Series Preview Jays v Orioles.

Series Preview. Toronto v Baltimore. Monday July 21, 2008.

The battle for last spot in division East, NO, it is far more than that. Jays have been hovering around .500 for the last month, this is a chance this week to not only reach it but leave it way behind and climb. They have the opportunity, they have the impetus, and some of the quiet bats are making some noises finally.
They swept Baltimore two weeks ago and a four game sweep here would be perfect and it is not implausible. Toronto has won five of eight against Baltimore so far this season. But then again the biggest problem with this team is lack of consistency. Since May they have struggled to get it together. They have the players even without Vernon and Aaron who looks as if he is gone at minimum for the season.

The good signs first: Pitching as ever and Marcum back tomorrow will make huge difference, both Halladay and Burnett pitched well enough to win in St. Petersburg. Jesse Litsch is certainly overdue now and you know he will busting everything to leave it all out there as the cliché goes.

Hitting: Rios 3-5 yesterday and the multi-base hits and is 15-of-43 for a .349 average in the last ten games. Scutaro, Inglett and Lind continuing to shine consistently. The best news is that both Overbay and Rolen are waking up. String it together, add in Barajas to strengthen the bats in the middle and there is lots of reason for hope with this team.

Fielding:
The downside: Double play balls and runners in scoring position. The new coaching staff have to find a way to reduce this and fast. There has been very minimal if any improvement in the double play situation. Two in first two innings yesterday. The statistics show improvement with runners in scoring position but watching yesterday’s game I am sure other fans doubt that. Several innings Jays came up empty, they are getting runners on but that’s it.
One good note was that Joe Inglett didn’t wait to get caught yesterday and took off stealing, perhaps add some Rays aggression on the bases is one answer.
It would surely make Jays a more entertaining team to watch. As one correspondent puts it they have to be THE most boring team to watch right now and it is hard to disagree. Just watch the Rays to see an entertaining young aggressive team, if they were the home team at Rogers Centre it would add 10,000 to the average crowd. And Maddon has had this team going like that since Day 1 of Spring training and that is one huge difference between Toronto and Tampa this season. Cito and staff have to be far more serious about the Spring in 2009.

Tonight Jesse Litsch (8-6) is 1-5 in his last eight starts, giving up 35 runs during the last eight games. Radhames Liz (3-2), has lost his last two starts, giving up 12 runs in less than six innings overall in the two losses, walking eight batters. Liz has pitched against the Jays allowing two runs in five innings in a no-decision on June 8.

Baltimore has 10 losses in last 14 games.