Boy it's nice to win two games in one day. And we scored 11 runs in one day. We have had weeks where we haven't scored 11 runs. Do I think we've turned the corner on offense? No or at least they haven't proven it to me. We've faced some awful pitchers the last few days. We've scored 22 runs over three games but then the starters are terrible and their bullpen is worse.

I'm not going to include the fangraph for this game....it isn't that interesting. We got ahead early and it was never really in doubt. If you want to check it out, here is the link Fangraph.

Best parts? Doc was great yet again. 7 innings and 1 run, 6 k's. Scoot went 3 for 4 and scored twice. Rios 2 for 5, Lind 3 for 4, 2 runs (batting .308 now, would we be fighting it out for last if JP kept him up the first time and Gibby used him everyday) (would Gibby still have a job?). Wilk was 2 for 3!! Wilk? You know it's crappy pitching if Wilk gets hits. Zaun and Overbay drove in two as well.

Inglett and Stairs were each 0 for 4. Stairs is now hitting .114 for the month with 20 strikeouts in 44 at bats. I wish we had someone else that could DH....anyone against trying Mench in the lineup for a couple of weeks?

It was nice to see Quiroz catching for the O's today. He was a 'hot prospect' for the Jays for a long time. Never did pan out, and since he's batting .200 on the season, doubt he ever will. But, if he can stick with them for a season or so he can get his backup catcher union card. Those cards are worth more money than I'll ever see in my life.

Baltimore seems to have to start of a decent team. They could use some pitching and help at first, short and catcher. But they have the makings of a good outfield with Markakis, Jones and Scott. And Roberts isn't a bad guy to build a team around.

Jays of the Game? Second set of the day. Halladay (.267 WPA), Wilk (!) (.101) and Lind (.100) and I'm giving one to Scoot (.093) because he was 3 for 4 and scored two runs. Suckage Jay? Not Stairs for a change, Zaun (-.138).

But it sure is nice to get two wins in one day and we are back at .500, we've got a little space between us and last and if you were the optimistic sort, we are only 8.5 games out of the wild card. Yeah I know it is a long shot but I do expect some of the teams in front of us to fall back.

Ok, let me get this off my chest first. WHY WHY WHY, when Marcum has a 65 pitch limit today, does Cito leave him in for the 5th inning. The only reason I can see is he wanted Marcum to have a shot at the win. Which shouldn't be a consideration. What should be important is Marcum's arm or the health of Marcum's arm. And next consideration should be winning the game. But at 62 pitches Cito sends Marcum out there, I'm sure that he'll have someone up throwing in the pen. We scored 5 runs in the top of the inning and have our first lead of the day, 6 to 4.

Marcum has thrown 62 pitches and Cito, surprising me to no end sends him out. But figured Cito would have someone up ready to come in after the first batter. Huff doubles on the first pitch....and I'm sure Marcum is gone....63 pitches. But no, second pitch to Mora is a home run and we are tied and Marcum has thrown 65 pitches. And again I'm sure he's gone. He strikes out Scott on three pitches. 68 and still pitching.  Millar pops out on the 6th pitch and...well you guessed it. 74 pitches and counting. But two out.

So two out and Hernandez up....bang a home run and now Marcum is in line for the loss......76 pitches and still no Cito. Castro singles on the first pitch and finally Cito gets up and goes and gets Marcum after 77 pitches and his team behind. And I'm still wondering 'what goes on in Cito's mind'. Leave him out....isn't like the game is important to the Jays....we are last. And Marcum's arm is important to the Jays, if we can get a few pieces for next season he is very, very important to us because with AJ likely gone by next season Marcum is our number two starter.

Ok, Cy Carlson comes in and finishes the inning. And pitches a very nice 6th. And we come back and all. But.....WTF is Cito thinking? Marcum getting a shot at the win is more important that his future??

The fangraph...it's a fun one:

As you can see after Markakis hit his two run homer in the bottom of the first, the O's had almost an 75% chance to win. And that isn't taking into account how lousy we have been hitting. Markakis owns Marcum. His 5th home off Shawn in 16 at bats. The O's chance to win keeps getting better till at the end of the 3rd they have over an 85% chance.

Then in the top of the fouth we load the bases and Mac hits a sac fly to get our first run. But the O's still have about an 80% chance to win. Then in the 5th we load the bases for the 3rd time in 5 innings, after Rios has hit a solo shot (he's back? I hope so). This time with the bases Mac doubles to clear the bases. When was the last time Mac drove in 4 runs in a game? Boy he looked good at the plate and in the field, but we are used to that. Stairs pinch hits for Eck with Mac at second and I'm cursing Cito, but Stairs gets a single and Mac scores and we are up by 2. Stairs second hit since the All-Star break and his one hit today in three at bats.

So see above the Fangraph for my rant about the bottom of the 5th. I guess the short version is we quickly went from a 75% chance to win to a 75% chance to lose, all with Cito sitting on his hands. Thankfully, Garrett Olson is pitching for the O's, man he is awful.  Lind hit his 5th home run in 6th to keep himself one behind Rios. Lind was one of the stories of the game going 4 for 5 and raising his average to .289 and gettng 3 RBIs to bring him to 22 half as many as Rios has. Of course, he's had 97 at bats while Rios has 385. And JP thought that Wilk was a better choice in the outfield. Reason number 56 to fire JP, collect them all.

Anyway, again our bullpen did the job...though BJ added a few gray hairs to my head in the nineth. Why should it be easy? But Cy, Camp, and Downs pitched 3.1 scoreless. Camp has brought his ERA down to 3.29 and is likely the top choice among right handed relievers in Cito's pen. And deserves to be...I don't trust him but then I am thinking more of the 7.10 ERA from last year, he is doing the job this year.

It was a great day for the bats, every Jay hit except Scoot who was 0 for 5. Eck was 2 for 3 before he was pinch hit for by Stairs. Rios 2 for 5 with the homer. Overbay and Rolen were both 2 for 4. Mac was 1 for 3 with 4 RBIs and course Lind 4 for 5 with a homer and a double, 2 runs, 3 RBIs.

Jays of the Day? Lind (.496!! WPA), Mac (.304), Cy (.100). Honorable mention Mench (.099) and Stairs (.094). Suckage Jay? By the numbers it should be Marcum (-.583) but most of that was because of Cito leaving him out when he shouldn't have. So I'm giving it to Cito. Scoot shares it with a -.162.

Tomorrow is game 3 of this 4 game set with AJ going against Jeremy Guthrie (6-7, 3.60) and last place on the line again. 100 games in and we are two games below .500. Craptacular year. And JP still has a job.