Walk off losses are no fun.

161 strikeouts?

Following on from my post a couple of days ago, Encarnacion has helped extend the team single-season HR record to 255, which with one game left to play leaves us two shy of tying for third-highest total in MLB history:

1. 1997 Seattle Mariners 264
2. 2005 Texas Rangers 260
3. 1996 Baltimore Orioles 257
4. 2010 Toronto Blue Jays 255+?
5. 2000 Houston Astros 249

Not only that but with Edwin Encarnacion run of HRs of late, he now has 20 for the season, which gives us seven players with 20 or more HRs this year. This ties the MLB record, which the 2000 Jays also share.

And actually, we could have conceivably broken the MLB record if Alex Gonzalez had stuck around a little longer this year and hit three more, or if we’d played Snider more and he’d gotten another six. Oh well.

As for Jose Bautista, his Jays single-season HR record stands at 54, and if he cares to hit one more for the road in our last game, he’d be the only to hit 55 in a season (though others have hit more of course).

With the HR-crazy season we’ve had, is too much too ask the team for a little more fireworks in their last game? We’ll see. Either way, it’s been a great ride with the long ball this year.

Thank heavens the people who run major league baseball are flexible enough so that Jays fans—in view of Alex Gonzalez’ 2010 season here and in Atlanta—can claim not just seven, but eight hitters with 20 home runs. How? Just focus on an imaginary asterisk every time you think of it. It’s really quite simple when you know how.

Just like the imaginary asterisk behind Sammy Sosa’s name down at the Hall of Fame someday. I understand that they’ll only admit him if he agrees to having placed under his bronze statuette: (1) his 61st home run ball (2) his favorite glove (3) his corked bat (4) a small vial of human-growth hormone.

Milk’s current numbers, when extended out to 600 AB, would be 36 HR’s and 91 RBI. His best defensive position is…sitting on the pine with his butt abutting the hitting coach’s. This way he avoids needless errors and injury—the two main issues separating him from his cosmic potential. Thus, as a permanent DH somewhere other than Toronto, he shall enjoy an eternal existence of sublime errorlessness.

By dumping Milk and Ooobs, Jays can take care of Wellsy’s increase and other lesser contractual obligations without adding payroll. Then, by goosing up the price of the despicable SportsnetOne, the team will be able garner a modest return on investment in 2011. Everybody wins!

When it comes to amateur baseball observers, only the certifiable dump on Kevin Gregg. His cost-per-save to the team (the main consideration in these difficult times) is quite likely the best of any veteran closer in major league baseball. Do the math. I’m too disinterested to bother.

Rather than kvetching over Gregg’s blown saves (he’s 37 of 43; 86% effective), let’s take a look at the alternative. The rest of the Jays bullpen has saved 7 games in 17 chances (41%). The team’s two most consistent relievers, Downs and Camp, are 1 of 5 or 20%. Frason sits at 50%.

If the Jays don’t exercise their option on Gregg, I’m going to be p!ssed off. I couldn’t care less who closes for the team next year, but I really, really like the way Gregg chews gum.

Here’s a good rundown of the various scenarios in play for the final NL playoff clinchers.

A lot of professional athletes come across as arrogant, spoiled brats with the maturity level of a fifteen-year-olds. I’ve never felt much sympathy for most of them when they go through periods of adversity. There are three exceptions on the Toronto Blue Jays; Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Shaun Marcum.

Wells and Overbay suffered hand/wrist injuries a number of years ago from which they never fully recovered, at least not statistically or performance-wise. They have taken a tremendous amount of flak from Jays fans without complaint. The two of them certainly have my respect, and I genuinely feel sorry for them because neither are likely to ever achieve their full potential.

Shaun Marcum, on the other hand, appears to be near 100% effective after Tommy John surgery. He has worked hard to make a full recovery and, with any luck, could have won 18 games this year. Frasor and Gregg blew saves in Marcum’s first and last starts of the season. Marcum never won a single game in April despite an ERA under 3.00 for most of the month. Since late July, only a few of his appearances have not been “quality” starts, but I believe he only won three games over than span.

Going forward, Marcum, Romero, Cecil, Morrow, Rzepchynzski, Lietsch, Drabek, et al, should consistently give the Jays one of the best starting staffs in MLB.

Everytime I see or hear Red Sox John Lackey’s name, my diseased old mind involuntarily regresses 30 or 40 years back to the hilarious rhetoric which used to emanate from the Soviet Union: “John Lackey is no more than some war-mongering, billionaire American capitalist’s running-dog lackey, who can’t think and pitch at the same time.”

Lackey made $18.7 million this season. That’s reasonably good compensation for a 13-11 record (.542 winning pct.) and 4.47 ERA.

The Jays, on the other hand, coughed up a total of $2.5 million for their entire—Marcum, Cecil, Romero, Morrow and Rzepchynzski—starting staff. The latter have gone 55-35 (.610 winning pct.) with an ERA under .410.

MAJOR DILEMMA: What should Rogers Communications do with the enormous savings?

Well, I repectfully suggest that the corporation uses part of the dough to purchase a bullet-proof 2011 Mercedes limousine for the Rogers executive who came up with the idea of SportsnetOne