Adam

Lind

Lind, a third-round pick in the 2004 draft, has six multi-hit games in the 16 games he has been with Syracuse. He is hitting .327 with four doubles, two homers and six RBI. He will likely be a September callup for the Jays and he could earn a starting role with the team in 2007.

Curtis Thigpen, Vito Chiaravalloti and Eric Arnold also homered for New Hampshire, and Arnold totaled seven RBI. Lind, the Jays’ top position prospect, is batting .285/.329/.464 in 151 at-bats. More was expected from the 2004 third-round pick.

Expectations were that Lind would open next season in Triple-A, but his .394/.496/.596 line in 109 at-bats after moving up to Syracuse will force the Jays to consider letting him compete for a job in the spring. A strong September would only help his case. Expect him to see considerable time versus right-handers, most of it coming as a DH. He’s worth grabbing in AL-only leagues.

Lind is 6-for-13 with three doubles since joining the Jays on Sept. 1. He should begin getting more playing time with the hot start, and he remains worth using in AL-only leagues.

Lind also doubled in the game, giving him five extra-base hits in his first 17 big league at-bats. The hot start means the Blue Jays will continue to play the youngster often, and he’s a fine play in AL-only leagues. A strong final three weeks might allow him to enter next season with a chance to compete for a starting job.

Lind sat out of Wednesday’s game and won’t play Thursday due to lingering discomfort in his wrist. The 28-year-old first baseman has 24 homers and 79 RBI on the year.

The multi-hit effort was just Lind’s second in his past 18 games. He’s hitting an absurdly bad .193 since the All-Star break after entering the Midsummer Classic with a .300 mark. For the season, he’s the owner of a .254/.299/.445 triple slash.

David Cooper is getting another start at first base in Lind’s absence.

Lind is penciled in as the Blue Jays’ cleanup hitter, but Brett Lawrie, Edwin Encarnacion and Travis Snider are all having much better springs while hitting behind him in the order. If Lind does’t pick it up soon, the Jays might try Encarnacion or Lawrie behind Jose Bautista.

Lind said after the game that he’s “right on track for Opening Day.” The 28-year-old has been nursing some tightness in his lower back, but he appears to be past it now.