It was an interesting opening weekend in the major leagues. The Toronto Blue Jays took two games out of three from the Minnesota Twins, the Boston Red Sox start the year on a three-game losing streak and despite their injuries, the Phillies are perfect through three games.
While it's far too early to make too much one way or the other out of the happenings so far in the 2011 season, there have been some stories of note:
Trash Talk in Toronto
Fans in Toronto usually save their jeers for people they feel wronged them in some way - hello, Vince Carter - but over the weekend, a Minnesota Twin got an unexpected earful from some fans in the outfield.
Centre fielder Denard Span told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that he was surprised by the treatment he got.
"They're doing their homework," Span told the Star Tribune. "They're out there on their phones and calling my mom's name out, and my first name [Keiunta], and how I should have signed with Colorado. I give those fans a lot of credit."
The Colorado reference, according to various Toronto reports, has to do with the fact that in 2002, Span couldn't work out an agreement with the Rockies before the MLB Draft, which caused the club to select Canadian left-hander Jeff Francis.
With Francis off the board, the Jays ended up selecting shortstop Russ Adams. The Twins took Span later in the first round.
So far, So Good For Collins
Former Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Tim Collins, who the club dealt to the Atlanta Braves as part of the deal that brought Yunel Escobar and Jo-Jo Reyes to the Big Smoke, has been thriving in Kansas City with the Royals early.
Collins, whom the Royals acquired from the Braves two weeks after the Jays dealt him last July, has appeared in two of the Royals' first four games, and the diminutive lefty has been stellar, posting six strikeouts and only giving up one walk in four innings.
Collins, who is generously listed as 5'7", was signed by the Blue Jays as a free agent in 2007, and in four minor league seasons, has posted 329 strikeouts in 223 innings.
Wild Weather
A day after playing a game in 29 degrees Celsius conditions on Saturday, the Diamondbacks and Rockies couldn't get their game started in Colorado on Sunday because of a snow and rain mix. "This place is crazy," Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez told the Associated Press.
Back to Major League?
Someone might want to call Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes and the rest of the cast of the movie Major League, as fans in Cleveland evidently need something more than catcher Carlos Santana's good start to get excited about.
On Sunday, the club set a record for the lowest attendance ever at Progressive field when only 8,726 people saw the game against the White Sox.