It’s my Parting Shot for some Weekend Short Shots…..
There was a moment from Wednesday’s first game of the Blue Jays’ doubleheader loss in Baltimore that was Toronto’s disappointing season in a nutshell. With the Jays trailing 2-0 in the top of the fifth inning – runners on first and third with one out – and Vladimir Guerrero Junior hits into an inning-ending double play! Not a home run to give Toronto the lead, or a base hit or even a sacrifice fly to bring in a run! Vladdy had to have led the Major Leagues in hitting into double plays to spoil promising innings!!
Of course, as the Blue Jays were being eliminated from playoff contention, comes the Spanish language podcast interview in which Guerrero spouts on saying, quote, They didn’t pay me because I’m going to hit 40 home runs every year. They paid me for what I already accomplished. That’s half true. He got a a 14-year, 500 million-dollar contract extension before the 2025 season for what he had done – and he was more than worth the risk of giving it to him in the 2025 campaign as he led Toronto all the way to Game 7 of the World Series! But, you also get 14 years at 500 million dollars total for being consistently good year-after-year AFTER the contract comes into effect – something he failed miserably at in 2026 with a .263 batting average and nine home runs, only one of them at home! The optics of the comments, especially considering the timing of them, are not a good look for Vladdy or the Jays! And, if I were a fan attending games this weekend to finish the season against Cincinnati, I would be right there booing along with the rest of the paying customers!!
Hurray for the N-H-L in getting it right when it came to yesterday’s decision to consolidate the Winnipeg Jets’ statistical history. Going forward, that means the team’s statistical history will encompass both iterations of the franchise. The team’s existence as the Atlanta Thrashers, from 1999 to 2011, also falls under this umbrella. But, the Arizona Coyotes, active from 1996 to 2024, is not considered part of the club’s new consolidated history – to which I say good and it’s about time that Jets 1.0 and Jets 2.0 were joined together – as someone who calls the Manitoba capital home and its team as my favourite of all time! Thank you Gary Bettman and Bill Daly!!
That’s my Parting Shot. I’m Les Lazaruk…and it turned out nice again!
