Mickey Brantley's Mantra - "If we suck, it's because we're hurt"

J.P. Ricciardi finally dropped the dime on Vernon Wells' general suckiness this year, by confirming what Mickey (I'm SO Outta Here) Brantley let slip earlier this week (oops): V-Dub's got shoulder issues.

"It's not so much an injury -- there's just a little tightness in there," Ricciardi said. "He's been playing, and I don't think he would use it as an excuse. He's got a little soreness in his shoulder, but nothing that's stopped him from playing." (mlb.com)

Props go out to Vernon for not rising to the bait ( "No comment. There's no excuses.") But it seems to us that by dropping this info out there, Mickey B might be making a too-little too-late attempt to dog paddle his way out of the deep end. Maybe if he can convince the world that all of the Jays' ineptitude at the plate this year can be attributed to injuries ("Reed! Lyle! Vernon! Glaus! It weren't my fault!"), then he'll be back next year for another kick at the can.

But if we were him, we wouldn't be putting down any roots in T.O..