Blue Jays go 3-7 on first road trip of 2011

This is how bad it got for the Toronto Blue Jays in Boston Monday afternoon: Daisuke Matsuzaka looked like Cy Young.

The Blue Jays got just 1 hit on Matsuzaka, who was making his 2nd start at Fenway this year. In his first start, the Red Sox pitcher lasted 2 innings and had an ERA of 31.50. It dropped a bit today.

“It was embarrassing what happened to us the last three days,” said Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill, who went 0-for-3. “We know we're a much better ballclub. It definitely doesn't feel right going home.”

“I think it's best for all of us in a Toronto uniform to put this one behind us and get ready for the Yankees,” manager John Farrell said.

But things don't get easier. Toronto opens a two-game set against New York on Tuesday night and then hosts Tampa Bay for three before going on the road for another 10-game stretch which will feature stops in Texas against the Rangers, New York to face the Yanks, and in Tampa .

“We caught a team that was coming out of a slump at the wrong time,” Farrell said.

The Jays are in a slump right now having gone 3-7 on the road trip, a road trip that saw them blow big leads and lose games in extra innings.

“The schedule is not giving us any breaks, but we have to get back to the way we play, manufacturing runs, capitalizing on balls up in the zone, and pitching . . . that goes without saying — we have to take a leadership role on the mound,” said Farrell.

The Jays scored just 3 runs over the last 29 innings vs the Red Sox.

They had just 3 baserunners, the fewest in a game since May 7, 2009.

The Jays have hit 13 homers this year. Last year at this time they already had 23.

Biran Burke's year end address

Leave it to Brian Burke to sum up the Toronto Maple Leafs season – a 7^th straight without the playoffs – this way: “When you miss the playoffs it’s a failure.”

Yet you ask Burke about his coach Ron Wilson – who is the only Leafs coach to miss the playoffs 3 years in a row – the GM will tell you Wilson will be back for the final year of his contract. This despite what seems to be a large group of fans who would rather see Wilson replaced.

“We don’t run this team by consensus. I don’t give a rat’s ass what the consensus is.”

“I don’t have to justify why the coach is staying,” said Burke in his end of season address. “He did it with the job he did in the 2^nd half of the season. There are people who disagree. They are confusing me with someone who cares about their opinion.”

General Manager Brian Burke said special teams cost his team a spot in the playoffs, but he didn’t pin the blame on that on his coaches. He said the players are to blame for that.

The power play was ranked 22^nd, the penalty kill finished 28^th in the 30 team NHL this season. In fact under Wilson’s watch special teams have been anything but special.

“We might have to address it with player personnel acquisitions,” said Burke. “I felt the first time I gave Ron a competitive team to work with was the second half of this season. It’s too easy to pin it on the coaches. When you watch our players execute you think the plan works. Maybe we have to address that by getting people who are better at those jobs.”

Burke sang the praises of Dion Phaneuf saying his second half was “terrific”; he called Phil Kessel a player whose all around game has improved.

He expects James Reimer to handle the workload in goal next season, and he isn’t about to give up on Jonas Gustavsson. But he insists his number 1 priority is a top-line centre.

"I believe in this group," Burke said. "I think the building blocks we put in place in terms of the defence, the way the top-six (forwards) rounded out, I do think we're close with a few additions.

“Our top priority is a centre, no question about it," he said.

“I would like a bigger group, I would like a more hostile group,” said Burke. “This is my team now it’s my group now and I believe this group has what it we need to win but we have to add to this group in the summer time.”

“This group of athletes doesn’t have to defend 7 years,” said Burke. “This group of athletes doesn’t have to talk about 1967.”

“I was in the playoffs 7 straight years before I got here,” added Burke. “This has been a long, slow torturous process for me. I don’t like it. I don’t like being out of the playoffs. I take it personally especially when we actually got close this year and made a push. I’m sour about it. I’m not happy.”

In his year end address, Ron Wilson said he felt his team was 2 or 3 pieces away from being a Stanley Cup contender. Burke was asked if he agreed.

"I know some people are having fun with that but what team isn’t a contender if you add the right 3 players. I don't think Ron was wrong with that at all, but the question is can we add three guys who could have that impact through trade or free agency?" said Burke. "That's a harder question."

Burke promises to be busy in free agency as his team has lots of cap space and money to spend. He also plans to negotiate with his restricted free agents (Tyler Bozak, Clarke MacArthur, Luke Schenn and James Reimer among them) after the world hockey championships.

Toronto Maple Leafs are optimistic about future

 

As the Toronto Maple Leafs cleaned out their lockers after missing the playoffs for a 7^th straight year, there was a sense of optimisms for next year.

While that may be a familiar tune, everyone insists it’s different this time for the 2^nd youngest team in the NHL.

“This year we piled up a bunch of experience at the end,” said Ron Wilson. “We’re probably 2 or 3 pieces from being a true contender. I’m talking contender for the Stanley Cup.”

A cynic might argue those pieces are Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos and Shea Weber.

But there is no doubt a team that went 18-9 and 6 after the all-star break believes they are ready to make the next step and advance to the playoffs.

“Night in night out we were playing in big games that were playoff like and for next year it’s really going to help us,” said captain Dion Phaneuf. “We are going to use that experience and it’s going to help us.”

“First couple of years for me everyone was saying next year should be better, next year should be better, but it was more hoping that it would be better,” said Luke Schenn. “Now there is a belief that we are on the right track.”

“I’m comfortable in this group more than any I’ve had in a long time because they are growing together, improving together and believing together,” added Wilson.

“Compared to my first year here, it’s a whole different culture here, a whole different team” said Phil Kessel. “We have a great group of guys here. Everybody plays for each other.”

The Leafs have a number of restricted free agents this off season: Tyler Bozak, James Reimer, Luke Schenn, Darryl Boyce, Jay Rosehill, Carl Gunnarsson, Matt Lashoff and Clarke MacArthur.

MacArthur led the Leafs in assists and made it clear he wants to remain in Toronto.

“I’ve never once said that I’m trying to hit one out of the park here,” said MacArthur. “I feel like sometimes it’s better to be happy than greedy. I’d like to stay here.”

Wilson feels the team needs a front line centre and a defenceman to work the point on the power play. He is confident James Reimer – who played a big role in the club going 18-9-6 after the all-star break - can handle the goaltending duties next season targeting him for 50 to 60 games.

“If that’s what he wants me to do I’ll be ready,” said Reimer. “He told me to focus and prepare myself to have the possibility to play a lot of games next season. I am going to work real hard this summer to focus and prepare and be in the best shape possible so I can handle it.”

“Reims I’m sure is going to continue where he left off,” said Wilson. “He seems immune to all the attention. He stayed focused pretty much all the way through it.”

“There will be more expectations from everyone and you just have to find a way either to let it motivate you or not think about it at all,” said Reimer. “For myself I’ll probably go the not think about it at all route.”

Ron Wilson has 1 year left on his deal and Brian Burke says he will be back.

Wilson expects to retain his entire coaching staff. When asked if he would like a contract extension before the season, Wilson said that was a decision Brian Burke would have to make.

“Sixty percent of my questions are about always my future, as soon we lose 3 games it’s about my future,” said Wilson. “I don’t even want to go there. I’m confident in my abilities. That’s between Brian and I at the end of the day. It’s nobody else’s business.”

That may be but Wilson is the only coach in Maple Leafs history to have missed the playoffs three straight years and not lose his job.