Double misery

We probably spent about five hours yesterday listening to portions of the Jays doubleheader against the Rangers. And somewhere in the middle innings of the second game, we tore the ear buds out, turned off the radio and took the rest of the night off.

We needed to find something more cheerful to do with our life, so we flipped through the PVR and found an episode of Intervention to watch, because observing teenagers destroy their lives before the cameras is really a pick-me-up after that much time spent with the Blue Jays.

We keep telling ourselves that we're going to miss baseball in a month's time, and that we're going to be sad once the season is over. But at this rate, with 75 wins turning into a lofty target, we just want to get to the off season and see this organization make some sort of effort to right itself.

They just need to sort everything out: Sort out the presidency. Sort out the front office. Sort out the on-field staff. Sort out the roster.

Sort all that out, and give us a reason to believe that 2010 isn't going to be a season-long march towards mediocrity.

A second thought or two on September callups
It might have been a bit unfair to rip on yesterday's callups in the manner that we did. We didn't realize that the minor league season had another full week to it, so it is possible that the Jays will eventually find room for a few more bodies on the active roster after this weekend.

Let's hope so.

Also, we should note that we're happy to see Dirk Hayhurst get the call. He pitched well while he was here, even though Cito generally used him only sporadically and in blowouts. We'd like to see him back as a bullpen arm next year. Our frustration comes from seeing the return of the marginal pitching stylings of Brian Wolfe, and the insistence that this team has in believing in magical voodoo of Joe Inglett.

We've grown incredibly tired of Inglett and his spunkiness, and we don't believe as many do that he's some sort of José Oquendo Utility Dude. In our view, Inglett's a second baseman and nothing else. He is more than willing to grab a mitt and play anywhere on the diamond, but he's not suited to play anywhere but second. And we've already got a perfectly capable second sacker.

The long, slow, miserable march towards mediocrity

If you can dig way back into your memories, you may remember that on May 19, the Blue Jays sat atop the AL East by three and a half games. At lot has happened in the intervening three months, and not much of it has been all that pleasing to watch.

Since then, the Jays have gone 28-49. That's 21 games below .500. And just for the sake of reference, the hapless Washington Nationals over the same period of time have gone 31-51.

Let that roll around in your head for just a moment: The Jays are one game worse than the Nats over the past three months.

In the early part of the season, the Jays were knocking the seams off the ball, with a team OPS of .821 (.358 OBP, .463 SLG). In those halcyon days of Spring, the pitching staff put up a 3.58 ERA, with a WHIP around 1.25.

But as the season wore on, injuries piled up, and the magic of Cito and his new/retro staff began to wear off, it all went pear-shaped. The pitchers posted an ERA of 4.43 from May 19 on, and the offense sputtered, mustering only a .734 OPS (.316 OBP, .418 SLG).

It's depressing to look at that drop off, and to see that the preponderance of evidence suggests that this team is not close to regaining their footing in the AL East and reawakening dreams of pennant races. Moreover, what all of those numbers can't quite convey is just what a gong show the past few months have been, bookended by two three-game sweeps at the hands of the Red Sox.

(And really, doesn't Bret Cecil's brain cramp last night pretty much encapsulate, in one surreal moment, what the past few months have been like?)

It's important that we not lose sight of the good things that this team has going for it, and the bright spots that we can forsee on next year's roster and beyond. We'll be there throughout the off-season with our pom-poms, leading the cheers.

But it is equally important that we not overlook what an absolute shit-show the majority of this season has been, and that we not allow ourselves to get so comfortable that we give some of those responsible for it a free pass and a second chance to shitty up the next season or two.

Fire Cito. Fire J.P.. Let's move on.

A time to cheer, a time to mourn the end of the year

It was a weird confluence of events last night. Before the game, cheerful legendary happy healthy younger-than-his-age Cito Gaston essentially told the press that this season was over ("Maybe come up with a couple more players and this is going to be a good contending ball club next year.") Next year...bloody next year already, and it isn't even the All-Star Break.

J.P. Ricciardi followed up, and if he didn't throw in the towel ("Now does that mean we're going to be a playoff team? No, the chances are probably not good that way...") then he certainly has the towel in his hands waving it over his head.

And then, smack in the middle of this season of misery, there was the visceral thrill of a Jays walkoff victory after Orioles shortstop Freddie Bynum allowed a hard hit Scott Rolen ground through his wickets with Alex Rios on third...O! Victory!

And yet, somewhere in the middle of the game, Dustin McGowan walked off the mound with a sore shoulder that needs to be examined via MRI, right at about the same time that the Chicago (Eat! Breathe! Live! Baseball!) Cubs knocked down the next domino in the trade puzzle by acquiring Rich Harden et al. from Oakland.

So, given those two events, is it hello to A.J. or goodbye A.J.?

Opening Day 2009 is nine and a half months away. That's a long time to hold out hope.

REPENT BLUE JAYS FANS! THE END IS NIGH!

If you thought it had all pretty much hit rock bottom yesterday, then you'll really enjoy this:

Roy Halladay is gone for 4-6 weeks. Appendi-fucking-citis.

Where's that goddamned bourbon! Daddy's drinkin' tonight!

What came first, the Blue Jays or the misery?

Are we miserable because we're watching the Blue Jays, or do we watch the Blue Jays because we're miserable?

In the bottom of the first, when Glaus gets caught napping off first, turning a bases loaded, one out situation into a quick end to the inning, you just had to feel like it wasn't going to go well from then on.

This is what happens to bad teams.

Nine losses. No closer. And no relief in sight.

We're wondering what sort of votes of confidence will be handed out tomorrow amongst the brain trust that put this team together.