Last week, I considered where teams were in the American League when it came to making the 2009 playoffs. In this blog, with less than 60 games left in the season, I take a look at the National League. Here’s the way that things are shaking down on the senior circuit.
J.P. Ricciardi is a moron. I really can’t believe that he couldn’t get a deal done for Roy Halladay. The Jays need prospects much more than they need an ace they can’t properly support. By being stubborn and uncooperative he has sunk the team’s best chance of being competitive a few years down the road. Another bone-headed move by a truly terrible general manager. I wasn’t particularly clear why Toronto hired him in the first place, and I really don’t understand why they have kept him around for as long as they have. I’m not convinced that the Jays can compete with the Red Sox and Yankees at the best of times, but they certainly won’t with him in charge.
I was just about ready to count out the Rays. They were going to make the playoffs, but I was seriously doubting that they would do anything once they got there. But then the last two game happened. Twice they got into tight spots against the Red Sox, and twice they found a way to win. It wasn’t easy, either. The first time they had to beat Jonathan Papelbon. That rarely happens. The second time around they hung around in a 1-1 game until the 14th before erupting for three runs. I’m still not viewing the Rays as my favorites, but they keep showing guts that I wasn’t sure they had, and that will be very useful in the playoffs.
