HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-10-06, Page 12Sports
PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1999.
From the sidelines
Does familiarity
breed contempt?
By Hugh
Nichol
Is it just me
or does there
appear to be a
complete lack of
enthusiasm to
wards this
year's baseball
and the upcoming
the media outlets
us with stories of
pennant races
World Series?
Last season
overwhelmed
America’s pastime including a
never-ending revival of the careers
of Babe Ruth and Roger Maris.
They even had us believing the
Toronto Blue Jays were in playoff
contention, that the magical arm of
Roger Clemens would deliver to us
baseball’s holy grail.
This season’s writeups have been
nothing more than late night
readings despite the fact Toronto
actually held the wild card position
before falling into a month-long
slump while Mark McGwire and
Sammy Sosa proved last year’s
homerun derby was not a fluke by
repeating their 60-plus homerun
seasons.
Yet, the only controversial front
page headline featuring McGwire
was an article claiming St. Louis
should have traded their slugger at
the deadline, that the Cardinals
actually had a better winning
percentage without the league’s
premier homerun hitter in the
lineup. While McGwire remained
non-committal, proof of his
value was evident in a meaning
less season-ending series in which
the Cardinals continued to play
in front of a capacity crowd
although they had no hope for
advancement.
The league was not without
excitement. The battle between
Cincinnati and New York for the
final playoff position literally
extended the season yet generated
no more interest than the possibility
of an all-New York World Series,
an Ohio State championship
between Cincinnati and Cleveland
or even an old-fashioned Texas
shootout involving Houston and the
Rangers.
Is it possible familiarity breeds
contempt? Has emotion been
replaced by expectability and a why
bother attitude?
Variety is the spice of life and it is
true The New York Yankees and
Cleveland are both making a fifth
consecutive playoff appearance
while Houston claimed their third
consecutive Central Division title
and the Atlanta Braves finished atop
their division for the eighth year in a
row.
And what about our beloved Blue
Jays? General Manager Gord Ash
recently made the statement that no
team is more committed to winning
than Toronto, a comment he may be
forced to eat.
Next season the cornerstones of
his franchise become free agents
and regardless of the length of the
contracts it will cost Ash in the
range of $10 million each per year
to resign Carlos Delgado and Shawn
Green. The question is with Pat
Hentgen, David Wells and Joey
Hamilton already guaranteed a total
of $21 million in salaries can they
afford their demands?
Green has made it clear there is a
loyalty towards the Blue Jays unlike
Delgado who is looking strictly at
the money. Combined with
Delgado’s uneasy relationship with
manager Jim Fregosi insiders feel
Toronto has less than a 20 per cent
chance of retaining both. Yet after
last season’s decision in refusing
Jose Canseco a contract offer can
they afford not to resign the pair
regardless of the cost?
As stated in The Toronto Star it is
increasingly difficult to convince
your fans you can be successful with
a low budget when it is the big
spenders in New York, Atlanta and
Cleveland that are continually
advancing to the post season.
On top of their game
After several tries competing in the CanAm slow pitch tournament, Team Marshall came up
with the first place trophy at the event this year, held in September in Brantford. A total of six
American and six Canadian teams competed. In back, from left: Mike Bromley, Richard
Roetcisoender, Gary Butler, Rob’Cayley, Dave Marshall, Casey Bovan. Front: Mike Kerr,
Les Bott, Kevin Meadd, Jason McAsh, Jeff Holman, Jeff Nesbitt.
A fly-fishing demonstration was a new feature at the Wawanosh Nature Centre’s annual Fall
Colour Tour on Sunday afternoon. Guide Stewart Lockie gives some tips to young anglers
Robert and Andrew Lessard.
Highlanders settle for tie
The Grey Bruce Highlander
Minor Atoms had to settle for a tie,
Oct. 2 when they took on Guelph in
Markdale.
Chris Corbett and Luke Bester
assisted on a goal by Jeff Colton
then Corbett followed up with a
goal of this own.
Adam Corbett and Jay Tremble
assisted.
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(Vicky Bremner photo)
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