[ArcticKnight]

Like many Jays fans, I'm frustrated by the way the year has turned out.

This is going to be a rant post, so just skip it if you don't care about the Jays.

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After the way the Jays hit last year, who would have thought that they would be so bad at the plate in 2007? It especially sucks that since the all-star break Toronto's pitching has been the best in several categories in the AL.

Having watched them all year, here are some observations. Feel free to chime in and disagree.

1B. I didn't expext Overbay to put up the same #s as last year, but thought that 290/20Hr/80RBI would be in order. His defence has been off and on. Stairs filled in well at the plate, but not so good defensively.

2B. Hill started out hot offensievely and defensively, but now seems well below ave for a 2nd basemen.

3B. I never did like Glaus. Even when he put up great numbers last year, I still wish we had kept Orlando Hudson and not gotten the slow footed, double-playing hitting, strike-out rally killer Glaus.

DH Thomas. As if one Glaus is not enough, then we get an even slower guy who hits homers or nothing at all (yeh, I know he walks lots, and then he clogs the basepaths!!). He used to have great pitch selection, but every pitcher in the AL seems to know that he will chase the low outside pitch, and with one-arm, pop out to left field. Frank, you are too old to pull homers low and away with one arm, but keep trying.

CF Wells. I want to give Wells a pass and say he is just having an off year. I really hope so. In the last series in Boston Wells was awful defensively - he looked lost on several plays. Offensively he has been a combination of Thomas and Glaus. He chases the low and outside pitch that he can't hit ( as Thomas does) and he chases the high heat that he can't hit (as Glaus does).

NOTE: The Wells, Thomas, Glaus trio has to be the most non-clutch, and least producing power trio in the AL.

Halliday should be calling out the offence...It's pretty bad when Josh Towers does it, but that's another story.

RF Rios. Ironically, he was a big part of the trade rumour mill to add some pitching. He is having a very good year, but still seems to have a "couldn't care less" attitude at times.

SS. MacDonald. Great Glove, Good range. Lots of spirit. Good instincts, but not a major league hitter (even for a SS) and has a weak arm. I can't see him at SS next year.

C. Zaun. I know good cathers are hard to come by, and I think Zaun is only slightly worse than average, but the Jays can't stop any running game (though lots of that has to to with the fact the Jays pitchers don't hold runners well). We could live with Zaun if we got production elsewhere.

LF Johnson. I bit like Macdonald. A husltler, but I doubt he puts up the numbers he did last year on a regular basis.

Pitching - The Pitching staff has been awesome considering the injuries. When you think they have the following to chose from next year:

Halliday
Burnett
Chachin
Marcum
MacGowan
Liske

and the back end of the bullpen will have Jansen, Accardo and Ryan...

The Jays should have strong pitching next year.


So, what would I do between now and next year.

I think the Jays should skake thinks up and look to get some speed in the line-up.

Trade (lol) or buy-out Josh Towers. Or lease him out as the pitcher for the home-run derby at next year's all-star game.

Trade Glaus while there is still some interest.

Get some speed in return for Glaus, and hope that Overbay, Rios, Wells and Thomas can do the producing next year. If getting a good player with speed and production means putting up one of Jansen or Accardo, I think they need to do it. Or, if they can offload Ryan and free up $$, they could look to Jansen and Accardo for the future and invest the Ryan $$ in 3b and or SS help.

Anyway, those are the thoughts from one frustrated Jays fan.
We need help at 3b and SS.

I sum the season up by saying....no-clutch hitting. The Jays could easily be 15 games over 500 now with the pitching they have, and they would not even need to hit like they did last year to do it. They just left too many runners on base in key situations - all season. Period.