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On paper - at least you would think - the 2013 edition of the Blue Jays was better than last years version. Authentic Air Max 270 NZ . I know I still think player for player this years team is better. But on July 5 a year ago, John Farrells Blue Jays were 42-41, sitting four games back of the Angels and the first Wild Card spot and only two-and-a-half behind the Angels and the second Wild Card position. The 2012 squad had scored 417 runs and given up just 393 for a plus-24 runs differential. But of course we all know it went completely downhill after that as the Jays went 31-48 the rest of the way. The interesting thing about last years races in the American League is that Detroit and Oakland both had identical 41-42 records on July 5, yet both ignited shortly after that and went on to win the Central and West divisions, respectively. The 2013 Jays under John Gibbons as mentioned are three games under .500 heading into game action on July 5. They have only scored 390 runs, 27 fewer than a year ago and have given up 400, seven more than last season. Certainly losing the left half of their infield, Jose Reyes and Brett Lawrie, has factored in and having just two starting pitchers in R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle who have avoided the disabled list plays a part but the Yankees have suffered even more injuries and are still holding their own at 46-39, five games up on Toronto. If the Blue Jays stay roughly where they are, dont look for any salvation at the non-waiver trade deadline. It would make no sense to give up any more of the future for a quick fix. The more likely scenario would be to see a couple of veterans dealt off to contenders. Casey Janssen has done an incredible job as the closer. But with the depth of the pen, and the development of Brett Cecil into a standout set-up man, you wonder if Janssen might not indeed by dangled in front of a top contender in need of a closer, such as Detroit or Boston, or even the Dodgers, who have crept back into the race in the NL West. L.A. dealt for the Cubs Carlos Marmol earlier this week so they have to be desperate. Unusual Streak Arizonas lead in the NL West has shrunk to three games over Colorado and three-and-a-half on L.A. Thats in large part because of a bizarre run by their starting rotation. The D-Backs didnt get a single victory from a start from June 5 through Wednesday of this week when Randall Delgado pitched seven strong innings in a 5-3 win over the Mets. The next day, the 4th of July, they needed 15 innings to beat the Mets 5-4 and again the starter did not get the victory. So a new streak begins. Thomes Farewell This story didnt get much mention this week, and that surprised me. One of the great home run sluggers of all-time, Jim Thome, joined the front office of the Chicago White Sox as a special assistant to general manager Rick Hahn. Thome never officially retired and in fact wanted to play, at least as a DH this season at age 42 if anyone had called. If Thome never plays another game, he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer and winds up his career with 612 homers, No. 7 on the all-time list. There will always be two home runs hit by Thome, that I witnessed in person, that I will never forget. The first was a titanic blast off Pat Hentgen at Rogers Centre (SkyDome then) that went into Windows Restaurant in dead centre. The other came last season when he was with the Phillies. Thome was playing first base that day because Ryan Howard was hurting. It was June 18 and Brett Cecil was making his first start of the season for the Jays after getting called back up from triple-A Las Vegas. Thome hit a solo shot early in the game, ripping one to right field as I recall for his 608th career dinger. It also made him just the fourth player to hit 100 homers for three different teams - joining Alex Rodriguez, Reggie Jackson and Darrell Evans. I remember at the time thinking maybe this will be the last homer he ever hits. But it wasnt. He slugged four more by the time he wound up last season with Baltimore. Definitely, Thomes most memorable homer last season came a few days after that shot in Toronto. He hit a walk-off pinch-hit homer, the first of his career to give the Phillies a 7-6 win over Tampa Bay. It was his 609th dinger and tied him with Sammy Sosa on the all-time list. It also provided his manager and good friend Charlie Manuel with his 900th career victory. There was a little side bar story to this as well. Jonathan Papelbon blew a save in that game. Just before Thome was due to bat, Papelbon told him he would give him $5000 right then and there if Thome hit a home run to win the game. Thome delivered and Papelbon cut him the cheque right after the game. As mentioned, that was Jim Thomes 13th walk-off homer. That is the all-time Major League record, one more than Babe Ruth, Jimmie Foxx, Stan Musial, Mickey Mantle and Frank Robinson who all had 12. Not only a great player, but a great man, and its great to see him stay in the game. Cheap Air Max 270 NZ Outlet . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Air Max 270 NZ Sale . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. http://www.airmax270outletnz.com/ . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Jeff Gordon is back.We knew this was coming. Wed known it was coming for nearly a week. Even still, I was curious to see what my reaction would be when the official word landed on our social media timelines.It did around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, stating that Gordon will press pause on his 8-month-old retirement to run Sundays Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis and then next weekends race at Pocono Raceway.The official statement from Hendrick Motorsports said that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has not been cleared by medical officials as he still suffers from concussion-like symptoms. It said he will miss at least the next two races. It reminded that Gordon owns five Brickyard wins and six Pocono victories, both records. Team owner Rick Hendrick called Gordon a team player.As I read it, I felt as if Id just swallowed a bowling ball.Please dont misunderstand. I love Jeff Gordon. I never wanted him to retire in the first place. During the 2015 season finale weekend at Homestead I twice begged him on live television to reconsider.I reminded him of his earlier statements that we should never use the r-word. Both times he just laughed at me. Sorry, buddy, he said, reaching out to grab my shoulder, Youre too late. Whats done is done.Now its undone. And with apologies to Han Solo, I have a bad feeling about this.Why? Because that farewell at Homestead was so perfect. He contended for a championship until his last lap of his last race, battling back to finish sixth in the Axalta/Jeffs Final Ride Chevy.His postrace news conference was beautiful and emotional. The way he left the racetrack with his family, headed out into the night and to a massive farewell party on South Beach, was even better.Why? Because these comebacks never work out well. Like, never.Dont get me wrong, if anyone can reverse that trend and win two races and blow peoples minds, its Jeff Gordon. He spent more than two decades rewriting the way racers have gone about their business. But hhistory says that at best these returns from mothballs end up producing so-so stats. Discount Air Max 270 NZ. Gordon is a big boy. He can handle that. Theres certainly nothing he can do on the track to damage his Hall of Fame credentials. No one remembers Michael Jordan playing for the Wizards or even Bill Elliott driving that one-off Wal-Mart car.However, thats not the potential damage Im worried about.I am well aware that this isnt Neil Bonnett or Larry Pearson or even 63-year-old Mario Andretti deciding to run Indy 500 hot laps (and ending up flipping six times). This isnt someone who has been gone for years or is still recovering from a near-fatal accident. Hes been at the racetrack nearly every weekend this season, in the broadcast booth and perpetually walking the garage.But its no secret that a not-small percentage of the reasoning behind Gordons walkaway last November was that he wanted to wrap up his driving career while he could still actually walk away.In two weeks he will turn 45 years old, but has the back of a man twice his age. It goes through stretches where it hurts so badly he cant pick up his kids or he has to ask for assistance getting up off the ground after camping out with his son.He has long admitted worrying that he was just one big hit from creating a situation that couldnt be fixed with strength training, stretching or meds.Indianapolis and Pocono are places that like to hand out very big hits.They also like to hand out very big trophies. Should Gordon win one of those -- and he could -- it would be just another chapter in his unparalleled motorsports legacy. It would make headlines around the world. It would pump happiness into an increasingly frustrating situation for Dale Earnhardt Jr., his team and his fans.It would be a tremendous feel-good story.I just wish I felt better about it. ' ' '