Thursday, July 23, 2009

Overbay is an Overbum

Lyle Overbay really really really cheeses me off. In the series against Cleveland, the Jays 1st basemen had gaffes that cost the team a pair of games against a club that is a whopping 20 games below .500

In the series finale this afternoon, with Alex Rios at 3rd base representing the tying run in the 9th inning, Overbay pinch hit and with the count 3-1, he let not one, but TWO strikes go by without swinging the bat.

In the first game, with Toronto clinging to a 1 run lead and a runner on first, Overbay fielded a sacrifice bunt, tried to make the force out at 2nd but promptly threw the ball into the outfield. The Indians later scored twice to win 2-1.

What a piece of crap. Overbay is garbage. He is unbelievably inconsistent it's ridiculous. He'll go through stretches where he scorches the ball (13 RBI in a 12 game stretch in June), and then will go a prolonged period of time doing nothing except walking (just 1 RBI this month, and hasn't homered in 23 games.)

Overbay is an Overbum.

McGowan suffers another setback


When it appeared that Jays starter Dustin McGowan couldn't hear more bad news in his effort to return after undergoing shoulder surgery, he has suffered yet another setback. This time, McGowan has undergone knee surgery following a freak injury sustained in routine running drills.

McGowan, whose shoulder injury had already created concerns about this year, but most importantly his career had an operation on his left knee July 9th to repair cartilage damaged on his left knee.

McGowan is officially out for the 2009 season and should recover from his knee ailment, but the team is not so sure about his career with lingering issues since the frayed labrum in his shoulder.

The 27 year old likely will not take part in winter ball this year, and is eyeing a potential return in 2010.

Scutaro blasts first multi-homer game of career

Marco Scutaro had a night to remember Wednesday, belting a pair of home runs in the same game for the first time in his 8 year career. Ricky Romero jokingly mocked Scutaro before the contest about his lack of recent power (1 dinger in last 69 games), so Scutsy responded with the two blasts that were part of a 5 home run explosion by the club.

The impact of Scutaro's play in the next week could potentially be critical. The Jays could decide to trade him with his status as a free agent at the end of the season. He already has had a stellar season, ranking 1st in runs and walks by shortstops in the AL, 2nd in RBI, and 3rd in hits which will make him a type "A" free agent at the end of the campaign. The Jays will receive a 1st round pick and sandwich selection between the 1st and 2nd rounds in the draft as compensation should they lose him to another club, so a big decision will need to be made.

Do they trade him now? Or re-sign him in the off-season? I say they should do neither and let him walk at the end of the year. I love Scutaro, he's one of the better players on the team, but if you can parlay a former utility infielder into two high draft picks for him as compensation, then you have to say "cya!" to Scutsy at the conclusion of the season.