Offensive Stats Through April 22nd

Starters:

Name/Batting Average/OBP/OPS
Marco Scutaro/.262/.410/.935
Aaron Hill/.370/.397/.1028
Alex Rios/.246/.303/.636
Vernon Wells/.258/.333/.742
Adam Lind/.349/.414/.970
Scott Rolen/.291/.355/.791
Lyle Overbay/.333/.467/.1.078
Rod Barajas/.233/.261/.703
Travis Snider/.286/.342/.1.028

Bench

Jose Baustista/.344/.417/.854
Kevin Millar/.321/.367/.902
Jon Macdonald/.333/.333/.667
Michael Barrett/.167/.211/.544
Raul Chavez/.333/.333/.667

My Thoughts

- Well it is easy to see who has been hot and who hasn't
- I am in love with Overbay's number right now. I was not expecting this sort of start from him. Not playing him against lefties is such a great idea. Good job Cito
- Aaron Hill is a monster right now, and Lind continues to bash
- Bautista and Millar have been excellent coming off the bench. I understand that not playing Snider full time in not the "sexy" choice among our younger fans, but it is clearly the right thing to do
- The one great thing I notice about these stats is that we all know that Rios and Wells WILL get better...

*I included OPS because it is the best stat to prove production

.950plus = elite among baseball
.800 - .949 = All-Star season
.675 - .799 = good depending on position
.600 - .674 = acceptable for shortstops/second basemen and catchers
Below .599 - poor

Chicks Dig the Longball

I was thinking with all the power the likes of Aaron Hill and Marco Scutaro have been showing; who will lead this team in homeruns this season?

In my opinion Snider will struggle for a long period of time at one point in this season. He is just a rookie - Combine that with the fact that he will receive limited at-bats vs. left handed pitchers. I see him finishing the season with 15-19 homeruns. I know those comments will ruffle some feathers because he is the sexy choice amongst young Jays fans, but we have to be careful with Snider. He is a big part of our team moving forward.

Adam Lind is the wild-card regarding homeruns - This kid is very strong and when he makes contact he hits bombs. I can see him hitting 20-22 homeruns.

Hopefully Rolen and Overbay can hit in the 14-18 homerun range. Anything higher then that will be a real bonus. I am not going to guess how many Hill may hit because honestly I think his range is from 5-25.

However the million dollar man Vernon Wells is the likely favorite to lead this team in homeruns (probably the 25-30 range if he stays healthy), while Rios is proving himself to be a non-factor.

The Snider Dilemma

Many posters and bloggers are barking at Cito's decision not start Snider against left handed pitchers. Here is my opinion - Take if for it what is worth...

Cito is 100% correct by not starting Snider against lefties.

Trust me, I have my issues with Cito(the way he handles his starting pitchers), but this is not one of them.

Snider is a rookie, and rookies need confidence. Snider is not going gain confidence by going 0-4 against lefties at this stage in his career. Let him continue to mash righties and slowly install him into situations where he will face southpaws.

This is so correct it's funny.

Oh and the Jays are 7-3 to start the season....

The Beej

Lot's of people are crapping on The Beej, but I for one thought his outing was a positive. A matter a fact he was one of the many positives that came out last nights comeback win. Also, lets get serious here, at least he is not Brandon Lyon.

IMO game 2 positives are;

1) The offence coming back - That is quite obvious.
2) Purcey pitched a great game - That is quite obvious.
3) Aaron Hill and Scott Rolen - The more confidence these guys get the better.
4) BJ Ryan - Besides one pitch he looked very good. The radar had him at 88mph, which is a GREAT sign.

Opening Day is Over-rated in Toronto

Well folks - It's that time of the year again. The time when every team has hope, and a time when every team has the same record. Opening Day! A day when every team is in first place and has dreams of the post-season.

Ok enough of that crap.

I don't have season tickets, never have, and likely never will. I still manage to get to 15-20 games per season, and I am happy with that. However I will never go to the home opener at Rogers Centre, never.

Sure the home opener is the one game we sell out, and the one game when the majority of fans in the centre are under the age of 40, but it just doesn't have appeal to me as it does to most Torontonians.

Lets get serious here; 85% of the people that went to yesterday's game will not go to another game this season. They aren't the hardcore's like you and I, and last night they proved me right again. Look, I am all for having a good time, but when it almost costs the Jays a win that pisses me off, not to mention it makes our city look bad.

You don't go to ballgame and throw crap on the field -- esp. when your team is on the verge of winning a game. Jim Leyland was correct when he took his players off the field, and it really pissed me off how Cito had to apologize to Leyland on behalf of the Toronto "fan."

I just want to say one thing to each and every person who threw something on the field last night....

Go f%$k yourself.

Oh and the Jays won 12-5.