This is why I said to love your neighbor
One of my favourite posts of the year (if in part because it means the season is about to start). It is fun to learn about the folks who come to the site. Please take part.
The second title is a Hayes Carll song, Nice Things. It is a cute story about God coming to earth and being less than thrilled about what she finds.
Hugo used song lyrics as post titles on the site, giving it personality. But at some point, SEO concerns led SB Nation to complain about the practice.
If you accept it, your mission is to copy and paste these questions into the comment thread and give us your answers.
Name:
Location:
Favourite Current Jay:
Favourite All-Time Jay:
Favourite Non-Jay:
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect:
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond:
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit:
Favourite Baseball Movie:
What was the best thing about your past year:
When Not Bantering, I:
On Twitter, I am:
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact:
Here are answers from the people who write here:
Name: Tom Dakers, surprise.
Location: I’m on my couch, with the computer on my lap and a baseball game on the TV. Oh, you mean city? Calgary.
Favourite Current Jay: My usual answer is ‘the one who last drove in a run’, which seems unfair to the pitchers. Let’s say, Ernie Clement.
Favourite All-Time Jay: Jesse Barfield, but it changes by the moment.
Favourite Non-Jay: Whatever pitcher gave up many runs to the Jays last. No? Matt Stairs.
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Arjun Nimmala.
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Second base, especially now that runners can’t slide through them.
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Kauffman Stadium
Favourite Baseball Movie: Bull Durham. When I play tennis, I repeat the mantra, ‘Don’t think it hurts the team.’
What was the best thing about your past year: This year has been
When Not Bantering, I: I’m sure there is something in my SB Nation contract saying that I’m not allowed any not-bantering time. But I play tennis and squash a fair bit. I am trying to work my way into shape for my MS Bike Ride (donations are appreciated).
On Twitter, I am: @Bluebirdbanter. I am also on BlueSky now.
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Was an on-stage part of the Alberta Ballet’s “Our Canada” ballet done to the music of Gordon Lightfoot.
Walkup Music: If I’m a pitcher? Naturally Wild, Ray Wylie Hubbard.
Name: Erik T
Location: Saskatoon
Favourite Current Jay: Daulton Varsho
Favourite All-Time Jay: Roy Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: Mike Trout
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Eric Pardinho
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Pitcher
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: PNC. I’m checking Nationals Park and Sahlen Field off the list this year though!
Favourite Baseball Movie: Major League
What was the best thing about your past year: I joined the board of directors for my local disc golf club, working with the city to improve courses in the city!
When Not Bantering, I: plan for communities, play disc golf
On Twitter, I am: never calling it “X”. @ Erik_G_T
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Hit .819/.819/1.778 for his beer league team last year, setting team records for hits, home runs, runs and RBI. Walks are for chumps.
Name: Greg (Taco)
Location: Small Town Saskatchewan
Favourite Current Jay: Vladdy
Favourite All-Time Jay: Joey Bats
Favourite Non-Jay: That Degenerate Gambler Shohei!
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Ricky Tiedemann seems pretty swell
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: 3rd Base Coach, I can windmill with the best of them.
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Tropicana Field – I can be obsessed with horror
Favourite Baseball Movie: Major League
What was the best thing about your past year: Not dying
When Not Bantering, I: Am failing to make a video game
On Twitter: Mostly nonexistent, but @gdzacher
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: My car is named Tom Hanks
Walkup Music: The Only Thing They Fear Is You (Doom Eternal Theme) – Mick Gordon
Name: Leo (Minor Leaguer)
Location: Toronto
Favourite Current Jay: Danny Jansen
Favourite All-Time Jay: Roy Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: Kyle Schwarber
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: T.J. Brock / Mason Fluharty
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Postseason outfield umpire
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Kauffman Stadium
Favourite Baseball Movie: Angels in the Outfield (1994)
What was the best thing about your past year: Got to go to Petco Park, my “Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit” from last year!
When Not Bantering, I: Work hard, travel a bit.
On Twitter, I am: @Minor_Leaguer
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Has pooped in stadiums in short season-A (RIP), low-A, high-A, triple-A, and MLB. Still have not pooped in a double-A stadium.
Name: Matt W
Location: GTA
Favourite Current Jay: Since Shawn Green, I’ve generally avoided getting attached to players, and I couldn’t really pick one from among a half dozen I currently really enjoy. A first world problem as they say.
Favourite All-Time Jay: Halladay
Favourite Non-Jay: I barely pay attention to baseball beyond the Jays’ system
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Rafael Lantigua has been lurking on my radar for 5 years now, even if for BBB purposes he’s not really a prospect. Otherwise, Alan Roden has such a feel for hitting.
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Catcher
Favourite Baseball Movie: Major League
What have you done to stay sane in this past year: Objection; assumes a premise not in evidence
When Not Bantering, I: am trying to avoid getting hooked on anymore Wordle derivatives
On Twitter I: never was. Almost pulled the trigger on buying shares when Elon Musk tried to walk away though and the price cratered.
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I’m told I hate fun, so this can’t really be applicable then
Name: Tom M(ullie)
Location: Calgary
Favourite Current Jay: Vlad, because I loved his dad as a young Expos fan
Favourite All-Time Jay: Bautista
Favourite Non-Jay: Mike Trout, I love how aggressively normal he is in spite of being one of the 20 or so best ballplayers to ever live.
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Chad Dallas, mostly for the 80 grade name. I’m also pulling for Eric Pardinho, it’s been such an odyssey and it was cool to see him look like a player this spring.
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Crafty soft tossing lefty
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: The one they build when Montreal gets an expansion team
Favourite Baseball Movie: Bull Durham
What have you done to stay sane in this past year: I shoot, develop and print my own film, it’s nice to have a non-screen based hobby
When Not Bantering, I: stare out the window and wait for spring
On Twitter I: left because it got too weird
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: I once saw games in Seattle, Oakland, LA, Arizona and Colorado on back to back days without flying
Walkup Music: The Work To Do – The Average White Band
Name: Kate Stanwick
Location: Los Angeles
Favourite Current Jay: George Springer
Favourite Non-Jay: Don’t even know that I have one right now
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Don’t even know that I have one right now
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Broadcast crew booker
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Petco Park
Favourite Baseball Movie: Sandlot
What was the best thing about your past year: Went on the most wonderful honeymoon to Costa Rica, and were relieved when we found the “white faced mafia” the locals were warning us about were monkeys
When Not Bantering, I: am helping to organize reality TV shoots and attempting to DIY home improvement projects
On Twitter, I am: @OhKStan
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Am on a 1348 day Duolingo streak for Spanish (which came in very handy in Costa Rica!)
Name: dexfarkin
Location: Toronto
Favourite Current Jay: Bo Bichette
Favourite All-Time Jay: Lloyd Moseby
Favourite Non-Jay: Joey Vott…. ooooh!
Favourite Blue Jays Prospect: Arjun Nimmala
Metaphysical Position on the Diamond: Beer seller
Ballpark I’d Most Like to Visit: Wrigley Field
Favourite Baseball Movie: Bull Durham
What was the best thing about your past year: It ending. It’s been a tough couple of years for my household.
When Not Bantering, I: Read everything, write and run trivia, drink too much.
On Twitter, I am: Basically no longer on X, but @dexfarkin
Baseball Card Back Fun Fact: Once struck out AJ Pierzynski in youth baseball.