I calling it now. Playoff appearance. Toronto Blue Jays.

So this is what our lineup will look like. Vernon is going to go on a nice long cruise in the Carribean in the winter, may sip some Margaritas, crush some golf balls into the sea and forget all his troubles. Downs is going to come back with a vengeance. Rios is going to grow up. All of this coming to a TV near you in 2010.

So who can name next year's playoff bound lineup? I'll get you started:

Scutaro

Hill

Wells

Lind

Rolen

Rios

A firstbaseman

Barajas

Left fielder

Rotation:

Halladay

Marcum

Romero

4th starter

5th starter

It's that simple. Just fill in the blanks. Who do ya want JP to get? Who's feasible?

All I know is that Overbay needs to go, we need a left fielder and we need someone to step up as fourth starter.

I would be thinking what the hell do I have to do to get a win on this damn ball team? It has got to be so frustrating to give it your all in heat like that and not have your team get a hit until the 7th inning. Sportnets kept saying Roy wasn't great today, it wasn't Roy's best outing. Give me a break. The guy can't be expected to get all his wins giving up only one or two runs. The guy just pitched 7 innings, gave up 3 runs, NO WALKS and 11 hits and some of those hits were bloopers or infield hits. I think there were about four balls hit hard all day. And what bothers me more is the following:

In 2008, Halladay pitched 5 games where he gave up 3 or less earned runs in 7 or more innings and either lost or got a no decision.

In 2007, it was 6 games.

In 2006, it was 5 games.

This year: It has been 6 games already and certainly more to come!!!!

I would love to know what is going through his mind when he sits on that bench after he's done in the 8th and he could have been playing for the Phillies who probably would have found a way to win that game, but here he remains surrounded by guys who can't get up the energy to get him a few runs off a relative no-name pitcher.

The offense is anemic.

That's at least 22 games more games Roy probably would have won if he was playing for a better team.  The guy is too nice to think that way, but after this many quality starts with a no decision or a loss, it absolutely has to cross his mind. He is too polite. I think it's time Halladay tore a strip off this organization and called a few players out onto the carpet. Something like: "You know I would consider signing long term with the Jays if some of the higher paid players would perform a bit better and if Rogers would pony up some cash to bring in some quality players." Instead he says, "I want to wait and make a decision without having to predict the future". Hell yeah you have to predict the future because you are playing with the likes of Vernon Wells who we can't trust and is very unpredictable and who sucks up a very large part of the budget, an owner who isn't sure if they are raising the payroll or reducing it from year to year, a GM who doesn't know what kind of budget he'll have to work with and whether he should be rebuilding indefinitely, building around Halladay for 2010 or building around Lind and Hill for 2013, another guy named Rios who just doesn't seem to care sometimes, and a whole bunch of pitchers who seem to be hurt or are playing their first year in the majors, a manager who has no idea what lineup to use because the only thing that is consistent is the inconsistency. You call this a team? I call it a three-ring circus with only one act and he's bloody annoyed.

Trade em' all JP, you'll never find a bigger bunch of losers! (except in Washington)

Halladay has to be sick and tired of the almost complete game eventual loss.

JP, it's simple.

Players to be traded in no particular order:

Wells

Rios

Rolen

Downs

Scutaro

Overbay

Players to release or send down:

Inglett

Johnny Mac

Players to build around:

Halladay

Lind

Hill

Make it happen JP. Even if we need to pony up the cash for the horse that takes Wells and Rios far away from Toronto. Good riddance, hope you had the time of your life.

I was curious so I looked it up, the Jays are slowly getting to the top of the list, although it will take a miracle to actually get there as there are at least two teams Pittsburgh and Washington that seem further off right now. KC might actually end that drought sooner than the Jays. Are we ready to push this thing to 20 years? It's getting to be like when will the Stanley Cup come back to Canada. What will happen first, Stanley Cup back to Canada or Jays make the playoffs? Perhaps Jim Balsillie will buy the Jays.

1) BJ Ryan needs to go away. Check. Done. See ya!

2) Vernon needs to be asked if he will re-negotiate his contract to keep Halladay here. Maybe spread out the payments over 121 years.

3) Halladay needs to be signed.

4) Rios needs a trip to AAA to fix his swing

5) League needs a trip to single A to start over

6) Whoever is responsible for all the injuries to pitchers needs to be fired. Arnsberg perhaps or the trainer?

7) JP Ricciardi needs to be fired. Long overdue in my opinion.

8) Cito needs to be fired unfortunately.

9) Arnsberg needs to be fired.

10) Tallet needs to get back in the pen.

11) We need another starter or two for next year somehow. The focus should be on that as I believe the hitting will be there. Shore up the pitching now.

Basically, we can be super competitive in 2010. We just can't ship everyone out now or we won't have a chance for another five years. It's 2010 or it's 2014. Take your pick.

Well...I did some analysis:

This year he has as of June 12 he has 5 HR, 28 RBI, 10 SB, .254 BA

Last year (2008) at this time (June 12) Wells had 7 HRs, 26 RBIs, 1 SB and .289 BA.

In 2007 at this time  he had 5 HRs,  30 RBIs,  5 SB, .247 BA. (ended with 16 HRs, 80 RBIs, 10 SBs, .245 BA)

In 2006 at this time  he had 13 HRs, 49 RBIs, 6 SB .324 BA  (ended up with 32 HRs and 106 RBIs)

IN 2005 he had 13 HRs, 32 RBIs, 2 SB, .250 BA (ended up with 28 HRs and 96 RBIs)

I am predicting Vernon ends the year with no more than 20 HRs, 80 RBIs, a .260 BA. Unfortunately that seems to be what history tells us. Hope I am wrong!

I would say Vernon is not a second half player necessarily. However, I think we are seeing the real Vernon here and that is scary. I would have to say his contract was a collosal waste of money. He has not played to the level of his contract since 2006. He signed the contract at the end of 2007 which wasn't even a great year for him.

He is not a #4 hitter. At least he hasn't been one since pre 2007. Maybe the potential is still there. He is 31 years old though and maybe past his prime. Hate to say it because we are depending on this guy.

Glavine was cut by the Braves today. Perhaps the Jays should pick him up. Maybe another veteran arm would help these young guys and give some stability to the rotation. Although he's past his prime, I would think he could still throw some innings and give us a chance to win some games. Or we stick with the young guys this year and hope for the best. I am not sure what you would have to pay Glavine to get him though as the Braves were going to have to pay him a bonus of 1 million if put on the roster. That's probably why they cut him. That and he's old.

I like to think that Halladay will play his entire career with the Jays and then be inducted to the hall of fame. I may be dreaming but I like to hope he will look past the money and sign another contract with the Jays.

However, the point of this post is to discuss whether Halladay will win 300 games if he stays healthy.

Some interesting stats:

Halladay has 65 no decisions in his career

32 of them were blown saves by the bullpen.

He could have 172 victories by now but he does have 140.

He needs 160 more. At 16 a year he would have to pitch 10 more years. He is 32 this month.

I figure he will have to pitch until he's at least 42 years old.

If he gets to 280 or 290 he'll be close to making the hall of fame but 300 would guarantee.

I would like to see the Jays sign Halladay to a 10 year - 250 million contract. In 10 years, it will probably look cheap.

Go Randy Johnson! Gotta cheer on those former Expos.

After every game this year I have been saying that the next game is really important. I can't remember saying that for many years. It just seems that because we seem to have a chance this year that this thing is going to go down to the wire. This is a really tough division and if things keep up this way and with the unbalanced schedule (hate it!), the wild card may not come from the East. You may have four teams competing for the AL East pennant with no spoils to the losers.

Seems to me that a sweep of the Sox would set a great course for June.

We may also be nearing a point where Litsch comes back into the fold. I would say Richmond will be out.

Halladay

Janssen

Tallet

Romero

Litsch

Not a bad way to go into July...

Tallet has been the most impressive Blue Jay this year. I watched him in AAA in Ottawa and he was impressive back with Cleveland. He just never broke through. Maybe this is the real Tallet. Maybe on Flashback Friday he'll break out those sailor pants he wore when he first came up. Anyone have a picture of that?

Dear JP,

In 1997 we were rebuilding for 2001. Around 2001 you arrived and we rebuilt for 2003. In 2003 we rebuilt for 2005. In 2005 we rebuilt for 2008. In 2008 I was told we were almost there. In 2009 we got no one new and was told that 2010 would be a fantastic year. It's almost been a decade JP. Where's my pennant? I religiously watch or listen to every game. I am loyal. I rarely bad mouth vernon more than four times a night. I never get mad at Rios on his days off. I put up with 1.9 million dollar contracts to a guy who doesn't play. I suffer through guys with initials for their first name including yours truly. I sit quietly while Cito sits quietly hoping he knows something I don't. I pray the dome leaks for four days in between Halladay starts. I have done everything right and you reward me with a 9 game losing streak, capped by an epic meltdown that robbed Sir Leroy of yet another win. Right now Leroy is bashing his head against the door to the hall of fame. The door is shut with 161 locks and unfortunately you lost most of the keys or gave them to guys named Vernon, Cito and BJ and they lost them on your behalf.

Sincerely,

BTBJF ( I have initials. Can I get paid? I'll promptly injure myself.)

I've been trying to figure out the longest losing streak for a team that has made it to the playoffs and also the longest losing streak for a team that made it to the World series. I have come up empty in my search so far. I am curious to know if a team has ever had a 7 game losing streak and gone on to win the World Series. This is not to be negative but I just want to know if there is still hope or perhaps hope of breaking the longest losing streak record for a team that made the playoffs.

Hits the ball out of the infield. He actually did it. He hit a fly ball to centre field.

Rios and Wells are a travesty. $180 million dollars. Can you believe they make that much money to do squat? Watch the Bosox highlights and Youkilis gets RBIs with runners on second and third. Now there's a real ball player.

These guys make too much money, have no incentive, give no spark to the team and right now are a big massive black hole in the middle of the lineup. The rest of the guys are getting on, trying to get runs in and these bums are just automatic outs.

Rios is hitting off his back foot. He is generating no power. Wells is just mentally out of it. I have no faith that either will get a hit and they don't. Brutal. People are allowed to fail. People that make $180 million combined are not allowed to be average over a lengthy period of time.

When is Cito going to get the message that these guys are useless.

There was actually a Jays' bunt in the game. A bunt! Well, it was interleague and the pitcher was up.

So I listened to the game while I did some stuff around the house and so I didn't actually see the Atlanta pitcher in action. Was he actually good or are the Jays just not hitting. They didn't hit in Boston and so I can't believe that the other pitcher was to blame for them not scoring any runs. It's strange to me how an entire team can go into a slump at the same time. Perhaps it's because the opposing pitcher isn't forced into the stretch much because no one is getting on. There must be a mental aspect to it though that transcends the team.

I am seriously thinking that Wells has to snap out of this soon. I am pretty sure there is a winning streak in the offing here somewhere. Baltimore beware! I am saying it now, Jays win five in a row.

I think they should have realigned the rotation before the Boston series. Halladay could have pitched Tuesday against Boston and skipped the Sunday game. I know they like to keep him on consistent rest but he really didn't need to pitch against the White Sox and for just this once it gets us better aligned for the next month. Sometimes I think they should do things out of the ordinary to get our best against the best teams. That being said, Casey Stengel did that in the 1950's with Whitey Ford. He saved him for the best teams. But Ford only pitched 33 games that year. Under Houk the next year he started 39 games on regular rest and won 25 games.

We need something out of this road trip so:

1. Send down Ray, call up Janssen.

2. Get a win from Halladay tomorrow

3. Move VW in the lineup. Please. Just try it even just for one game. Just a kick in the butt so to speak. We know you have it in you Cito. Yeah he got some hits, but not with RISP. It's mental. That's all it is. He sees those runners and says I must cash them because I am paid 125 million to do that and then he doesn't. 

We are still in first place!

What about Millar full time?

 With Overbay tanking, can we afford the loss in defence and put a psyched up Millar in full time. I think so. This is a character guy and a sparkplug. I remember when the Jays brought in Mookie. He got them going back in the day. I say give this man a chance and get him in that lineup.

I have looked at the righty lefty numbers but I still think it's worth a shot. At least light a firecracker under overbay.

I think we might be able to get Vernon going with a little bit of incentive. Why not drop him to 5th and move Lind up. Give Lind some more protection. Maybe even move Rios to second and Hill to third to give Hill and Rios protection. Hill seems to be able to convert the RBI opportunities as does Lind. Shake things up a bit just to see.

Scutaro

Rios

Hill

Lind

Wells

Rolen

Barajas

Overbay

Snider

I have followed the Jays religiously, even insofar as going to 32 games at Skydome in 1997, probably the worst year ever. I have the scorebooks as proof. The only bright spot was Roger Clemens and he cheated. That was the year Shawn Green made his debut and was sent back down to make room for Ruben Sierra of all people. Green quickly re-emerged after about 12 days if I recall and never went back.

I must say this year is extremely fun. What makes it fun is the solid pitching and the fact that the pitchers are going deep into games. So deep that the already great bullpen is always rested and also that I feel with the strong offense we can come back if we are close. I must say I haven't really felt this way for an extended period of time since 1993. There was a year when Tony Fernandez rejoined the team and they were making a run and there was a couple months of this, but this has to be the first time since 1993 that I really have that positive feeling when the Jays are up to the plate.

I think that there are some games this year the Jays wouldn't have won last year. Beating up on the worst teams in the league is important and they did it this weekend. I think there were a couple games in the Chisox series that they don't win last year. I think that's what confidence does for you.

Keep it going boys. I am going to enjoy the ride.

I still don't get why he didn't pinch hit for MacDonald. Surely someone could have played 2B for two innings. Hill may have been slightly injured but if Hill can go to second and they lose the DH spot the pitcher can be pinch hit for and may not even get up in the game again. I don't get it. Cito had Lind on the bench and chose to go with Johnny Mac in the most critical AB of the game.

Today's game is one they may not have won last year when the bats were silent.