The “unofficial” Ottawa Lynx blog

With the storm raging outside and the rest of the family in balmy Toronto, it’s time to get back to the blogs.  Apart from the serious setback to my cycling plans for tomorrow, this snowstorm would normally have me very concerned about OD.  With the season start now pushed back to May 22, we should be safe - but you just never really know around here.

Caught a quick update from J.A. Happ over at the Philadelphia Phillies official website:

While this year’s newer, sexier pitching prospects Joe Savery, Josh Outman and Carlos Carrasco garner the attention, J.A. Happ, last year’s model, quietly walks in and out of the clubhouse.

Stationed in the back of the clubhouse, wearing No. 66, Happ realizes how close Triple-A is to the Major Leagues, but he understands it is also quite far away.

Maybe rushing things, like he did last season, isn’t the right idea.

“Last year, I put a lot of pressure on myself,” Happ said. “I thought it was the year I had to put up great numbers, because I wanted to get [to the Major Leagues]. I was focused on a week ahead instead of what I needed to do that day. I had to concentrate on Triple-A instead of worrying about getting to the big leagues.

“Obviously, that’s still what I’m aiming for, but day-by-day is the biggest thing.”

Here’s hoping that J.A. has a better 2008.  (I never really knew how to refer to him last season - was it J.A? James? Jim?)  Another former member of the Lynx, Tim Leiper was also making headlines this past week - this story c/o Benjamin Hill’s blog:

In recognition of their manager, Tim Leiper, the Altoona Curve have announced that they will be celebrating “Leip Year” all season long! The 2008 campaign is Leiper’s third as Curve manager, but the first that has occurred on an honest-to-God “Leip” Year. Accordingly, the club is pulling out all the stops in order to fully recognize this exquisite confluence of events.

Leiper is on board with this promotion, and has even agreed to change his uniform number to 29 (in order to honor February 29, of course).

“My only concern is that I hope the jersey fits because if not, I might be forced to go on an emergency diet before the start of the season,” remarked the fortuitously-named skipper in the Curve’s press release.

I regret that my interest in the Lynx came so late; I’m sure that I went to a few games during Leiper’s stint(s) here, but not enough to have any particular memory of Ottawa’s colorful former manager.  I’m sure that many Lynx faithful have stories to share - or not, as the case may be.