Series Preview. Jays v Rangers in Texas

Toronto v Texas Series Preview. Friday August 1, 2008.

Jays on the road for three. Marcum (5-5, 3.22 ERA) pitching facing Hunter a rookie pitcher tonight. Jays usually have major trouble with rookies so this may be ugly again tonight. Tommy Hunter (11-8 with a 3.56 ERA) in the minors, including 2-2 with a 3.24 ERA in five starts for Triple-A Oklahoma.

Marcum himself has not been pitching lights out recently either so this game can go either way tonight.

After another terrible and avoidable loss in Toronto against the Rays with hitters unable to bring a guy in from third with no outs ??? Jays hitters can only go uphill here. Cito and the new coaching staff have had little success in changing this pitiful hitting. More importantly May represents the only month when this team showed some of its potential going 20-10 with Gibbons as Manager.
So, has Cito and the other changes been all smoke and mirrors and little substance? Certainly very little to show for it despite the statistics.

Lind may be one of Cito’s best achievements and it is clear that Adam gives full credit to him for this. But that is it as far as results go. No other hitter has overachieved, and certialy no one has overachieved since Cito and stfaff joined the club..
Yes this team is not the team JP put together coming out of Spring training. The heart of the batting order in four and five and six spots Wells, Thomas and Rolen is not playing. Wells and Rolen injured and Thomas has gone. Even when Vernon returns to the lineup it will take time for him to get his swing back and basically the rest of this season may be a write off for Vernon. Rolen who knows but he may also be gone for the season and you can believe that Jays management will shut him down fast as soon as it clear that this team is not competing for a play-ff position.

Of the others Overbay ? missing in action half the time and the rest of the hitters unable to hit consistently to bother any opposition.
The good for this season has been the pitching throughout with a couple of exceptions but generally strong overall and has kept the Jays in a game long after the bats gave up. They will certainly need to continue this strength in Texas against one of THE strongest hitting teams in the league.

What they are saying:
Cito on the hitting: "We had a chance (against the Rays) but once again it's the same old thing that's been going on here all year, guys on third base and we can't get them in with less than two outs,"

Jon Daniels Texas GM on Hunter: "We feel Tommy gives us the best chance to win. He's young, but he's mature, and has a feel beyond his experience level. He deserves this opportunity."

Marcum on his pitching: "If I locate my fastball, then everything else falls into place. It's just one of those things. I don't know what it is right now. I've just got to figure it out."