A sudden twinge of compassion for Vernon Wells

Walking home from work a couple of days I got to thinking about the Blue Jays season, and suddenly I had a startling revelation. In fact, it was so downright shocking that I was convinced it would pass in a matter of seconds. Then, after that failed, I figured if I slept on it I would return to sense. The only problem is, it still hasn't happened.

I felt a twinge of compassion for Vernon Wells. Why? I don't know. I've ripped him for the better part of two years, so why the sudden change of heart? The guy was pathetic for much of the season, destroying our chances of competing for a playoff spot. I know I should despise him for this, but I'm failing to do so.

Is it simply because he has blasted 2 long flies and driven in 8 runs the past 5 games, including a couple CLUTCH (a word never previously associated with V-Dub) hits? But he still hits .189 with runners in scoring position and is only now picking up his play when we're long out of post season contention.

I can't explain this phenomenon, and also I'm unable to decipher why I don't feel the same way about Alex Rios. Maybe Wells has been beaten up so much that he is now entering full blown goat status. Knowing my history, I tend to latch onto that sort (see: Josh Towers, Russ Adams, Brandon League)

I want this feeling to go away, but I can't shake it. Save me! Why do I not hate Wells?

Halladay FINALLY receives run support in victory

It's about damn freaking time the Blue Jays scored some runs for Doc Halladay! With the team giving him little run support it's no wonder the guys wants to skip town. In his previous 8 trips to the hill, he received an average of a paltry 2.6 runs, which resulted in just 1 victory for the 2003 CY Young award winner.

Sunday, the Blue Birds bats were out in full force, smacking three dingers, piling up 7 runs to aid Halladay in his 12th win of the campaign. Despite the low run support and 4 losses in the recent span of bad luck, the Jays ace has logged at least 7 innings in every contest.

What is most impressive about Halladay is his professionalism in handling trade speculation and his desire to compete hard even though the Jays are long out of the post season contention. Did you see him get angry at himself for giving up runs early in the game? That's why I love and respect him so much; despite the fact the Jays are out of it, and he could be coasting while playing out the string, he is still as fired up as he was in early April when the team was winning ball games.

Whether we keep him for next season and beyond, or if he goes to another organization, the team he winds up on is going to be ecstatic how dedicated and competitive he is.

Should Overbay or Millar hit clean up?

When Scott Rolen was dealt at the trade deadline the Blue Jays have been in search of a cleanup hitter to fill the void left by the 14 year veteran, receiving mixed results from both Lyle Overbay and Kevin Millar.

The 37 year old Millar had struggled, posting just 1 hit in 7 at bats prior to his breakout performance Sunday, where he went 3 for 3 with a home run and 2 RBI. The quality game was a shocking surprise, considering his average has dipped from .350 on May 1st to .236, driving in just 17 runs during that span.

Meanwhile, Overbay, who has started in the cleanup spot in 5 of the 8 contests following the deal, has hit for a solid .357 clip (5 for 14), but has just 1 RBI to show for it. Overbay has been non existent offensively, driving in a measly 3 runs since June 23rd after racking up 18 RBI in the previous 17 games before his swoon.

This is why the Jays need to rebuild this organization. If we are even alternating between these two guys in the cleanup role, we obviously aren't a strong enough team in the ultra competitive American League East.

Cecil injures knee diving for ball

Brett Cecil has battled through a nagging knee injury dating back to spring training but he kept pitching through it until it got progressively worse Saturday against Baltimore. The 23 year old rookie kept battling through it, but he couldn't bare the pain after diving for a bunted ball in the 5th inning.

Attempting to retire Robert Andino by tossing the ball from his glove to Lyle Overbay, Cecil crashed to the turf, immediately fearing that the pain was too excruciating to continue. Cito Gaston came out quickly, and promptly removed the 5 game winner as a precautionary measure.

Cecil has surpassed his career high in innings pitched between AAA Las Vegas and Toronto with just under 120, and he was expected to be limited toward the end of the season. His knee, which will be evaluated Sunday, could land him on the disabled list where he'd join starters Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan, Jesse Litsch, Robert Ray and Brad Mills.

Prior to Saturday's tilt, Cecil had won 3 of his past 4 starts, giving up just 5 runs in 27 innings while striking out 24 batters.

Jays need to wear old uni's all the time!

Seeing the Blue Jays on Friday wearing their old school vintage white jerseys, easily the best uni's in franchise history makes you wonder, just why don't they wear them more often?

They finally introduced the powder blue jerseys as part of the flashback Friday promotion of a couple of years ago, and they are a good look, but come on, those phenomenal white jerseys conjure up such unbelievable memories. Those duds must become a fixture EVERY Friday! Or better yet, change the logo and colours of the ball club back to the ones from the glory years. Why the heck do the BLUE Jays have black in their jerseys anyways?

It's pretty obvious why the Jays haven't made the playoffs since 1993. All those logo changes and switching of jerseys have been ridiculous. They should've stuck with the sweet white look. Why did they mess with perfection?

Mystery team makes waiver claim for Rios!

Unbelievably, some team has put in a waiver claim to acquire the rights of underachieving Alex Rios. Reports indicate an unknown team has attempted to claim the 2 time all-star, which would rid the Jays of the hefty 6 year, $64 million dollar extension signed last season.

The Jays have 72 hours to exorcise one of three options; they can attempt to work out a trade with the team that claimed him, keep the enigmatic right fielder or simply let him walk to whichever team is dumb enough to want his services.

Though no specific teams have been linked to Rios just yet, the San Francisco Giants were interested in Rios a couple of seasons ago (when Tim Lincecum was part of trade rumours), the White Sox have long been intrigued by the 28 year old, and the New York Mets are in desperate need of offensive help.

While it would be incredible to rid ourselves of this perpetually frustrating loafer and his fat contract, the Jays do not have much quality outfield depth that is major league ready should he leave. Travis Snider is the only obvious long term solution, though he should be left down in AAA Las Vegas to hone his craft and while 27 year old Buck Coats has put together a solid season in Vegas, he hardly represents a prospect for the long run with this franchise.

Having said that, this team needs to rebuild, and shipping Rios out with his apathetic attitude and long term deal would represent a solid step in the right direction for an organization that needs to cut ties with dead weight.

So basically, knowing J.P. Ricciardi, expect Rios to remain a Blue Jay.

Could the '92 & '93 teams still play better than the Jays now?

Watching the Back2Back reunion of the 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays World Series winning ball clubs tonight was phenomenal. Without a doubt, it certainly sent chills down my spine. To go back to a place, a time, seemingly now a fantasy land, where the Jays were great. Seeing past greats like Joe Carter, Roberto Alomar, Devon White and John Olerud under the same room at the Rogers Centre was sensational. Most of those guys didn't look they aged a year since they last played.

This Back2Back reunion organized by Joe Carter, among others, was an amazing idea. It's really quite incredible that it took the players from those World Series winning teams this long to put this together. It got me thinking, though, just how good could those players be now. With the '09 version of the Blue Birds now 15.5 games out of first place in the A.L. East, could they be much worse off if Jack Morris was our ace, Tom Henke closing out games, Kelly Gruber playing the hot corner and Candy Maldonado patrolling the outfield? Is there a chance, any chance, that those teams would be better than the current group of schmucks now?

Regardless of whether it's a stupid question (it is), It'd be much more fun and entertaining watching these legends of our franchise grind out a 162 game schedule rather than the pylons (Rios), bums (Wells), and tools (Carlson) that we going now. Would Juan Guzman still bring the heat? Could Devon White still make the catch against the wall like he did in the '92 World Series? And of course Joe Carter still has the ability to turn on an inside fastball and send it over the left field fence for a heroic victory.

To see this play out would be living in a fantasy land. Oh how '92 and '93 seems so far ago.