Series Preview Orioles v Jays

Series Preview Orioles v Jays.

Another (what’s new?) important homestand for the Jays. Orioles and Yankees. Every Jays fan know they have the ability to go 6-0 on this homestand before All-Star break but also more likely to go 2-4.

Where is the gap between Jays potential and reality? Hitting,hitting and more hitting. They were .208 with runners in scoring position on the road trip. Jays record 0-34 this season when they trail after seven innings.
Jays are the only team in the League without a player who has reached double digits in home runs. Vernon with nine which places him in a tie for 42nd place in the league.

Jays can make up some valuable ground by sweeping the Orioles but will probably win series and stand still. Baltimore (44-43) and Jays (42-47). Team ERA at 3.63 even after giving up 31 runs in the last five game.

Jays bats that have been hot ? Alex for one game, Vernon for one game, Overbay and Rolen still scratching and maddeningly inconsistent. Joe Inglett has been great (positive) surprise as has Lind and Scutaro, there is a consistent factor on all three they are hungry and fighting to stay in the lineup.
Back to the major issue there is no consequence for the big guys when they fail to hit, no benching or sent to the minors and strictly for business reasons not technical support for poor execution at bat.

Oriloes coming off a 3-4 homestand and losing last two to Texas may be starting to wilt and perfect time for Jays to put the boot in with a sweep.

What are they saying ? Wells: "We still have to play the teams that are ahead of us in our division. We'll take it one game and one team at a time. We'll worry about who's in front of us right now, and that's Baltimore."
Baltimore manager Dave Trembley: "I don't want everything that's accomplished here, people to be happy and settled and feel good about all that stuff because there's so much more to the season yet that I don't think you can rest or live on what you've done," Cito on the road trip: "You just have to keep pushing. We'll take the day off, see if we can regroup for Baltimore and New York coming in."
Cito re returning as Manager in 2009 " Absolutely. I'd like to start out from the beginning, spring training. At least, that way, I could know all the pitchers' names. I think that would make them feel a little better, too." (I hope he was joking)

Me: Every game is important, every at bat, every pitch, every throw, we are going to bust our **** to win this game, the next and the one after that, we are going to leave every ounce of energy on that field tonight." (dream on)

Tonight McGowan (6-7, 4.36 ERA) Cabrera (6-4, 4.34 ERA)