Tuesday evening grab-bag

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Way to go, New York. Who needs a 5-0 lead anyway?

Sorry, had to get that out of the way. Three things today:

The 2009 World Baseball Classic has confirmed all 16 participating teams, including Canada. That’s good-enough news. Even better is the rumour the Rogers Centre in Toronto will host preliminary-round games!

While Major League Baseball’s February-to-November schedule (including spring training and the World Series) is not particularly accommodating to a major-league level international tournament, it’s nice to see the Major Leagues seem to be committed to making the Classic work. I got a real kick out of it the first time around, and I’ll be sure to enjoy it again next spring. If some of the games are going to be in Toronto, I know I’d like to be there too.

It’s going to be great for baseball in Canada. Grassroots baseball in this country took a big hit with the strike in 1994. Coming off back-to-back titles by exciting and likeable Blue Jays teams, and with a bright future in Montreal, the rug got yanked out from under baseball in Canada. But we’ve produced some very talented players in recent years: enough, even, to field a competitive team at the World Baseball Classic. A strong season from the managerially-crippled Blue Jays in 2008, coupled with a strong showing by the Canadian side in Toronto next spring, just may help baseball find its way back to the spotlight in this country, and that’s a good thing.

Another good thing: the return of Indy cars! Today, the Indy Racing League and Champ Car World Series announced a tentative agreement to merge. Years ago, there was just one circuit, then open-wheel racing split into the crappy IRL, and crappier Champ Car series (which, seemingly, has had as many names in the span as Britney Spears has had mental breakdowns in the last six months). I’m not a big fan of auto racing, but open-wheel racing is pretty bad-ass. And one marginally-good circuit is better for fans, than two crappy circuits.

And lastly, the first big trade of the NHL trading season came down last week when Ottawa picked up Cory Stillman from Carolina. I don’t have much to say about that trade as it seems to have been a lateral move for Ottawa. I will offer some thoughts on Tuesday’s trade between Los Angeles and Philadelphia. This was a good deal for Philly. Kimmo Timonen has not been the guy the Flyers thought they were getting, but having the slick, puck-moving Jaro Modry to back him up in a fourth-d role should help both guys. Modry’s lost a step by any measure, and is not particularly effective in his own end anymore. But he still makes a good first pass, and is a nice addition to the Flyers’ ailing defense corps, for a relatively small price (a third-round pick). Good move by the Flyers today.

Tuesday saw a bunch of big wins for fans of the Montreal Canadiens, international and Canadian baseball, open-wheel auto racing, and the Philadelphia Flyers (save for that OT loss to Ottawa that stretched their losing skid to eight games).

From here on out, full trade deadline coverage is in full effect.