Blue Jays schedule, Top 5 homestands
On most nights this year, the home side is going to be the main draw at the Rogers Centre. A dramatic off-season retooling — which turned the Blue Jays into bona fide contenders and inspired Vegas to declare them odds-on World Series favourites — will do that. But there will always be those dates on the schedule when a particularly interesting visitor comes to town — either because of a heated rivalry or a star-studded lineup — piquing the curiosity of local baseball fans and overshadowing the hometown heroes. Here are Brendan Kennedy’s picks for the top five homestands fans should circle on the Jays’ 2013 calendar
JOHN FARRELL’S RETURN Boston Red Sox, April 5-7
Many Blue Jays fans have been waiting for this day ever since the ex-manager’s inauspicious departure in October, when GM Alex Anthopoulos let slip that Farrell had asked to be traded to pursue his “dream job” with the Red Sox. So expect the boo-birds to be out in full force when Farrell is introduced as the visiting skipper before Friday night’s series opener. It’s good to get the grudge out of the way just four games into the season, because the Jays could be competing against Boston for the division title when they return later in the summer. Then there will be more important reasons to hate the Red Sox.
A CHAMPIONS’ WELCOME S.F. Giants, May 14-15
The reigning world champions didn’t do much this off-season except keep their Series-winning roster together. NL MVP Buster Posey is back, along with his cast of playoff heroes: former Jay and World-Series MVP Marco Scutaro, the Kung-fu Panda, Pablo Sandoval, and the Reverend Hunter Pence. The Giants should once again have among the NL’s best rotations, led by Matt Cain and including Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong, Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum. No matter who’s on the mound it won’t be easy for Toronto hitters. One of baseball’s most intriguing stories this season will be the performance of the freshly-shorn Lincecum, who like Ricky Romero is looking to bounce back from a disastrous 2012. The two-game set will be San Francisco’s first visit to Toronto in three years.
O CANADA Detroit Tigers, July 1-4
A Canada Day afternoon game has become one of the Jays’ most successful traditions of late and this year it kicks off a four-game series against the AL champion Detroit Tigers. The Jays will likely be wearing their red Canada-Day jerseys, and the game should begin with a spirited national anthem sing-a-long, as it has in recent years. If that’s not enough of a draw, the Tigers’ star-studded lineup of Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and the return of Victor Martinez should compel even non-Jays’ fans to take in the rare 1:07 holiday start. Also, since it’s a fourgame series there’s a good chance Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander will take the mound at some point.
HEY, BIG SPENDER! L.A. Dodgers, July 22-24
Since Magic Johnson and the Guggenheim Baseball Management group purchased the Dodgers for $2.15 billion in cash just one year ago, the team has gone on an unprecedented spending spree, doubling their payroll and unseating the New York Yankees as the major leagues’ biggest spender for the first time in 14 years. The Dodgers’ 2013 payroll is more than $220 million, according to Baseball Prospectus, compared to the Yankees’ $209 million and the Jays’ $122 million. The Dodgers’ budget had already ballooned with the acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford from the Red Sox, and Hanley Ramirez from the Miami Marlins. Then they signed Zack Greinke to the largest contract ever for a right-hander — six years and $147 million. He joins one of the best rotations in the majors, led by NL Cy Young runner-up Clayton Kershaw, and filled out by veterans Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly, and Korean rookie Hyun-Jin Ryu. Oh, and they also have Matt Kemp. The Dodgers last played in Toronto on June 21, 2007, so this interleague visit is long overdue.
ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD L.A. Angels, Sept. 10-12
While their rotation took a hit with the departures of Greinke and Dan Haren, the top of the Angels’ lineup includes three of the most dangerous hitters in the big leagues with supersophomore Mike Trout leading off, Albert Pujols batting third and Josh Hamilton hitting cleanup. They figure to be in the playoff mix in September and this will be their only visit to the Rogers Centre so chances are it will be a lively series. Ex-Jay Vernon Wells, who is owed nearly $50 million over the next two seasons, returns to the city that made him the most expensive extra outfielder in the big leagues. Considering his rapid drop-off in production and the fact that his name is on the worst contract in baseball history, it’s easy to forget Wells is still one of the greatest Blue Jays of all time. He still ranks second in hits and home runs on the franchise’s all-time list. Perhaps now that enough time has passed he can once again be warmly welcomed by the Jays’ faithful.