So JP Ricciardi is done making moves – he says this is the team he’ll sink or swim with. In fairness, aside from adding a Barry Bonds (which by all accounts just isn’t going to happen) or making a trade of some kind of significance, there really is very little else he can do. Now I’m not one of those guys who are saying the sky is falling, but there are definitely storm clouds over head.

Keeping the sky a little clearer has been the pitching staff. They’ve been good – really good!
They’re statistically in the top 5 in baseball, and barring a major injury, I’m looking at you Roy and AJ, they should be fine!

So the pitching’s good, and the not-so good’s obviously the hitting. It’s been beyond atrocious – it’s been embarrassing. Before the 10th inning Monday night, they went 31 innings without scoring a run! How does that happen? And the lack of hitting isn’t anything new this year.

And JP’s solution to the woes was to cut Frank Thomas and add Kevin Mench and Brad Wilkerson. Thomas hasn’t been lighting it up, but has been decent on a very good Oakland ball-club. As for JP’s additions, they’re guys he was drooling over and wanted to acquire years ago. Since then, they’ve become major disappointments. So much for scouting!

The fact they’re taking rosters spots from guys billed to be up-and-comers within the organization is disturbing. Take Adam Lind for example. The Jays called him up a couple weeks back, only to give him a measly 19 at-bats. Lind struggled and was sent down, almost as fast as he was called up! Way to give the kid a chance! He needs time!

Just like the Boston Red Sox gave Dustin Pedroia time last season. After the first month, Pedroia was hitting .172. The Red Sox didn’t panic, they were patient and their patience paid off. Pedroia ended up hitting .304, was named Rookie of the Year and helped the Red Sox to a World Series Championship! Compare that to what the Jays did with Lind? He struggles, they send him to Syracuse. Do you think the Jays trust their prospects? They did the same with Dustin McGowan. Fortunately enough for them, McGowan’s panned out, but that’s after he was completely out of options.

The best ball clubs out there need to rely on their minor league systems to step in and play significant roles when needed. Whether it’s a problem with developing prospects or in the scouting getting the right players in the organization, the Jays seem a step behind.

The key word right there is ‘seem’. How do we truly know how good they can be when they don’t give the kids a fair shot? So maybe the fact JP says he’s done making moves is a blessing in disguise. Maybe a solution or two is just a phone call away down in Syracuse – but we may never know.

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