The Pitcher Mid-Term Report Card:

Anyway….the pitchers……I’ll note that the league ERA is about 4.10……

Halladay B+…Doc is amazing….has his strike out rate up this year, only bad thing you can say about him is his record, only 8-6 but with our offense a winning record is an amazing thing.

Marcum A+…He’s been amazing, is very sad that he got hurt because he’s been so good. He should be going to the All-Star Game.

McGowan C+… ERA in June is 4.99. Inconsistent would be the term for him.

Burnett C…This month he’s had two terrible starts and 4 good to very good starts. Today he was amazing.  But anyone that can have an 8-7 record with this offense is doing something right.

Litsch B….Amazing in May, less so in June but his last start was great. I’m hoping he just went thru a dead arm period and that he’ll be consistently good the rest of the way. But you couldn’t hope for a better 5th starter. And a red head. As the father of two red head boys….I gotta love him.

Tallet B…Has been having a rougher time of late…7.00 era for June. Cito seems to like him and there is little not to like.

Carlson A…Cy’s still amazing, He has been used more as a LOOGY but would rather see him pitch an inning or more at a time.

Downs A+…Can we give a higher mark than A+. Hasn’t given up a run since April 30th. If it were a fair world he’d be in the All-Star Game. Nice to see Cito leave him in for a couple of innings at a time.

Frasor C-…Gibby had no confidence in him and Cito will likely learn to have no confidence in him.

Ryan A+…Damn near unhittable till June, then well very hittable. Couldn’t expect him to be perfect all year long after coming back from Tommy John surgery.  Seems to have found himself again of late, hasn’t given up a run in his last 7 appearances.

Camp C…Considering he had a 7.10 era last year his 3.80 this year seems like some sort of miracle.  I still wouldn’t give him any high leverage sports but then Cito doesn’t seem to be either.

Wolfe C...Got sent down, not sure he deserved it but someone had to go down.  He has had some troubles of late, not the way to impress a new manager.

The others get an incomplete. Cito doesn’t want to use League, even in blow outs or lost causes. Parrish looked great in his start. I wouldn’t mind seeing him start another.

Last time I grade Gibby and JP. Grading Gibby now would be like kicking a man when he’s down but I still think he did a wonder job with the pitchers. The batters….well I do think they quit on him near the end. It’s too early to grade Cito…I will note that the Jays were 0 fer a bunch with RISP again today. Let us see how the season goes on before we Knight him.

Ricardi F…Marked him F+ at 40 games but….since then he ranted about Mr. Dunne for no apparent reason and seemingly lied about talking to him after. He wouldn’t call up Lind even long after Wilk and Mench showed they were no long major league baseball players.  If Cito doesn’t do anything else he deserves credit for getting Lind back up and putting him in left, hopefully, to stay. If we are going to lose, lets lose with guys that are going to be here next year instead of losing with guys that were good years ago before baseball tested for drugs.

If I was his boss I’d say ‘give me some proof you didn’t lie about talking on the phone to Dunne or you are gone’. No more lies, no more saying ‘I deleted the call’. Tell the truth or you are gone.  Between that and the mistake contract to Thomas and the fortune given to Wells after a career year that hasn’t been repeated, drafts that didn’t work out…..he should be on a really short leash.