End of the Road

Roy Halladay was brilliant, again, on Friday night. The more I picture him wearing Philadelphia red, or Dodger blue, the more angry I become as to why the Blue Jays are in their current predicament. I blame Rogers; not J.P. Ricciardi. I'm in too deep, defending J.P., for that to change. (Sorry, Joanna. Even though I'm not.)

Much like my favourite GM in the whole wide world, I'm done talking about the trading of the Doctor. If it happens, it happens. August 1, and the end of all this drama, cannot come soon enough.

If we have reached the end of the road, this one's for you, Doc ...

If you don't like Boyz II Men, stop lying to your damn self.

What's that? Yesterday's ballgame? Why the fuck would you want to talk about that? Look, it's simple. It was raining. It's now pouring. There's no other way to explain the blowage of a 9-1 lead, at home. (We're in the midst of a torrential downpour; even Toronto FC lost in dramatic, heartbreaking fashion.)

At times like these, always remember that it could be worse. We could be Baltimore Orioles fans.

I found it rather fitting that it was the Tampa Bay fucking DEVIL Rays who handed the Jays what had to be their toughest loss of 2009, all things considered. Those same DEVIL Rays everyone likes to bring up when shitting all over Ricciardi. Once again: the Rays are no model for success in the AL East; they've just been a helluva lot luckier than Toronto.

As for Scott Downs, he doesn't talk much to the media. So it was great to see him face the bright lights after yesterday's clusterfuck of a game and call his performance, and his team's, exactly what it was: "embarrassing." I don't know about you, but I've still got utmost faith in SnakeFace.

Sure, it was a brutal loss, but I'm more interested in seeing how the Blue Jays respond. Are they going to roll over and die, and allow Tampa the sweep? Or are they going to play with some fucking pride?

In the comments section of my last post, after Saturday's debacle, Bruno Von Rottweiler said: "...a lot of these players are soft, they are losers."

I don't believe that. Go Jays.

Hating the National League

Don't you just love it when a pitcher - I don't know, say Ricky Romero, or Scott Downs - who has no business hitting, and who probably doesn't want to hit, has to bat? Me too. It's so much fun; so exciting.

I love how National League enthusiasts continuously defend the asinine decision not to employ a designated hitter with the standard "there's more strategy" rebuttal.

Sure, there's more strategy. I get that. But in most cases, it doesn't take a genius of a manager to throw around the eighth hitter in a lineup to get to the pitcher. Even Buck Martinez can do that.

At the end of the day, pitchers can't hit. Period.

Last night, thanks to bullshit Interleague play, Scott Downs was injured running out a ground ball (x-rays were negative), and Ricky Romero struck out three times, leaving eight men on base.

They're pitchers. They should exclusively pitch, much like in the progressive, forward-thinking American League. Let the hitters hit.

I'm off the National League, huge ...

With the Blue Jays down 3-2 last night, guess who kicked off the 9th inning rally to tie the game? One Vernon Wells, with an infield single to the pitcher. It was his first hit in 21 at-bats. Darrin Fletcher, the greatest colour commentator ever, said it best: that's how all slumps end. Believe ...

If you're pissed off at Alex Rios for his boneheaded baserunning gaffe in the 8th inning, you should be equally pissed off at Nick Leyva. He fucked up, too. While that type of mistake happens in baseball, it seemingly happens too often to Alex Rios. (Richard Griffin is kind of upset about it.) There can't possibly be a better nickname for Rios than The Blissfully Oblivious Gazelle ...

Speaking of nicknames, I think it's official: Jason Frasor is the Sausage King of the bullpen. While I loved some of the suggestions - Bullpen Ninja, Hightower, Fire Hydrant - Sausage King was too good to pass up ...

It wasn't exactly a great performance, and he was bailed out by the aforementioned Sausage King, but B.J. Ryan is now working on six innings of scoreless relief. Believe in The Beej ...

I'd love to know what Cito Gaston said to Ricky Romero in a visit to the mound only three batters into last night's first inning. Whatever it was, it worked. The rendezvous was, my friends, the ultimate example of The Cito Effect ...

Keeping on Romero, he continues to shine. Of the eight American League rookie starting pitchers who've made at least eight starts and thrown at least 50 innings, Rick-Ro leads the way with a 3.73 ERA. His G/F ratio of 1.14 is second to only Baltimore's Brad Bergesen. Boners.

UPDATE: Brad Mills to start for Casey Janssen on Thursday. Serious boners.

You Are Appreciated

Mission: Doc, to watch every start Harry Leroy Halladay III makes at the Rogers Centre this season, continued last night. I'm three for three, my friends.

After giving up an un-Halladay like six hits and two earned runs over his first four innings, Harry settled down. Like I knew he would.

With the 8-4 win, the Toronto Blue Jays are back in first place, where they belong, and Halladay improved his record to 5-1. With an offence that continues to pound the baseball (I know, not so difficult against the mighty Baltimore Orioles pitching staff), Doc's piling up the wins. So far this young season, the bats are making up for all the times Halladay pitched well in years prior, and didn't get any run support. It's a beautiful thing.

You know, I hate talking and writing about Halladay's future. Will he be traded? Will he leave in search of a ring, or even just a playoff appearance? Who knows. I don't have the answers, that's for sure. But I'm taking nothing for granted. No matter what happens, Mission: Doc means I'll have no regrets; it means I'll never wish I had made more of an effort to head down to the Rogers Centre and watch Doc do his thing.

Roy Halladay, you are appreciated.

The Cito Effect

In the 8th inning, with Scott Downs warm in the bullpen, and men on first and third with two down in a 6-4 ball game, out stepped Cito Gaston from the Blue Jays dugout. 

We, Jays fans, rose to our feet as well. It was the end of the line for Roy Halladay and, as always, he was deserving of a farewell worthy of his effort.

Only Doc didn't get the hook.

The Gastonian one reached the mound and instead of taking the ball from Halladay, who'd thrown more than 110 pitches, told him he'd see Doc in the dugout after he retired Ty Wigginton.

Doc, never one to let his manager down, did just that.

Amazing. Ladies and gentlemen, The Cito Effect.

Fret not, The Blue Jay Hunter and I are working on the t-shirts.

Foul Ball Fail

Sitting about 20 odd rows up on the first base side in shallow right field, an Oriole hit one right at me. I was ready. I'd been waiting for this moment my entire life. Only the ball smashed off the ring finger of my right hand, leaving it swollen, bruised, and my nail half black.

Fail. Shame. Bewilderment.

All those years of playing cricket, for what? The ball landed a row in front of me, and into the hands of another. I still can't believe I didn't come up with it.

And, for the record, had I made the catch, I would have given the ball to the young boy behind me.

Blue Jays Fever

On the way home from the game, an old man on the subway tapped me on the shoulder, wanting to know if the Jays were victorious. I was in my powder blue jersey, and more than happy to oblige.

Indeed they did, Grandpa.

He smiled, and then asked if Halladay went the distance. A wise old man, clearly.

I told him Doc went eight, and that Scott Downs finished off Baltimore.

He smiled, again, and thanked me.

I told him it was my pleasure, and that the Jays were winning the pennant.

Ricky Romero is indeed so fine ...

Oakland's Jack Cust thinks so too.

"He's got a bright future. He reminds of (Johan) Santana a little bit, his body and his mannerisms, the way he throws. Santana's got those broad shoulders like he's got. 

"He's similar, he's got a similar arm slot, similar delivery. He's going to be good."

He already is, Mr. Cust. Damn good.

Romero's 2-0. The proud owner of a 1.71 ERA, and bonerific 1.10 WHIP. He's thrown as many innings and allowed as many hits as one Roy Halladay: 21, and 19. Exquisite company. If spots two through five behind Doc were up for grabs in the Toronto Blue Jays' rotation, it's safe to say LL Cool Rick'Ro has grabbed number two. With authority. And I am loving every minute of it.

The bats fell silent over the weekend. But it was the pitchers' time to shine. Shout out to Brian Tallet; what a spot start on Saturday afternoon. The team couldn't have possibly asked for more. And Scott Downs. What's left to say about Downs that hasn't been said before? He is unreal. Another three and a third innings of relief over the weekend, and nary a run allowed; not even a hit. So far this season, in 7.2 innings of work, Downs has allowed two hits, zero walks, zero runs, and struck out twelve. Don't you ever change, Snakeface.

David Purcey, no shout out for you. Stop. Walking. Batters. His 13 walks (in only 15.1 innings) are more than Halladay (3), Romero (4), and Scott Richmond (5) have combined to throw. They're unacceptable. And I'm sure The Cito and Th'Arnsberg (The Arnsberg) won't stand for them much longer.

The Blue Jays are 10-4, winners of their first four series. And that's what it's all about: winning each and every series. Everyone is doing their part. From Halladay, to Romero, to Aaron Hill, to Marco Scutaro, to Travis Snider, to Adam Lind, to Shawn Camp, to ... well, everyone except Alex Rios and Purcey, really.

What was that? Speak up, J.P. Ricciardi haters. I'm having a difficult time hearing you.

Toronto is the best team in the American League; the only team in the Junior Circuit sporting double digits in wins. I must admit, the view from up here is pretty fantastic. I could get used to it. And the Jays' first game against an AL East opponent is still 11 games away. Pile up the wins, boys. You're going to need them come September.

A much-deserved day off for the local nine, today. Read Jeff Blair's article. He won't admit it, but I think he's beginning to believe. 

Playoffs!!!!1

Pennant, too, of course. They go hand in hand.

Scott Downs: the type of guy you take home to meet mom...

My man crush on Blue Jays uber relief pitcher Scott Downs continues to intensify, especially after his marvelous performance Saturday night down in Texas.

Downs is a straight rudey. I thought, and still think, that he should have been an all star. The guy has been dynamite out of the 'pen for the Jays all year, and Saturday was no exception.

Downs entered the game in relief of A.J. Burnett and went two and a third innings, facing seven hitters, and retiring them all. He lowered his team leading ERA to 1.37 and hasn't allowed a run since July 5th. He's also held opposing hitters to a paltry .202 batting average. The much-maligned J.P. Ricciardi deserves some serious props for locking Downs up and having him become an integral part of the bullpen. Downs has done nothing but deliver.

I fucking love Scott Downs.

I know, the Blue Jays can't hold a lead for their lives and lost two out of three deep in the heart of Texas, but, well, I don't want to talk about it. I'd rather focus on the few positives I've got left, like my main man Downs. He makes the Jays' dance with the .500 mark a little easier to deal with.

A. JAY Burnett

It was billed as possibly his final start in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform. If it was, he went out in style. But it won't be. The Jays have their sights set on the wild card, and A.J. Burnett's sticking around for the ride.

I must admit, I am quite enamored by these developments. I've become rather fond of good old A.J.

I took in the game last night from the ridiculously cheap 500 level at the Dome, and Burnett was well worth the $9 ticket price. He was at his filthy best. He struck out the side in the first inning and booked a free slice of pizza for the fans after only the first three frames. He finished with 10 Ks and allowed only one run. And it was unearned, to boot.

A $9, third-row seat in the upper deck, and a free slice of pizza. It doesn't get much better than that, folks.

If Burnett hasn't won you over yet, I fear he never will. The guy pitched his tail off again last night. He got into some trouble on a few occasions, and dealt with a brutal call by the third-base umpire, but he battled. He made big pitches and big plays, like picking off Eric Hinske at first base, when he needed them. A.J.'s now got as many wins - 12 - as that Roy Halladay guy. And that Halladay guy is supposedly pretty damn good.

For more on the recent exploits of Burnett, check out Mike Wilner's blog.

For the first time as a Blue Jay, Burnett's healthy, he's chucking, and he's winning. That's the bottom line. Sure, the opt-out in his contract looms large, but we can't worry about it anymore. He's not being traded. We've got a pennant race to worry about now.

Now I know we're six and a half games out, but fuck it feels good to write that.

We've got a pennant race to worry about now.

The offence didn't deliver much support last night (shocking!), but A.J., along with my main men out of the bullpen, Scott Downs and B.J. Ryan, made sure it was enough. It was a huge win against Tampa Bay and James Shields, who has dominated the Blue Jays this season, and pitched well again yesterday.

Doc's on the mound tonight. I'm thinking two out three. Definitely two out of three. Hell, maybe even a sweep. Go big or go home, right?

Right.

I'm thinking playoffs.

Middle Relievers Need Love Too

When it comes to baseball's annual All-Star game, middle relievers often get overlooked. And I'm sick of it. With the Blue Jays sending only one player to New York - Doc, who else? - the question I'm left asking is: what about Scott Downs?

Middle relievers need love too, dammit!

Downs has been the model of consistency and efficiency for the Blue Jays. He put together a solid 2007, parlayed it into a multi-year, multi-million dollar contract (which some folks didn't like), and has come back in 2008 as advertised: one of the more reliable arms out of the bullpen.

What makes Downs so special is that, even though he's a southpaw, he's effective against both right-handed and left-handed batters. So far this season Downs has seen more action against righties, 23.2 innings, and held them to a .224 batting average. Against lefties, Downs has pitched 16.1 innings, and held them to an almost identical .226 batting average. For a manager, Downs is money.

Wait, I'm not done selling him. In 25 consecutive appearances from May 2 to June 29 - a remarkable 26 innings of work - Downs did not allow a single run. I know what you're thinking and, yes, that is the longest scoreless innings streak in baseball this year.

Take a look at Downs' numbers over at FanGraphs. I know it's not as cut and dry as I'm about to make it out to be, but his LOB% (left on base percentage) is a phenomenal 89.4%. The league average is just over 70%. Downs, more often than not, gets the job done, and leaves runners on in the process.

Based on his stats and stats alone - 38 games, 5 saves, 40 innings pitched, 33 hits allowed, 8 earned runs allowed, 17 walks, 36 strikeouts, an ERA of 1.80, a WHIP of 1.25, and an opponents batting average of .224 - I truly believe Downs is an all-star. Sure, starting pitchers and closers get all the glory, but middle relievers have a thankless job, and don't get the credit they deserve.

Still don't believe me? Fine. Check out how Downs matches up with Jonathan Papelbon, everyone's favourite Boston Red Sox douchebag closer. The numbers, except the saves of course, are comparable.

In my difficulty to understand why a guy like Downs always gets overlooked, I emailed the sage Tao of Stieb, who has his pulse on all things Blue Jays and baseball related. Lost, scared, and confused, I asked him for his thoughts on Downs and whether he was truly deserving of a spot on the American League squad. Here's what Tao had to say:

Sounds like an interesting take. We hadn't really considered it, but there's a good argument to make that Downs deserves a spot.

Middle relievers often get overlooked because the notion is that if they were that good, they'd actually be the closer. But the occasional guy (like Paul Quantrill in 2001) manages to sneak in if they've done something particularly heroic. Downs might have a chance if people recognize the fact that in addition to holding down the fort over 39.0 innings so far, he's also sewn up five saves along the way, helping to provide stability to a bullpen that has been without its primary closer (Ryan) and its putative set up man (Accardo) for chunks of the season.

It might help Downs was more of a K machine (his 36 in 39 innings is a very-good-not-great number) and he's given up a few too many walks (17) to really bowl the selectors over.

In all likelihood, Roy Halladay gets the call to the Bronx, but we'd love it if someone noticed the great work done by Downs this season.

There you have it. The Tao has spoken. He's right about Doc going to the Bronx, and how Downs' five saves shouldn't go unnoticed. They were big at the time, as the Jays were treading carefully with B.J. Ryan and Jeremy Accardo was busy sucking.

Alas, Downs isn't going to the midsummer classic (I really hate calling it that). But don't worry Tao, someone has noticed the great work by Downs this season. That someone is me.

Big ups to Tao of Stieb for taking the time to share his thoughts. If you don't read/subscribe to Tao of Stieb, do yourself a favour and check it out. It's one of the better Blue Jays blogs out there.

Oh, and congratulations to Roy Halladay on his fifth all-star appearance. No one works harder. No one is more deserving. Cheers, Doc.

Blue Jays Mid-Season Report Card

We're officially in the dog days of summer, which means the 2007 baseball season is already past the halfway point. It's time to pull no punches, my friends, and say it like it is. It's time to rate this year's Toronto Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays, today, sit in third place in the American League East with a 45-46 record. Simply not good enough. Not for a team that was supposed to contend. I will, however, give the Jays the props that they are due, because injuries have ravaged this year's squad. Although the Jays are not in serious contention for either the AL East division crown or the Wild Card, it's a Christmas miracle they are even hovering near .500.

I'm not using the Blue Jays' injuries as an excuse. Ok I am. A little bit. This season has had its fair share of bad already, but there has also been some good. Each player will be graded by yours truly. Let's get down to business.

Alex Rios: A +
Rios has blossomed into a star before our very eyes. He leads the Blue Jays in batting average (.297), home runs (18), RBI's (55), runs (64) and stolen bases (9). If you're keeping track at home, that's every important offensive category. He was the Blue Jays' lone all-star and makes less than $1 million a season. His salary takes up less than 1% of the Blue Jays payroll. From this day on, he shall be referred to as Alex Rios, the Grand Nacho Muchacho. Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for that nickname, but it sure is a beauty. I love you, Alex Rios.

Scott Downs: A +
Middle relievers don't get as much love as they should. He's been steady as a rock, giving up only nine earned runs in over 35 innings of work, while striking out 39. Downs is a certified rude boy.

Jeremy Accardo: A +
He stepped into B.J. Ryan's role with confidence and hasn't let the team down. Ryan's are not easy shoes to fill. Only 11 earned runs given up in over 35 innings while striking out 39. Where would the Jays be without this quiet, flame-throwing right hander? Acquired for Shea Hillendbrand, his acquisition might be the best trade J.P. Ricciardi has ever made while with Toronto.

Aaron Hill: A
Orlando Hudson who? Sure, Hudson was an all-star this year, but I believe Hill got shafted when he didn't make the team. His 52 RBI's lead all starting second basemen in the American League. He's a great hitter, and provides gold glove defense at second. He's driven home more runs than Vernon Wells, Frank Thomas and Troy Glaus. Ridiculous.

Casey Janssen: A
Janssen was thrust into a middle reliever role this season and he has embraced the challenge. He's willing to do whatever he's asked and all he wants to do is help the team win. He's done just that. Along with Downs and Accardo, he has helped stabilize the bullpen - a bullpen that was supposed to be this team's weakest link. He's also been a horse, pitching 47.2 innings while only giving up 12 earned runs. I said some bad things about Janssen before the season began. I take em all back.

Shaun Marcum: A
He's a pit bull on the mound because he loves to challenge hitters. Since entering the starting rotation Marcum has only lost one game. He's been dynamite and this team would be in even bigger trouble had he not stepped up when Gus Chacin, Doc Halladay and A.J. Burnett went down with injuries. In 88 innings, batters are hitting a putrid .225 against him. Marcum has solidified his spot in the rotation, and I'd take him over Chacin any day of the week.

Matt Stairs: A
I've got to show love to the lone Canadian on this team. Stairs was an after thought coming into this season, a left-handed pinch hitter who would see 200 at bats if he was lucky. Then Reed Johnson went down, and the unassuming Stairs started playing everyday. And he started to hit home runs. Without Matt Stairs, this Jays team would be in a world of hurt. It could be argued that he and Rios are co-mvp's during the first half. Stairs' .545 slugging percentage leads all Jays hitters and he's got more home runs than Wells and Glaus, and he's tied with Thomas. Actually, Thomas is tied with him. I dissed J.P. when he signed Stairs, and I've enjoyed being shown how stupid I really am. Good call, J.P. Matt Stairs - a true Canadian hero.

Troy Glaus: B
If Troy Glaus were a hockey player on the Toronto Maple Leafs, he'd be a legend in this city. This man plays through a lot of pain, and doesn't get enough credit for doing so. He's batting a solid .288 with a team leading .391 on base percentage. You know me, I'm all about the OBP. Glaus gets a B for not being a bitch and playing through pain, because he knows that even at 75%, the Jays desperately need him in the field. Troy, you are appreciated.

Brian Tallet: B
Tallet didn't even make the big club out of spring training. He was designated for assignment, took his demotion to Syracuse like a man, and worked his tail off. He came back up to the big leagues and hasn't looked back. He's pitched 40 innings and has held opponents to a .203 batting average. Attaboy, Brian.

Dustin McGowan: B
Injuries to Chacin, Halladay, Zambrano and Burnett, and the overall ineptitude of Tomo Ohka and Josh Towers, led to McGowan's call-up from Syracuse. He's here to stay and is finally showing the potential the Jays saw in him. His one-hitter against the Colorado Rockies was the best-pitched game by any Blue Jay this year, and his arm causes any fan to salivate. He's got the tools, now he's just got to put it together.

Roy Halladay: B
I've got to show love to my man Halladay. He's got 10 wins, but I know without a doubt that he's pitching injured. I've never seen him get hit the way he has this season. A 4.66 ERA and a .286 opponents batting average are just not Halladay-esque numbers. He gets a B- for pitching through whatever is ailing him. He's a warrior.

John McDonald: B -
I love Johnny Mac. He runs out every ground ball like he's just hit the ball into the gap. It's true what they say - if you work hard, you'll get what you deserve. Johnny Mac took over the everyday shortstop position because he plays hard. His defense is second to none and he's already made 10 jaw-dropping plays at short. He's a regular on TSN's "Honour Roll" and deservedly so. He's a magician with the glove. Love Johnny Mac.

A.J. Burnett: C +
I think a C+ is a generous grade for Burnett, but I'll give it to him because his 5-6 record doesn't justify how he's pitched most of the time he's taken the mound. He really stepped up his game when his boy Harry Halladay went down, but once again, he's on the disabled list. It's his third visit to the DL in only one and a half years here in Toronto. He's got to suck it up and pitch through pain. Take a cue from Halladay for God's sake. I guess $55 million only gets you an oft-injured arm, and no testicular fortitude.

Lyle Overbay: C
Overbay's a better hitter than his .267 average. He spoiled me in his first season with the Blue Jays. But I'm sure he'll be the first to agree that he needs to be better. I'll give him some slack, because he was injured, but he got off to a very slow start this year, and that's why he gets a low grade. But I've got faith in the doubles machine known as Overbay, so I'm confident that he'll be in the B to A- range once the season is over.

Frank Thomas: C
Congratulations to The Big Hurt on home run number 500. Frank, you booked your ticket to the Hall but now please stop trying to hit every single pitch out of the park. Clearly, the quest for number 500 was on Thomas' mind, but this guy has a career batting average of .303. His .250 average this year just ain't cutting it. A lot of people criticized J.P. for signing the aging Thomas and while I like his veteran leadership, his signing might turn out to be The Big Mistake unless he has a fantastic second half.

Vernon Wells: C
$126 million for this!? $126 million for a .252 batting average and a pathetic .314 on base percentage? Oh dear. What the hell has happened to the center fielder formerly known as Vernon Wells? To say he's struggled this year is an understatement. His 57 strikeouts lead the team for heaven's sake. He's got to be feeling the pressure of his huge contract. The move to lead-off has helped him and he's hitting the ball better of late, but we're not paying him that amount of coin to be a lead-off man. Someone pass me the TUMS, because Wells is causing me some serious indigestion.

Jason Frasor: C
He was supposed to be the closer once B.J. Ryan went down, but he couldn't handle it. Disappointing. Frasor was a promising reliever a couple of years ago but has fallen on the depth chart with the emergence of Downs, Janssen and Accardo. The .209 batting average against is nice, but Frasor let me down, and so is deserving of the C.

Gregg Zaun: C
He was another of the injured Blue Jays, so it's taking a while for him to get his timing back. He's a helluva competitor though, and just wants to win. I appreciate the never-say-die attitude he's got. When McGowan lost his no-hitter against Colorado in the 9th inning, Zaun was almost in tears after the game. He really wanted the no-no for his young pitcher. Zaun cares. I know he's struggling, but I just want to give him a hug. Zaun's better than a C grade, he knows it and I know it.

Reed Johnson: C
Johnson gets a low grade because he's barely been in the lineup, and like Zaun, needs time to get his timing back. He's better than his .233 average and it's only a matter of time until that number goes up. With Johnson, it's all about time. The Jays missed his attitude the most on the field. He takes fastballs on his arms for the team - he'll do anything to get on base. He's also a phenomenal fielder, and he proved that by making a diving catch in the 9th inning in his return to the lineup. I love Reed, but it's all about tough love here.

Jesse Litsch: C
Litsch is a young pup up from Double-A ball, so I've got to show him some love because he's won two games for the Jays, with one coming against the high octane Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park. He's got a lot of work to do in order to stay with the big club, but he's got a future in this game. His .320 opponents batting average is quite disturbing, but there will always be growing pains with young pitchers. He can keep his head up with the way he's carried himself with the Jays.

Jason Phillips: C -
Phillips is a dependable backup catcher. He filled in admirably for Zaun while he was gone, but Phillips is a backup for a reason. His .213 batting average being one of em.

Adam Lind: C -
Lind filled in for Johnson while he was injured, but needs some more seasoning in the minors. He's got decent power, but swings at EVERYTHING. He struck out 53 times in only 73 games, and that's brutal.

Royce Clayton: D
Thank God the Jays only signed this guy to a one-year deal. Clayton has already played for half the teams in baseball, and it's no wonder why. His work ethic hasn't been good and for a guy who was brought in for his defense, he's made way too many errors (6). That's five more than Johnny Mac. Clayton's a bum.

Josh Towers: D
Towers is officially the Blue Jays organization's bitch. This guy gets bounced around like he's a rag-doll. From the starting rotation, to the bullpen, to the minors, then back to the bullpen and then back into the starting rotation. His contract is mercifully up after this year and there's no way on God's green earth that he is in a Jays uniform next season. What does he care though? He's banking $2.3 million this season. Towers should talk to the guy in charge of player entrance music. Whenever he comes into the came, the loudspeakers at the Rogers Centre should play "Laughing Straight to the Bank" by 50 Cent. Because that's exactly what Towers is doing.

Gustavo Chacin: D
The five inning wonder Chacin can't even give us five innings anymore. After making five starts and posting a frightening 5.60 ERA, Chacin shut it down. He's supposedly throwing off flat ground these days, but I heard the Jays won't let him pitch again this season. He's still got a shot with this team, because the fifth spot in the rotation, currently occupied by the tool known as Towers, will be open next season. But Chacin's got work to do. A lot of work. He's been supplanted in the rotation by both McGowan and Marcum, with Litsch making a push as well.

Tomo Ohka, Victor Zambrano and John Thomson: F
J.P. Ricciardi signed these three guys off the scrap heap last winter, trying to make up Ted Lilly's lost innings. If one of them worked out, it would have been nice and I would have been singing J.P.'s praises. Turns out they all sucked. Big time. It was a calculated risk, it didn't work, and the only reason the Jays are still treading water is because of the contributions of Marcum, McGowan, Janssen, Tallet and Litsch. J.P. got lucky, and I think he'd be the first to admit that as well.

B.J. Ryan: N/A
Ryan went down so early in the season it's impossible to give him a grade. Just get well soon, big guy.

That's it for the players. There's just three more grades left to hand out.

Manager John Gibbons: B
With all the injuries this team has had to deal with, it's a wonder they are near .500. Gibbons has had to work with a patchwork lineup and he's done a decent job. I've always been a supporter of Gibbons, even though he does tend to make some questionable calls from time to time. However, I think he's done a solid job considering the cards that he's been dealt this season. Props out to Gibbons for keeping the clubhouse in order and the attitude positive.

J.P. Ricciardi: C +
Offensively, this team was supposed to be the real deal. Ricciardi boasted about how his team would have the best lineup in the American League. Granted, the lineup he put together in the off-season has played only a handful of games together. Injuries have ravaged this team, and I can't blame J.P. for that, as much as I want to. None of the pitchers he signed worked out, but guys he drafted stepped up, so it's a catch-22. I can rail on him for not getting enough pitching help, but then again it's his farm system that turned out to be the solution. I was hoping for a lot more out of the offense though, hence the C+.

Toronto Blue Jays: B -
As a team, I give the Jays a B -. I love this team, I really do. Alex Rios is quickly becoming my favourite baseball player. I admire the courage of Halladay and Glaus to play through significant injuries. I love Gregg Zaun's attitude. The man was ready to cry because his pitcher's no-hitter was broken up. He genuinely cares. I love Frank Thomas' attitude and his belief in this team. I love the shaving cream pies and the gatorade showers, even when seven regulars are missing from the lineup.

Everything had to go right in order for the Jays to contend this year. I knew that going in. And right from the get go, nothing went right. Johnson went down. Chacin followed. Glaus hit the d/l. Zaun broke his thumb. Overbay broke his hand. Burnett's shoulder acted up. Halladay had appendicitis. Ohka sucked. Zambrano's forearm hurt, although that was a cover up for him just plain sucking. Towers sucked. You get the point.

There's also been a lot of surprises - disappointing ones. How does Hill have more RBI's than Wells, Thomas and Glaus? The big hitters like Wells and Thomas have not produced like they are capable of, hence their low grades.

In order to make the playoffs, a team must win 95 games. That's the benchmark, at least in the tough American League. The Jays have 69 games left in their season. In order to reach 95 wins, they have to go 50 and 19. Ouch.

Reality bites. What can one say, when presented with a statistic like that? It hurts. Like a swift punch to the gut. Playoff baseball looks like it won't be happening once again in Toronto, and it's depressing. But I'm still proud of the Toronto Blue Jays. They're fighters. I know they won't quit. And I'll give them the utmost respect for that. For fighting through all the injuries and all the bullshit.

Props to the 2007 Toronto Blue Jays. Here's to them, and to making the second half interesting.

Blue Jays Baseball - I'm an idiot, because I still BELIEVE...

Jinxed Jays

The unhittable Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo are unhittable no more.

Oops, my bad.

I jinxed Janssen and Accardo. The two Blue Jays relievers who have been lights out this year were torched by the Twinkies on Saturday night, a mere 24 hours after I said I was simply waiting for their bubble to burst.

Tomo Ohka pitched a hell of a ball game for the Jays on Saturday night, and it came at an opportune time because his job is on the line. Roy Halladay's going to take the mound on Thursday night, so it's either Ohka or young'un Jesse Litsch who's going to be voted off the island.

Ohka handed the ball off to the dynamic duo of Janssen and Accardo with a 7-2 lead in the 8th inning. Fast forward to the bottom of the ninth and it was a tie game, seven a piece. Janssen gave up two runs, while Accardo gave up three in blowing the save. Accardo's shutout streak lasted a remarkable 21 innings.

The Jays picked up their bullpen though, for once, and managed to win the game in extra innings. God knows it would have been an excruciatingly tough loss to rebound from.

I've got to give props to Janssen, Accardo, and Scott Downs for their work this season. Pitching was obviously a concern coming into this season for Toronto, but these guys have carried the bullpen on their back, especially in the absence of BJ Ryan. It was only a matter of time until they got hit, but they've been a pleasure to watch. They are one of the few bright spots on this team.

The Twins took two out of three from the Jays on the weekend, and now the Yankees are in Toronto for a big three game set. A.J. Burnett put together another quality start Sunday afternoon, going eight innings and only giving up three hits. He took the loss, however, and saw his record go to 5-4. It was the 22nd time this season that the Jays scored three runs or less. That's simply not going to get the job done, fellas.

Two months of the 2007 season are pretty much in the books now, and they've been a rough two months to say the least. Baseball is a shadow of life, as in things don't always go the way they're planned. The Boston Red Sox are running away with the AL East division, and any talk of the playoffs could be over pretty soon. Reality is starting to set in, and it's bleak right now. The Jays need to put together a winning streak, and fast.

The Jays were supposed to have one of the more potent lineups in the American League this season. Yet here we are, 49 games in, and Alex Rios is leading the team in home runs, runs batted in and runs scored. Rios is great and only getting better, but he's not supposed to be the main man offensively on this team just yet. Wells, Glaus, Thomas and Overbay, I'm looking at you guys.

The Jays have a team batting average of .256, good for only 10th in the American League. Toronto was supposed to out slug most of their opponents, to make up for their lack of quality pitching. The Jays offense is comparable with the Kansas City Royals offense right now. That should be a crime.

Pitching wins championships. It's getting more and more evident every season. The Blue Jays own a team ERA of 4.44. The Red Sox, who have an 11.5 game cushion in the AL East, boast a team ERA of 3.64.

Pitching, my friends. The Red Sox have it. The Blue Jays don't.

Sundin or Alfredsson?

Now that the Ottawa Senators are on their way to the Stanley Cup Finals - wow, that actually hurts just writing it - an interesting question comes to mind.

Mats Sundin or Daniel Alfredsson. Who would you rather have as your captain?

The Senators, led by Alfredsson, are off to the place no Maple Leafs team has travelled in the modern era of the NHL. Sundin and the Leafs have never made it out of the third round of the grind known as the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Alfredsson has been a man possessed the last few weeks. He's playing, undoubtedly, the best hockey of his career and has been the driving the bus for his team. He's finally playing like a captain, something he'd never really done in the playoffs before. I thought it was fitting that Alffy was the man to score the game winner in overtime of game five to knock out the Sabres. It was Alffy who was burned by Jason Pominville, one year ago, in overtime of game five when Buffalo sent the Senators home. Justin Timberlake was right, the clever entertainer that he is. What goes around, goes around, goes around comes all the way back around.

Alfredsson is the first European captain of a team in the Stanley Cup Finals. Funny, I always believed Mats Sundin would hold that distinction. Alas, it has yet to be for Sundin and Toronto's beloved, but clearly cursed, hockey team. Will Alfredsson become the first European captain to win the Stanley Cup?

Alfredsson has turned it up a notch in the playoffs this time around. He's played solid two-way hockey, while racking up 10 goals and seven assists. Four of those goals have been game winners. The Sens have won 12 games in the second season, so Alffy's won a third of them for his team. That's clutch. He's even added a physical element to his game, something he certainly hasn't been known for before.

Statistically during the regular season over their respective careers, Sundin holds a slight edge over Alfredsson when it comes to points-per-game. Sundin has averaged 1.01 points a game over his career, while Alffy comes in at 0.97. Advantage Sundin.

Sundin is also the better playoff performer, averaging 0.89 points a game in 83 career playoff games. Alfredsson has played 94 career playoff games and averages 0.80 points-per-game. Advantage Sundin, again.

I'm not sure one solid playoff run, on a very talented and deep Ottawa Senators team, vaults Alfredsson past Sundin. Alfredsson is playing on a line with Dany Heatley and Jason Spezza right now, two all-world superstars. Mats Sundin goes to bed at night dreaming of playing with guys of that calibre. Other than the Alexander Mogilny days in Toronto, I'd say Alfredsson has always played with more talented players beside him.

All I know is that this city is full of Mats Sundin haters. The haters are saying Sundin shouldn't be resigned. That he's overpaid, and not worthy of the "C". I'll vouch with the overpaid part, but don't believe for a second that he isn't a superb captain and player. The Leafs need him, straight up.

The fact that Alfredsson is now playing for the most beautiful piece of hardware I have ever seen in my life, the Stanley Cup, is not going to help Sundin's cause, especially when he's on the verge of signing a new two-year contract with the Leafs.

Clearly, I'm no Sundin hater. I love the man. I'm going to give Alfredsson his props on his playoff performance right now, but I'll take Mats Sundin as my captain any day of the week over Alffy.
I'd love to know what you think.

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Jesse Litsch, welcome back down to earth.

The Jays lost another close one tonight as youngster Litsch made his third start in the big leagues, against a tough Minnesota Twins lineup.

After his phenomenal start about ten days ago, Litsch has struggled in his last two outings. He's allowed to struggle, though. The kid is up from AA ball, after all, and he's only 22. It's not an easy transition, Casey Janssen can attest to that. Litsch gave up three runs and eight hits in only four and a third innings tonight. He's done a good job filling in, but it's time to get back on the bus and head down to Syracuse. Harry Halladay - I think I'm going to refer to him as Harry for the rest of the season - could return as early as May 31st, and Litsch will benefit from some time in Triple-A. It looks like he's got a bright future.

My main man Scott Downs took the loss tonight. He made a costly error in the bottom of the seventh when he couldn't handle Justin Morneau's nibbler. It was only the sixth run he's given up all year.

I've got to admit that I'm just waiting for the Jays' lights-out bullpen trio's bubble to burst. The trio of Accardo, Janssen and Downs. Downs looks like he's ready to pop, as he's given up three runs in his last two outings. Accardo is still going strong on his scoreless innings streak, and I'm still not sure how Casey Janssen is doing what he's doing.

Janssen hasn't been overpowering. He's given up 21 hits in 24 plus innings, while striking out ten. Yet he's only given up two runs. Those stats show that he's not getting fazed when runners get aboard. That's a great quality for a pitcher to have. Duh. Hard to believe Janssen was also pitching for New Hampshire in Double-A just a year ago.

This way of thinking - waiting for the bubble to burst - is the way I function. All negativity, all the time! Instead of enjoying the success of the Jays bullpen, I'm waiting for it all to come crashing down.

Peculiar decision by John Gibbons to let Scott Downs pitch to Torii Hunter tonight, with two outs and runners on the corners in a tie ball game. Hunter has been eating up left-handed pitching all year, and Jason Frasor was ready in the bullpen. This is what I mean when I say that John Gibbons makes some stupid decisions. Play the numbers. Bring in Frasor. Downs has been great, but you've got to respect Hunter's bat. Downs' first pitch was poked into right field, 4-3 Twins, and it turned out to be the winning run. Good call.

Random thought - it's hard to believe JP Ricciardi has been around for seven seasons, and John Gibbons for four, already. Wow. Time flies when you're finishing in third!

Tomo Ohka takes the mound for the Jays tomorrow. It's almost official, he sucks. If he loses tomorrow, it will be official. I'm off Ohka, huge.

-------------------------------------------------

I just saw Maggie the Monkey pick the Senators to win it all on Sportscentre. I'm not sure how Maggie's done with her picks this year, but I hope she's wrong. As much as I want a Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup, I would much rather it have been Calgary or Edmonton in the last few years. Not Ottawa. I can take them making it to the finals, but winning it is going to be a bit much for me to swallow. The fact that Alfredsson is the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe isn't sitting too well either.

It's true, I wanted the Sens to beat the Sabres. Ottawa's never beaten the Leafs in the playoffs, while Buffalo has. There's my justification. And a part of me likes to laugh at the inability of Buffalo's pro sports teams to get the job done. Buffalo is a city of losers, and I wanted that losing to continue. They did and I'm happy, but that's all now. Come on Ducks. Do the Flying V. Do whatever it takes, but don't let the Senators win it all.

Karma should be on the side of the Ducks. Scott Niedermayer didn't even come within a foot of the Western Conference Championship trophy. Half of the Ducks were already gone to the dressing room during the presentation. That's the way it should be done. Nobody cares about that trophy, nobody wants to touch it, and nobody wants to take a picture with it. That is not the trophy one plays for. Niedermayer did the right thing. If you want to win the Stanley Cup, it's known that you don't touch the Conference Championship trophy. As absurd as this tradition has become, I absolutely love it. There's no other trophy like the Stanley Cup and it's aura results in ridiculous superstitions like this.

Alfredsson, Wade Redden and the Senators, however, were all over the Eastern Conference Championship trophy. Redden even skated around with it! That's a no-no. It will cost the Senators, dearly.

Ducks in seven. Book it.