “America’s pastime”. He knew about Montreal, that despite any flaws in its historical ranking of social acceptance, this was the best chance to ease his man into the firmament of certain racist resistance to the re-integration of the game that was to come.

Now, rest assured, we are aware there remains an ugly undercurrent of racism throughout North America, that is even more apparent now, perpetrated and encouraged by those that see this despicable behaviour from their leaders.

Montreal was never exempt from that behaviour … but still better than most. Back in ’96, as part of my research, I interviewed the late jazz pianist Charlie Biddle in the nightclub that bore his name. When I let him know the theme I was addressing, he began a slow burn. His dissent, his negative attitude towards my premise included mistreatment of athletes like the hockey pioneer, Willie O’Ree and others that had never made it but that Charlie insisted were equal victims of the quietly racist pro sports fraternity in which he grew up and then lived.

From a personal standpoint, still on that ’96 trip of enlightenment, I observed an example of the quiet attitude that Biddle insisted was still there. It was so subtle it may have been overlooked in other circumstance. The statue dedication press conference was about to get underway in a conference room of the Queen E. I was standing at the back as a reporter. It had been a long day for Rachel as she quietly asked a hotel employee for a glass of water. He shushed her and said the program was about to begin. Moments later, the president’s wife, as he was beginning his turn at the podium, in praise of Jackie, asked that same hotel employee for a glass of wine. He retreated and came back with what I assume was their finest white.

On April 15, all 30 MLB teams celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. In ‘26, this is the 79^th anniversary of his debut at Ebbets Field, in Brooklyn, with Dodgers president Branch Rickey as the architect of an opening day move that ended the sport’s disgraceful, unofficial 20^th Century colour barrier. The couple had been married in California in 1945 in order to begin this lifetime journey together. Rachel was 23-years-old during that historic ’46 season with the Royals.

In past interviews, Mrs. Robinson called Montreal “Heaven on earth.” Without the success of that season, in a city that respected Jackie and Rachel’s privacy, allowing them to regroup between racist body blows in their adopted hometown. It allowed Jackie to take a deep breath, to feel that Rachel was safe when the team was on the road and to feel respected when the team was playing at home, always with an understanding of what they would be up against in the majors. Baseball’s Noble Experiment, might have ended in failure and set the American Civil Rights Movement back for years, if not for the subtle success of Montreal.

Rickey chose Robinson as his man because he believed he had the necessary courage “not” to fight back and the necessary baseball skills to be an all-star. In that one season in Montreal, Jackie hit .349, with 113 runs, 66 RBIs, 25 doubles, eight triples, three homers and 40 steals. He was named International League MVP.

Among the incidents the Royals 27-year-old second baseman endured, was a black cat thrown onto the field in from of the Royals dugout in Syracuse, plus the visitors clubhouse in Baltimore, located as a separate building in deep right field, being surrounded by fans yelling they would lynch Robinson because of a hard slide in the game. They crowd dispersed well after midnight. It should be noted that one of the few teammates to remain with Jackie and confront the AAA-Orioles fans was Al Campanis, who went on to become Dodgers GM. Of course, there were hotels that would not let him stay. restaurants that would not let him eat and countless racial slurs being thrown from the minor-league stands and opposing dugouts.

There is no doubt the Dodgers’ icon is the Most Important Player in major-league history. Certainly, Babe Ruth saved the sport from the gambling crisis of the 1919 World Series, famously labelled the Black Sox Scandal. Cal Ripken’s relentless work ethic and consecutive games played streak saved the game’s reputation coming out of the great strike of ‘94, but Robinson’s contribution in 1947 and beyond was more societal. He was MLB’s vehicle for breaking the unwritten colour barrier that had existed since the late 19^th century via a wink-and-a-nod agreement among major-league owners to keep players of obvious colour excluded.

The arrival of Robinson to the NL and of Larry Doby to the Indians in the AL, wasn’t a Road to Damascus enlightening moment for every owner. The integration of the game was gradual. Consider, it took until 1959 before the Red Sox fielded its first black player, utility third-baseman Pumpsie Green.

Fenway Park, after all, had been the place where on April 16, 1945, while still with the Negro League’s Kansas City Monarchs, Jackie Robinson was offered a tryout in Boston. As he went through his paces, a voice from the deep shadows of the stands, back in the ballpark’s lower deck yelled “Get the N--- off the field.” Who was that? It should be noted that only team employees were in the ballpark at that time.

So, let’s celebrate how far pro sports has come, but also acknowledge how far society has to go. Hopefully players that choose to wear the No. 42 jerseys for Wednesday’s games, understand the significance and feel the responsibility to the man that they honour.

Here’s to you Jackie and here’s to you, Mrs. Robinson.

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Somehow, it doesn’t seem fair that dogs are estimated to live seven human years for every 12-month calendar year. That being understood, we know that we share this emotion, this grief, with many others that have gone through the same heartache of losing “man’s best friend”. Dogs feel the love and, yes, are affected by every other human emotion we show them, so make sure to make every living moment precious. Because of that, ungodly 7-to-1 miscalculation, most of us, with our four-legged best friends have gone through similar feelings of loss. Yes, we share your pain.

Our pain is still fresh, our emotions raw. Looking back to our first encounter with our youngest/oldest child/pet, it’s clear he had me at hello. No, Debbie and I weren’t planning on finding another dog so soon after we lost our previous pup, Gordy, but two months after that grieving portion of our heart was ripped out, we happened to be driving past a shopping plaza in north Oakville, where a sign alerted us that they were hosting a sidewalk availability for rescue dogs, ready for immediate adoption.

There were a dozen dogs spread out in front of the stores on the sidewalk in cages. All of them were rescues brought in from the U.S. The hopeful dogs were all different sizes, shapes, temperaments, and breeds. How on earth should one ever be expected to decide which of them, if any, is right for your family?

It turns out this choosing process was not as difficult as it may have appeared. The air, as we approached, was filled with a cacophony of barking dogs, seemingly well rehearsed, as the dozen hopeful animals in their undersized cages took turns, to the point of being scripted, creating a symphony of homeless canine confusion.

In the middle of this sidewalk scene was only one non-participating dog, in a cage, sitting quietly, seemingly far from the madding howls. He stood out by sitting out. His cage was far too small and Debbie asked the woman hosting the event if she could open the cage and we could meet this lonely beagle. Even though the cage was a standard open grill, the pup strolled from his tiny prison, blinking like Papillon emerging into sunlight from months in solitary (movie of the same name).

The puppy, tail wagging furiously, walked over to me, looked up, locked eyes, stood on his hind legs and wrapped himself around my calf, uttering nary a word not a sound. I asked the host what his name was. “Kramer,” she said. It was ov-uhh! For a Seinfeld-raised family, that was it. I walked quickly across the mall parking lot towards a random bank, withdrew the requested money for the rescue group and headed back to complete the adoption. Welcome to the family, Kramer Griffin.

Kramer’s back-story for the first seven years of his life, before Aug. ‘18 when we lucked out and he joined us, was not an easy upbringing. He had been discovered by the rescue people discarded in a dumpster in Kentucky. His front teeth were all gone, worn down. They say it was likely by gnawing at the steel bars of the cage trying to escape, the cage in which he was kept for much of his earlier life. Later, when his usefulness to his former owners was over, he was dumped, literally.

Given that difficult backwoods background, Kramer might have been forgiven for being distrustful, or snarly with strangers and other dogs in the neighbourhood. Instead, Kramer, from Day 1, was affectionate with everyone he met, including other dogs, young children, cats, rabbits, squirrels and all other wildlife or humans that he encountered on his thrice daily walks. He was keenly aware of his schedule.

Kramer was a creature of affectionate habit, with physical limitations that sometimes frustrated him. At an ideal fighting weight of 35-45 lbs., he found with alarm as he aged that he could no longer jump up on our bed, so we quickly bought him a wooden stairway that he learned to navigate like a Wallenda over Niagara Falls.

His nightly habit was the same. After his final evening walk, Kramer would make his way slowly up the real stairs from the main floor to bedroom, climbing his own stairs onto the bed, then he would go and slyly lie next to the pillows in my spot. He did this with a certainty that when I came up later, I would give him a treat to regain my spot, so as soon as I reached into the treat bag, he would slowly lift himself up and go make tight circles and lie down at the bottom of the bed.

Kramer was almost deaf, almost blind, but never dumb. To follow up on this Who reference, I’m sure if given a chance, he could have played a mean pinball.

We had moved to Stoney Creek last October and after a long cold winter, the neighbourhood kids, as weather warmed, were just getting to know and to seek a daily audience with their new friend, Kramer. Now, those kids, our four adult children and, especially, Debbie and I will miss Kramer forever. RIP beagle boy.

Meanwhile, life goes on and Griff’s The Pitch attention turns back to the Blue Jays as they continue on their six-game losing streak, hosting Shohei and the Dodgers in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon.

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The Rockies came into the night winless, while the Jays entered the first of this three-game series undefeated. The whole tone of Jays early-season optimism ended painfully in the third inning, as newcomer Cody Ponce sprinted off the mound to field a chopper off the bat of Jake McCarthy. He braced awkwardly against his right leg, hopalonged out to the infield dirt and collapsed without making a play, as the batter raced safely to first and a run scored.

The MRI that Ponce was undergoing post-game had not yet been completed, but a stint on the IL for Ponce, in his first year back in the majors after posting, in 2025, what was arguably the greatest season in Korean professional baseball history, is highly likely no matter the degree of the current diagnosis.

“I think that going back a month-and-a-half ago, you talk about our starting depth and you can never have enough,” Schneider said in his post-game session. “You never know what you’re going to face and there’s always going to be challenges you think you’re ready for and something else pops up. If it’s not great news, we’ll have to look at the best possible outcome for the time being and see who’s going to be ready when. Right now we’re just focused on Cody, hoping that he’s alright.”

Whether it’s a right knee that is hyperextended, or something worse than that with a ligament, the odds are very good that Ponce is going to have a stint on the IL, joining current walking-wounded starters, Jose Berrios, Trey Yesavage and Shane Bieber.

The projected order of return among that trio of injured Jays pitchers would seem to be: Berrios first (stress fracture of the right elbow), Yesavage (right shoulder impingement) and then Bieber (Tommyt John hangover), who is throwing from a mound for the first time on Tuesday.

Berrios and Yimi Garcia had been scheduled for bullpens in Dunedin on Tuesday. Yesavage had already been scheduled for three innings, 45 pitches on Friday.

Using that timeline, there is a possibility that the Jays could improvise and tap-dance their way through this crisis, making a few alterations to the game plan with regard to their rotation and not be hurt as much as it seems.

Using the off days on the schedule and with the four healthy starters performing on, at least, regular rest, the Ponce spot in the rotation would be needed next on April 8, with a total of three assignments before the end of the month, including April 18-28. That would give one of the injured starters time to re-join the Jays’s five-man mix.

The Ponce injury meant that the Jays relief corps on Monday was asked to get 20 outs. It did not work out for Spencer Miles and lefthander Brendon Little, who was booed lustily after a second straight head-scratching failure.

The one-night embarrassment for the Jays ended with six outs on the mound from catcher Tyler Heineman, who allowed five runs, seven hit and a base-on-balls on just 27 pitches. Efficiency thy name is Heineman. Hey, it’s just Game 4 of the season.

“Hats off to Heinie,” Schneider said. “You know it’s not easy. At that point, you’re trying to just survive. With Tyler coming in, you don’t really want that. You figure he’s going to be pretty efficient, which he was. We’re looking at what we’re going to do going forward.”

The Little failure looks like the sky is falling on a nice man who has lost his mojo and likely needs to be optioned to AAA-Buffalo as soon as possible. Stuff? Yes. Confidence? No.

“Curveball was in the zone more,” Schneider explained of Little’s 30 pitches and four runs in two-thirds of an inning. “It was Castro the flare down the line. The walk is always going to come back and hurt you. That kind of unraveled on him a little bit. You feel for him. He hears the crowd. He’s been so good for us and he’s got amazing stuff. He just has to harness it and get outs. I was kind of kicking myself for not bringing him in for the Johnston at bat when he hit the home run off (Spencer) Miles.

“You want to put him in spots to succeed. He’s been really, really good for us. We really like what we saw at spring training in terms of (repertoire) adjustments that he made and he can be a big part of our bullpen. It’s two outings and they haven’t gone great. We want him to be at his best and we want to do everything we can to help him. Brendon Little’s got electric stuff and we have to figure out a way to help him.”

That sure sounds like an option is in his future. And if Ponce goes on the IL, it will mean the need to promote two pitchers to replace them. If Schneider uses the off-days and the fact that with the right adjustments they don’t need a fifth-starter until April 8, then they could utilize a bullpen day vs. the Dodgers in the series finale with a bulk starter. Then, by the next turn for that rotatiopn spot on April 18, either Berrios or Yesavage could likely be ready.

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The excitemenet of another Opening Day.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s strong start at the plate with dominant bat-to-ball skills.

Concerns around Bo Bichette and his early struggles in the Big Apple.

First impressions and grading the new ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) system

Is this the best Blue Jays pitching staff in years? Can this strikeout dominance continue over a full MLB season?

All this and more.

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Maybe the fans’ opening night controlled emotions were like watching a Cecil B. DeMille Biblical epic, for the second or third time. You can appreciate the artistry, talent and production that went into it, but you already know how it ends and it always makes you sad.

The Jays went on to win Friday’s opener 3-2 on a walkoff single to centre in the bottom of the ninth by shortstop Andres Gimenez. He had all three runs-batted-in. An interesting, perhaps disturbing statistic is that in the past 17 innings, since Bo Bichette’s third inning homer in Game 7, the Jays have scored just a total of four runs, all of them driven in by Gimenez at the bottom of the order.

In fact, the bottom three in the Jays lineup, newcomer 3B Kaz Okamoto, 2B Ernie Clement and Gimenez combined to go 6-for-10 in the opener with three runs, three RBIs and a pair of walks. The Jays failed to homer in the opener and benefitted from a fair amount of good luck to score all of their runs.

With runners on second and third in the fifth, Gimenez slashed a line drive to left centre field. The two outfielders, Tyler Soderstrom in left and Denzel Clarke converged and deferred to one another as the ball bounced all the way to the fence. Clarke is the centre fielder and a superior defender, but he is still young and made a mistake. It gave the Jays a 2-1 lead.

Then in the ninth, with Okamoto on first base with his second hit of the night in his MLB debut, Clement bounced a high chopper over the third baseman, down the line and barely beat the relay for a double that set the stage for the second walkoff on opening day in club history.

For fans who may have been angst-ing during the celebratory ceremonies, about how to repeat, there was a moment of deja vu that they could have done without. In the ninth inning, two outs away from a 2-1 victory, closer Jeff Hoffman reenacted his Game 7 performance, allowing a solo shot to catcher Shea Langeliers that silenced the crowd, that was remembering Miguel f-ing Rojas.

There was good and bad for the closer. That was the “bad” for Hoffman, who remains one of the biggest fan concerns for a repeat in the uber-powerful AL East. The “good” was the fact that in his one inning of work, he recorded four strikeouts. One of the biggest fan reactions of the night, in fact, was the first ABS challenge in Rogers Centre history, coming off a head tap by Alejandro Kirk on a 2-2 pitch to Nick Kurtz leading off the inning. It was corrected to strike 3. After the homer, Hoffman struck out Soderstrom who swung and missed as the ball eluded Kirk for a wild pitch, which allowed for the unusual 4K inning.

Which brings us to the debut of another first-year, free agent Jay, righthanded reliever Tyler Rogers, with his funky sidearm delivery that is designed to produce soft contact and not high strikeout totals. He pitched a 1-2-3 eighth and made it look easy.

Schneider was getting to know his new setup guy in the spring but this stage, this atmosphere, this moment was different. After two outs, Rogers walked a batter and pitching coach Pete Walker popped out of the dugout and went out to the mound to see how the new guy was doing.

“When we signed him and I called him originally, we were having a little back and forth and I was trying to get to know him,” Schneider said with a smile. “He said, ‘Skip, if you talk to me too much it means I’m not doing my job. I want to be boring. I don’t want to talk to you for a couple of weeks at a time. I’m low maintenance.’

“Pete went out for a mound visit and he came back in and it was like, ‘You know how you can tell some guys are a little bit sped up and some guys aren’t.’ I said, ‘I’m guessing he wasn’t.’ Pete said, ‘Nope.’”

Rogers calmly ended the inning with a soft grounder headed towards right field that Clement glided over, hoovered up and delivered to Vlad. It was the second above average play behind Rogers in his first Jays inning, both by Clement. The Jays up the middle may have the best catcher through centre field group of defenders in the AL.

“I just tell myself, I’m glad I signed here, that’s for sure,” Rogers said in the quiet of a post-game clubhouse. Hopefully I can just help those guys do what they do best. Everybody know they’re good but hopefully they can show the world exactly how good they are. Hopefully I can get a few groundballs so they can go out there and do their thing.”

This became an interesting sidebar, because in his post-game comments, manager John Schneider recounted a conversation with Rogers from the spring. It turns out that the 35-year-old righthander’s current goal is chasing the MLB all-time “holds” record … which also seems to be the NFL goal of the New York Jets offensive line.

For clarification, a hold is awarded to any relief pitcher who enters in what would be a save situation and leaves the game with his team still holding the lead, unless it’s his runners that end up scoring to lose that lead. Friday was hold number 151 for Rogers.

The statistic has only been kept since 1999 and Tyler, whose twin brother Taylor is the Twins closer, recorded his first hold in 2020.

“The all-time holds leader is Tony Watson and I played with him,” Rogers explained. “So I kind of knew that he was that guy and the obviously I looked it up.

“After a while, I said, well this is kind of my niche. Then you kind of start doing it. That’s kind of a long-term goal. It’s not something I focus on day-to-day or anything like that.”

Career Holds Leaders (since records kept in 1999)

1-Tony Watson 246

2-Arthur Rhodes 231

3-Joe Smith 228

4-Tyler Clippard 226

5-Joaquin Benoit 211

T6-David Robertson 206

T6 Matt Thornton 206

8-Sergio Romo 204

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Here we present Griff’s pre-season view, with the information you need. Baseball is a copycat sport, so there is a distinct lean towards the Dodgers and a three-peat, spending on a seemingly unnecessarily deep rotation and then rolling the dice with whoever is healthy in October. That requires payroll and we list and rank all the opening day team costs. The Jays learned from the Dodgers and have eight qualified rotation pieces for five spots — three of them currently ion the IL.

Meanwhile, the Jays continue with their lineup that won the AL title, featuring superior defence and bat to ball skills that are a throwback from the recent launch angle and all or nothing lineup constructions. The Red Sox and O’s seem better, the Yankees about the same, but with LH Carlos Rodon and RH Gerrit Cole likely in May/June and the Rays are always a thorn in the side for the Jays.

The 50th anniversary will be a celebration for the Blue Jays, but winning the division and going deep into October is not a given.

1-Dodgers

’26 Opening Payroll: $390.5M (1)

’25 Record: 93-69 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 103.5

Manager: Dave Roberts

Additions: RF Kyle Tucker, CL Edwin Diaz, UT Santiago Espinal … Key Departures: RP Kirby Yates, C Austin Barnes, OF Michael Conforto, RP Michael Kopech.

Key Players: DH Shohei, SS Mookie Betts …. Key Pitchers: SP Yoshi Yamamoto, CL Diaz.

2-Mariners

’26 Opening Payroll: $181.2M (18)

’25 Record: 90-72 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 89.5

Manager: Dan Wilson

Additions: 3B Brendan Donovan, UT Rob Refsnyder, RP Jose Ferrer, RP Cooper Criswell … Key Departures: 3B Eugenio Suarez, IF Jorge Polanco, RP Caleb Ferguson, RP Gregory Santos, RP Luke Jackson, OF Leody Taveras.

Key Players: C Cal Raleigh, 3B Donovan …. Key Pitchers: SP Logan Gilbert, CL Andres Munoz.

3-Blue Jays

’26 Opening Payroll: $300.3M (5)

’25 Record: 94-68 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 88.5

Manager: John Schneider

Additions: 3B Kaz Okamoto, SP Dylan Cease, SP Cody Ponce, RP Tyler Rogers, LF Jesus Sanchez … Key Departures: SS Bo Bichette, SP Chris Bassitt, RP Seranthony Dominguez, 1B Ty France, IF Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Key Players: 1B Vlad Jr., DH George Springer …. Key Pitchers: SP Cease, CL Jeff Hoffman

4-Cubs

’26 Opening Payroll: $240.09M (9)

’25 Record: 92-70 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 88.5

Manager: Craig Counsell

Additions: 3B Alex Bregman, RF Michael Conforto, OF Dylan Carlson, SP Edward Cabrera, RP Phil Maton, RP Hunter Harvey, RP Hoby Milner, UT Tyler Austin … Key Departures: OF Kyle Tucker, SP Mike Soroka, OF Owen Caissie, SP Aaron Civale, RP Drew Pomeranz, UT Willi Castro, 1B Carlos Santana, RP Taylor Rogers, UT Nicky Lopez.

Key Players: CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, 3B Bregman …. Key Pitchers: SP Cade Horton, CL Daniel Palencia.

5-Phillies

’26 Opening Payroll: $311.2M (4)

’25 Record: 96-66 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 89.5

Manager: Rob Thomson

Additions: RF Adolis Garcia, IF Dylan Moore, RP Brad Keller, RP Zach Pop … Key Departures: SP Ranger Suarez, OF Harrison Bader, OF Max Kepler, RP Jordan Romano.

Key Player: DH Kyle Schwarber, 1B Bryce Harper …. Key Pitcher: SP Cristopher Sanchez, CL Jhoan Duran.

6-Mets

’26 Opening Payroll: $368.7M (2)

’25 Record: 83-79 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 90.5

Manager: Carlos Mendoza

Additions: 3B Bo Bichette, SP Freddy Peralta, CL Devin Williams, RP Luke Weaver, IF Jorge Polanco, CF Luis Robert Jr, 2B Marcus Semien, IF Vidal Brujan, RP Luis Garcia, RP Tobias Myers … Key Departures: 1B Pete Alonso, CL Edwin Diaz, RP Ryan Helsley, CF Cedric Mullins, RP Tyler Rogers, RP Gregory Soto, 2B Jeff McNeil, OF Starling Marte, RP Ryne Stanek, SP Frankie Montas, OF Jesse Winker, OF Jose Siri, IF Luisangel Acuna.

Key Players: 3B Bichette, CF Robert Jr. …. Key Pitchers: SP Nolan McLean, CL Williams

7-Yankees

’26 Opening Payroll: $333.2M (3)

’25 Record: 94-68 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 90.5

Manager: Aaron Boone

Additions: SP Ryan Weathers, OF Randal Grichuk … Key Departures: RP Devin Williams, RP Mark Leiter Jr, RP Luke Weaver, IF D.J. LeMaheu, SP Marcus Stroman, RP Ian Hamilton,. RP Scott Efross, OF Austin Slater, RP Jonathan Loaisaga.

Key Players: RF Aaron Judge, 3B Ryan McMahon …. Key Pitchers: SP Cam Schlittler, CL David Bednar.

8-Red Sox

’26 Opening Payroll: $256.1M (7)

’25 Record: 89-73 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 87.5

Manager: Alex Cora

Additions: 1B Willson Contreras, 3B Caleb Durbin, SP Sonny Gray, SP Ranger Suarez, IF Andrew Monasterio, RP Johan Oviedo, RP Danny Coulombe … Key Departures: 3B Alex Bregman, SP Lucas Giolito, SP Stephen Matz, UT Rob Refsnyder, RP Justin Wilson, 1B Nathaniel Lowe, SP Dustin May, SP Kyle Harrison.

Key Players: OF Roman Anthony, OF Jarren Duran …. Key Pitchers: SP Suarez, CL Aroldis Chapman.

9-Tigers

’26 Opening Payroll: $236.7M (10)

’25 Record: 87-75 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 85.5

Manager: A.J. Hinch

Additions: SP Framber Valdez, SP Justin Verlander, CL Kenley Jansen, RP Drew Anderson, RP Connor Seabold, RP Enmanuel de Jesus … Key Departures: SP Chris Paddack, IF Andy Ibanez, RP Rafael Montero, RP Paul Sewald, RP Alex Lange, OF Manuel Margot, RP Tommy Kahnle, RP Jason Foley.

Key Players: RF Kerry Carpenter, LF Riley Greene …. Key Pitchers: SP Tarik Skubal, CL Jansen.

10-Padres

’26 Opening Payroll: $262.1 (6)

’25 Record: 90-72 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 83.5

Manager: Craig Stammen (R)

Additions: DH Miguel Andujar, OF Nick Castellanos, 1B Ty France, SP German Marquez, SP Walker Buehler, IF Sung-Mon Song … Key Departures: SP Dylan Cease, 1B Ryan O’Hearn, RP Robert Suarez, IF Luis Arraez, C Einar Diaz, SP Nestor Cortes, IF Jose Iglesias.

Key Players: RF Fernando Tatis Jr, CF Jackson Merrill …. Key Pitchers: SP Michael King, CL Mason Miller.

11-Orioles

’26 Opening Payroll: $201.5M (13)

’25 Record: 75-87 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 85.5

Manager: Craig Albernaz (R)

Additions: 1B Pete Alonso, LF Taylor Ward, SP Chris Bassitt, 2B Blaze Alexander, SP Shane Baz, OF Leody Taveras, CL Ryan Helsley, RP Andrew Kittredge … Key Departures: SP Grayson Rodriguez, SP Tomo Sugano, C Gary Sanchez, RP Cionel Perez, OF Dylan Carlson, UT Jorge Mateo.

Key Players: 1B Alonso, SS Gunnar Henderson …. Key Pitchers: SP Trevor Rogers, CL Helsley.

12-Brewers

’26 Opening Payroll: $129.1M (21)

’25 Record: 97-65 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 84.5

Manager: Pat Murphy

Additions: 3B Luis Rengifo, C Gary Sanchez, IF David Hamilton, SP Brandon Sproat, SP Kyle Harrison, RP Angel Zerpa, RP Jake Woodford … Key Departures: SP Freddy Peralta, 3B Caleb Durbin, IF Andrew Monasterio, IF Rhys Hoskins, C Danny Jansen, SP Jose Quintana, RP Shelby Miller, SP Erick Fedde.

Key Players: DH Christian Yelich, 2B Brice Turang …. Key Pitchers: SP Jacob Misiorowski, CL Abner Uribe.

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13-Reds

’26 Opening Payroll: $146.7M (19)

’25 Record: 83-79 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 80.5

Manager: Terry Francona

Additions: 3B Eugenio Suarez, 1B Nathaniel Lowe, OF Dane Myers, RP Pearce Johnson, RP Brock Burke, RP Caleb Ferguson … Key Departures: SP Nick Martinez, SP Zack Littell, OF Austin Hays, IF Miguel Andujar, RP Scott Barlow, IF Santiago Espinal, UT Jeimer Candelario.

Key Players: SS Elly de la Cruz, 3B Suarez …. Key Pitchers: SP Chase Burns, CL Emilio Pagano.

14-Royals

’26 Opening Payroll: $181.7M (17)

’25 Record: 82-80 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 82.5

Manager: Matt Quatraro

Additions: OF Isaac Collins, OF Starling Marte, OF Lane Thomas, RP Matt Strahm, RP Nick Mears, RP Alex Lange … Key Departures: OF Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Lorenzen, IF Adam Frazier, RP Hunter Harvey, OF M.J. Melendez, OF Randal Grichuk, UT Mark Canha.

Key Players: 1B Vinnie Pasquantino, 3B Mikael Gracia …. Key Pitchers: SP Cole Ragans, CL Carlos Estevez.

15-Rangers

’26 Opening Payroll: $200.1M (14)

’25 Record: 81-81 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 83.5

Manager: Skip Schumaker

Additions: OF Brandon Nimmo, C Danny Jansen, DH Andrew McCutchen, SP MacKenzie Gore, RP Jacob Junis, RP Tyler Alexander … Key Departures: 2B Marcus Semien, RF Adolis Garcia, C Jonah Heim, SP Merrill Kelly, SP Tyler Mahle, RP Phil Maton, RP Shawn Armstrong, RP Hoby Milner, RP Danny Coulombe, 1B Rowdy Tellez, UT Dylan Moore.

Key Players: SS Corey Seager, CF Wyatt Langford …. Key Pitchers: SP Gore, CL Robert Garcia.

16-Diamondbacks

’26 Opening Payroll: $186.3M (16)

’25 Record: 80-82… O/U Win Total (Bet365): 79.5

Manager: Torey Lovullo

Additions: 3B Nolan Arenado, 1B Carlos Santana, SP Merrill Kelly, SP Mike Soroka, RP Paul Sewald, RP Taylor Clarke, RP Jonathan Loaisaga … Key Departures: RP Jalen Beeks, IF Blaze Alexander.

Key Players: OF Corbin Carroll, 3B Nolan Arenado …. Key Pitchers: SP Brandon Pfaadt, CL Sewald.

17-Astros

’26 Opening Payroll: $228.2M (11)

’25 Record: … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 86.5

Manager: Joe Espada

Additions: LF Joey Loperfido, C Christian Vazquez, IF Nick Allen, SP Tatsuya Imai, SP Mike Burrows, RP Ryan Weiss, RP Kai-Wei Teng … Key Departures: SP Framber Valdez, OF Jesus Sanchez, IF Mauricio Dubon, IF Ramon Urias, UT Victor Caratini, OF Chas McCormick, RP Hector Neris, IF Brendan Rogers.

Key Players: OF Yordan Alvarez, 3B Carlos Correa …. Key Pitchers: SP Hunter Brown, CL Bryan Abreu.

18-Braves

’26 Opening Payroll: $246.5 (8)

’25 Record: 76-86 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 86.5

Manager: Walt Weiss

Additions: SP Jose Suarez, CL Robert Suarez, LF Mike Yastrzemski, DH Dominic Smith, UT Mauricio Dubon, C Jonah Heim, IF Kyle Farmer, UT Jorge Mateo … Key Departures: OF Marcell Ozuna, SP Cal Quantrill, OF Jake Fraley, RP Alexis Diaz, RP Pierce Johnson, OF Alex Verdugo.

Key Players: OF Ronald Acuna Jr, 3B Austin Riley …. Key Pitchers: SP Chris Sale, CL Robert Suarez.

19-Giants

’26 Opening Payroll: $223.6M (12)

’25 Record: 81-81 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 80.5

Manager: Tony Vitello (R)

Additions: IF Luis Arraez, SP Adrian Houser, SP Tyler Mahle, OF Harrison Bader, RP Caleb Killian, RP Ryan Borucki, C Daniel Susac … Key Departures: SP Justin Verlander, 1B Dom Smith, C Andrew Knizner, RP Joey Lucchesi, 1B Wilmer Flores, RP Scott Alexander.

Key Players: 1B Rafael Devers, 2B Arraez …. Key Pitchers: SP Robbie Ray, CL Ryan Walker.

20 Athletics

’26 Opening Payroll: $131.9M (20)

’25 Record: 76-86 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 75.5

Manager: Mark Kotsay

Additions: 2B Jeff McNeil, UT Andy Ibanez, SP Aaron Civale, RP Mark Leiter Jr, RP Scott Barlow … Key Departures: RP Sean Newcombe, UT Luis Urias, OF JJ Bleday, RP Jose Leclerc, UT Gio Urshela.

Key Players: 1B Nick Kurtz, OF Lawrence Butler …. Key Pitchers: SP Luis Severino, CL Justin Sterner.

21-Rays

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.2M (27)

’25 Record: 77-85 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 76.5

Manager: Kevin Cash

Additions: CF Cedric Mullins, OF Jake Fraley, IF Ben Williamson, SP Stephen Matz, SP Nick Martinez, 2B Gavin Lux, RP Steven Wilson … Key Departures: SP Adrian Houser, CL Pete Fairbanks, UT Christopher Morel.

Key Players: 3B Junior Caminero, 1B Jonathan Aranda …. Key Pitchers: SP Shane McClanahan, CL Griffin Jax.

22-Marlins

’26 Opening Payroll: $78.1M (30)

’25 Record: 79-83 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 72.5

Manager: Clayton McCullough

Additions: OF Owen Caissie, UT Christopher Morel, OF Austin Slater, SP Chris Paddack, CL Pete Fairbanks, RP John King, OF Esteury Ruiz … Key Departure: SP Edward Cabrera.

Key Players: OF Caissie, 2B Xavier Edwards …. Key Pitchers: SP Sandy Alcantara, CL Fairbanks.

23-Guardians

’26 Opening Payroll: $97.7M (29)

’25 Record: 88-74 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 78.5

Manager: Stephen Vogt

Additions: DH Rhys Hoskins, RP Shawn Armstrong, RP Connor Brogdon, RP Colin Holderman … Key Departures: C Austin Hedges, RP Jacob Junis, OF Lane Thomas, SP John Means, RP Sam Hentges.

Key Players: 3B Jose Ramirez, LF Steven Kwan …. Key Pitchers: SP Gavin Williams, CL Cade Smith.

24-Pirates

’26 Opening Payroll: $120.7M (22)

’25 Record: 71-91 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 78.5

Manager: Don Kelly

Additions: 2B Brandon Lowe, DH Marcell Ozuna, RF Ryan O’Hearn, OF Jake Mangum, RP Gregory Soto, RP Mason Montgomery, RP Jose Urquidy … Key Departures: RP Johan Oviedo, OF Tommy Pham, DH Andrew McCutchen, SP Marco Gonzalez.

Key Players: OF Oneil Cruz, 2B Lowe …. Key Pitchers: SP Paul Skenes, CL Dennis Santana

25-Cardinals

’26 Opening Payroll: $118.6 (24)

’25 Record: 78-84 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 69.5

Manager: Oliver Marmol

Additions: IF Ramon Urias, SP Dustin May, RP Ryne Stanek, RP Justin Bruihl, RP Justin Soriano, SP Hunter Dobbins … Key Departures: SP Sonny Gray, SP Miles Mikolas, IF Garrett Hampson, RP John King, RP Jorge Alcala.

Key Players: OF Victor Scott II, SS Masyn Wynn …. Key Pitchers: SP Matthew Liberatore, CL Riley O’Brien.

26-White Sox

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.2M (26)

’25 Record: 60-102 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 67.5

Manager: Will Venable

Additions: 1B Munetaka Murakami, RF Austin Hays, CF Luisangel Acuna, C Reese McGuire, IOF Everson Pereira, SP Anthony Kay, SP Erick Fedde, CL Seranthony Dominguez, RP Sean Newcombe, RP Jordan Hicks, RP Chris Murray … Key Departures: OF Mike Tauchman, RP Tyler Alexander, CF Luis Robert Jr, SP Martin Perez, SP Mike Clevinger, RP Miguel Castro, IF Josh Rojas, SP Bryse Wilson.

Key Players: 1B Murakami, SS Colson Montgomery …. Key Pitchers: SP Shane Smith, CL Dominguez.

27-Angels

’26 Opening Payroll: $187.0M (15)

’25 Record: 72-90 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 70.5

Manager: Kurt Suzuki (R)

Additions: LF Josh Lowe, 2B Adam Frazier, IF Jeimer Candelario, RP Jordan Romano, RP Drew Pomeranz, RP Brent Suter, RP Joey Lucchesi, IF Vaughn Grissom, SP Alek Manoah, SP Grayson Rodriguez, RP Kirby Yates, IF Kevin Newman … Key Departures: LF Taylor Ward, CL Kenley Jansen, IF Luis Rengifo, RP Luis Garcia, RP Connor Brogdon.

Key Players: CF Mike Trout, SS Zach Neto …. Key Pitchers: SP Yusei Kikuchi, RP Romano.

28-Twins

’26 Opening Payroll: $119.2M (23)

’25 Record:70-92 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 72.5

Manager: Derek Shelton

Additions: 1B Josh Bell, DH Victor Caratini, IF Tristan Gray, CL Taylor Rogers, RP Anthony Banda, RP Eric Orze … Key Departures: C Christian Vazquez, RP Michael Tonkin, RP Genesis Cabrera.

Key Players: CF Byron Buxton, 3B Royce Lewis …. Key Pitchers: SP Joe Ryan, CL Rogers.

29-Nationals

’26 Opening Payroll: $102.4M (28)

’25 Record: 66-96 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 65.5

Manager: Blake Butera (R)

Additions: DH Jorbit Vivas, OF Joey Wiemer, SP Miles Mikolas, SP Foster Griffin, SP Zack Littell, RP Cionel Perez, RP Gus Varland, RP Ken Waldichuk, RP Paxton Schultz … Key Departures: RP Jorge Lopez, SS Paul DeJong, 1B Josh Bell, RP Colin Poche, C Jorge Alfaro, RP Lucas Sims, RP Derek Law.

Key Players: LF James Wood, SS CJ Abrams …. Key Pitchers: SP Cade Cavalli, CL Clayton Beeter.

30-Rockies

’26 Opening Payroll: $105.3M (25)

’25 Record: 43-119 … O/U Win Total (Bet365): 55.5

Manager: Warren Schaefer

Additions: LF Jake McCarthy, 3B Willi Castro, 1B T.J. Rumfield, 2B Edouard Julien, C Brett Sullivan, UT Troy Johnston, SP Michael Lorenzen, SP Jose Quintana, SP Tomo Sugano, RP Brennan Berardino. … Key Departures: SP German Marquez, 2B Thairo Estrada, SP Austin Gomber, IF Kyle Farmer, IF Orlando Arcia.

Key Players: CF Brenton Doyle, SS Ezequiel Tover …. Key Pitchers: SP Lorenzen, CL Victor Vodnik.

I first met Rodger as an 18-year-old paid intern with the Expos in March of 1973. He was the second person I encountered when I walked nervously into the tiny working offices at Jarry Park, jammed under some cold concrete beams. I had been hired by PR Director, Larry Chiasson, to be in charge of Expos stats for the summer. Rodger, a former all-star in the Quebec Junior League, had already served a stint in amateur scouting for the young franchise, but was now part of the five-person PR team with Monique Giroux, Francois Ferland, Chiasson and Paul Shubin.

How did Rodger reach this iconic status we describe? After all, he did not type, he did not drive, he did not drink, he did not do heavy lifting, but despite all that he was the one fellow employee that I simply couldn’t take my eyes off of for our 22 years together. And he always had my back.

There was no imitating the way he floated effortlessly through all levels of the Expos organization, aware of the special needs one had to deal with regarding the City, the province and the country. Combining perfect French and English with no identifiable accent, his outgoing personality and refusal to admit defeat, gained him the trust and immediate friendship of American players and coaches whose fans spoke a different language, a suspicious American front office group that was tentative about working MLB in a foreign country, in a second language, and most importantly, he knew how to deal with the French-language media that began in the early years by looking down at baseball as a second sport in a city province captivated by hockey, the Canadiens and the Nordiques.

Rodger had his faults, as do we all, but his undefined role was always clear. He was in charge of levelling the Expos speed bumps. Rodger proceeded on from PR a few years after we met, into promotions, then marketing, traveling secretary and then threw himself into broadcasting. Rodger is part of Youppi’s bloodline ancestry in ‘79, and was the first to invite a young Celine Dion to sing the anthem at Olympic Stadium.

But it is for his unique, over-the-top style of broadcasting that most baseball fans in Quebec know Rodger. His signature “Bonsoir, elle est partie!” he would spit out in dramatic fashion after an Expos or Blue Jays home run. He was in a long, accomplished line of broadcast icons in the French-language booth, led by Jacques Doucet, Claude Raymond, Jean-Pierre Roy, Guy Ferron, Denis Casavant, Marc Griffin and others.

After the Expos departed for Washington following the ‘04 season, Rodger continued on as a broadcaster, adding a city column on Page 2 of Le Journal de Montreal for years that kept him and his readers in the know. He never left the spotlight … but it was always clear he never wanted to leave the spotlight.

At every Expos office Christmas party, or in fact any time anywhere, Rodger would grab a microphone and croon his way through Sinatra’s signature ballad, “My Way.” And he never failed to disappoint.

I always smile at the memories. Rodger when he was travelling secretary, played a lot of golf with us before night games on the road. It was intense. At Pebble Beach on the first Par 3 of the front nine, I could swear I saw his majestic soft hook five-iron head out into the Pacific Ocean where I witnessed a whale leap gracefully out of the water and swallow his Titleist. But, up at the green, Rodger kicked around in the deep grass next to the sea wall and miraculously found his ball, chipped it up and sank the putt for a par. He took my money. Here included, in the following Griff’s Conversation from Nov. 2024, he finally admitted it. I enjoyed getting together again with Rodger in this 16-month old conversation but am saddened that we will never do it again.

RIP Roddy.

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The World Baseball Classic finally became a true classic, with more competitive games and a new Champion in a beleaguered, now united, Venezuela. What does that mean for those players, the country and the sport. For baseball this event is now more important than the Olympics which will only invite six teams to L.A. in 2028.

Team USA came in to the Classic talking the talk, but weren’t able to walk the walk after losing the final game. How much blame is on Manager Mark DeRosa and his unusual tactics. After a dominant post-season and impressive WBC for Team Dominican, Vlad Guerrero Jr. at 27-years-old is ready for the continuation of his breakout as one of the game’s Top 10 hitters. All this and more.

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Important questions and doubts on the WBC’s viability have remained since the tournament debuted and had refused to be answered in any substantive way. Questions like should the WBC be played during the All-Star break in July? Should it be used to court the IOC with an end goal of becoming a permanent Summer Olympic sport? How do you get the best players to buy in during March when the popu;ar belief is that players are just gearing up for the 162-game grind of a regular season?

All those questions may have been answered this year, in Tokyo, San Juan, Houston and Miami, over the course of 15 days, 47 games, competed in by 20 national teams defined by so much obvious national pride from so many unlikely fanbases.

As for the question of WBC timing on the calendar, I remember the old days when players in February needed six weeks to get back in shape after a winter of working at real jobs or just relaxing on the couch. In Expos camp, 1971, catcher John Bateman chose to wear a skindiving wetsuit for his post-workout running, to sweat off excess pounds so that he could meet his assigned weight. That doesn’t happen anymore.

It should also be noted for those that believe being invited to the the Olympics is the Holy Grail for MLB, that in ’28 at Los Angeles, as the entire regular season is paused, there will be only six nations actually invited to compete and that Canada is not one of them. Neither is Mexico or Cuba. The three representatives of the Americas are USA, Venezuela and the Dominican. Consider there will be more nations in L.A. attempting to compete for the Flag Football podium.

In terms of 2026 WBC highlights, where to begin. There was Ernie Whitt and Canada finally making it out of Pool play. There was Team Italy capturing the imagination of the baseball world, with GM Ned Colletti organizing a group of international mercenaries into an Espresso swilling, Armani wearing group of friends and patriots. The Italians beat Team USA in Pool Play, then saved Mark DeRosa’s bacon by beating team Mexico the next night to keep America alive. Italy advanced to the semi-final, the first time ever by a European team, before losing the semis to Venezuela.

TEAM USA: Start here with the team that, for months leading up to the tourney, benefitted from its own hype machine. Manager DeRosa’s full-time job is as co-host of one of MLB Network’s morning shows, thus he was given a platform and able to trumpet each and every signing of an all-star pitcher or position player. Which he did. This always seemed like the WBC team to beat, on paper.

So, what happened to the most talented baseball roster ever? It says here that the baseball gods became annoyed and took it out on USA in the final. Here we go.

1-The USA and DeRosa had crowed about the commitments of MLB’s two best starters, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes early on in the process. But, as the tournament neared, Skubal and the Tigers decided that he would be available for one and only one start. So, in all their wisdom, they chose the second game of Pool play against Great Britain for his one assignment. That made no sense. It would be like nuking Granada when they invaded that tiny Caribbean Island back in the ‘80s.

Team USA could have used that one Skubal start for one of the playoff games and had Skenes and Logan Webb to join him. But even worse is the underlying reason that with free agency pending and a third of a billion dollars on the horizon and given the faint possibility of injury in his extra WBC start of maximum 80 pitches, he chose money over country. The baseball gods do pay attention.

2-Twice in pool play, the best catcher in baseball, Cal Raleigh, displayed a pseudo-tough guy persona by refusing to shake hands with an opponent’s first or second hitter. One assumes it was because the WBC is supposed to be a heated rivalry. What made it worse is that Randy Arozarena (Mexico) and Josh Naylor (Canada) are both Mariners teammates. Come on! Even though Naylor texted Raleigh before the game to warn him, it happened, anyway. The gods were watching and shaking their heads.

3-After beating Mexico to go 3-0 in Pool play, DeRosa went on TV the next morning prior to the pool-play finale vs. Italy and, oozing overconfidence, told his day-job workmates in studio that because “we have already punched our ticket to the quarterfinals” that they had stayed in the clubhouse deep into the night and he was going to give starts to some players that hadn’t been in games.

Not only that but his first two relievers in a game they lost and as it turns out that he needed to win were Brad Keller and Ryan Yarbrough. At some point, after they were already down 8-0, someone must have let DeRosa know about the pesky tiebreaker possibility of being eliminated. He had been warming up Clayton Kershaw, but quickly sat him down for Mason Miller, as they lost 8-6.

With Mexico still alive, needing a win over Italy or to hold them to four runs or less, the Espresso boys exploded behind Vinnie Pasquantino’s three-homers to backdoor USA into the Elite-8. Pasquantino, the Royals first baseman with Italian heritage, in his post-game interview ad-libbed with a simple, “You’re welcome, America.” At this point the baseball gods were giggling.

4-Hey manager DeRosa, WAR is important, but war is not. Baseball in order to succeed, is a game of balance, with a healthy dose of relaxed focus. Grip the bat too tightly, grit your teeth too much, let your mind wander at the plate, in the field or on the mound and it’s a recipe for failure. So, it’s a mystery why, prior to the quarterfinal game vs. Canada, DeRosa invited into his pre-game clubhouse to give a pep talk, one of the intense Navy Seals involved in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Surprising, then, that before the Venezuela title game, the skipper didn’t invite the Seal who catapulted bin Laden’s body into the Indian Ocean to maybe talk about launch angle. By this time the baseball gods were certainly scratching their heads.

5-It continues. Prior to Tuesday’s championship game, Team USA players strolled down the tunnel off the bus to the clubhouse wearing game-used jerseys from the USA hockey team that had captured gold at the Olympics over Team Canada. Two problems there. First, it was a copycat move of Team Canada’s idea from four days earlier when they wore Canada’s hockey jerseys for batting practice. Second, Aaron Judge, the USA captain, wore Austin Matthews USA captain’s jersey down the hall, then in the final when he needed to come up big, went 0-for-4 with 3 Ks. Coincidence?

Oh well, at least one streak will continue on the heels of the USA loss. There’s an unofficial 5-1/2 year tradition that has seen no Judge invited to Trump’s White House since Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett in October, 2020.

Team Venezuela: Very rarely is it worth sticking around on TV to take in trophy presentations. But following Venezuela’s win, the post-game 30 minutes was as emotional and compelling as the game itself. To see the tears, hugs and unbridled joy of the players and coaches like Miggy Cabrera, Johan Santana and Victor Martinez. To hear and see the crowd dance and yell and cry some more as their team accepted gold medals from commissioner Rob Manfred was worth hanging around for.

Three things stood out in the post-game portion of the broadcast. First was Manfred’s seeming priority in the USA dugout talking to losing manager DeRosa right after the final out. Second was the Commissioner pulling Bryce Harper in for a silver-medal embrace, when it was less than a year before that the Phillies star had thrown Manfred out of the home clubhouse pre-emptively, before he could talk about negotiations and MLB’s fixation of a salary cap. Last noticeable moment was ace reliever Mason Miller quickly accepting, then just as quickly removing, his silver medal, with the speculation being that it was because he had not been allowed to pitch in a tie game in the ninth by the Padres. Gracious in defeat. Not.

It wasn’t all about USA warts. There was one move that would have gained 100-percent approval from the horsehide gods of WAR if they were still tuned in. It was when Harper took the time to cross the field after getting his silver and hugged each of the victorious, still celebrating Venezuelans who were waiting for their gold.

What a night. What a tournament. The WBC has come of age. Now let’s play ball.

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With the Americans, is it the attitude of players like Cal Raleigh refusing to shake hands, or is it manager Mark DeRosa and his refusal to acknowledge he was wrong almost causing a disaster by not knowing tourney tiebreaker rules? Good news is there is hope moving forward for Canada’s program. Should Ernie Whitt be brought back as manager? Who were Canada’s best players? They discuss the joy of the Caribbean nations and whether the World Series and a dominant WBC will propel Vlad Guerrero Jr. into the upper echelon of MLB hitters.

Looking ahead, is there hope for Canada and should Ernie Whitt return as manager? Griff and Mal also highlight Canada’s best players, the infectious joy of Caribbean teams, and whether Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s dominant WBC and World Series performance pushes him into MLB’s elite hitters.

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Finally, the focus shifts back to the Toronto Blue Jays with Opening Day less than two weeks away and injury concerns for José Berríos and Shane Bieber. This and more.

Compare that to Team USA, that barely survived its close brush with (sudden) death via the dreaded and somewhat opaque WBC tie-breaker (i.e. take the 3 teams total runs allowed in intramural games, divided by innings pitched). The fortunate Americans live to fight another day and that day becomes Friday vs. Team Canada.

The grim Americans are very opposite in attitude to the Dominicans. At this point it may be safe to say that nobody outside of the U.S.A. wants to see the Americans win, but everyone can easily but grudgingly acknowledge that they have the talent to do so. They came to this event as favourites, aided by the hype machines of MLB Network, Fox and the Office of the Commissioner.

For the Americans this seems more like a business trip in the middle of spring training for the veterans on Team USA. They arrived expecting to win. All business? Take for example, leadoff batter for Team Mexico, Randy Arozarena and his singular moment of perceived disrespect. As he stepped into the box to open the USA game, the M’s star smilingly reached out to shake hands or fist-bump with his current Mariners teammate, catcher Cal Raleigh. The Big Dumper ignored the outstretched hand. That the U.S. went on to beat Mexico mattered little. Arozarena was quite rightfully steamed and remains so at his teammate. That will be a tough fence to mend. Raleigh was simply showing the U.S. meant business. He was wrong.

Compare and contrast that to Team Dominican’s joyful three-hour glove-fest vs. Team Venezuela in Miami at Wednesday’s Pool C finale. The game was won by the D.R. clinching first place over second-place Venezuela in front of a wild and noisy full house. On the field, there were hugs, smiling exchanges, back pats and bat taps all over the diamond. Hard to dislike either team in that situation. Respect and talent should always go hand-in-hand at these events.

The Judge is in but the jury is out on Team USA. The attitude of inevitability and American invincibility begins with the manager, former major-league infielder and current broadcaster Mark DeRosa. He has never been on a coaching staff or managed a professional team at any level. We have learned from history that it’s a big step from studio to dugout with so much on the line. It did not work for Buck Martinez and the Blue Jays in 2000 or for former infielder Jarry Coleman and the Padres in 1980.

Team USA has returned to a strategy that did not work before, back in 2006, when for the first WBC, they compounded the Blue Jays’ earlier mistake by naming Buck as their manager. He was a broadcaster on TV in Baltimore and for marquee events and could promote the WBC event. Name Buck as manager and, hey, they were expected to win, no matter what. In hindsight, the way people talk, you would think America has won at least 2-3 of the previous five WBC. The reality is they have only won once, with Jim Leyland as skipper back in 2017, beating the Dominican, Team Japan and then Puerto Rico 8-0 in the final. Marcus Stroman started the championship game and was WBC MVP.

A wise baseball man once said that the farther away from the diamond you get (as in a broadcast booth) the game slows down and the art of managing seems easy. Exhibit A? This American team under DeRosa cruised through the first three games, with a final matchup on Tuesday with Team Italy. Then it got dicey.

DeRosa appeared on MLB Network‘s Tuesday morning show with his everyday work colleagues and was absolutely giddy, seemingly armed with the wrong information. The manager explained that since “we have punched our ticket to the quarterfinals” that he was going to start several of his bench players, 1B Paul Goldschmidt, 3B Gunnar Henderson, 2B Ernie Clement and C Will Smith, leaving Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, Brice Turang and Cal Raleigh on the bench. In addition, his first two men out of a rested bullpen were LH Ryan Yarbrough and RH Brad Keller. Combined they gave up five runs in three innings, putting them in an 8-0 hole against a team that was also 3-0.

But DeRosa was walking a tightrope in not understanding the distinct possibility of elimination, with the loss to Italy that he was in the midst of and a win by Mexico over the Italians the next night. They would have all been 3-1 and the Americans would have needed help. It seems that at some point, during that game, he was told in the dugout that they really needed to win to control their own destiny. That was when in the eighth inning, Clayton Kershaw sat down in the pen and Mason Miller hurried to get ready.

At that point, desperate to win, as a national team broadcaster/manager, there can be no favours to “friends of the show”. The embarrassment of being eliminated because of not understanding the tournament tie-breaker rules would have been impossible to overcome. DeRosa did much of the recruiting via personal phone calls to the best players in the game, appealing to their national pride. Who knows what he promised, but winning is one of them. He did well in rounding up an uber-talented roster. Next time make him general manager and leave the managing to an experienced professional.

Fortunately, a talented, Espresso-fueled, fun to watch, underdog Italy handled Team Mexico handily the next night, handing second place and a berth in the quarterfinals to Team USA. Royals’ first-baseman Vinnie Pasquantino homered thrice for Italy and when interviewed after the game made sure to jokingly say, “You’re welcome, USA.”

The Team Canada vs. Team USA quarterfinal on Friday night should be a “Do you believe in miracles moment” for manager Ernie Whitt and his men who have advanced to the second round for the first time in WBC history.

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As we have previously discussed, it is important to have Scherzer around the major-league team, as proven last year, to impart his doses of intensity and wisdom to a rotation that was clearly going to miss the mirror-fogging presence supplied by the 41-year-old future Hall-of-Famer, plus Chris Bassitt (now with the O’s). However, whenever Mad Max is ready to pitch, begs what to do with the seven other starting pitchers that are in the picture, all blessed with solid credentials and good health.

Let’s discuss. RHP Kevin Gausman and RHP Dylan Cease are clearly the Nos. 1-2 in the rotation, but beyond that, you have rookie sensation RHP Trey Yesavage, Korean MVP, RHP Cody Ponce, former Cy Young winner, RHP Shane Bieber, plus RHP Jose Berrios and LHP Eric Lauer. With this group, even a modified six-man rotation, with Bieber starting the season on the IL and perhaps using off-days to keep Gausman and Cease as close to regular rest as possible, it’s a numbers crunch.

Berrios stands out as the most likely starter to be moved. It might be best for all sides. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican has three years remaining at $66M, with an opt-out after this year. However, with a lockout or strike on the horizon, it would seem unlikely that he would leave a guaranteed $48M on the table.

There has been a strain in the relationship. Berrios was not included on the Jays post-season roster and left the team to be with his family during the World Series, watching on TV. Both sides admit they could have handled it better, but the scars that remain make it more likely the Jays will try and move the talented, durable, hard-working veteran. That would surely ease the rotation crunch.

Next up, Lauer is most likely to be swingman of the group. But, recall, he was not happy losing to the Jays in arbitration and seems disgruntled with anything other than a starting role. Arbitration cases that reach the room often have that effect.

The Jays rotation is deep, but the current numbers make it unworkable. A six-man rotation seems like a solution, saving bullets for a deep run into October.

RECORD NUMBER OF BLUE JAYS AT WBC: Never has the Blue Jays organization been tapped for as many players at the World Baseball Classic as they have this year. The Jays are sending 15 players to the 20-nation tournament, that runs from March 4-17, with Canada in a five-team grouping with Colombia, Panama, Puerto Rico and Cuba. The Jays side of group play unfolds at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, P.R.

Here are the 15 players and prospects that have left foe the WBC:

U.S.A (3): IF Ernie Clement; RP Jeff Hoffman & RP Tyler Rogers (eligible if USA advances)

Israel (2): OF RJ Schreck; C C.J. Stubbs

Puerto Rico (1): RHP Jose Berrios (eligible if P.R. advances)

Mexico (1): C Alejandro Kirk

Venezuela (1): SS Andres Gimenez

Dominican Republic (1): 1B Vlad Guerrero Jr.

Japan (1): 3B Kaz Okamoto

Canada (1): LHP Adam Macko

Cuba (1): RHP Yariel Rodriguez

Panama (1): 2B Leo Jimenez

Nicaragua (1); OF Ismael Munguia

Great Britain (1): C Will Cresswell

The MLB organizations that are sending the most players to the world tournament are the Mariners and Mets (18), followed by the Phillies and Royals (17), then the Jays, Pirates and Red Sox all tied at 15.

COWLES NOTES: Ben Cowles, we hardly knew ye! On Sunday, the Chicago Cubs claimed the 26-year-old infielder from the Blue Jays major-league roster. It’s been a strange six-month odyssey for the University of Maryland product. Originally selected by the Yankees in the 10^th round of June 2021 draft, Cowles was traded to the Cubs as part of the RHP Mark Leiter Jr. deal in 2024.

Since Sept. 1, Cowles has been claimed from the Cubs by the White Sox; acquired back by the Cubs from the White Sox; claimed by the Jays from the Cubs in February and, finally, on March 1, claimed once again by the Cubs from the Jays.

Acquired by the Jays, on Feb. 18, ostensibly to provide minor-league depth at Triple-A and to bolster the Grapefruit League roster during the period in which the entire infield has headed to the WBC, over his 11-day stint in Dunedin, the right-handed hitter was 0-for-9 with no walks and 5 strikeouts, allowing the first pop-fly hit his way, as a shortstop, to drop into short centre field for a single. One wonders what Jays metrics had showed the brass to encourage that waiver claim.

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DARK HORSE OPENING DAY CANDIDATES IN BLUE JAYS CAMP: Realistically, the defending AL champions, the Blue Jays are sorting out depth at the minor-league levels in the final three weeks of training camp, but there are still two major question marks and, thus, opportunities for spots in The Show prior to the opening of the major-league season on March 27. The spots? The Jays still need answers regarding one disputed spot in the bullpen, plus a main reserve middle infielder.

Bullpen: There are seven healthy relievers odds-on to be there on Opening Day, including LH Eric Lauer, who is, of course, also vying for a starting spot, but is on the outside of any rotation, looking in. The rest of the bullpen’s significant seven includes RH Jeff Hoffman, RH Tyler Rogers, RH Louis Varland, LH Brendan Little, RH Braydon Fisher and LH Mason Fluharty.

Others? RH Yariel Rodriguez is on a guaranteed contract, but cleared waivers and can be sent to AAA-Buffalo and promoted any time. LH Rickey Tiedemann was looking like a darkhorse but was shut down with elbow inflammation. RH Yimi Garcia will start the year on the IL. RH Chase Lee, 26, will pitch for the Jays at some point in 2026, but has two options remaining. RH Spencer Miles is a Rule 5 longshot who would have to be kept up all year or returned to the Giants. RH Tommy Nance is toast.

That leaves an intriguing candidate for the eighth and final spot in the bullpen, 23-year-old RH Angel Bastardo. The former Red Sox minor-league starter, back in 2024, reached the Double-A Eastern League at age 22, then had surgery and was left off the protected list, plucked on a dice roll by the Jays in the 2024 Rule 5.

Bastardo was allowed by rule to remain with the Jays organization in 2025, spending the entire year on the IL, but now, healthy again, he is required to spend 90 days on the major-league active roster or be returned to the Red Sox organization.

Bastardo has made two confident appearances this spring, with a total of two innings, a walk, two strikeouts and certainly major-league swagger. His 96-98 mph fastball and a major-league changeup with an impressive 12-14 mph differential gives him a two-pitch repertoire capable of filling the final spot in a MLB pen. Jays brass knew this day, this decision was coming. Will they follow through?

Middle Infield reserve: The obvious choice is organization veteran Leo Jimenez who has no options remaining. The Panamanian shortstop has had opportunities and stumbled with the Jays in 2024-25, while posting solid Triple-A numbers. His presence on the MLB roster would not move forward the defence of the AL East title.

The starting infield, when healthy, will not have many days off. Addison Barger will be the next man up at third base, while Kaz Okamoto will play first base when Vlad Jr. is not able to go. Ernie Clement is the only other shortstop guaranteed a spot, while Davis Schneider is an emergency second baseman who is not, by any means, the Jays type of late-inning defender. Josh Kasevich has looked good, but can be brought up at any time during the season. Rafael Lantigua, 27, and Josh Rivera, 25, are both in camp as non-roster invitees, so will likely report to AAA-Buffalo and be available for call-up.

Thus, it would seem there is a chance the opening day reserve infielder is not in camp yet, but until that moment then Jimenez seems to be the logical stopgap.

The Jays play Team Canada in an exhibition at Dunedin on Tuesday.