No-no Alert

Five days after he was absolutely awful. I dumped him in the NIAFL. Whoops. At least I kept him in the AL-only league.

 

Come on Huggy. McGowan's performance today. Halladay's back. BJ Ryan comes of the DL this week (or is it next week?). Thomas is hitting (better anyway). Hill is playing gold-glove D at second and isn't hitting too badly either. Stairs is on fire.

And, they are just six games out of a playoff spot and the all-star break isn't here yet.

But, yes, Towers sucks and hitters may have figured out Marcum and Janssen.

 

Dave Stieb laughs at Dustin McGowan.

 

And don't forgot Thomas got homer 499 in the Jays game.

BTW, the CBC broadcast crew of Jim Hughson (great baseball announcer) and Rance Mulliniks and for the first time Jesse Barfield doing the colour was absolutely great.

Despite three of them in the booth, I never got the feeling that they were competing for air time or trying to be smarter than the other guy.

Jesse Barfield is a natural.

 

Maybe it was his poofed up, Medillin-cartel hair style, but Jesse Barfield always struck me as someone who could have been the victim in the chainsaw scene of Scarface if baseball hadn't worked out for him.

Had a gun for an arm though.

 

Both days were great on CBC, eh?

 

Ryan's done for the year with Tommy John surgery. Perhaps you're thinking of my man Reed Johnson who has been sorely missed both at the plate and in the field or Lyle Overbay. Or A.J. Burnett. All three should be back soon.

The back end of the rotation is shit and as good as Accardo has been I'm not totally sold on him as a closer. Frasor scares me everytime he goes out there.

I don't expect Stairs to keep hitting like this although it looks like Thomas and Wells might be turning the corner. Glaus has been terrific all year as has Hill. But there's still a big mountain to climb.

 

Yeah, sorry Huggy. I got my AJ and BJ confused.

I think Johnson is over rated, and I think he's sort of a cancer in the clubhouse. Obviously, I can't prove that, but he just strikes me that way. I think a lot of last year's turmoil had to do with him, too.

If, AJ, Halladay and McGowan can keep this up - and Marcum hasn't been awful as a starter - I feel okay.

I hope Janssen just had a hiccup and that JP makes a deal for a middle reliever - something he should have done in the off-season, but didn't.

As for Stairs, I do expect him to keep it up. I don't know why, but I do. He just seems comfy in there, is seeing decent pitches now that some players around him are hitting better.

 

Same here. Although you forgot Park. Fenway Park.

 

Good God.

A Jesse Barfield reference.........what..........where's Lloyd Moseby and George Bell?

You can't have one without the three.

 

Johnson's no world-beater but his speed and on-base ability make him a huge asset at the top of the order, something the Jays have really missed with him out. He's a damn good outfielder too. Don't know what kind of guy he is in the room but I think if he'd been in the middle of all that bullshit last year they would have got rid of him, found a way to keep Catalanotto and platooned him with Adam Lind.

I like Janssen but you're right, middle relief is nothing special with guys like Tallet and Downs and this is an area that has to be upgraded.

Don't know about Burnett. Awesome stuff when he's on but you gotta wonder where his head's at sometimes. Jeff Blair ripped him one for taking part in the hot pepper race at the 'Dome a day or so before he went on the DL. He didn't think that's something a guy like Halladay would ever do. Have to agree with that.

 

This McGowan fellow has some serious stuff. 98 MPH fastball and the 92 mph 2 seamer, sinker. I saw he broke at least 4 bats yesterday.