Poor Home Performances

Where has the offence gone? After a great road trip where the Jays swept Texas and split with Baltimore, the blue birds returned home to get swept in their own next by those same Texas Rangers they looked so dominant against this past weekend. 

The pitching has been decent but in the last two games, the bats have gone cold.  In the first game against Texas, sure the team scored five runs but this was more of a result of some poor pitching (walks) and defense (errors) by the Rangers than productive at bats by the Blue Jays.  The Blue Jays had no business being in that game but after getting fortunate and tying the game at five they had a multitude of chances to win the game and couldn't do it despite some clutch pitching from the bullpen.  Recent call-up Jesse Carleson looked fantastic in three innings of scoreless work.  At the end of the day, the Blue Jays batted 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

Last night with Roy Halladay on the mound the team still didn't hit and Texas walked away with an easy 4-1 win.  The team doesn't seem to have any problems getting runners on but are consistently letting opposing pitchers off the hook by grounding into double-plays or striking out.  I know it is still early but this is an alarming trend.

As a result of going through their entire bullpen on Wednesday night and having to use tonight's scheduled starter, A.J. Burnett out of the pen, the Blue Jays will turn to David Purcey tonight. After a dominating Arizona fall league season and a few strong starts in triple-A Syracuse, Purcey will be making his major league debut against the Tigers.  To make room for Purcey the team place Brian Wolfe on the 15 day DL with a sore tricep muscle.  I wonder how sore Mr. Wolfe's tricep really is but it seemed like fortunate timing to have Purcey called up yesterday after the team used it's entire bullpen the night before!

The Jays face the Gambler tonight who is not exactly hot at the moment.  I believe he has lost seven straight decisions going back to last season.  Kenny could be the cure for what ails the Jays bats!  I don't have a good feeling about this series. The Tigers have struggled to start the year but they are too good of team to be playing this poorly.  Their pitching and offense have to turn it all around sometime and I'm just hoping it is not this weekend.

Pitching Matchups for this series:

Friday: Purcey vs. Rogers

Saturday: McGowan vs. Bonderman

Sunday: Burnett vs. Robertson

Monday: Marcum vs. Galarraga

The Jays miss Verlander which is nice even though he has struggled early on this season.  The Jays should have the edge in pitching matchups in two of the four games (Sunday and Monday) but Robertson pitched the Jays tough last season and they have never seen Galarraga which has been the kiss of death for Jays hitters so far this season.  It will be interesting!