Hammering Out a Deal with the OHL?

The rumours of the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters moving to Hamilton resurfaced last Friday. Earlier in 2012, the story was the Otters would kick the Junior-A Hamilton Red Wings out of Dave Andreychuk Mountain Arena - a place that holds roughly 2,500 people. The Hamilton Spectator said it would've been the smallest rink in the OHL behind the Niagara IceDogs.

Now, it looks like the home for the Otters would be Copps Coliseum. The seating capacity for hockey is just under 18,000 and would be the biggest in the league, unless you count when the 67s play in ScotiaBank Place.

But will the city respond to this team better than the current tenants of Copps - the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs? The Bulldogs' agreement with the rink ends following this season. So far, the team is packing over 7,000 fans a game into the aging building - the third highest mark in the league. How much of that is due to the lockout? Well, the team hasn't averaged over 5,000 fans in the regular season since its Calder Cup campaign in 2006-07. During the last NHL lockout, the team averaged just under 5,800.

What may help the possible transition is Connor McDavid (pictured above), a 15-year-old currently playing in the OHL after being granted exceptional status, or the "John Tavares Rule". While he'd be with the team for a couple of years, what would the team do next? Erie currently has a record of 7-15-1-3, the second worst in the league. Last year, the Otters had just 10 wins on the season. I've seen Copps when the Bulldogs aren't winning. It's like a ghost town. Even when the team was winning, it's a tough draw.

As a Hamiltonian, I'm very sceptical about how this will play out. When I went to Bulldogs games, the top bowl is rarely opened. There were a couple of games when I could count the number of fans in a section on one hand. In a triple-OT Game 7 in the 2011 Calder Cup playoffs, there was an announced attendance of 2,553 people. Being at that game, I doubt there was that many.

Would I buy tickets to see the next great players play? In a heartbeat. I'd rather see them play than the players in "the A". Does that mean other Hamiltonians would? I'm not sold on that idea yet. It seems to be the NHL or bust.

Oh well, at least we have the Ti-Cats. Wait, what? They'll be in Guelph for a year? Hamiltonians could be in for a long winter next year.

Blockbuster Jays and Marlins Trade

And with a wave Josh Johnson and the rest of the Marlins hopes for finishing over 50 wins next year disappears into the night! This is just like the years after the Marlins won the World Series - minus of course the World Series. It is just another firesale from a joke of an MLB franchise. Make a big splash by signing Heath Bell, Jose Reyes, and Mark Buehrle last year just to send them off a year later is a joke. I pity those poor Marlins fans. Well the ones they might still have after this trade.

The Marlins ended up giving up Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, John Buck, Emilio Bonafacio and $4 million for Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Jeff Mathis, Jake Marisnick, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino and Anthony DeSclafani. Now that's a blockbuster deal if I have ever seen it. Let's look at this deal from the Toronto Blue Jays perspective first. The get 2 potential All-Stars in Reyes and Johnson. That is, of course, if they can stay healthy. With Toronto's history with injuries to players, don't plan on both of them not missing any time. If healthy, they will make Toronto considerably better. Mark Buehrle will be that solid veteran who'll eat innings that the Jays have desparately needed. He's a vet who will school the young guys on the Jays' pitching staff while being that solid 3-4 guy in rotation.

John Buck will probably back up JPA or Travis D'arnaud in Toronto, but I am fully expecting another deal to happen involving one of those 3 catchers before winter is over. He had an All-Star year here in 2010. I don't expect that, but he will definitely give better offense then Jeff Mathis did. Bonafacio will probably start at 2nd base for the Jays over recent pick up Maicer Izturis, if not split most of his playing time there and being utility around the field. The problems for the Jays with this deal is the history of injuries for Reyes and Johnson, and the amount of cash taken on by the Jays. The $165.95 Million will probably handcuff Alex Anthopoulos from making any more moves unless the owners are finally opening the wallet. Expect that AA will be done adding salary, but look for a deal to get another SP back in a trade with one of the young Jays' catchers heading to another team.

On Miami's part, they do get back some good interesting pieces in Hechavarria and Alvarez who will most likely thrive in a National League environment. Hech is a slick fielding middle infielder who will hit for average and hit 10-15 home runs a year and will be dynamite in that infield for Miami. I project him to be a fringe All-Star down in the National League and put on many a defensive clinic in the Fish Tank. Alvarez is a ground ball pitcher by nature. He's not overwhelming but can get the double play. The National League's style small ball might be more of his calling than the big bats of the American League. Expect him to bounce back this year with something close to 8-12 record and 3.75 ERA. I'd give him better stats, but who knows how bad that Marlins team is going to be this year. Jeff Mathis is a cheap throw in back-up catcher who gives defense and not much else. He calls a good game and can help the young staff in Miami. Handsome Jake Marisnick will be a force in Miami if he can get his swing back to the level it was in High-A ball. He is athletic as balls and if he gets his stuff on right, Marisnick will be an All-Star one day. Nicolino was one of the studs in Toronto's A Ball team of the Lansing Lugnuts along with Noah Syndergaard and Aaron Sanchez. Projected to be a solid pitcher anywhere from a 2-4 guy in a rotation, Nicolino should be solid for the Marlins in a couple years. The hit isn't too big to the Jays considering Syndergaard and Sanchez are both projected to be better than Nicolino. DeSclafani, drafted by Toronto in 2011, had solid numbers in A Ball for Toronto. With a 3.37 ERA and 92 K's to only 25 BB's, I project him to be a 3-4 guy in 3 years - very similar to Nicolino. He'll a solid mid rotation guy if everything works out right.

This deal clearly sends signs to the AL East that Toronto is for real this year. The kiddy gloves have come off after being being 4th in the division behind the Yankees, Orioles, and Rays this year. Watch for a strong push for the Wild Card from the Jays if they stay healthy. Miami on the other hand are in full rebuild mode... again! Expect extreme struggles this year and a high draft pick in 2 drafts from now.