TAMPA, Fla. — As the Blue Jays near the half-way point of their exhibition schedule you have two choices.
These are either the dog days or the story time telling days of spring.
Stump Merrill, 72, the former New York Yankees manager, was telling the one about managing the Nashville Sounds in the 1980 double-A Southern League playoffs.
The opponents were the Memphis Chicks, a Montreal Expos farm club, managed by legendary pitching coach Larry Bearnarth.
“Memphis had all these fast guys, we’re playing for the marbles, our grounds keeper comes over and asks ‘hey skip, want me to wet it down at first?