"Woe is me." - The Torontonian PART ONE

I really don't suggest being a pessimistic person. It's a real buzz-kill. Sadly, being a Toronto-area sports fan, I can't think about the future of our city's pro sports franchises without getting more grim than the Brothers of the same handle. Could humans be living on Mars when a Toronto franchise next wins a championship? I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility.
Let's start with the Toronto Blue Jays. Jays' GM J.P. Ricciardi is a man who has always stuck behind a definitive plan. Jays' brass and Toronto baseball fans alike have given J.P. a long leash these past couple years, because the Jays have made interesting acquisitions and seem to have moved in a legitimately good direction. I don't blame J.P. for Toronto being out of the pennant race yet again in 2006, I more lament the fact that being in the American League East division is a constant uphill battle.
There's the New York Yankees. Many say that owner George Steinbrenner's bottomless wallet can't last forever. To the extent of a $200 million+ payroll, it might not have to. The Yankees have had some dynamite young players emerge on their 2006 team to supplement their stable of overpaid superstars. Look at Chien Ming-Wang, Melky Cabrera, Robinson Cano and Andy Phillips. These youthful dudes have played a significant role in a season where the NYY will take the AL East. The possibility that the Pinstripes could land Barry Bonds next season, not only turns my stomach, it proves that the Bronx Bombers can continue to plug in high-paid players to gang up with the domestic talent. I don't see the Yankees dropping off the map maybe until Steinbrenner kicks the can and some tight-wad takes the ownership reins.
The Boston Red Sox. Currently, the chowdah eatahs have the best-hitting duo in baseball in David "Big Papi" Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. Boston's purse-strings cannot compare to New York's, but they still easily make Toronto look like they should be shopping at Bi-Way. They have a prodigy closer in the young Jonathan Papelbon and some emerging young pitchers in Manny Delcarmen, Craig Hansen, Kyle Snyder and already-intimidating World Series winner Josh Beckett. Kevin Youkilis will be a long-dangerous corner infielder and the Sox have enough elements to, at the very least, be a thorn in the Jays' side and inhibit their development in the division for the forseeable future. As long as Ortiz is crushing game-winning taters at a scary rate, no one likes playing Boston.
The Baltimore Orioles have dynamic young (largely Canadian) arms in Erik Bedard, Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera, who simply throws jet fuel. If the O's pitching continues to evolve they will at least be a tough team to sweep and will roll with the punches in this Division from Hell.
It must be REALLY trying being a Tampa Bay Devil Rays fan, but at least we can say that they have a young team with plenty of vigor. They will probably eventually lose young studs like Carl Crawford, Rocco Baldelli and B.J. Upton, but if they got an infusion of cash and could keep that young core together, there would be something else fun to do in Tampa other than jet-ski and weave around crippled snowbirds at the Lightning game.
It's not that the Blue Jays have a bad team. They've added some neat aspects over the recent years and, when healthy, have a more balanced team than they've had in aeons. It's just so hard to get ahead in a division where Steinbrenner won't take losing, Red Sox brass has to placate a rabid New England baseball market and the other teams have factories of young prospects.
Whew. Then there's the Toronto Maple Leafs. This rant will have...

TO BE CONTINUED