Big Bats Are Big Busts

62 games into the season the Toronto Blue Jays are 34-28 and sit just 2 games back of division leading Boston. The Jays have managed to surprise everyone with their excellent pitching and out of nowhere offense which was not expected to be very potent. Everyone in the line up is hitting well, everyone except Vernon Wells and Alex Rios.

Both Wells and Rios have struggled mightily this year and combined have only 12 home runs and 55 RBI. To put this into perspective Adam Lind has 12 home runs and 45 RBI alone. Rios is currently hitting .261 while Wells is batting a pathetic .250.

The supposed "big bats" just aren't getting it done and it is starting to cost the Blue Jays games.

So far in June the two have been the worst hitters on the team as they are both batting below .150 and have just 1 HR and 5 RBI between them. Rios is having a particularly bad month as a few days ago he went 0-5 with 5 strikeouts against the Angels and was then caught cursing at a young fan outside a charity event.

Rios and Wells are the number 3 and 4 hitters and are supposed to be the guys who can drive in the runs. Both players have shown in the past that they can hit the long ball as Wells has a career high of 33 in 2003 while Rios career high was 24 in 2007 yet neither of them is playing particularly well.

The Red Sox had the same problem with David Ortiz as his horrible numbers started costing the team games when he would come up to hit 3rd and would strand runners like it job. Eventually Ortiz was moved out of his line up spot and has responded by showing some signs of life. This tactic could work for the Jays as maybe shaking up the batting order might do some good.

The worst part is that Wells and Rios are two of the highest paid players on the team with Wells in year 3 of a 6 year $126 million dollar deal and Rios in year 2 of a 6 year $64 million dollar deal. Both players are getting paid the big bucks but play like they don't deserve a dollar of it.

Often times watching Jays games you can see Wells and Rios look so disinterested as if the last thing they want to be doing is playing baseball. Vernon never smiles and I mean why should he right? He is hitting .250 and is being compared to Barry Zito in terms of contract busts. Rios also looks bored and often looks like he doesn't have a pulse.

Both these guys need to get called out publicly by either Cito Gaston, a teammate (preferably Halladay), or by a sports writer with more credibility then me. They need to be embarrassed and made examples of so that maybe they can turn their seasons around. It may not be the most ethical solution to the problem but more often then not when guys get called out they step up.

Don't get me wrong I am a Red Sox fan but I also grew up watching the Jays and having to sit there and watch these 2 scrubs half ass everything they do is a real piss off. I mean Wells contract is the 11th largest in MLB history and he plays like just another guy. He used to hustle and try but now he is just out there going through the motions.

Wells and Rios are currently among the worst 3 and 4 hitters statistically and are dragging down the Jays in the worst way possible. While everyone else on the team is out there trying to win games these 2 clowns are out there just earning a paycheck. They are the perfect examples of players who try during contract years and then just coast once they get paid.

Something needs to happen with Rios and Wells if the Jays want to catch the Yankees and the Red Sox. No team is going to win the AL East with their 3 and 4 hitters being the worst on the team.

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