Here it is Labour Day and we are out of the race. I guess what really bugs us is that this was to be the year we took a step forward and we haven't. Yeah, it is mostly because of the 75 injuries, but still we are feeling ripped off.
The guys in the other dugout, well, they weren't supposed to do anything this year. When I asked Stacey from Camden Chat to preview the 2012 Orioles, she concluded her post with this:
The bottom line is that the 2012 Orioles will probably not be much better than the 2011 Orioles. Dan Duquette made some moves that make sense on their own (Chavez gives the O's depth on the bench, Betemit is great against righties, etc.) but he did nothing to really improve the club to a position where they could climb out of the AL East cellar or post a winning season.
Nobody really saw the O's improving and yet they did. It isn't fair. Right now the Orioles are sitting in the second wild card spot and are just 2 games back of the Yankees for first in the AL East. Normally I'd feel good for them, and I'd be thrilled if anyone could beat out the Yankees, but it should be us.
The best we can really hope is to be spoilers now. We did a good job of that against the Yankees, and we took 2 from the Rays. Let's continue it and win this series from the O's.
This is the spot where I'd put up info about today's starters, but the widgets don't seem to be working today.
For the Jays we have J.A. Happ. J is trying to convince us, or more importantly John Farrell, that he deserves a spot in the rotations next year. Happ is 3-1 with a 4.58 ERA in 35 innings with the Jays, 15 walks and 37 strikeouts.
The Orioles have Joe Saunders making his 2nd start since the Orioles traded for him. His first start wasn't a success, he went 5.1, allowing 10 hits, 7 runs, 2 walks with 4 k. As a Diamondback Saunders made 21 starts, going 6-10 with a 4.22 ERA in 21 starts.
Rosters:
We have a couple of extra arms in the bullpen today, because an 8 man pen isn't enough. Jason Frasor and Brett Cecil are back with the team. No extra bodies for the bench, of course. Such is life.
J.P. Arencibia got in his first baseball action yesterday, we might see him back with the Jays by the end of the week.
Remember the rules. No picture thingies in the thread. No talking about illegal threads. Don't argue with the Mods. If you don't like something a Mod has said, you can email me, but during the game I want to watch the game. I don't want to get into a debate on rules.
Today's title is from the song We Shall Overcome, which semed appropriate for Labour Day. I was going to use something from Working Class Hero but this seemed to work better for where we are.
Be Civil and GO JAYS GO.