Why I am not too optimistic about the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025

Frankly, unless things changes drastically, I can't see Toronto Blue Jays finishing higher than fourth of fifth in the American League East in 2025.  So far, management has not given me any reason for optimism. Just recently, the Jays gave up on closer Jordan Romano.  Why?  Was it his fault that he was injured?  He was one of the top relievers in Major League Baseball.  He contributed a great deal to any success the Jays had until his injury-ridden 2024 season.  There is no reason why Romano can't recover and return to form.  Good relievers are hard to find, and the Jays; bullpen needs all the help it can get.  Jordan Romano will likely come back to haunt the Jays, especially if he remains in the AL East.  Romano deserved better.  Blue Jay fans deserve better.

The facts speak for themselves, as they say.  The Jays had a very disappointing 2024 season.  They finished dead last in the AL East.  Their performance was truly underwhelming.  The 2024 season was hardly an anomaly.  The Jays have not won a playoff game since 2015.  Their lack of success in postseason play cannot and should not be overlooked.  It's not good enough to say that they won 89 or 90 games in the regular season.  They just haven't been able to win when it really counts.

There is no sign that the Jays have improved their hitting.  In fact, Mark Shapiro, President and CEO of the team, and GM Ross Atkins,  do not seem to regard power hitting as a great priority.  When asked about his adding a legitimate run-scoring threat to his lineup during the off-season, Atkins replied, "Power is the low-hanging fruit.  I don't think in today's game, you also have to be cognizant of strikeouts whenever you do (add a power bat.)"

The long ball may not be everything, Mr. Atkins, but how did the Blue Jays do last season without much power hitting?  They really missed Teoscar Hernandez and Lourdes Guriel Jr.  They scored just 671 runs in 2024, their lowest output since 1997.  Meanwhile, Teoscar hit 33 home runs in 2024, with a batting average of .272, 99 RBI and an OPS of .840.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit 18 home runs in 2024, with a .279 batting average, 75 RBI and an OPS of .757.  Hernandez helped the Los Angeles Dodgers win the this year's World Series.

One of the worst mistakes the Jays' management has ever made is trading away catcher Gabriel Moreno for Daulton Varsho.  Moreno is only 24, and he has the potential to be a generational player. Now that Danny Jansen has gone to the Boston Red Sox, the Jays could really use Moreno to catch along with Alejandro Kirk.  Mark Shapiro does not regret trading Moreno and claims that it was a good trade.  "You can't evaluate a trade in the short term, you've got to give it four or five years to understand whether a trade was effective or not," according Shapiro.

No doubt Dsulton Varsho is a superb defensive outfielder.  However, his hitting is merely mediocre.  His batting average was only .214  in 2024.  Moreover, Varsho is 28 years old, four years older than Moreno.  The Blue Jays lacked the offence to go far in the playoffs in 2023, and they lacked the offence compete in the  regular season in 2024.

To make matters worse, the Jays could lose Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to free agency.  They don't seem too adamant about keeping him.  Unless things change greatly, 2025 will be another lost season for the Toronto Blue Jays.  Rogers seems satisfied with Shapiro and Atkins.  Otherwise, the duo would be gone by now.  If fans don't show up, and the seats are empty at the dome, Rogers may decide to make changes.  The bottom line is that Shapiro and Atkins have to go.

- Joanne

Americans need to take a good hard look at themselves

Many people around the world are scratching their heads.  They can't believe it.  American voters have rejected Kamala Harris' message of hope and optimism.  They have elected as their president a man who behaves in a manor that is absolutely disgusting and obscene.  Still, over 78 million Americans voted for Donald Trump.  Over 78 million Americans voted for a convicted felon, a racist, a misogynist, a climate change denier, a conspiracy theorist, and an authoritarian,  Oh yes, he's also civilly guilty of sexual assault.  I shudder to think that's who you really are, America.

Never forget January 6, 2021, a shameful  day that will live in infamy, just like Pearl Harbor Day and September 11, 2001.  Trump encouraged an unruly mob of white supremacists to attack the Capitol in Washington, D.C., causing death and mayhem.  He regards the January 6th mob as "patriots," and he intends to pardon them.  

On November 5, 2024, Trump did not win a landslide victory.  He did not receive an overwhelming mandate, though, of course, he will always claim that he did.  This was not Johnson versus Goldwater in 1964 or Nixon versus McGovern in 1972.  According to the latest stats from Reuters (November 20), Trump won 49.9 per cent of the popular vote (76,807,906), while Kamala Harris won 48.3 per cent.(74.250,975).  Trump received 312 Electoral College votes, while Harris received 226.  Yes, Trump won the election, but it was by no means a landslide.

Honestly, I didn't see this disaster coming.  Now that I've had some time to reflect, I can better understand what happened, and why.  Here are some points that I would like to make.

* American voters received false information from social media. They falsely blamed Joe Biden and the Democrats for the inflation that he didn't cause.  It is not Joe's fault.  Inflation is a problem all over the world, and it was worsened by the pandemic.

* Trump had a huge lead among male voters.  He's conned them into believing true manhood means acting tough and bullying others.  Also, even in the year 2024, some American voters (and that includes women) cannot bring themselves to vote for a woman, especially a woman of colour.

* Trump had billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Rupert Murdoch giving him support and money.  He also had Big Pharma, Big Oil and the insurance companies behind him.

*Trump went on all the podcasts popular with white males.

*  Many Americans falsely believe that the economy was better under Trump.  In fact, Joe Biden had to clean up Trump's mess.  Trump increased the deficit with his tax breaks for the wealthy.  If American voters had taken a good look at the economic statistics, they would seen that the U.S. economy is doing very well under Biden.  Trump plans to damage the U.S. economy with his ill-advised tariffs.

*Many Americans falsely believe that Trump is a good businessman.  He is not.  Six of his business ventures have gone bankrupt, including his casinos in Atlantic City.

" Trump has allowed racist Americans to vent their spleen.  He's allowed them to blame "illegal aliens" (Should be undocumented immigrants.  They are human beings, not creatures from another planet).

* The mainstream corporate media were much easier on Trump than Kamala.  Americans kept being told that they didn't know enough about Kamala.  Trump's behaviour was normalized because "it was just Trump being Trump."  The Democrats should stop pointing fingers,  Kamala ran a good campaign.  She offered good policy such as tax credits for first time home buyers and those who want to start small businesses.

As brokenhearted as I am about the election, there is not much I can do.  I can only write my opinions.  I have to get over the disappointment and move ahead with my life.  The unfortunate result of the election can not be undone.  Sadly, the United States and the world are stuck with Trump for four more years, and maybe longer if he messes with the constitution and becomes a dictator.  I just hope that somehow we can all get through the next four years.  It's a shame, but it's not under my control.  Maybe in two years, Americans will realize the horrible mistake they have made and elect Democrats in the 2026 midterms.

Trump cannot evade justice forever.  He is not invincible and he will eventually face the long arm of the law.  This too shall pass.  Someday Trump will be a consigned to the annals of history.

- Joanne

Toronto has a championship team. Congratulations Toronto Argonauts!

 

The Toronto Argonauts won the Grey Cup yesterday, but I didn't hear any horns honking.  I didn't notice much celebrating.  Too bad, because the Argos are a winning team.  They have won two of the last three Grey Cups.  The Maple Leafs have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967 - 57 long years ago.  In recent years, they have been getting knocked out of the playoffs early.  

The cost of attending a Leaf game is exorbitant. and it will continue to rise.  It is beyond the grasp of many families.

Winning the Stanley Cup is a grind.  The NHL is fueled by pure greed.  There are two many teams and too many games.  The post season drags on until the end of June.  

The Toronto Blue Jays won back-backWorld Series in 1992 and 1993 - over 30 years ago.  In 2022 and 2023, they failed to win a post season series..  In 2024, they finished last in their division, the American League East.  What are the odds of the Jays winning the World Series or even making the playoff in 2025?  I am a fan, but I have to be honest.  Zilch.  The team just isn't good enough and there are too many question marks.  Meanwhile, the cost of Blue Jays tickets continues to rise.

Yesterday, the 111th Grey Cup took place in Vancouver.  It was steeped in Canadian tradition.  Where else can you see members of the Royal Canadian  Mounted Police present the venerable trophy to the champions of Canadian football?

The CFL doesn't have the glitz and the glamour of the NFL and the Super Bowl.  It is certainly more homey and more community oriented.  Grey Cup games are still reasonably affordable, unlike the cost of a Super Bowl ticket.

Unfortunately, the CFL is underappreciated in this country, especially in Toronto.  Some NFL fans take delight in maligning the CFL.  It's their business if they greatly prefer the NFL, but they should keep in mind that the CFL brings much enjoyment to many people.  It shouldn't be denigrated.

Congratulations and thank you Toronto Argos for bringing a championship to our city.  Thank you for making my Sunday brighter. The Grey Cup tradition will continue next year in Winnipeg.

- Joanne

Cass Elliot and Keith Moon died in the same apartment

        

A former work colleague of mine was travelling in Europe and he posted photos of this London apartment on Facebook.  He explained that Mama Cass Elliot of The Mamas and the Papas and Keith Moon of The Who both died there, four years apart.  I was unaware of this, and I became curious.  I decided to do more research.  

The apartment is located on the corner of Curzon St and Curzon Square, in the Mayfair area of London.  At the time of her passing, Cass Elliot occupied Flat 12, owned by American pop star Harry Nilsson.  The flat was Cass Elliot's temporary home in the city.  When Nilsson purchased the place in the 1970s, its location was ideal for him, because of its proximity to Apple Records (he was a good friend of the Beatles).  There were also nearby nightclubs frequented by celebrities.  However, the singer-songwriter was often on the road in the United States.  He rarely had a chance to spend time at his London home, so he rented it out to his musician friends.

When Cass Elliot was found dead in her London flat on July 29, 1974, rumours quickly spread that she had choked on a ham sandwich.  It was later revealed that the 32-year-old singer had passed away in her sleep, and her death was ruled accidental.  On August 5, 1974, Dr. Keith Simpson, a British pathologist, and Gavin Thurston, a London coroner, issued a report that ruled out the theory that Cass had choked on a sandwich.  They found that there was no food in her windpipe, and no drugs in her system at the time of her passing. Simpson's autopsy revealed that her death was due to a "left-sided heart failure" and that she had suffered "a heart attack which developed rapidly.  Cass had been overweight her whole life, and her crash diets likely weakened her heart.

Cass Elliot

Born Ellen Naomi Cohen in Baltimore, Maryland on September 19, 1941, Casa rose to fame with the hippie era California-based folk rock vocal group the Mamas and the Papas.  The Mamas and the Papas performed and recorded from 1965 to 1968.  The group had a brief reunion in 1971 with the album People Like Us, but split up again soon after the album was released. 

The Mamas and the Papas consisted of Americans John Phillips, Cass Elliot, Michelle Phillips, and Canadian Denny Doherty.  The songwriter and leader of the group was John Phillipa.  It was Phillips who arranged the group's vocal harmonies.  The quartet was enormously successful in the turbulent 1969s,  It released five studio albums and 17 singles, six of which made the Billboard top ten, producing such hits as "California Dreamin', "Monday, Monday" and "Dedicated to the One I Love."

Cass Elliot was the last member to join the Mamas and the Papas.  Cass had been Doherty's bandmate with the Mugwumps, an American group formed in New York City in 1964.  The group had released one single before breaking up in late 1964.  Despite her association with Doherty, Cass did not have an easy time in joining the Mamas and the Papas.  John Phillips, had reservations about her becoming a member of the group.  Phillips was deeply concerned that her voice was too low for his arrangements, that her obesity would be a detriment to the band's success, and that her personality was incompatible with his.  Somehow, Cass overcame those obstacles and joined the group.

In May of 1968, the Mamas and the Papas released an album entitled The Papas & The Mamas.  It was the band's first album not to go gold or reach the top 10 in the United States.  Against John Phillip's wishes,  Dunhill Records decided to release Cass's solo from the album, a remake of "Dream a Little Dream of Me," as a single credited to "Mama Cass with the Mamas & the Papas.  The song reached No. 12 in the United States and No. 11 in the United Kingdom.

Mama and the Papa on Ed Sullivan Show 1967

Cass's death came just after she had established herself as a solo artist.  Her goal had been to rid herself of her "Big Mama" image.  After years of struggle, she was finally on the way to achieving her objective.  She was shifting her image from "Mama Cass" to Cass Elliot.  In fact, the last album she released before her death was entitled Don't Call Me Mama Anymore (September, 1973).

     

On that fateful July 27, 1974, Cass had just completed a successful two-week stint at London's Palladium, where she had received nightly standing ovations.  Her stage manager, Bobby Roberts, stated that that "was one of her lifetime ambitions."  Producer Lou Adler recalled her final performance.  "She was really up," he said.  "She felt she was opening a new career, she'd finally got together an act she felt good doing - not prostituting herself, but middle-of-the road people enjoyed it and she enjoyed doing it."  Sadly, Cass passed away just as she was hitting her stride.  In London, she had enjoyed the taste of a successful solo career, but it was not destined to be long term.  

In 1978, Keith Moon, the eccentric drummer for The Who, occupied the flat where Cass had died four years previously  Harry Nillson was initially reluctant to grant Moon's request to use the flat because he apparently considered the place to be 'cursed.'  However, Who guitarist Pete Townshend convinced Nillson that lightning doe not strike twice in the same place."  As it turned out, Moon died in the very same bed in which Cass Elliot had passed away.  The 32-year-old British rock star was also the same age that Cass had been at the time of her death.  

Keith Moon

On September 7, 1978, Keith Moon and his girlfriend , Annette Walker-Lax returned home after attending a midnight showing of the film The Buddy Holly Story at the Odeon, Leicester Square. 

They were guests of Paul McCartney, who had  purchased the international rights to more than 40 of Holly's songs.  Inside the cinema, Keith was agitated.  He was restless.  According to Annette, he wanted to leave an hour into the movie.  

Moon, had long struggled with alcohol abuse.  Ironically, the cause of his death was an overdose of  clomethiazole, a prescription drug intended to treat or prevent symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.  A month prior to the rock star's death, The Who released Who Are You, the group's first new album in years.  However, Keith's drinking and drug use had affected his performance and his appearance.  On the cover photograph of the album, he posed in a a way that his paunch was concealed.  Due to their drummer's condition, The Who were in no position to tour, which left him feeling anxious.

Annette spoke to Tony Fletcher, author of Keith's biography, Moon: The Life and Death of a Rock Legend, about the night he died.  She remembered Keith "taking his usual glass of water and bucket of pills" before falling asleep about 4 a.m.  Moon had been taking more than his prescribed dose of clomethiazole, in the manner he generally abused drugs.  Annette did not realize quite how many pills of the powerful sedative he was consuming

According to Annette, Keith awakened at 7:30 a.m. and asked for food.  He was in a foul mood and they argued.  Nevertheless, Annette served him some lamb.  After finishing his meal, Moon ingested some more clomethiazole and fell asleep again.  Annette was disturbed by his snoring, so she slept on the sofa.  When she returned to the bedroom, she discovered Moon lying on his stomach with his left arm hanging over the side of the bed.  "I couldn't hear him breathing," she told Fletcher.  "Right there and then I knew something was wrong.  I went into a panic."  Annette phoned Dr. Geoffrey Dymond, the physician who had prescribed the  clomethiazole.  Dr. Dymond called an ambulance, but it was too late.  Keith had been dead for some time, but it wasn't until 5:50 p.m. that he was officially pronounced dead.

On Moon's death certificate, the official cause of death was listed as "Clomethiazole overdose, self-administered but no evidence of intention."  It was later revealed that Keith had had 26 undissolved clomethiazole tablets in his body when he passed away.  

Harry Nilsson was truly devasted by the deaths of his two friends, Cass Elliot and Keith Moon, at his apartment.  Nilsson felt that he could no longer live at that  'cursed'' flat, so he sold the place and and moved permanently to Los Angeles.  The buyer was none other than Pete Townshend, Keith Moon's bandmate with The Who.

It seems to me that Cass Elliot and Keith Moon were like bombs waiting to go off, Cass with her obesity and Keith with his alcoholism and drug abuse.  It happened that the bombs went off in the same place.

END NOTES

* Cass Elliot's daughter, Owen Elliot-Kugell wrote a memoir of the life and death of her mother.  The book is entitled My Mama, Cass.  It was published in May of 2024 by Hachette Books, 50 years after Cass's death.  After Cass's passing, her daughter Owen was raised by Cass's sister, Leah Cohen, and her husband, drummer Russ Kunkel.

Born on April 26, 1967, Owen was just seven years old when Cass die.  She was unable to spend much time with her mother, but she is dedicated to making sure that Cass's life and her musical legacy are not forgotten.  

For years, Owen had to endure jokes and innuendo that her mother died after choking on a ham sandwich.  In the course of researching her book, Owen spoke to her mother's close friend Sue Cameron.  It was Cameron who had written in her book Hollywood Secrets and Scandals that Cass had died from choking on a ham sandwich.  

Cameron revealed to Owen that she had called Cass's London apartment and had spoken to her manager Allan Carr, who told her that Cass had died.  Carr was upset and in a panic.  According to Cameron, he said, "There's a half=eaten sandwich on the nightstand.  You have to do this.  Just say she died choking on the sandwich." Carr wanted to counter any other rumours that might arise, especially concerning drugs.  So many of Cass's contemporaries, such as Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison. had died from drug overdoses.  Owen believes that "Allan was afraid they'd make the same assumption" about Cass. Although no drugs were discovered in Cass's at the time of her death, Owen isn't certain that earlier drug use didn't play a part in her mother's untimely demise.

If she were alive today, Cass Elliot would be a grandmother.  In 1991, Owen married Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Jack Kugell.  They have two children, a son Noah and a daughter Zoe.  They reside in the San Fernando Valley in California.

* On October 22, 2022, Cass was given a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The ceremony was attended by her daughter Owen.

* The Mamas and the Papas were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.  The group  reunited for the second and final to perform at the induction ceremony.  Own filled in for her deceased mother.

* John Phillips passed away in 2001 at the age of 65.  Denny Doherty died in 2007 at the age of 66,  Michelle Phillips, born June 4, 1944, is the only surviving member of the Mamas and the Papas..

* In early 2023, Cass's 1969 song "Make Your Own Kind of Music" went viral on TikTok.

* In 2011, Rolling Stone readers voted Keith Moon the second-greatest drummer in history.  In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Who.

SOURCES:  ati (allthatsnteresting.com), "The Truth About :'Mama' Cass Elliot's Death And The Urban Legend That Followed," by Marco Margaritoff, October 14, 2021, updated March 8, 2024;  Living London History (livinglondonhistory.com), "Death in Mayfair: The 'Cursed' Flat Of Curzon Square," December 8, 2021; People magazine, "All About Cass Elliot's Daughter Owen Elliot Kugeel, by Kara Nesvig, May 1,  2024; Louder (loudersound.com), "What really happened the night Keith Mood died?" by Mark Blake, September 6, 2022; Wikipedia

- Joanne