The Airing of Grievances

The Blue Jays are nine and a half games out of a playoff spot. So why the fuck did last night's loss sting so bad? Forget "Playoffs!!1", the new rallying cry should be ".500!!1"

Lyle Overbay's my boy. I've been a staunch supporter of the man who swatted 46 doubles, and put up a career high .880 OPS, in his first season with Toronto, back in 2006. But the pride of Centralia, Washington messed up last night. Look at that picture; he knows it. When it comes to Loverbay, his defense is usually reliable, and I'm rather enamored by his impressive .375 OBP; he's one patient cat. But the fact that he hasn't driven in a single God damn run in the month of July - 14 games - really irks me. Hitting wise, I'm beginning to think that 2006 was an anomaly. I don't see Overbay ever coming close to 92 RsBI again. (This is where I start drinking.)

Honestly, I'm tired of wondering, and bitching and moaning about, why Vernon Wells is hitting third, or fourth, in this lineup. Southpaw on the mound be damned. His .685 OPS in the three-hole is the lowest of any spot he's been placed in the batting order. His .287 OBP from the same spot is downright laughable. (Wells' .309 OBP, overall, and .523 OPS at the SkyDome, makes me want to bang my head against a wall. Repeatedly.) While V-Dub's scored 53 runs, good for second on the team, the earliest he should be batting is sixth. Hell, put him eighth. Definitely not third. I don't know what the fuck Cito Gaston is thinking sometimes. I love the guy, but his lineup antics have him well on his way to overstaying his welcome. (You know I'm frustrated when I'm sitting in the basement taking shots at The Cito.)

Can someone pretty please explain why Kevin Millar is still playing, let alone on this team at all? He's clearly cut from the same cloth as Brevonn Mencherstewart. Here are his monthly OPS numbers: April: .909; May: .647; June: .598; July: .526. I'm not the brightest mother fucker around, but does anyone else notice a trend? This team is two games below .500, with rookie after rookie throwing on the mound every night, and still employing Millar? Fuck off. Fuck a "clubhouse guy." Release his ass, Ricciardi. Free Travis Snider. For the love of God, free AAA All-Star Randy Ruiz, he of these statistics down in Vegas: 95 games played, 21 home runs, 85 RsBI, 227 total bases, .394 OBP, and .985 OPS.

I miss Gregg Zuan. Yeah, I said it. Rod Barajas is OK, it's just that I don't believe any Major League Baseball player should have an on-base percentage below .300. It's unacceptable. Rod's coming in at .283, with an OPS of .685. Quite pathetic. Quite. Back in 2004, 2005, and 2007, when Zaunie played over 100 games for our Blue Jays, he put up OPS numbers of .761 (.367 OBP), .729 (.355 OBP), and .752 (.341 OBP) respectively. Respectable, at the very least. To put it in perspective, in those three years mentioned (2004, 2005, and 2007), Zaun walked 171 times. In his entire MLB career, spanning 763 games, Barajas has walked 135 times. These will be, I hope, your last couple of months of watching The Captain behind the plate. Enjoy them.

Back on July 1st, 2008, Dustin "Fuck Off" Parkes, of Drunk Jays Fans fame, put together a Blue Jays YouTube montage to the tune This Year, by The Mountain Goats. The 2008 Jays were floundering near the .500 mark, unable to hit, and about to fire their manager. Needless to say, it was a brilliant montage, and the song was most apt. You know me; I love a good montage. (Who doesn't?) Thanks to MLB's batshit insane copyright standards, Parkes' work no longer exists. Now, I don't have the wherewithal to create my own montage, so I'm just going to post the song. The 2009 Blue Jays are flirting with .500, can't hit, employ one stubborn manager, and are on the verge of trading Roy Halladay. The more things change, the more they stay the same ...

"I am going to make it through this year if it kills me."

.500!!!1

And a reminder: I'll be live blogging Thursday's Jays/Indians matinee over at The Score. Join me. We can be depressed together. 12:37 PM first pitch.

Big Ups, Zaun

What a ball game. Exactly how the Jays drew it up. Four hours and 15 minutes long, a blown 3-0 lead in the top of the ninth, a 4-3 deficit in the bottom of the 13th inning, and a walf-off grand slam by "0-for-in-August" Gregg Zaun.

Yep, exactly how they drew it up.

I don't know about you, but as Zaun's ball headed toward, and eventually over, the fence, I was going about as crazy as Kramer at the off-track betting joint. It was epic.

Was there anyone more deserving on the Toronto roster than Zaunie to stroke the game winning hit? And a grand slam, no less. In the moment, I really felt happy for Zaun. True, unadulterated, joy. You couldn't have bitch-slapped the smile off my face. Zaunie's had such a tough season playing second fiddle to Rod Barajas, and you could see the by the look on his face that he was so happy to contribute; to make a difference.

Zaun's seen his playing time diminish greatly under the Gastonian regime and, unlike a guy like David Eckstein, he let it be known that he wasn't happy about it. I was a little peeved at Zaun's public airing of grievances until a week ago, when a friend of mine made a good point about Zaun: he's a fighter. He's always been a fighter. He's been fighting for a spot, for a chance to play, his whole career. It's all he really knows.

I can't blame Zaun. He's an athlete, and a man. He wants to play. Throughout his entire career, he's heard that he'd never make it, or that he'd never be more than a back-up. But he's battled. He's overcome alcoholism. Eventually, he finally made it.

At the end of the day, Zaunie's good people. Above all else, he wants to win. And I respect that. It was a great moment - one of the highlights of the season, actually - to see him get mobbed by his teammates at home plate in celebration of his most clutch grand slammage. It's been a rough, rough season for Zaun and, as his career with the Blue Jays is likely winding down, it was great to see him stretch the Jays win steak to seven games courtesy of some high drama.

A little lost amongst the drama was the fact that B.J. Ryan blew his fourth save on the season, and his ERA has now crept up over three runs, to 3.12. It's never been a walk in the park in the ninth inning when The Beej has been on the mound this season, and I don't think J.P. Ricciardi would be doing his job if he doesn't consider trade offers for B.J. this coming off-season. There's been some interesting talk about the Jays' bullpen around the blogosphere of late - it is, after all, the deepest and best 'pen in the league - and you can check out a sample courtesy of The Tao of Stieb here.

As for the Tampa Bay DEVIL Rays, I don't know about you, but when I saw them in the dugout during the 13th inning sporting the rally caps, all I could think was: these guys are kids. For some reason, the rally caps cried out inexperience and youthful exuberance. The Boston Red Sox wouldn't have been rocking the rally caps. Nor would have the New York Yankees. I think the golden rule is, or at least it should be, that you don't bust out the rally caps until the playoffs.

The DEVIL Rays have lost five of six, and are heading to Boston and then New York after Toronto. I would not be the surprised at all if they suffer a September collapse and end up missing the playoffs. It's time to see what they're made of.

The Jays are eight games behind the Red Sox in race for the wild card. Just saying. And we're undefeated in September. Just saying.

Guys Dig The Long Ball Too...

Eric Hinske hit the 100th home run of his career last night against Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays. I found it rather fitting that Hinske reached the milestone in Toronto, where it all began, where it all went so wrong, and where he is lustily booed.

I can't imagine Hinske gets booed at any other ball parks. Nobody other than the fans in Toronto really give a shit about him. And we don't boo him because he spurned us, talked ill of the team, or ill of the fans. We boo him because he sucks. We boo him because he's Shitske.

As I watched Hinske club home run number 100 to deep centre field, and later learned that the Jays were shut out, I reached a new personal low as a fan of the 2008 Jays. I actually wished, just for an instant, that Hinske were still around and wearing Toronto digs.

I apologize fellow Jays fans, for there really is no excuse. A moment of sincere weakness is all I can attribute it to. I feel dirty inside and out, I really do, but Hinske's got 15 home runs and 47 RsBI. I know, he's only batting .255, but it's the power that I want. The power that I miss.

I miss the long ball. The saying goes that "chicks dig the long ball," but guys like me dig the long ball too, dammit. The Jays have hit only 75 all year, good for second last in the American League. Ironically, the Minnesota Twins are last in the AL with only 73 round trippers, yet they're playing .557 baseball, and are only a half game out of the Central Division lead. Fuck me. Isn't life wonderful?

You know, it's not as if Hinske is ripping shit up with his 15 home runs. It's a decent amount. A middle of the road amount. But it's just that those 15 are as many as Scott Rolen and Lyle Overbay combined. With three to spare. And that hurts my soul.

It has been a difficult season for me as a Jays fan. A roller coaster ride. A frustrating experience of watching the team take a few steps forward, and then a few more steps backward. Buoyed by A.J. Burnett's efforts on Monday night, I was looking forward to Roy Halladay ensuring that the Jays would win this three game set with the Rays.

Didn't happen. Shut down by Matt Garza, and another sublime effort from Doc wasted in the process. Say what you want about the Rays, and I've poo-pooed on them for a long, long time, but they improved to 3-0 against Halladay this season. Based on that statistic alone, I'm beginning to believe they are for real. They've got one hell of a lineup, and that Evan Longoria fellow is having a bonerific rookie campaign.

I'll be the first to admit that Matt Garza has pitched well for Tampa Bay this season - he came into the game with a very respectable 3.83 ERA - but I'm still adding him to my list of pitchers who have no business dominating the Blue Jays, and who have done just that. The list is, most unfortunately, growing rather lengthy. There's no way Matt fucking Garza should be coming into our house and throwing a complete game, five-hitter, on only 106 pitches.

In order to now win the series, the Jays need a magical performance this afternoon from 28-year-old Vancouver boy Scott Richmond. Don't worry, it's only his first start in the big leagues.

The trade deadline is tomorrow afternoon, and Gregg Zaun officially wants out of Toronto. Not surprising, since he doesn't play much. It's also a little surprising that he doesn't, you know, play much. Rod Barajas' on-base percentage has dipped to .298, and that's pretty brutal. He's walked only 10 times in 226 at-bats all season.

I know Rowdy Rod is better at throwing out runners, and can hit for more power, but Zaun's sporting a tidy .349 OBP in 181 at-bats, which is good for third on the team. With Barajas lately really putting the "shit" in "shitting the bed," Zaun's right, he should have been playing more.

Anyway, J.P. Ricciardi said the whole issue with Zaun being dealt is that, uhm, nobody wants him. I think that might pose a problem. Yes, a slight problem.

For more on Zaun, Barajas' suckage, and Doc's brutal run support in games that he loses (it's 1.60 runs, and that also hurts my soul), check out Mike Wilner's most recent excellent bloggage. "Garzafied Again" indeed, Monsieur Wilner.

What Does It All Mean...?

It's an exciting time for sports fans in Toronto. The Leafs are well into the hockey season, the Raptors have played 15 games, and J.P. Ricciardi is probably one of the busiest men on the sports planet as the Jays have come out swinging again in baseball's offseason.

First things first, let me officially welcome Frank Thomas to Toronto. He talked about looking forward to playing in baseball's "glory division", the American League East, and that sits well with me. This division ain't no joke, and a healthy and productive Thomas will be crucial for the Jays to continue up the AL East ladder. The Jays made the Rogers Centre a home run haven last season, and here's to Thomas joining the party.

Gregg Zaun is also officially back in the mix for the Jays, and that didn't look like it was going to happen a couple of days ago. The Jays had an agreement in principle with Rod Barajas, but it broke down Tuesday night, after Barajas apparently backed out of the deal. Now I wasn't too sure why JP and the Jays had all this interest in Barajas. He's not even that good. He's a tad bit younger than Zauner, and throws out a few more guys, but other than that Zaun's a much better player.

I'm really glad Zauner is back in the fold. I logged onto tsn.ca late Tuesday night and saw that the Barajas deal fell through and I was pretty shocked, but happy, about it. Sort of like George Costanza - restrained jubilation. It just didn't make sense, because Barajas was supposed to just take a physical, and would be introduced at the same press conference as The Big Hurt.

Now I've heard that Barajas got cold feet, fired his agent and then wanted to renegotiate. I also heard that the MLB Players Association also gave him a call, and asked him what in God's name he was doing taking a paycut as a free agent. Either way, something happened, he backed out of the deal. JP got pissed, called Zaun, and they were able to hammer out a deal. I read in the Star that Zaun had cancelled his cell phone service and was to go to New York to talk to the Yankees about joining them as a backup catcher. That says a lot. He totally believed his time with the Jays was done. But Zaun's back, and he's glad to be back. I like Zauner. He's a patient hitter, he takes walks and his on-base percentage is way higher than Barajas'. And Zaun wants to be here - he likes the team and the city. He's one of the more vocal guys on the team and is definitely a leader.

I like to root for guys like Zaun. He was a backup catcher his whole career, and never really gave a damn about anything. He started drinking and became possessed by the demons of alcohol. A serious drinking problem and terrible attitude pretty much killed his baseball career and he was released by the Expos in 2004. He signed on as a backup catcher with the Jays, gave up the alcohol, and changed his attitude. He got to play due to injuries with the Jays, and really made his mark. He didn't complain once when the Jays screwed him and signed Molina last season. He just said he would put the team first, and he did his job pretty damn well. He put up solid numbers and proved he should be a starter. He supposedly stood up to Shea Hillenbrand during the whole Hillend-gate fiasco, he works well with the pitching staff, and he's a good role model for the young players. It's pretty uncommon to turn a career, on life support, around at age 32. Props out to my man Zauner.

JP wasn't done there. He's supposedly signed Royce Clayton to a one year, $1.5 million contract. Clayton's not a very good hitter, but he's good with the glove. This means Hill is the everyday second baseman, and this kid's only going to bet bettter, so its nice to see he'll have some stability on the field. I don't mind Clayton. JP tried to get Adam Kennedy, but he went to St. Louis. Either way, the question mark that existed in the middle infield, no longer exists.

JP's also been wooing Gil Meche. He was in town and was treated to dinner and a Leafs game. In a perfect world, the Jays could resign Lilly and pick up Meche, but the chances of that are slim. I wouldn't mind either one of those two pitchers, although I'd probably like to have the southpaw Lilly a bit more.

Speaking of pitchers, I wonder what the Jays are going to do with Josh Towers? He's still under contract next year at over $2 million. That bastard.

Anywho, what does it all mean? It means the JP and the Jays are really trying to take the next step, and I commend them for that. In JP Ricciardi I trust - it's been my motto for a few years now. The guy just looks like he knows what he's doing. Baseball's annual Winter Meetings get started on Friday, and there's definitely going to be some fireworks, and hopefully we'll have a pitcher, or two, by the time this weekend is through. Good luck JP, bring home the bacon!

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Back to back losses on home ice for the Leafs against the Bruins. Not exactly what the team was looking for, eh? What makes it more disheartening is that the Leafs had Sunday and Monday to watch film and figure out how to beat those bloody Bruins. They trapped it up again but the Leafs can't be faulted for their effort. They had 46 shots, I beleaf, on Tim Thomas. In Washington, everything went in. Against Boston, nothing went in. What can you do? That's how it goes, especially in a game of inches. Just got to keep on skating and firing pucks to the net.

Big game tomorrow night in the A-town facing the Trashers. The Leafs have lost three of their last four. Any prolonged 8 or 10 game losing stretch will cost a team a playoff spot this year. Consistency is the only way of getting into the playoffs. The Leafs went on a big losing streak last year in January, and that's why they missed the dance. I'm interested in seeing how this team bounces back from a few losses, especially a difficult one on Tuesday against Boston. Paul Maurice has to prepare this team. He's got to make sure everyone knows what is at stake. Certain players, like Mats, and Kabby, and Darcy have to make sure this team doesn't slide into a prolonged funk. This team simply can't afford it.

I read before Tuesday's game that some players on Boston were going to shoot up high on Raycroft, because they know his tendencies. Wouldn't you know it, the first two goals by the B's were up high, glove side. Raycroft's got to be a little more solid in the net for the Leafs, and when the team is down 2-1, he just has to make sure he keeps the score that way.

Oh, and JFJ made a trade! Mikael Tellqvist for a 4th round pick and agitator Tyson Nash. This trade doesn't mean all that much. Tellqvist had his chance last year, to become the goalie of the present for the Leafs, but he blew his chance. Aubin came in, and the rest is history. I'm not sure he'll ever be more than a backup goalie in the NHL, but I wish him well, and thank him for his service. As for Nash, he'll be joining the Marlies, where he should be staying. He's annoying, and just takes penalties. And isn't that what Wade Belak is for? I'll take the 4th round draft pick for Tellqvist anyday.

Oh, one more thing. Does anyone else find it extremely exruciating to watch Alex Steen struggle so mightily? He had 45 points last year. Now he's on pace for 4 goals. Brutality is there.

What does it all mean? It means that the next couple of games will really test the mental fortitude of this Leafs team. The Leafs were taught a valuable lesson last year when their losing slide cost them a playoff spot. Here's hoping they learned it.

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The Raptors lost to the Dallas Mavericks tonight, a game they didn't have a prayer winning.

I haven't written about the Raptors yet, but they've now completed their first month of the season, with a record of five wins and ten losses. Last November, they won one game. Like I always tell my girlfriend, I'm all about progress. Four more wins! We're going in the right direction. The best part is, the Raps are only one game out of first place in the division. New Jersey, along with the ultimate bitch Vince Carter, lead the division with a fantastic 6-9 record. That's just pathetic, but great for the Raptors.

It's hard to imagine where this team would be without Chris Bosh. He's averaging a double-double a night, and has turned into a force in this league. Only in his early twenties, he's the face of the franchise and a leader on the court. His maturation process has been quick and smooth, and it's been a pleasure watching him develop into the player he is today. He really could turn out to be the next Kevin Garnett, and that's music to my ears. There was a game against Golden State earlier on in the year, where Bosh went ballistic on #1 draft pick Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani got beaten on defense on back-to-back possessions and Bosh just let him have it. It was great to see Bosh getting emotional and trying to set a fire under Bargnani. Props to Bosh, for signing a contract extension and leading the way for the Raptors.

I like what Bryan Colangelo has done with this team. I'll devote a post to the Raptors soon enough.

Calderon is playing great and with 25 x the confidence he had last year. I like Garbajosa, he's a blue collar guy who fights under the glass. Rasho Nesterovic provides inner defence the Raptors so badly need, and another big body under the glass. Anthony Parker hasn't really got his offensive game going yet, but he's a solid defender, and you can never have too many of those. Fred Jones has been inconsistent, but he's got the ability to take the ball to the rack, and he'll be successful when he does that on a regular basis. TJ Ford has come as advertised - he's quick as hell. Sometimes too quick for his own good, as he gets under the rim so fast that it's like he doesn't know what to do once he gets there. He likes to pass the ball though, and that's refreshing. He had a game where he picked up 20 assists, and that's certainly encouraging. He's also so young, and Colangelo has locked him up for a few years, which is good to see. The foundation is there.

Speaking of foundation, how about my main man Andrea Bargnani? This kid has been, pardon my Italian, mucho bella! After riding the bench to start the season, Mitchell has increased the kids floor time and he's proving it to be a good decision. Bargnani is 7 foot 1, but he can put the ball on the floor and drive, or pull up for a jumper. He's got fantastic range and also isn't afraid to jack it up from behind the arc. I'm really tickled with excitement about this kid. He really does seem to have limitless potential, and although I know it's early, just like my man JP Ricciardi, I trust in Bryan Colangelo. Just look at the way he dresses. Always in an immaculate suit and looking fly. How can you not trust a man that looks that good and that confident? Do your thing Colangelo.

Interesting tidbit. The Raps were down about 20 points tonight in the 4th quarter, and their streak of hitting a three ball in 628 straight games was about to end. They got the ball with about 15 seconds to go and Derek Martin was dribbling out the clock. With about half a second left, he jacked up a three ball and SWISH! I found it rather amusing that in a game the Raps lost 117-98, Chuck Swirsky ended the game yelling "OH MY GOODNESS ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!? ONIONS BABY ONIONS!!"

Such are the times in Raptor-land.

What does it all mean? It means five wins is better than one, and that the Raptors are getting better. It means Chris Bosh is still only 22. It means for Andrea Bargnani, the sky is the limit. It means we have to be patient. As of tonight, we're only a game out of first place. I can't complain about that.

Goodnight, Toronto...