well I guess this is the fork in the road for McGowan - here's his chance

this guy has been around for so long it's getting to the point where I've had enough

but then look what's happening with that Guadin kid? the jays have proven to be too inpatient in the past

Agree on both points. This year is make or break for McGowan (at least with the Jays anyways) but I think they should have resisted this temptation to call him up and given him more time to get confidence in his command.

My general worry is this: under duress McGowan will backslide into old bad habits and lose the gains in command he's seen this year.

I really hope this doesn't happen, I am really bullish on McGowan (who isn't?) but my experiences have told me that on the pitching side little good seems to come from within these days (excepting Doc, but its worth noting that if JP had of been our GM then, Doc wouldn't be on this team).

This could be a blessing in disguise for the Jays. It's debatable whether Chacin is the worst member of the rotation - Ohka has probably been worse to this point, but I personally worry a lot more whenever Chacin takes the hill.

I don't like the McGowan move, though. I'd rather see Towers back in the rotation and give Vermilyea another shot. It seems like the Jays' history of jerking McGowan around what with pitching from the bullpen and the rotation, and AAA and the bigs, has been one of the reasons for his lack of success, and just when he's had a great start to the year, I'd like to see him keep it up in AAA for half a season.

Watching Matt Stairs dive for Michael Young's liner to right in the ninth inning brought back warm memories of Ron Swoboda's ungainly but successful dive in the 69 World Series.  Stairs looked comfortable at the plate and really scorched the ball in his last at-bat.  The homers will be coming soon.

I would recommend pairing McGowan with Fasano.  He's going to need the better throwing arm, and the comfort of a familiar batterymate won't hurt.

As I said of Janssen at this time last year, I don't think McGowan's ready yet.  Towers and Janssen would probably be the best choices for the #4 and #5 slots in the rotation right now.  Oh well.

Can someone please explain to me why people mention Vermilyea as a major league pitching candidate? I have not seen or heard anything from/about him that indicates he will ever be a regular in the majors.

Here's McGowan's chance.  Hopefully he's given all the opportunity to show what he's got (i.e. give him at least 10 starts) Hey, if Josh Towers could be given a long-leash, why not McGowan?

1, 2, McGowan, Janssen, Zambrano. That is the  rotation next April.

McGowan has never had control problems.  Only when he has been pre/post tommy john, or diagnosed with diabetes. I can see JP's read on this:

Bring him up, if he succeeds, good. If not, then scouts will still drool over his potential, allowing JP to trade McGowan, Johnson and a third player for a third starter.

Gerimi Gonzalez needs to be called up by July 1st or else he walks. Why didnt we give him a shot? This also would have direct implications on McGowan...forcing him to force the Jays' hand, and really earn a promotion.

*I have never seen Halladay in such a battle mode. Ever. And I was absolutely surprised he gave Cosentino an interview. Even during those questions he was so intimidating.

*Burnett needs to rely on his offspeed stuff a lot more to win 15 games or more.

I  too would have called up Gonzalez and left McGowan in AAA for the time being.

After this first month.... and especially the last 3 starts, I'm convinced Halladay is determined to take this team to the playoffs, even if it takes sheer force of will on his part. He wants it as badly as I've ever seen anyone want it.

Gerimi Gonzalez needs to be called up by July 1st or else he walks. Why didnt we give him a shot?

Gonzalez isn't on the 40-man - who would you put on waivers?

I don't think it's such a bad idea to call up mcgowan -- chacin is only on the 15 day dl. When chacin comes off I assume mcgowan will be headed to syracuse. So, he simply gets feedback at the major league level on his progress so far.

Someone earlier said that mcgowan can't be optioned back to syracuse without passing waivers -- is this true ?

As I understand it, McGowan used up his last option this spring when he was sent down (the team was granted a fourth option on him). But an option covers the whole year, so he can be called up and sent back down any number of times within the 2007 season.

I think a 2008 rotation of Halladay, Burnett, McGowan, Janssen and Zambrano could potentially be quite good.

If Ryan and League come back healthy, I would be happy to see this rotation in the second half of this season (assuming Janssen can be stretched out, and McGowan looks like he can stick in the majors).

Gonzalez isn't on the 40-man - who would you put on waivers?

Machi, Thorpe, Ramirez, Adams, Roberts, Diaz, or Thomson.

Not calling up Gonzalez because he's not on the 40 man roster shouldn't be a consideration (and I don't think it is).

JayFan0912, I think when the Jays got that fourth year of options for McGowan, that insured that he wouldn't have to exposed to waivers when being "optioned" back to Syracuse. i.e. I think for this year they can promote him and option him out as often as needed, but if he doesn't make the club to start 2008, he would have to be exposed to waivers. I think that's how it works but the waiver rules in baseball are indeed mysterious, and have tripped up many people smarter than me.

If the universe unfolded as I had ordained it, McG would have been called up late May or early June...since the dark side of the force has moved that timetable forward...I can live with Halladay, Burnett, McGowan, Ohka and Zambrano, for now. Janssen will be up by July to replace whichever of Ohka or Zambrano fall (or are pushed) on their swords.

If McGowan prospers he'll be the number three, if not so much...the number four...if he's a near bust - number five. In any case McGowan is here now until traded or anointed as the return of the prodigal son.

In order of a blend of seniority, talent and production all being considered, the others are ready for their chance in the following order: Gonzalez (veteran emergency fill-in), Banks, Taubenheim, Purcey, Litsch, Romero and MacDonald.

Gentlemen (and Gentlepersons of each of the several other genders), with H, B, McG, O and Z we have a rotation that CAN contend (assuming they perform nearly as expected)...this is a HUGE improvement on where we have come from over the last decade or so. We have the offense. We have the defense. I have my ex-wife's lucky pink garter, Harold (my late pet rabbit's) right front foot (dyed pink to match the lucky garter) and the best assortment of lucky stones, bits of string and musty old 91 and 92 Jay's baseball cards I've ever possessed...the stars are truly aligned...this IS the turning point...from this day forward...

We conquer!

thanks pistol!

I thought the whole point of signing Okha, Zambrano, and Thomson was to prevent a pitcher like McGowan pitching for the Jays in early May. Well I guess that plan is out the window. Josh Towers should be the starting pitcher this Thursday (or Wednesday) but the people in charge aren't high on him.

I've already written McGowan off, but I sure hope he proves me wrong.

Well, this is great. I was having network issues and couldn't post a TDIB this morning. I get home from work... and Everyone's Got My Back?

Cool. I''m taking the night off.

Machi, Thorpe, Ramirez, Adams, Roberts, Diaz, or Thomson.

Not calling up Gonzalez because he's not on the 40 man roster shouldn't be a consideration (and I don't think it is).

First, if not calling up Gonzalez because he's not on the 40-man shouldn't be a consideration, then why should the fact that he's lost after July 1 if he's not called up be a consideration?  They're both essentially the same thing as putting someone on the 40-man risks losing the removed player.  In my mind, the only time to remove a player from the 40 to promote another is if the player being promoted is the only one that can play that position (Fasano), or if the player is clearly head and shoulders above everyone else (which is not the case here).

Second, I don't think you realize how bad of a pitcher Gonzalez is.  The last time he was a full-time starter, he had a season comparable to the 2006  Towers.  Since then he's primarily pitched out of the pen and still been really awful.  I'd rather not risk losing any of the people you mentioned for that caliber of player and 3 good starts (of 5 total) in AAA don't reassure me that he's changed at all.  Reasons being:

Machi - off to a great start at AA and at 25 he's on the upper limit as a prospect, but still preferable to Gonzalez to me
Thorpe - I thought he should be in AAA this year and am surprised he wasn't there
Ramirez - had a strong season last year and I don't see the difference between him and Gonzalez, except Ramirez has not yet proven he's not a ML pitcher
Adams - with Glaus I think we'll need two IF's for depth and he's one of them
Roberts - he's our top depth infielder
Diaz - our minors are shallow enough at C that I don't see the reason in risking a decent prospect
Thomson - I'm not sure if we're allowed to remove him from the 40-man when he's on the disabled and he's also pitched significantly better than Gonzalez for each of the past 3 years

I guess I just don't see a reason to promote Gonzalez at all, let alone a reason to risk someone else on our 40-man.

Gonzalez will be up as a Jay or a Yankee, take your pick.  A decent pitcher who can eat innings is a precious commodity more than ever.After his sparkling VWL  season he deserves a shot and may have a career year, such as it is. Ohka is rounding into the number 3 starter we hoped he would be. It's up to Victor to prove he can do it with a Defining Win, God willing.

Gonzalez will be up as a Jay or a Yankee, take your pick.  A decent pitcher who can eat innings is a precious commodity more than ever.

I think you're overestimating Gonzalez' ability.  He's not an inning eater, nor is he a decent pitcher.  He has 4 starts with a game score greater than 50 in his last 15 ML starts (going back to 2004). Similarly, he's had 6 starts in his last 15 where he's pitched more than 5 innings.

For perspective, Josh Towers, in his last 16 starts (this season and last) has had 7 starts of more than 5 innings and 2 with a game score greater than 50.  And if you only use last season, he had 5 starts where he went more than 5 innings and 1 with a game score greater than 50 - in only 12 starts.  I'd say both of those sets of numbers aren't too different than Gonzalez' numbers.

"I've already written McGowan off, but I sure hope he proves me wrong."

Looks like Dustin is doing his best to do just that. Now if he can keep improving and racking up those quality starts maybe the 3 spot in the rotation will be a real strength and we will see a few more winning streaks longer than 1 game.