Red Sox nation in mourning

Jays in Fort Myers for Boston send off to Japan.

Big news of course was the hour long delay of the game by Boston team refusing to play Jays in support of payment for coaches and other support staff going to Japan. Eventually settled. I wonder what ESPN did whilst waiting...

Halladay not pitching, nor against Yankees tomorrow. So that both teams do not see him before first week of season. Boston also holding back DiceK although he was pitching minor game against Rochester.
Tallet pitched two good scoreless innings. Gibbons had already rewarded him earlier with spot in the bullpen.
Camp relieves and gets into trouble with three hits including Youklis 3run HR. Bullpen then holds Boston scoreless for rest of game.

1st inning. Jays start well with hits but Wells thrown out at home.
4th Jays 4 hits in first 4 innings but no runs.
5th Top. Javier Lopez pitching. Hill tries bunt and strikes out. Zaun grounds to 2nd Reed strikeouts
Bottom of 5th Parrish pitching. Pop up to Rolen, ground to SS and fly ball to CF. 3 up 3 down.6th

Top of 6th. Timlin pitching. 42 this year.... Eckstein walks, Stewart flies to shallow right centre. Rios lines to wall in LF. Wells already with a single today grounds to SS.
Bottom of 6th Parrish. Sean Casey grounds to 1B. Ortiz walks, pinch runner. Parrish pick him off. This is the second pick off that Parrish has had this spring... great move. Dribbler up the line, Parrish retrieves and throws runner out. Another nice inning by Parrish. This guy has to go north with the team.

Top of 7th. Delcarme pitching. Scutaro flare to left for base hit. Overbay also single today strikes out. Hill 0-2 today but batting .444 this spring with 6 rbis. Flies to CF. Zaun pops up.
Bottom 7th Wells pitching. Good catch by Thigpen in LF and a great catch by Reed in CF. Sox go 1,2,3. They are in hurry to get away to Japan... fans are already forming a farewell path... grounds staff giving out foam fingers...! so much for spontanaity in the nation.

Top of 8th. Okajima pitching. Reed flies to CF, Johnny Mac out to a great catch in LF. Stewart double to to LF. Watson walks, Mathews rbi liner to RF. 3-1 Boston. Two on for Scutaro, walks to load bases. Okajima pulled out of game. Can't have his confidence ruined in Spring.
Cannon goes to full count and a high fly ball to CF drops ball in wind and sun ???? whatever excuse Red Sox wants, 3 runs score on the double... this is Jays game 4-3.
Cannon at 2nd running on play and great throw by Centre to get him at plate. The second time today Jays caught at plate. But they have delayed Sox victory parade to bus for Japan flight.
Bottom of 8th. Three up and down... they are in a hurry now to get to Papelbon.

Top of the 9th. To the annointed one. Hits Sal Fasano. Sal is mad..... and then STEALS 2nd.... Sal Fusano stealing off Papelbon. "Don't hit me".
Macdonald at bat and strikes out. Santos at bat and quick out BUT what's this ???? Sal is caught stealing 3rd.... I think ! that must have been a hit and run... unless the sun has got to Sal...
Bottom of 9th, grounds to SS, pop up to pitcher and strikeout ends this steal by the Jays at the end of the game. Just to let Boston know they are still around...
Jays 4 runs on 9 hits and no errors. Boston 3 runs all in the third on 3 hits and no errors.Jays will definitely take this one...

Now Boston take off on huge road trip before they hit Toronto... will be very interesting to see how they do in those ten days.
But then again Jays have to be ready in April and right now in my opinion there are huge question marks about the lineup.
Bullpen appears to definitely be ready.
Yankees tomorrow... another sellout at Knology Park.