The Importance of a Variety of Voices:

When Joanna told me that Hum & Chuck was turning 10, my first thought was how differently we consumed Blue Jays content 10 years ago. Back in 2007, a relatively pure and good time before Twitter took our collective hand, Blue Jays coverage was a narrow field. Living in Nova Scotia, I'd rely on the big-box online presences, and on a good, day, I'd find some beat coverage from the Star or Sun. Those still represent the top of the pyramid, but that pyramid has widened significantly to include blogs, podcasts, and a hundred other things. I've been lucky to experience all of this from the bottom, the top, and a few stops in between. Next time you're in a Toronto bar (not that I'd know anything about those establishments), ask the crowd out "Is there a Blue Jays blogger in here?". I'm sure you'll find one. Please buy them a whisky, it's a hard life.

That's a good thing, though. More voices, particularly a diversity of voices that aren't represented at the top of a pyramid, are critical to any conversation. Even one as small and inconsequential as baseball (it really isn't, though). So now, instead of digging for enough Blue Jays coverage to read like I was 10 years ago, it's become a mass filtering process. More voices, more choices. The new challenge is to actively and constructively support the coverage that you love. Maybe that's paying a subscription fee (please do), or something as small as sending a note to say you enjoy reading someone's work. Blogging or podcasting is a daily practice in throwing your passion into a cluttered and cloudy void, so there's a special spot in the heart reserved for the odd time a kind word is shouted back.  With good words to read and baseball to watch, we'll all get through this whole thing a little easier. 

                                                    -Keegan Matheson  

With his very Irish first name and his very Scottish last name, it is no real shock that Keegan Matheson is from the Nova Scotia. They even write about him in the newspaper there. 

A relatively new member of my circle of acquaintance, I mostly know Keegan because he's everywhere. He's doing his Jays Nest  podcast, he's writing for MLB.com, for Sportsnet and he's on TSN radio. If you need an opinion about the state of the Blue Jays, Keegan Matheson has one ready. 

On May 16th, 2007, the Toronto Blue Jays were home to face the Baltimore Orioles. A.J. Burnett was "Good A.J.", throwing a complete game, with three hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts. 

A.J. Burnett's only blemish was a solo homer from Kevin Millar in the top of the 3rd. But the Jays rallied against Oriole starter Brian Burres in the bottom of the 4th to tie it on an RBI single from Aaron Hill and another RBI single from Troy Glaus in the bottom of the 5th. Jays win 2-1. 

Burnett's gem came a night after Jesse Litsch dazzled Jays fans in his MLB debut. Ten years later, the two discussed it via Twitter: