Jays lose, Tulo has a “chip fracture”, Orioles add Miley, and other deadline eve notes…

Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

I don’t want to step on tomorrow’s Weekend Wrap post, but the Jays lost, meaning they no longer occupy first place in the AL East, and that Orioles fans — by all rights — should be taking a giant collective dump on us right now, given the glee with which the Jays’ assumption of the division lead following Saturday’s win was met.

It’s going to be a fight all the way through September. Maybe it’s better to wait until there’s more than a half game between the two teams before we start gloating. Or at least until we’re absolutely sure Franklin Morales doesn’t have to make an extra-inning appearance. Ugh.

But the weekend was good! Until it wasn’t. And I don’t just mean the loss — which was unfortunate, though I’ll still absolutely take the series win — but, of course, the fact that right now Troy Tulowitzki can’t grip a bat after taking a pitch off the hand. He’s been diagnosed with what they’re calling a “chip fracture,” and hasn’t immediately hit the DL, but still might, depending on how things go on Monday, when hopefully the swelling is down.

That would be a blow, of course. Not only because Tulo has been on fire since… y’know… his last stint on the DL, but because the Jays just started being able to run out their optimal lineup for the first time since the trade that brought the shortstop over from the Rockies a year ago. Jose Bautista is healthy again, which helps ease the potential loss of Tulo’s bat, but… come on! Fack!

Or maybe he’ll wake up and feel like he can play through it tomorrow night in Houston. (Oh, and by the way, thanks for noticing the Canadian holiday, MLB schedule-makers!)

The Orioles — that is, the AL East leading Orioles — have just bolstered their atrocious starting rotation, trading Triple-A lefty prospect Ariel Miranda to the Seattle Mariners in a one-for-one deal for Wade Miley.

I’m just going to put this right here…

OK, so maybe I was guilty of some of that gloating on Saturday, too. But that’s only because Miley is bad!

I mean, he’s an upgrade on whatever trash the Orioles have been running out there, but still! He’s sitting on a 4.98 ERA, despite pitching in Seattle, with a 4.75 FIP. He’s got a below average strikeout rate, a middling walk rate, has been hurt by the home run ball (15.8 HR/FB%), has seen his ground ball rate take a third straight dip, and… OK, maybe he’s not bad. He’s having a better season than R.A. Dickey, to give but one low-bar-setting example, but he’s pretty average.

He’s under contract for $8.5-million next season, with a club option for the following year, so I guess we might as well start getting used to shitcanning him. 

Good luck with that, Baltimore.

Chris Cotillo tweets that Rich Hill, the A’s starter who is reportedly a Jays target (and everybody’s else’s), is discussing an extension with the club in advance of the deadline. Given the injury concerns over him and the way they’ve impacted his market, maybe it makes more sense to keep him and work something out.

Remember when Cleveland was going to be the AL favourites when they landed Jonathan Lucroy, but then he refused to waive his no-trade clause and blocked the deal? That was awesome. (They did add Andrew Miller, though, so good for them. Not a bad organization they’ve got there in Cleveland these days. *COUGH*).

Fuckin’ ass Red Sox, amiright? Or should I say fuckin’ ass shitty Angels? Big win for the stinktown that won’t go away tonight. Ugh. (Though, like I say, it’s going to be a fight to the end to win this division, I’m confident. The Jays end their season with three games at Fenway, which should be lit — y’know, because Boston will be fighting for a wild card spot as we rest our starters for the playoffs.)

Should be a big day tomorrow if wild awesome names like Miley are on the move AMIRIGHT????