Where Will Doc Land?- Jays and Halladay Set to Part Ways

The writing is on the wall. Roy Halladay will not be a Toronto Blue Jay at the start of the 2010 season. With new GM Alex Anthopoulos at the reigns, changes are inevitable. For the time being, fans may be displeased with the direction of the club, but the re-building process is well overdue. It is necessary for this club to start working towards competing in the future, instead of settling for mediocrity time and time again.

For several years, the Jays have become immune to being an average team. In the big-bad AL East, competing against high-spending clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox, it's hard to blame them. They have been a consistent .500 club in a division where that just won't cut it. And while other teams are getting better, the Jays don't have the resources to keep up.

As soon as Anthopoulos stepped into his new role in October, it was obvious the team was taking a new approach. Although the rookie GM is really hush-hush about trades and free-agency, he recognized immediately that the Jays will focus on re-building around their young core, moving some of the larger contracts and veteran players to free up cap space, add prospects and acquire future draft picks.

Recently, Jays president Paul Beeston told the papers that Halladay is "not inclined" to re-sign with the team stating his goal to participate in the playoffs as the reason. The team president also reiterated that a trade is imminent. He announced that teams will be given a period to negotiate a new contract with the former Cy Young Award winner if a deal is reached. In a deal like this, because Halladay has only one year left on his contract, to garner a substantial return, the Jays need to give teams that option. It makes a huge difference. Because Halladay is one of baseball's best, it only makes sense to demand a high return in any deal.

Although he ended up staying put, Halladay was the center of rumours at the trade deadline this past season. The Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers were in hot-pursuit of Halladay. All eventually deciding that the asking price of former Jays GM J.P. Riccardi was too high. Another train of thought is that Riccardi may have been bluffing. His job was in jeopardy at the time, and it may have been the reason he was complacent in getting a deal done. Now that Riccardi is out of the picture, and the direction of the team has shifted, you can be sure Halladay will be moved.

So where is he going to land and what can the Jays get in return? With the Winter Meetings coming up in December, Anthopoulos is going to be busy. Already, rumours have been swirling and the usual suspects have been talking to the Jays about Halladay. The Red Sox, Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs and Angels have all already contacted the Jays about their ace.

It came out yesterday that the Red Sox have boosted their efforts and set a December 7th deadline to complete a deal for Halladay. According to the rumour, the Jays are seeking a package headed by top prospects Clay Bucholz and Casey Kelly. Two highly touted pitchers; Kelly also plays shortstop. The rumour sparks an interesting topic: whether or not the Jays should trade within the division (regardless of the return). Part of the reason there is a need to start fresh is the dominance of divisional opponents. Not to mention that it gives the fans another reason to resent team management. It may not be the best idea.

The club should consider moving Halladay to the National League, where it'll be easier to forget about him. The other trade candidates have some interesting prospects that could better suit the team's needs. Over the weekend, another rumour had the Jays contacting the Chicago Cubs to discuss the availability of Halladay. The Jays are very high on Cubs' shortstop prospect, Starlin Castro. Jays' management has also been in contact with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The asking price is a package led by starting pitcher Chad Billingsley. There are a lot of interesting options and Anthopoulos should be in no rush to make a move with the Winter Meetings just around the corner. You must assume as time goes by, interest will grow and teams will become desperate to make a big splash.

Anthopoulos faces a big test this off-seasons and in the years to come. He will face adversity as the franchise changes direction. The responsibility of moving a player of Halladay's calibre is no small task. The moves he makes and the direction of the franchise will make or break his career as a general manager in the big leagues. All eyes will be on the rookie GM as he makes his mark on the club.

It's always hard to make a move like this. Roy Halladay is an icon in Toronto and the best pitcher to play north of the border since Roger Clemens. He will be sorely missed and it will take fans time to swallow the loss. But the reality is that all teams go through this. If you can't compete and don't have the resources to do so, you must take action and make the necessary changes to build towards the future. If everything goes right, the Jays will do just that and the loss of Halladay will be a thing of the past.

by: Jesse Neary

TO vs. VC: When Is It Time To Forgive and Forget?

I read an article in the Toronto Sun today about the possibility of the Toronto Raptors honouring Vince Carter on November 22nd when the Orlando Magic come to town, as a part of the team's 15 year anniversary. Here's what Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo had to say about it: "Everybody wants to know how we can do it, but Vince is part of the history here," he told the Orlando Sentinel. "Most of the people that he had problems with here are gone". It is an interesting idea, but there is one enormous problem: the fans.

Growing up in Toronto, I can relate to the hatred fans have for Carter. He essentially gave up on the team during his final season in Toronto. Torn by the direction of the club, he went from fun-loving superstar to depressed under-performer in the span of one season. He became unfriendly with the media, conveniently injury prone, made public trade demands and posted a career-low 15.9 ppg before his eventual trade. On top of that, his mediocre play forced the Raps to trade Carter to the Nets for virtually nothing. He immediately became the most hated sports figure in the city.

It's been five years since his departure and anytime he comes back to Toronto the boo-birds are out in full-force. It has become quite the spectacle. Although I was one of those fans, I think back and really can't deny Carter his proper recognition. He put the Raptors on the map. His personal accolades helped the team get noticed, but more importantly, it wasn't all about himself. He lead the team to it's first playoff birth, first playoff series win and first winning season. He played a large role in the growth of basketball in Canada. He was known around the league as "Air Canada" for crying out loud. There is no other current or former Raptor player, after 15 years, that deserves to be honoured for on-court achievements more than this guy. It is only a matter of time and understanding from the fan-base.

It's taken me some time, but the article I read today really made me dig deep. Being a fan, I understand the animosity against Carter. As a writer and advocate of basketball in Canada, I have to also understand that this one player was a huge catalyst in the development of the sport in not only Toronto but the entire country. The organization has come leaps and bounds in five years and it's almost unfair to dwell on what happened that long ago. I will never forget what happened five years ago because history is important, but I am comfortable with starting to forgive the player for the disastrous final year of what was a stellar career in Toronto.

My hope is that fans can grasp these concepts and for the organization to promote Carter in a way that fans will be receptive if he is, in fact, honoured in November. The city has been booing him for five years and it may be about time to give it up. It's not like the team is suffering still due to the loss of a key player. It's a new era and this ceremony may be exactly what the city needs to put the nail in the coffin. He deserves to be credited and the appropriate time is now, whether the fans like it or not. It's about taking steps in the right direction.

by: Jesse Neary

Toronto Maple Leafs Season Preview

When Brian Burke took the reigns, you knew there was going to be change. He preaches a system that includes structure, accountability and truculence. He's a man who speaks his mind and follows through with commitments, regardless of cost. In a short span, he added and subtracted from the shambled Leaf squad of last season to undoubtedly improve the roster. In pre-season action, the team looked good. Many say the pre-season is over-rated, but I beg to differ. With a lot of new faces, the pre-season was a chance for coaches to tinker with the line-up and analyze exactly what they have. Players need the time to come together and bond as a team. Contrasting from the past, this squad is deeper, more skilled, younger and tougher to play against. The building blocks are in place to remodel the franchise and the guys upstairs are going to continue improving the team as the process continues. Burke will not settle for mediocrity and that is something Leaf fans need to appreciate. 


Here are some notes and predictions on the up-coming season...


Who's In: 


Mike Komisarek, Phil Kessel, Francois Beauchemin,Tyler Bozak, Garnet Exelby, Jonas Gustavsson, Christian Hanson, Colton Orr, Wayne Primeau, Rickard Wallin, Viktor Stalberg, Jay Rosehill.


In the off-season, Burke addressed the three primary needs: defense, team toughness, and youth. Komisarek, Exelby and Beauchemin will all contribute to improve the back end and all of these guys pack a punch. The Leafs were last in the league in penalty kill, so guys like Komisarek, Exelby, Wallin and Primeau are all going to play big roles to improve the team in that aspect. Guys like Orr and Rosehill will bring the toughness and will make sure the skill forwards (don't laugh) stay healthy and can operate freely without being bullied by the goons of opposing teams. Goaltending has been iffy the last few seasons, and Vesa Toskala's injury history and inconsistencies really costed the club last season. Swedish sensation, Jonas Gustavsson will take care of that. The rookie goal-tender will start the season in a back-up role but don't be surprised if he pushes Toskala out of the number one spot mid-season. His nickname is "The Monster" for his size and ability to stop anything in front of him. He will definitely be a story to follow. Finally, the big deal came with the signing of Phil Kessel. Burke made it clear that the Leafs didn't have enough top forwards to compete. In Kessel, they have a bona fide 35-goal scorer and one of the elite players in the league. The hope is that guys like Kadri, Stallberg, Bozak and Hanson can develop into that type of player as well.


Who's Out: 


Ryan Hollweg, Curtis Joseph, Martin Gerber, Pavel Kubina, Brad May, Jamie Sifers, Anton Stralman, Boyd Devereaux


The only player who made any major contributions from this list is Pavel Kubina. Trust me, with his bloated contract and lack of defensive effort, he won't be missed much. Guys like Komisarek, Beauchemin and Exelby will fill that void; no problem. All the other guys don't really deserve to be discussed.


Potential Line Combinations (to start the season):

Forwards:

Stalberg-Stajan-Blake

Ponikarovsky-Grabovski-Hagman

Mitchell-Wallin-Stepniak

Rosehill-Primeau-Orr

Kulemin

Defense:

Kaberle-Komisarek

Beauchemin-Schenn

Exelby-White

Goalies:

Toskala

Gustavsson

Predictions: 

The Leafs have obviously become stronger in areas that needed improvement but expectations can not be unrealistic. They will have one of the strongest defense cores in the league this year but will have to show they can score some goals before the city can plan a parade. There is only two top-forwards on the team: Grabovski and Kessel (won't play until late November). To win games, you need to score, no matter how good your defense and goaltending is. Which brings me to my next point; goal-tending. It's hard to imagine that Toskala will improve much this season. Hopefully fans will get to see Gustavsson sooner than later. The kid is one of the keys of the future. The building blocks are in place to make this team successful but until the young studs have time to develop, this is still a work in progress. With the current roster, the Leafs will be good enough for a playoff spot, sneaking in with the 7th or 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Fans need not be worried. The team is in good hands and will compete for several years to come. Just remember, this is a re-building process and these things take time. The 2009-2010 season will be a chance for the team to start working towards future goals and although winning is the mindset, let's not get too ahead of ourselves.

What Does the Future Hold for the Phoenix Coyotes?- NHL and Blackberry Founder Jim Balsille go to War Over Control of Franchise

           The NHL season is a month away and the Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy case is still unresolved. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Blackberry Founder and CEO Jim Ballsille are currently involved in a heated court battle that will decipher which party will own the franchise. There are many underlying issues in this case that make the decision a tough one. It will be interesting to see how the judge rules.

            Jim Balsille has made it clear from the start. He wants an NHL franchise and he wants to move the team to Hamilton.  He tried to buy the Nashville Predators last off-season but the NHL blocked negotiations between the two sides. The NHL wants nothing to do with the idea of moving another franchise to Canada or allowing Balsille to own an NHL team. Bettman has stressed the importance of hockey south of the border for the last couple of years and will not turn his back on struggling franchises. The only issue is that it’s ridiculous to keep a team in a city that doesn’t support hockey.

            On May 5^th, 2009 Coyotes owner, Jerry Moyes declared bankruptcy on behalf of his team. The move forced the NHL to put the franchise up for bid. It also forces the NHL and the Board of Governors out of the decision-making process when it comes to who gets the franchise. Instead, as we’ve seen, it’s now up to the judicial system to rule on who gets the team and what Balsille can and can’t do. It is the right move for Balsille and the same tactics that furthered him in building his muti-billion dollar empire. 

            In attempts of preventing Balsille from obtaining the franchise, the NHL scurried to form alternative ownership groups to make bids for the Coyotes. In a counter-move Balsille then upped his bid $212.5 million, which took all other potential ownership groups out of the picture. The NHL didn’t give up. They then proceeded to make their own bid of $140 million. Although it’s a lesser bid, the NHL has the backing of the Glendale Arena in Phoenix and would have the sufficient resources to get the team back on it’s feet in Arizona. It is definitely a tricky situation. Balsille still has the upper hand in the situation but there are some underlying issues that could force the judge to rule in favour of the NHL.

            Many questions have surrounded Coyotes’ owner Jerry Moyes and whether or not he had authority to declare bankruptcy in the first place. In court, the NHL claimed that Moyes received a loan from the league in April. They stated that Moyes forfeited his right to declare bankruptcy in exchange for cash. It’s up to the judge to decide if these accusations are true. In a perfect world, the NHL wants this promise from Moyes to be deemed as a loan contract between the NHL and the Phoenix Coyotes. If this happens, Moyes would be barred from owning a franchise for a “breach”. It will be hard for the NHL to convince the judge that Moyes has permanently and completely forfeited his right to manage the team he owns with regards to filing for bankruptcy. That scenario is highly unlikely. 

            Another issue will be the courts’ authority to influence the relocation of an NHL franchise. Balsille’s bid is conditioned on being able to relocate the franchise to Southern Ontario. In court, the judge can’t accept the bid without the right to relocate. The NHL is highly against moving the team to Canada and other NHL owners (Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators) have made it clear they would veto the move as well. If the judge rules in Ballsilles favour, don’t expect the NHL to sit back and accept the ruling.

            Now, while waiting for the judge’s decision, there is only time to speculate on what could happen. In reality, there are only three options. The judge could accept Balsille’s offer without considering the NHL’s self-determination rights. The judge could also rule in favour of the NHL and the league would take full control of the team, leaving Moyes with about $15 million. Finally, the judge could also consider the relocation dispute when a bidder is selected. It is up to the judge whether he/she will consider both issues at the same time. This option would allow Balsille to move the franchise while taking full control. Any ruling in favour of Balsille will result in the NHL appealing the decision.                        

            Regardless of what happens with the situation, Balsille is stuck in a predicament. Even if the judge rules in his favour, he will have to keep the franchise in Phoenix for the remainder of the season, giving the NHL time to appeal a move to Canada. It’s a shame that the NHL can’t come to some kind of agreement with Balsille instead of trying to make it work in state where hockey has no relevance. It just goes to show that Gary Bettman and the NHL are more confused about the direction of the league more so than anyone. Even if Balsille doesn’t get an NHL franchise, he won’t look bad, the NHL will.

by: Jesse Neary

Basketball Canada Makes Push to Improve Program

The Canadian Basketball Program has been in shambles ever since the departure of star Steve Nash and former coach Jay Triano. For the last few years it seemed as though Canada Basketball was headed in the wrong direction. Money became an issue, player development suffered; prominent national players refused to commit to the program and both senior national teams were outclassed at international events. There was nothing for fans to be excited about. It looks as though the program is finally taking steps to improve in all areas to change the basketball culture in Canada and become competitors once again.

By the end of 2006, Nash, Triano and former Basketball Canada CEO Fred Nykamp had all retired from the national program. Nash was aging and playing in international competition during the off-seasons was taking a toll on his body. The former MVP decided to step back from the national program to commit to winning an NBA championship with the Phoenix Suns. In 2005, Triano was offered a job as an assistant coach with the Toronto Raptors and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn from hall of fame coach Lenny Wilkens. Both can’t be blamed for the downfall of the program as they both continue to contribute and are ambassadors of basketball in Canada.

When Nykamp resigned in 2007, Canada Basketball named former columnist and Sun Media executive, Wayne Parrish, the new CEO. His vision was that all national teams would be able to compete in every World Championships and Olympic Games. Under Parrish, Canada has started taking the necessary steps to getting the program back to what some would call the “wonder years”.

Parrish has added highly credible basketball people to his staff including Toronto Raptors GM Brian Colangelo and Assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini, both of whom are very familiar with the international game.  Parrish also made a commitment to senior men’s head Leo Rautins and his staff. The program spent to improve player development. The kids coming up are being integrated into the system properly, learning the international game and getting the individual attention needed to be successful. One of the most important things is convincing the young players the program is committed to winning. The kids need to be proud to play for their country.  

This summer, some of Canada’s up and coming young talent were on-hand in Toronto to practice with the men’s senior team while they prepared for the FIBA Americas Championship.  Tristan Thompson, Corey Joseph, Junior Cadougan and Magnisto Arop were some of the players invited to camp. Numerous US college teams have pursued all four. Forward, Tristan Thompson is listed by ESPNU as one of the top prospects of the 2010 college class. He has committed to the University of Texas.  Point guard Junior Cadougan will play for Marquette this year as a freshman. These may not be household names yet but that will change in due time. All four players are expected to be key contributors on the senior team in the near future.

At the FIBA Americas this summer, the senior men played strong, winning a huge game against Puerto Rico to advance to the quarterfinals. They lost to powerhouse Argentina in that game but their fourth place finish was good enough to clinch a birth in the 2010 World Basketball Championships in Turkey. This will be the first time since 2002 the team will participate in the tournament. The team is leaps and bounds ahead of where they were last summer, when they failed to qualify in the same tournament. The much-publicized incident between coach Leo Rautins and Samuel Dalembert was an obvious distraction last year and looking back, the team looks a lot better without Dalembert. It really goes to show that the players are behind their coach and are also committed to improving as the program makes progress.

The women’s national squad is taking part in the same tournament this month in Brazil. The women’s team will also look to qualify for the World Championships in 2010. Canada has some new faces and will use the tourney to gain experience playing together. The majority of top women’s teams play together all year long which makes it crucial for the players to use the time together to bond as a team. The story for Canada going in will be how 16-year-old phenom, Natalie Achonwa, fairs in her first taste of senior women’s tournament action. Don’t let her age fool you. The Guelph native is a striking athlete at 6’2 and boy can she can play. Achonwa is one of the top products out of the Canada Basketball’s NEDA development program in Hamilton. Coach Alison McNeil has reiterated that Achonwa isn’t here to learn by spectating from the bench. Instead she will play and learn from her mistakes on the court. It is definitely the right move and reiterates that the program is headed in the right direction.

It will be interesting to look back next year and see if Canada can continue to improve and how the men’s team approaches the challenges ahead. Coach Rautins was very impressed with his team’s performance this summer and has been working to improve the roster. He announced recently that NBAers Jamal Magloire and Matt Bonner would join Team Canada in 2010. Magloire, a Toronto native and ten year NBA veteran, has never played for Team Canada although he does a lot of community work in Toronto and spends his off-seasons there. Bonner on the other hand is American-born but spent a large chunk of his career with the Toronto Raptors and married a Canadian girl. He has recently acquired dual-citizenship and is excited about joining the team. Although both players aren’t star-caliber, they both have something to contribute. Magloire plays with an edge and will be an intimidating presence down low, while Bonner can play multiple positions and can stroke it from the outside. It goes to show that Basketball Canada is devoted to continuously improve their teams.  

After years of disappointment, the program has developed and it is time to produce results. The popularity of the game has grown immensely in the country and the national teams are poised to succeed. It’s time to move on from the “Steve Nash Era”. Nash will always be connected to Canada Basketball off the court and his contributions will not be forgotten. These things take time but there is a lot to look forward to. There is a new sense of commitment, the talent pool for young players from Canada is at an all-time high and the right people are manning the ship, ensuring that goals are being achieved. It’s time to embrace the new basketball culture and start supporting the direction of the national program.

by: Jesse Neary