What's Wrong with Adam?

As this teams recent offensive struggles have shown on this road trip, wins can be hard to find for the 2010 Jays.

Where they just a tease? Are we now seeing the real Jays?

I don't think by any means that the Jays are as bad as they have looked on this road trip. There pitchers are getting hit (but even Doc gets hit), and there streaking hitters are slowly cooling off.

Really, I could care less about the wins and losses. After all, we are supposed to be rebuilding this year! Last place happens. Thank God we have the Orioles in our division though. They make any rebuilding process look easy.

But the the hell is up with Aaron Hill and Adam Lind? Could you imagine our team when our number 2 and 3 hitter are actually hitting? When was the last time Adam Lind had a good game?

JoBau said the other day in a pregame, that AA needed to add another piece, and they would be contenders. Well, no Jose, what you need is to figure out what the fuck is up with Lind's swing.

Aaron has been showing signs of life lately, and is coming back after injury - we can all respect that.

But what does Lind have to say? Not much.

Lind is on pace to crush his KO total from 2009. 110 in 2009, and he is on pace for 162. Yikes.

It isn't only he swings and misses, he looks silly at the plate much of the time, he rarely hits the ball with authority anymore.

When Adam started the year well, V-Dub was able to tear it up after him, with Gonzo, Buck, and JoBau behind him for protection, but with the slumping Lewis, Hill and Lind in front of him he has lost any protection.

Draft Update

I know we probably all know this already, but here is the breakdown of the Blue Jays 2010 Draft courtesy of Jordan Bastion.

First round:

No. 11

Comp round A:

No. 34 (Marco Scutaro free agent compensation)
No. 38 (James Paxton unsigned in 2009)
No. 41 (Rod Barajas free agent compensation)

Second round:

No. 61
No. 69 (Jake Eliopoulos unsigned in 2009)
No. 80 (Scutaro free agent compensation)

Third round:

No. 93

Comp round B:

No. 113 (Jake Barrett unsigned in 2009)

Fourth round:

No. 126

MLBTR Name Drops

MLBTR has reported Karston Whitson as a possible Jays pick (reporting him to possibly go 11th overall to the Jays).

Whitson is a "6-foot-4, 195 lb. frame that scouts can dream on, but unlike most other prep pitchers, he also offers command and poise beyond his years."

He will be fresh out of high school, and scouts have him ranked as high as 5th best player, and as low as 15th. He features a fastball in the "91-96 mph range, and also features a swing-and-miss slider, an average changeup and good command," however it is "Whitson's mound presence and polish that really separates him from the pack."

Here is some video of Mr. Whitson.

Update

Interestingly enough, MLB.com's mock draft of round one did not have Whitson going, and instead the Jays are taking Josh Sale, who plays okay right field, and who has better bat speed than Snider did at that age.

Jays Lose Series to Rays

Marcum Let Down By Hitters


Marcum pitched one hell of a game tonight, getting himself out of jam after jam. Marcum really is one of the nicer Jays pitchers to watch because he is really good (obviously), but he gets himself into the occasional jam, and busts his ass to get himself out of that jam.

For that he is my POG, despite surrendering 4 ER over 8.1.

It would have been nice to see Marcum go the distance and pick up the win, but tonight was one of those nights where the offense just couldn't really get anything going, and couldn't take Price deep.

Oh well, bring on them Yankees!

Gaston Defends His Crossing Guard

Cito Gaston defended his use of Kevin Gregg despite Gregg acting more of a school crossing guard than a MLB closer.

Cito Gaston had this to say:

I know people are giving me a lot of [grief] for leaving him out there. But if they want to come out of the stands and pitch, I'd be happy for them. Anybody wants to show up and pitch, come on.

Cito, I do understand you simply want to say you have your pitcher's back, and he's a veteran and he'll pull throw all this but... that's how you say it?!?!

Those shades and that mustache make you look like one smooth mo-fo, but I think we all agree you are no smooth-talker.

For the record, Gregg is 14 for 17 in saves - Rafael Soriano, the closer for the Rays the TV informed me today is 16 for 16, and that is one a several reasons the Rays are in first, and the Jays are not, despite having an offense scoring runs and starting pitchers who are performing excellently.

Thank you Kevin Gregg, thank you.

Blow A Save Once, Shame On You, Blow a Save Twice (3,4,5...), Shame On Me

Well there goes the draft picks...


The potential draft picks that we could have received for trading the AL leader in saves are seemingly disappearing faster a Brandon Morrow heater.

Gregg started amazing, turned mediocre, then to scary, and now to complete donkey-fucker. 0.2 innings in a two run game and he walks fucking FIVE BATTERS?!

If we weren't in the situation we are, I would maybe be okay with riding it out for awhile longer. But, we still find ourselves in the mix, and while I'm not saying trade for a legit closer, a move has to be made.

Use Downs. Use Frasor. Use the bat boy. Just do not use Gregg.

As I mentioned I do not think the Jays should trade to make the push that MLBTR suggested (see below article), however I am not really one to believe in rolling over. While still in the hunt, even if it's for second place in the AL East and bragging rights, the Jays have to put the best team possible out on the field right now.

This may be tough for Cito, because as we know he likes to let it ride, when dealing with veteran slumps.

As always, only time will tell. If in September we sit 3 games out of the WC, these blown saves will be re-opened wounds.

Tonight's POG is Fred Lewis for scoring three runs while going 3 for 5 with a HR.

Gonzo Saves the Game for Gregg

Kevin Gregg decided to make things interesting tonight, but the Jays managed to prevail, beating Tampa Bay 3-2, in a big part by Gonzo's heads-up play to get Longoria at the plate.

This next stretch of games are important for the Jays and Jays fans. With games against the Yankees and the Rays at both home and on the road, the Jays will let the MLB know just how "for real" they are, and will allow Jays fans to adjust any potential hope for this season.

So far this season, the Jays have not fared well against TB, or Boston, but so far in this stretch, so good.

Tonight's Player of the Game is Aaron Hill for going 3 for 4, with 1 run, 1 RBI and was one of only two batters with no LOB. This was nice to see for Aaron, hopefully he can start swinging the bat a little better.

The Jays only 3.5 game out of first place, and 9 games above .500 after 53 games, which is is almost one-third of the MLB season, and I wish I know what to think about expectations for this season.

Hechavarria Starts Road to the Jays

Adeiny Hechavarria, our new Cuban shortstop of the future, is off to a decent start for Class A Dunedin. So far his line after 18 games reads: .278 AVG, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 10 R, 2 SB, 11 SO, 1 BB, and a OBP of .288.

Perhaps not quite the start some were hoping for, but one has to greatly appreciate being in a new country, not to mention learning a new language, being away from his family, and playing against Americans (mostly). His complete season stats are here.

Bob Elliot wrote this on him. Bob Elliot is a complete retard, and I basically take nothing he personally has to say, I do value his sources of scouts and what they have to say. Seemingly, Hechavarria will be a strong Tony F., who will most definitely play a solid shortstop.

Jays Complete Sweep of Brutal Orioles

Jays 5, Orioles 0 - POG is Marcum
Jays 5, Orioles 2 - POG is Cecil
Jays 6, Orioles 1 - POG is Romero

Sorry about not writing much... weekend and I've been sick.

Blue Jays Are Buyers?

I love MLBTR.

For those of you who don't read it religiously, you should.

But this is a little absurd.

MLBTR lists the Jays as SP buyers this season, presumably for the post-season push.

I won't pretend to know as much about rebuilding as perhaps some, but I'm not sure the rebuilding process includes stocking up on veteran pitching at the first sings of a plus .500 team.

In fact, I'm pretty sure that's about the worst thing you can do.

I'm all for the Jays being competitive this year, and if they make the playoffs?! Fucking sweet!!!

But, being realistic, I know that to throw away our stockpiled draft picks for one year Roy Oswalt is pretty fucking dumb.

This year we will ride out whatever the team we have now happens to do.

So MLBTR, on behalf of Blue Jays nations, please remove us from the list of buyers.

The list of MLBTR SP sellers, is here.