THE JAYS ARE OUTSTANDING, BUT...

Finally, a balanced column on the Jays in a Toronto newspaper.

Richard Griffin, for a charge, wrote in today's Star that the Jays are having an "outstanding year," but there's no getting past the reality that going only 9-9 against National League teams in a year when AL teams won 61% of interleague games may cost them a post-season berth. No double standard, just the facts.

Regardless, it's nice to see someone clue in that it's not the Jays, so much as it is their interleague struggles, combined with schedule and playoff format, skewers perspective.

Which isn't to say Griffin completely has it right. (For one, Carlos Delgado's club-record 145-RBI season was in 2003, not 2000 as the column states. Does the Star even employ copy eds.?) As for the possibility of a deadline deal, his conclusion is that maybe the Jays will make a move before July 31 only if GM J.P. Ricciardi believes the post-season is out of reach. The belief here all along has been that someone -- likely Eric Hinske -- would have to be peddled to get pitching help in order to compete for the post-season.

(Hinske, over the past six games, has been 10-for-20 with two homers and five walks. Yes, as Rod Black put it on TSN last night, he's making a case for more playing time, but really, he's making a case for more playing time in another city.)

That said, The Geek has been trying to plant the seed for a couple days that maybe it's not so bad that J.P. concludes that as is, this is doomed to be an 84- or 85-win season. Ride it out, and then add another pitcher, shore up the catching and middle infield, and give 'er in 2007.

Unfortunately, that dog won't hunt -- but all bets are off if the Jays don't run off four of the next five on this road trip.