The Blue Jays keep talking Heart and Hustle. It’s another “H” word they’re desperately in need of, though.
During their four-game losing streak, they’ve failed to come up with clutch hits.
The starting pitching’s been okay and the bullpen has been dependable, despite the fact Shawn Camp and Jason Frasor blew leads in the past week. The worry is the offence, which failed to deliver the big hit over the weekend in Los Angeles and was overmatched by Mariners rookie fireballer Michael Pineda on Tuesday. J.P. Arencibia fanned three times, saw his four-game hitting streak end and his batting average fall to .333 as the Jays lost 3-2.
What Arencibia, John Farrell and the rest of the Jays have to be worried about is whether one awful call in April can ruin an entire season. The Jays haven’t looked the same since Saturday night’s 14-inning loss to the Angels, during which third-base umpire Bob Davidson made the most horrendous ruling of this young baseball season. Soon after Davidson called Yunel Escobar out for interfering with third baseman Alberto Callaspo, the Jays imploded — and they have yet to recover. Escobar was clearly running in a straight line from second to third and, if anything, it was Callaspo who seemed lost on the infield in the 13th inning.
No matter at this point. The Jays dropped that game, 6-5, fell 3-1 to the Angels on Sunday, losing their first series of the season, and have now lost two one-run games to Seattle. Toronto (5-6) heads into Wednesday afternoon’s finale (3:40 p.m. ET, Sportsnet) against the Mariners below .500 for the first time this season and desperately in need of a win before an off-day precedes a nine-game stretch against AL East rivals Boston, New York and Tampa Bay.
Kyle Drabek (1-0, 1.38 ERA), who has dominated in his first two starts, faces lefty Jason Vargas (0-1, 7.20 ERA).
MORE DJPATCW*
Days 7-10: Not going to Disney World
Day 6: Running and gunning
Day 5: OK, Blue Jays
Day 4: No post (off-day)
Day 3: Rope burn
Day 2: Call him Johnny Bench
Day 1: Opening Day hero
J.P. Arencibia 2011 Season Stats:
Avg.: .333
H: 9
R: 3
AB: 27
HR: 2
RBI: 5
Adrian Brijbassi 
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