Rasmus quietly building impressive season

CLEVELAND -- Colby Rasmus is starting to heat up, and that can only mean good things for the Blue Jays' offense.

Rasmus entered play on Tuesday night hitting .344 (11-for-32) with three doubles, two homers and nine RBIs over his past nine games, while recording multiple hits in four contests during that span.

Toronto manager John Gibbons was full of praise over Rasmus' recent numbers and said it has been the most consistent he has seen Rasmus at the plate.

"He's getting some hits the other way, too," Gibbons said. "Early on, everything he was firing was right-center, right-field line, maybe some straightaway home runs. But he's getting some hits away. He looks really good right now."

Rasmus hasn't exactly received a lot of attention for it, but he is quietly enjoying a successful season in Toronto. He has provided well above-average defense and leads Major League center fielders with 16 homers (tied with the Orioles' Adam Jones).

The 26-year-old also ranks first among American League center fielders in slugging (.476) and OPS (.800), as well as second in RBIs (46),

"I think when he lets the ball travel a little bit more, get on him a little bit better, that's when he's able to do that," Gibbons said.

"I don't think you can throw a fastball by him. I don't care whose fastball it is."