The Troubles of Randy Ruiz

When Randy Ruiz broke Spring Training with the team, I rejoiced, as many other Jays fans did.

Today, I stand here a broken man, almost begging for a demotion for Ruiz to AAA.

Ruiz came north with the team as a 33 year old, the first time he had ever broken Spring Training with a MLB job - I spare you the rest as I'm sure you have heard it before.

After the chains of Minor League ball were removed from Randy, and he finally thought he would get some serious time at the Major League level, Cito Gaston happened.

Ruiz knew he would be a bench player. But who knows, maybe an injury here, or an under-achiever there and he could take the job, and flourish. Enter Loverbay. Overbay is still struggling to find his bat, and his defense has not been as stellar as it should be.

And still, Ruiz rides the pine.

Ruiz is a slugger through and through. Sluggers don't ride the pine, especially not those that can DH and stand at first base.

Ruiz is not succeeding with the Jays because he doesn't get enough playing time, and is moved around in the lineup more than V-Dub last year.

So, AA, please. Send him down to AAA. Let him swing there, get his timing, rack up the numbers we all know hes capable of, and trade him. Trade him to someone who can use him. Someone who can use him full time, and let him get one season of 30 HR season before he is too old to swing. God knows he has nothing left to prove at the AAA level, but any numbers he gets there will look better than what he has now.

Randy, my heart truly feels for you. You manage to make the team, Overbay still struggles, and yet you still don't play.

I sincerely hope you get a full time chance in the Majors, but I feel that time will never come with Cito at the helm.

Minnesota Split

Marcum and Wells take the POGs for these two games. One was awesome, one was shit.