PONDERABLES
I wonder why I don’t have any this week?
THINGS I FIRMLY BELIEVE
Major League Baseball increasing the size of the bases will have no appreciable effect on base-stealing, but it may slightly reduce the possibility of someone getting stepped on at first, which does happen occasionally.
On the other hand, allowing the Blue Jays (who play in a stadium with a roof that can be closed) to play almost the first two weeks of their season on the road is asinine. MLB should have insisted the Jays have their stadium reconfiguration finished before the season started.
If the Blue Jays can avoid serious injuries to key players they have an excellent chance to win 100 games for the first time in the team’s history.
THE FEDERAL 2023 BUDGET
As a CPA who covered sixteen federal budgets for radio and TV, including interviewing the sitting ministers of finance, I know a bit about budgets, and in a word, this one was dreadful. At a time when government spending is already out of control, Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, introduced a shocking increase. But I guess that shouldn’t be a surprise from a government led by a trust-fund baby who never had to work for a dollar in his lifetime.
Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America (following Mexico City, New York, and Los Angeles) and produces about 20% of Canada’s gross domestic product. It’s practically a city-state, and is in dire need of financial help. Yet there was no recognition whatsoever of this in the budget. It’s a fair bet there’d be truckloads of money allocated to Montreal (Justin Trudeau’s home town) if the same facts applied to it. Given there are 23 Liberal MPs from the Greater Toronto Area (including Chrystia Freeland), this smacks of being another example of Justin Trudeau’s limitless capacity for hypocrisy.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL RULE CHANGES
I’ve mused before that I really like: 1) the introduction of the pitch clock; 2) the rule that if a pitcher steps off the rubber more than twice while facing the current batter (whether deciding to throw to a base, what the next pitch should be, or what he’s going to have for dinner), a balk will be called unless he picks off a runner; and 3) the elimination of the shift. Having watched a number of spring training games on TV, I’m even more convinced these rule changes are not just going to shorten games, they will result in more balls being in play which will make the games more exciting. I’ve actually stopped doing crossword puzzles while watching baseball on TV.
HOWEVER
All of the changes had little effect on the Blue Jays’ opening game, which lasted three hours and thirty-eight minutes. But as it was one of the most entertaining baseball games I’ve ever seen, no crossword puzzles were needed.
And a ponderable: Was it the first time a player (Cardinals’ pitcher Adam Wainwright) ever sang the national anthem?