I’m Back…Is The Team….?

Sorry for not have any posts lately.  As you may or may not know the Jays have been in a funk of recent.  And it is very difficult to muster up the motivation to write something.  I’m not saying that when the team is doing badly I am going to get scared and hide…it’s just that when your team takes a six game losing streak and barely scores any runs there really isn’t much to talk about. 
 
Yes I could sit here all day and point blame.  Yes I could say it’s Gibbons fault or J.P.’s.  Or maybe it’s the offence (it’s definitely not the pitching) All in all though the team was losing badly, but hopefully then can stir up things.  Even with this small three game win streak the Jays seem to be struggling to score runs.  A lot of it has been coming from misplays from the other teams. 
 
Whatever I guess a win is a win.
 
So with all of this negativity out of the way lets talk positive…
 
As mentioned above the pitching has been lights out.  It sucks how Roy Halladay four complete games (leading the majors) but only two wins to show for it.  But I guess the biggest surprise is seeing how well Jesse Litsch is coming along.  At the beginning of the season I said he wasn’t going to a lot over the course of 162 games but he is proving me wrong.  He pitched another stellar game today and now leads the team in wins (4).  So thanks Jesse.
 
Also I love how Scott Rolen has really stepped it up.  But I do wonder what it might have been like if Frank Thomas had stuck around. With these two batting next to each other in the lineup it could have been deadly.
 
Not quite sure what Gibby has been doing with the lineup though.  I like Rios starting with Eckstein batting second but I question Aaron Hill batting third.  Of course Vernon Wells should bat clean up but Matt Stairs in the fifth spot? I would have rathered Overbay or Rolen (where was he today? Didn’t get a chance to see the game…someone fill me in.)
 
I’m sure the lineup is some sort of plan Gibby has going and so far it seems to be working well.  That’s enough out of me for now…
 
-Stanton X
 

I Hate You Mickey…

Here we sit in the bottom of the division.  Four and a half games back of Boston. I’m trying not to let my frustration get the best of me but it’s difficult.
 
I have really no explanation of what has happened over the last couple of days… I’m hoping that the whole Frank Thomas fiasco has nothing to do with it.  Doesn’t help also when Alex Rios and Lyle Overbay sit out some games.
 
Thanks to Matt Stairs yesterday for the homeruns…it’s just too bad that absolutely nobody else helped out.  Poor Roy.
 
As I have said before…we can be buried quickly in this division.  I’m hoping that the team can turn it around real quick. Ugh I’m starting to sound like a broken record…
 
Anyways some good news…Scott Rolen is suppose to make his Jays debut at Fenway Park next week. Lets hope this is a boost to the team.
 
And finally I will be able to watch the game tonight.  A bit of it at least.  Lets hope Dusty can get it down….actually it’s not even the pitchers fault lately, we just haven’t been able to score runs.  Come on team…ugh
 
-Stanton X

What The Hell…Four Game Series…?

 The other day I said that I hope the Jays would take two out of three games against the Tigers over the weekend. I just found out this afternoon that there was a fourth game…
 
And we lost. I hope the recent issues with Frank Thomas had nothing to do with it. But they may have…If so lets hope that the Jays can now get past it and continue towards October.
 
Didn’t get to watch the game (again) but saw that Greg Zaun got a home run in the bottom of the ninth but obviously it was too late. Heard that Shawn Marcum had pitched another good game, but I guess the offence wasn’t there. Oh well he had to get his first lost of the year sometime…
 
Anyways the Jays start a road trip that sees them go down to Florida to take on the Rays. Haven’t read any details but it seems that they are not playing at Tropicana Field but at Champion Stadium. (?)
Looks Nice…But Someone Explain…

Whatever the case Jesse Litsch looks to get his third win of the season…which surprisingly will make him the team leader in wins. I’m trying to ignore what I said about him early on in the season, but I still have doubts on his ability to be consistent for a whole season.
 

Please Prove Me Wrong…

School is almost done so hopefully that means getting to watch a few more games. But probably not…
 
Well lets hope the Jays will dominate Tampa and get back into the swing of things soon. Also lets hope Scott Rolen will be able to make his Toronto debut very soon. I get the feeling he could be the missing piece.
 
-Stanton X

It Was Fun Frank…

Yes the Jays won today. It was an ok game. Thank you to David Eckstein for the home run. I was still a bit nervous when Jeremy Accardo came in for the save but he got the job done. And that’s what matters right?
 
Today’s post though has really little to do with the game. If you don’t know by now Frank Thomas has been released. On Saturday it was announced that he had been benched. I didn’t really know why and didn’t find out all day. But it came as a shock to find out the next day that he had been let go.
 
Unfortunately I am going to have to go with the management on this one.
 
Sports are a business. Baseball is no exception. Whether they admit it or not this was a financial decision. Thomas had a bonus deal that if he was to have 1000 plate appearances he would gain an extra $1 million next year. That’s pretty sweet…except why pay him that when he is not doing well. When the Jays offered that deal I’m sure they were thinking that he was going to be this awesome power hitter like he usually is. But he is getting older and I don’t think he has it in him anymore. Also next year he would have been making around $10 million for the season. This was a good way to free up some cash and maybe sign a big all star in the off-season or something.
 
Anyways the story goes that Thomas didn’t appreciate being benched and didn’t like the idea of playing a couple times a week. J.P. Ricciardi has said though that the team can’t wait for Thomas to pick things up. And lets be honest he hasn’t been playing like he should. When the team released him he had 3 home runs, 11 rbis, and was batting .167. He seemed to be on a nice little streak about a week and a half ago so where did that go?
 
This all sounds like I’m hating on the guy. I like Thomas. or the Big Hurt…whatever you want to call him. I had the lucky chance of seeing him hit (if I remember correctly) his 496th or 497th homerun last year against the Twins. That is a memory I will have with me forever.

                                             What A Nice Guy…Good Luck…
But in this division teams like us, the O’s and the Rays, can be destroyed and out of the playoffs early on. Why keep Thomas batting at fifth if he really isn’t doing anything. Sure he might get a hit here or there but is it worth it? The best part about this is that the Jays will more then likely bring up Adam Lind. I’m sure Thomas will find work somewhere else within the league and do ok. So all the best to him.

-Stanton X

That Consistent Feeling Of Inconsistency…

Let me sum up the season so far…
 
Started off the year losing two games and winning one against the Yankees.  This sucked but with the momentum of the final opening day series at Old Yankee Stadium this was a tough hurdle to jump.
 
Then swept the defending World Series Champions in front of the home crowd.  Great boost.
 
…then got swept by a team that most critics had written off for any playoff chance. ugh. 4-5 so far.
 
Then went down to Texas and did the same thing to the Rangers! Woo! Back over 500!
 
Split a series between the O’s who are showing some actual talent this season.
 
Back to T.O against the Rangers in a tiny two game set…and got swept…what…the…hell?
 
So here we sit with a record of 8-8 and fourth in the division.  Coming up tonight the “kind of” struggling Tigers come into town.  This should have been ok with A.J. Burnett pitching but he’s not.  If any of you recall he came in to pitch in the 14th inning on Wednesday and cost us the game.(even though I blame Greg Zaun for not blocking that ball) So he is taking the day off and in comes David Purcey. Don’t know anything about the guy except that it is his major league debut.
 
So all the best to him and the team and I hope they can take at least two games out of this weekend series.  Of course once again I will be working but I’ll try and catch some on my break.
 
-Stanton X

Who The Hell Is Carlson…

Yes it was a tough loss last night but I am pretty sure I predicted it…sorry about that.  It didn’t really help our cause when we use every single relief pitcher we have.  So I don’t blame the game on A.J. Burnett just because of that wild pitch in the 14th. Even though I think it was ruled as a passed ball. O well.  The Jays will bounce back tonight with Roy Halladay on the mound and will snap their four game losing streak at home.
 
Anyways about today’s blog….I always enjoy seeing new faces for the team….except obviously when the player is useless or just plain bad.  So I welcome newcomer Jesse Carlson, who I think is going to be one of the break out guys of the season.  Carlson pitched three extra innings last night and only allowed one hit. Yes I know it was against the Rangers but that is still pretty impressive for a rookie. I’m excited to see where his season/career will be going if he keeps this up.
 
I am slowly starting to dislike Marco Scuturo.  I don’t really have any reason behind this, except for some horrible fielding choices, it’s just that I always seem to have a player on the team whom I hate.  For the longest time it was Eric Hinske.  Now I think I have turned my hatred over to Scutaro. Don’t ask me why. and yes he made an awesome throw to home in yesterday’s game to stop a run…he still sucks.
 
I am going to be able to watch the game tonight finally. Not just pieces of a game or my buddy Mike texting updates whenever someone scores a run. It’s going to be a nice lazy Thursday night.
 
-Stanton X

What A Nice Trip…

4-1…Pretty good road trip. Had that little hiccup on Monday but other then that the trip was pretty successful if I don’t say so myself. And even in that Monday game Alex Rios got his first home run so it wasn’t even that bad.
 
That being said the Jays are back in T.O. tomorrow to start a little set against the Rangers. But it is the Friday game against the Tigers I am most looking forward to. The big event? Pat Hentgen is honoured.  Hentgen was my favourite pitcher as a kid so it’s nice to see him get recognized.
 
Back to tonight’s game…I have noticed in the past that when the Jays have a really good blowout (11-3 against the O’s tonight) that they seem to lose the following game.  I hope they prove me wrong.
 
I have mentioned it before and I will mention it again but I like Shawn Marcum so much better the McGowan.  He pitched another solid game tonight and I think he should have been placed as the third starter.  Also a quick thing on Roy Halladay…not sure where i read it but a saw an article that was saying how Roy should go back to pitching every fourth game.  I like this idea, this would more then likely improve our chances greatly. Unless of course he blew out his arm or something…but I remember that they had tried this a couple of years ago and it seemed to work really well.  Something to look at…
 
Not quite sure but I don’t think I am going to get to watch Wednesday’s game or the next.  School is wrapping up and I am working a bunch so we will see. Jesse Litsch is looking for his third win so all the best to him.
 
-Stanton X

What’s With All The Sweeping…

We swept the Red Sox. Then got swept by Oakland. And now we just swept a team that always seems to have our number in the past. 23 years to be exact. 1985 is that last time the Jays swept the Texas Ranges in Texas.
 
Wow. I wasn’t even born yet.
 
None the less good series and it’s nice to see the Jays back on top.
 
Plus side to this weekend? Vernon Wells has really stepped up. Which is obviously a really good thing. He now leads the team with rbis with 12, so it’s nice to see him playing like he did in ’06. That shoulder problem or whatever it was seems to have disappeared. Also the first save of the season for B.J. Ryan is always great. Too bad though that Brandon League got sent back down to AAA. O well. Hopefully he can work out some kinks and come right back.
 
Down side so far to the season? (other then our familiar inconsistency) Alex Rios is only batting .273 with no home runs and only 5 rbis. Plus he leads the team in strike outs with 14…but also leads in stolen bases with 4. So I guess he just has to read the pitches a bit better and things should snap back in place. He may be a bit distracted with the recent contract negotiations…but hey Hill ain’t doing to bad…
 
So I was hoping that between the A’s and Rangers the team would go 4-2. We got the next best thing and went 3-3. So not so bad. Next is the Baltimore Orioles who we are tied with for first place in the A.L. East division. Just two quick games…neither of which I will get to watch fully…o well. Gotta make money somehow.
 
-Stanton X

Don’t Get Me Wrong…

Not going to watch the game today. Not because I’m upset or anything but because I have to work. That’s a good reason right?
Of course I still love this team and yes they are only 4-5. They can easily bounce back from this sweep. I just get so frustrated with the team and get so down. But I have to carry on with my head held high.
 
Quick note though…if these types of games continue to happen and the season starts to get (somehow) worse, then the Jays really need to rethink the coaching and managing staff. All the pieces for the team are in place and I really think are big issues might lie within management. John Gibbons and J.P. Ricciardi have done reasonably well over the last couple of seasons. Ricciardi has brought in some players that have really boosted this team and have given them a fighting chance. But lately I am on the fence with Gibbons. I like the guy but I think his meter is running out here in Toronto. It has been shown in the past that he has not gotten along with certain players…so who knows what his relationship is with the current team. Do the players respect him? Do they to him for advice and such? Personally I would prefer Ernie Whitt as the boss…but that’s just me.

I Dub Ye Coach Whitt…

…So good luck tonight to Jesse Litsch and the Jays. And I will post a much longer and more in-depth blog later on tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

-Stanton X

Everyone Give Them A Round Of Applause…

Clap. Clap. Clap.
 
Well somehow the Jays managed to be swept by the Oakland A’s.  The worst part is that I can only name two players in their starting lineup…Jack Cust and Bobby Crosby.  The rest are  just a bunch of no names. How did we mess this up? It seemed like only days ago when I was cheering how sweet it was that we swept Boston.  Oh wait…it was only days ago…
 
Well I am going to keep this short due to frustration and lack of sleep.  I don’t know what else to say.  I don’t if there is anything else to say.  But things better change quick.  I had the feeling that after the 9-8 lost on Tuesday, that the offence would keep it up and the pitching would shut it down.  Well for the most part the pitching did their job with little bloops here and there.
 
But the offence? ugh. I have a head ache so I am going to end this. I’ll leave with this…We better dominate the Rangers.  And I mean Dominate.
 
-Stanton X