In the midst of hearing his team get ripped by soon-to-be retired Commissioner Bud Selig, Tampa Bay owner Stuart Sternberg went off this week about the unbalanced schedule and how its penalizes a small budget team like his. Stan Smith Outlet Italia . I suppose Sternberg has earned the right to speak out since his Rays, despite one of the lowest payrolls in the Majors at $58 million, are entering the final weekend of the regular season holding down the first Wild Card spot in the American League, one game ahead of Cleveland and two up on Texas. Sternbergs point is that its unfair for his team to have to play 19 games apiece against the likes of the Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees in the toughest division in baseball every year. Sternberg maintains the easier schedules of teams like Texas and Cleveland give those teams two, three or four extra games "in the bag on us" over the course of a season. The Blue Jays could easily say the same thing. I was curious to see how they have actually done against the East over the last 10 years. I got a bit of a surprise in that, over the decade, the Jays have had four winning seasons against their own division, five losing seasons and one where they broke even. The problem is, in all but one winning season, they were barely over .500. In the five losing seasons, they were blown out of the water. Here are the telling numbers. In the last 10 years, the Blue Jays are 23 games over .500 against the American League Central, three games over the break even point against the West and 12 games under in inter-league play. Total that up and the Jays are 14 games over .500. The troublesome number is in the East. Heading into this weekends three-game set against Tampa Bay at Rogers Centre, the Jays are 52 games under .500 against their own division. The only winning season theyve had against the East in the last five years was 2010 when they wound up 39-33 against the East and finished with a record of 85-77. They still finished 11 games back of the divison-winning Rays and 10 games back of the Yankees for the Wild Card spot. The Jays only truly dominant season against the East was 2006 when they went 43-31 and finished with 87 victories and 75 losses. Even at that, they finished eight games back of the Yankees and Tigers, who finished with 95 wins. The Yankees won the East while the Tigers took the Wild Card. Fixing the schedule and making it balanced wouldnt necessarily turn things around for the Jays. Major League talent, scouting and a productive farm system figure into the mix as well. Blue Jays president Paul Beeston has said on numerous occasions the organization doesnt want to give up the extra home games against the Yankees and Red Sox because they are such huge draws. At some point, though, youd think the Blue Jays would want to even the playing field a bit. Along those lines, if the Blue Jays sweep the Rays this weekend, they will finish with 75 victories, just two more than last year. Yet over the last 10 years, in each and every season, the division winner has won at least 95 games with the Yankees breaking 100 twice. Even looking at the Wild Card clubs, under the old system where there was just one in each league, Tampa Bay got into the post-season with the fewest number of victories at 91 in 2011. Last year, Baltimore and Texas were the Wild Card teams with 93 wins apiece. Thats how far the Blue Jays have to go. A balanced schedule certainly couldnt hurt, especially when you see the Indians going 17-2 against the White Sox, and Texas putting up the same numbers against Houston. Extra Bases Its such a fine line between winning and losing. A year ago, Baltimore made the post-season in part because they went 29-9 in one-run games. This season, the 0s have 31 one-run losses. Part of that is the fact that Orioles closer Jim Johnson, who was nearly flawless last season, has blown nine saves this time around. When the Red Sox celebrated the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, which opened in 1912, they were able to bring back a breath-taking array of former stars and even World Series heroes. Next season is the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Though there are quite a few Cubs legends still with us, I would be shocked if there were any still alive who played the last time they made it to the World Series in 1945. And sadly, there is no one left from the last time they actually won the Fall Classic in 1908, when they didnt even play at Wrigley. Stan Smith Italia . Every once in awhile, it seems like life lets dreams become real - and that is a gift. Stan Smith Scontate Uomo .com) - Ames, IA (SportsNetwork. http://www.stansmithscontate.it/ . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive.MUNICH, Germany -- Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone rejected accusations of bribery as he went on trial Thursday in a case that could threaten his grip on the sport, telling a Munich court that he was blackmailed by a German banker who received a disputed $44 million payment. Ecclestone said at the beginning of a four-hour personal statement read out in German by his lawyers that he was "grateful" to be able to give his side of the story -- though he told judges that he would answer questions from the Munich state court through his lawyers, rather than personally. The 83-year-old Ecclestone is charged with bribery and incitement to breach of trust, and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The charges involve a $44 million payment to banker Gerhard Gribkowsky, who is serving an 8 1/2-year sentence for taking the money. Ecclestone appeared in court in a dark three-piece suit and followed the proceedings closely with help from an interpreter whispering into his ear. Prosecutors allege the payment was meant to facilitate the sale of Munich-based bank Bayern LBs stake in Formula One to a buyer of Ecclestones liking. Gribkowsky was in charge of selling that 47 per cent stake in F1 in 2005. Ecclestone testified during Gribkowskys trial in 2011 and Gribkowsky is expected to be the main witness during Ecclestones trial, which is scheduled to last until Sept. 16. Gribkowsky was found guilty of corruption, tax evasion and breach of trust in a trial led by the same judge who is hearing Ecclestones case, Peter Noll. The defence made clear that it will attack Gribkowskys credibility, and Ecclestone said in his statement that the banker didnt tell the truth. In Thursdays statement, Ecclestone reiterated testimony he gave at Gribkowskys trial that he gave the banker the money because he was "blackmailed" and worried Gribkowsky would falsely accuse of him of being in charge of a trust fund set up for the Formula One bosss former wife and their children -- possibly incurring a huge British tax bill. Scarpe Stan Smith Scontate. Ecclestone said that "from todays point of view, it was not a rational decision" to pay Gribkowsky. "I saw my lifes work in danger" if Gribkowsky went to the British tax authorities, he said, adding that he wouldnt have been able to pay the resulting bill. Ecclestone said he had turned over his entire stake in Formula One to his then-wife, Slavica, and their two daughters in 1997 following a series of operations and a health scare that left him worried his wife would face a 40 per cent inheritance tax. He said he ran the day-to-day business of Formula One but hasnt owned any stake in the lucrative series since 1997. Ecclestones lawyers also insisted anew that their client is innocent, saying in a written statement that "the alleged bribe has not occurred." They argued that the indictment is based on statements by Gribkowsky that are "incorrect, misleading and incoherent" and said they would produce new documents at the trial to dispute Gribkowskys assertions. Ecclestone said he thought Gribkowsky wanted out of banking and had been interested in founding his own Formula One team. Ecclestone has stepped down temporarily as a director of F1s holding company pending the outcome of the trial, though he continues to manage the sports commercial operations on behalf of investment fund CVC Capital Partners, which has a controlling stake in the web of companies which run the commercial side of the sport. Ecclestone, who built his powerbase in F1 starting in the 1970s, likely would be unable to remain in charge if convicted -- even if he avoids a prison sentence. The trial will continue May 2. ' ' '