Two more in the books as we look for the sweep and to continue our season long unbeaten streak against the Orioles. So far this year we have faced the lowly O's 8 times and have yet to fall. I've said it before and I will say it again now as much as I don't enjoy the suffering of our fell birds stuck in the AL East. I do take some small satisfaction that the team that some were predicting to finish ahead of us continues to be dominated by pretty much the entire league.
I am not going to sit here and say the last two wins have been easy. You got the feeling watching each one of them that the score should have been a lot higher then what it was. Yet the final score doesn't matter when its all said and done as the win is a win and with the series sweep we can move 2 games above 500 again and back on the right track.
Taking the mound for the first time since his stint on the DL is Shaun Marcum. Opposing him will be one of the Orioles young pitchers who should factor prominently in the AL east for years to come in Brian Matusz.
Shaun like others in our starting rotation looks to continue his strong first half. He had great numbers and if it wasn't for the amazing pitching we have seen in the American League this year he may have been considered an all-star. It also probably worked against him that the Jays already had 3 other representatives in Wells, Bautista and Buck. Matusz on the other hand is having a tougher go of it in his first full year as a MLB starter. He hasn't exactly been bad but again you have to be lights out for the O's offense to pull out the win for you and he just isn't getting it.
In our pen you have to figure that regardless of what happens today Gregg is getting the day off. Between back to back starts already and the number of pitches he threw yesterday plus the comments back and forth between him and Cito he is most likely sitting. That being said how nice was it to see the comments exchanged but not result in a fist fight ala Gibbons and Lilly?
One last thing.... can everyone do me a favour today and lay off the complaining about players and such? Whether its visiting fans from the Braves, Giants or our own commentators I am not sure how much more I can take of the Lewis/Escobar/Encarnacion are lazy crowd. I just don't even have the energy to point out how stupid an argument is since we have no idea what anyone is like in practice or the cages. Comment on how a player isn't playing well, point examples say you can't stand having him on the team. Just don't make it personal or use "intangibles" to judge someone.
Lineups after the jump
Keep it Civil and Go Jays Go
Today's title is from Fight Club