Toronto Blue Jays - Bloop Singles Wanted

Three runs on four hits, three of which were solo home runs.

That's the kind of line that makes a fan want to cry when he's watching his team lose, and that's exactly how the Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Los Angeles Angels last night.

Yes, Toronto leads the major leagues in home runs and extra base hits. Yes, they lead each category by a wide margin. But those statistics only mean something good if the team is making consistent contact with the baseball or getting on base in other ways - two concepts that have caused the Blue Jays trouble this year.

Last night's game is a perfect indicator here: Blue Jays batters hit to a .125 batting average (four hits in thirty-two at-bats), struck out ten (10!) times, and only managed one walk. I caught the last few innings on TV, and I can tell you that those numbers flatter the Angels pitcher. I can tell you that the Blue Jays, up and down the lineup, swung at a lot of pitches they shouldn't have. They weren't patient and didn't wait for something good to hit.

Would it kill these guys to take a walk once in a while? Can these guys get a hit without pathologically circling the bases?

Three home runs in a game should keep any team competitive, give them a chance to win (while we're at it, so should six home runs, which the Jays managed against Arizona last Friday and still lost the game). Fact is for Toronto, they don't. Those home runs mean less because there's no one on base to come home in front of the batter.

I'd kill for a bloop single right now.