So it's that time of year again, according to the Toronto sports media, where the Blue Jays make a completely inconsequential run after they've been logically eliminated and the pressure has been taken off. Never mind the fact that they've been hot since July, or that our recent win streak has come at the hands of some of baseball's best, because why evaluate a team based on their merits when you can boil everything down to historical comparison?
Believe me, I'm not trying to be a pusher for the hope bandwagon. I'd basically written this team out of the playoffs after the guys dropped 2 of 3 to the Angels on the road and were 14 games out of the division. They're now 6.5 games out of the playoffs, and the cynical prick inside me says that 6.5 games made up with 16 remaining in the season is a lot to hope for. And it is. But I can't help but think that on this particular occasion, there are reasons to hope.
Consider our opposition for the remainder of the year. 7 games come against the Boston Red Sox, the team we need to catch in order to make the playoffs. We find ourselves within reach of that team with a 7 game sweep. We've won 11 of our last 12 games, and since July 8th we're 37-20. This isn't just some inconsequential late season run, they've been hot since before the All-Star break. In addition to the Bo-Sox series, we've got 6 games against the Orioles and a 3 game set with the Yankees, teams we're 8-4 and 8-7 against respectively. The Rex Sox meanwhile have 7 games against the Blue Jays (4-7 against us), 3 against the Rays (7-8), 3 against the Yankees (8-7) and 4 against the Indians (2-0). What that record against the Indians doesn't indicate however is that the Tribe has a record against the AL East of 19-12. The Sox have it tough. We have our ducks lined up in a row. This is doable.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not out here trying to be that guy who screams PLAYOFFS! every time we manage to pull off a win (not without a sense of irony, at least). The chances of our being able to pull off 5 or 6 of these final games against the Red Sox and then make up the remaining games to earn ourselves a playoff spot are not great. But for all the people who've bitched about our lack of meaningful games in September, it's time to stop bitching. Meaningful baseball is here. This is the most important series of the season. Bandwagon jumpers: it's time to hop on.
Believe me, I'm not trying to be a pusher for the hope bandwagon. I'd basically written this team out of the playoffs after the guys dropped 2 of 3 to the Angels on the road and were 14 games out of the division. They're now 6.5 games out of the playoffs, and the cynical prick inside me says that 6.5 games made up with 16 remaining in the season is a lot to hope for. And it is. But I can't help but think that on this particular occasion, there are reasons to hope.
Consider our opposition for the remainder of the year. 7 games come against the Boston Red Sox, the team we need to catch in order to make the playoffs. We find ourselves within reach of that team with a 7 game sweep. We've won 11 of our last 12 games, and since July 8th we're 37-20. This isn't just some inconsequential late season run, they've been hot since before the All-Star break. In addition to the Bo-Sox series, we've got 6 games against the Orioles and a 3 game set with the Yankees, teams we're 8-4 and 8-7 against respectively. The Rex Sox meanwhile have 7 games against the Blue Jays (4-7 against us), 3 against the Rays (7-8), 3 against the Yankees (8-7) and 4 against the Indians (2-0). What that record against the Indians doesn't indicate however is that the Tribe has a record against the AL East of 19-12. The Sox have it tough. We have our ducks lined up in a row. This is doable.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not out here trying to be that guy who screams PLAYOFFS! every time we manage to pull off a win (not without a sense of irony, at least). The chances of our being able to pull off 5 or 6 of these final games against the Red Sox and then make up the remaining games to earn ourselves a playoff spot are not great. But for all the people who've bitched about our lack of meaningful games in September, it's time to stop bitching. Meaningful baseball is here. This is the most important series of the season. Bandwagon jumpers: it's time to hop on.
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