The Return of North of Steeles

There is either an ancient prophecy or an Enrique Inglesias tune that suggests when the kingdom is at its most vulnerable a hero shall arise from the Disabled List to lead his team to victory despite being placed on a pitch count of 65-70 tosses.

I am no prophetic scholar or professor of exceedingly shitty music, but I think that this could be in reference to Shaun Marcum's start tonight against the Baltimore Orioles. Marcum had been one of the few bright spots in this clusterfuck of a dismal season until last month when the young right hander was placed on the DL with a ligament strain near his elbow. Tonight, he'll make his first start for manager Cito Gaston.

Marcum's return comes one day after the visitor's clubhouse in Baltimore was filled with what Robert MacLeod calls one of those "feel-good helium balloon displays."

The players were tight-lipped over the meaning behind the turtle balloons and floating happy faces with inspirational slogans and motivational poetry. I just hope that there's an inside joke in all of this or a heavy dose of irony. I'd hate to believe that a G-Rated version of Ozzie Guillen's tactics is genuinely expected to snap the Jays out of their road woes.