The Toronto Blue Jays gave baseball fans a great many thrills for the past two months, but their season came to an end Tuesday in an 8-2 loss to Tampa Bay, ending their World Series dreams.

Baseball is the big winner in this coronavirus (COVID-19 strain) era as a record eight playoff games were played on Wednesday, keeping baseball fans locked on their screens for a long period of time. I loved it.

Although the Blue Jays were dispatched by Tampa Bay in two straight games, they unveiled a young, exciting club that should contend for the better part of the next decade. They have loads of pitching, a set outfield with power in Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez and a slick middle infield with Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio, if and when they decide to keep them intact. It’s just a case of wait until next year.

UPEI

On the local sports scene, I just found out that the Mike Kelly golf tournament, a fundraiser for UPEI hockey, is a go this morning at Fox Meadow. Kelly was one of the P.E.I.’s greatest ever athletes. He played pro baseball and starred with Saint Dunstan’s University hockey, winning the Atlantic scoring race among his long list of accomplishments. In addition, he was always a first-class gentleman, who passed away far too soon at age 50.

Condolences

I regret to report the passing of Winston Weatherbie, one of the top pitchers with the late 1970s Vern Handrahan and Bill Weatherbie-coached Charlottetown junior baseball team. Winston headed the Weatherbie painting business on Springpark Road in the city for the past 50 years. My condolences to all connected.

Harness racing

Harness racing gets underway at 12:30 p.m. today with a 15-dash card featuring the Ruby Chappell and the Bob Dewar stakes and the Island breeders events.

Today’s card is important for breeders as brothers and sisters of 2020 stars sell Friday at the annual Crapaud Yearling Sales.

The leading consigner last year was Bruce Wood of Woodmere Farms and they have consigned seven to the sale, six by Rollwithitharry, the leading money-winning sire in the region. Among those entered are brothers to standouts Woodmere Skyroller (hip 35) and Woodmere Bolt (68).

Woodmere sends them into the ring looking like champions and many are. One that I also like is hip 26, a Harry colt out of a sister to Andreoli Hanover p, 1:50:3 ($672,719), a first foal.

Pang Shui, who has to his credit Sock It Away p, 1:53:2 ($128,587), has 13 consigned, including eight fillies. In fact, hip 65, consigned by Earl Watts of Windemere Farms, is a full sister to Sock It Away.

Jamie MacKinley’s new stallion, Tobago Cays, has eight head in the sale and the ones that I’ve seen at Robin Burke’s are great-looking individuals, including a half-brother (hip 15) to Carlissimo p, 1;51 ($129,106) and to freshman standout filly Tobins Brownie p, 2, 1:57:4. Tobago Cays is by Rocknroll Hanover out of the great Bunny Lake p, 1:49 and this is his first crop.

Stonebridge Terror, who has to his credit Tobins Brownie and Southview Skye p, 2, 1:56:3, has 13 in the sale, including five fillies. Hip 4 is a Terror filly and first foal of All Chocolate p, 1:52 ($251,000). Another strong sire is Malicious, who has four entering the ring, and no better advertising is Bettim Again p, 2, 1;54:1h, he has two colts and two fillies.

There are also up-country sires represented in Crapaud, including Shadow Play, Betterthancheddar, Big Jim, He’s Watching, Sportswriter, Thinking Out Loud and Yankee Cruiser. Trotters are in great demand and both Armbro Barrister, who has produced track-record-holder Mile Hill Willie and Getting Messi, has six in the sale, including a sister to Windemeredontuworry (31).

Tad the Stud, the sire of Pappy Go Go t, 1:52 has four head including hip 16, a half-brother to Buddy Hally p, 1:52 ($652,723) aptly named Cadillac. I suspect prices will be high, the quality is there.

Fred MacDonald’s column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at fiddlersfacts@hotmail.com.