After a sweet long weekend sweep over the White Sox, we're ready and set to go for this week's series against those other Sox. You know, the ones that sit three and a half games back of the Blue Jays in the AL East.Some are suggesting that Blue Jays fans should hang their hopes on the results of this series. We heard the McCownless crew on Prime Time Sports last night pimping this series in Boston as the biggest in the team's recent history, possibly since the World Series years. And while we're loathe to question the hyperbole of any reporter who is sitting in front of an open mic trying to fill the air, we'd have to say that the notion that this series has that much significance is a load of hooey.
Which isn't to say that there is no meaning to this series. Indeed, we've been wondering as much as everyone else what is going to happen to this Jays team when it starts to dig into the dense part of its schedule with the punishing intradivisional games in the AL East. But the nice thing about the Jays' hot start to the season is that they could actually get swept in this series by the BoSox and still sit atop the division when the smoke cleared. (Not that we'd want to see a result like that, but we're just sayin'.)
A good showing in this series and on this road trip will go a long way towards convincing people that the Jays are for real. But we shouldn't take a poor showing to absolutely mean that they are not.
(Does any of this make sense? Goddamnit, it's hard to keep our thoughts straight with a head full of DayQuil.)
41 comments:
How awesome is this week going to be!
Let's get on this knuckleballer tonight.
As well I hope Delgado all the best in his recent surgery. Rumors say that is could be career ending. They are talking about hip replacements (aka Bo Jackson) type surgery.
Agh knuckleballs! It would be a great series for Snider to snap out of this mini-slump, I hear he eats knuckleballs for breakfast.
I think I recall the most important series for the Blue Jays in recent history was that September swing in Boston when they were around 4 games back of the Sox for the wild card.
You know, the series where Scott Downs slipped off the mound? We all remember that. Actually, we all are still trying to forget that. Time for redemption, boys.
I was actually thinking/hoping Fenway could be the launching pad for a Snider breakout.....but Cito will probably hold him back against the knuckler and Lester (assuming the face Lester?).
So, yeah...notsomuch.
update: facing Wakefield, Penny, Lester.
It will be interesting to see if Lind will get some time in LF this week. With the Jays in ATL on the weekend we will need Lind being able to track a fly ball down once in a while.
It will also be great to see the type of reaction Millar gets back in Beantown. I bet the Sox wish they had him over Ortiz right now.
I caught that PTS snippet, and they did temper the whole "meaningful series" idea a bit. They pointed out that everyone said the same thing about the Yankees series, and how picking up four wins against the White Sox erased any real meaning from the 1-2 record against New York.
So I guess the lesson here is... bring on the Braves?
Yeah, Brunt and Blair were willing to couch the importance of this series, while Bruce Arthur was hyping it up.
Which is why he works for the NatPost. (Burn!)
One thing is guaranteed: a Red Sox sweep will definitely result in posts from anonymous Sox fans.
A big series, but not HUGE and season-defining, by any means.
It's all the more important to maintain an even keel while we SIT IN FIRST PLACE.
Speaking of that even keel: PENNANT!!!!1
Oh, and if you didn't know already, I love Marco Scutaro.
SWOON. It's a burgeoning man-crush.
2 of 3 from Boston, Doc's start in Atlanta, and 2 of 3 in Baltimore.
I would be perfectly content with this version of a 5 - 4 road trip.
Of course I'd take 9 - 0 as well.
5-4 would be good, and frankly, 4-5 wouldn't be the end of the world.
It's a road trip, after all.
Much of the AL East last year is pretty close to .500 records against each other (except Baltimore which sucks, and except TB beating up on the Jays 11-7). I think we can accept that the Jays are unlikely to win all their series against AL East teams this year.
So, yeah, kind of hard to say that a May series against the Sox is somehow defining of what they will do this year. The main thing is to keep nailing the rest of the shitty AL, and keep our heads above water with Yanks, Boston and TB.
A commenter posted this on my blog today, it's from The Globe and Mail:
"Since 2002, the team that has been in first place after 40 games has gone on to win the East three times and claimed the AL wild-card spot in another season. Since 2000, the best 40-game record by any AL East team was the 2002 Boston Red Sox's 29-11 record - and that team is one of just three this decade with a better 40-game record than the current edition of the Blue Jays."
Boners.
The Blue Jays have to take at least one this series. If this is a sweep, you won't hear the last of it from the pro-Yankee and pro-Red Sox contingent on ESPN down here in the US of A. Many are stillscoffing at the Jays and this will be an opportunity to point and say how unreal they really are....If they take 2 of 3, then they can pump out their chests, BUT if not.....the Anti-Jays crowd will come out in full force down here like they did when the Yanks took two of 3 at the Skydome.
Big Game Tonight!!! It will be funny to watch are relief pitcher embarass bostons lineup!!
GO JAYS GO!!!
I made a nice shit sandwich for those bean town mick's to enjoy, while toronto sends pappi to retirement and the dead sox emurge
This could be the bellwether series for the Jays this season!
Anyone notice that if lind grew long hair, a beard, and 200 pounds he would look just like john kruk
I hope papi doesn't get his first home run off the Jays.
And Tao, you and Ack both have colds. I would love to see one of your french kissing sessions in person.
And lose about 40 IQ points
To the dynamic duo of Tao & Ack: Get well soon!
Wow. This comment thread took an ugly turn.
Don't be so naive, Tao, just because your blog and comments section are currently a beacon of light, they could easily devolve into a litany of references to cancer, AIDS, CancerAIDS, DIAF, DIAF of CancerAids, yadda yadda.
On a brighter note that picture will replace the white whale in my nightmares.
Wow...
while this this blog pop up is up, I can see that cute little fucktard next to the Molson's Dry twelve pack.That smiling little brat will be a great Jays fan...Drunk, happy and oblivious! I hope he doesn't make out with Tao or Ack though..........
As it turns out, I have TSN2. I'm happy.
Still jealous of Shortwave Boy; he's seeing it live.
OK,I get it. Tao referring to "Mrs. Tao" is a thinly veiled reference to "the Ack." Now the recent Damon article makes more sense. In 2004 the Ack, aka Mrs. Tao, was a closeted Red Sox fan, who liked to stroke his Johnny Damon figurine before crawling into bed with Tao. Eventually, the Ack renounced the Red Sox and soon after he and Tao were married. The timing seems right for this kind of thing. I see says the blind man.
Not gay. Just pretty to look at.
1. MLB.tv doesn't have TSN2, apparently.
2. That guy is the ultimate straw man.
In honour of Brian Tallet's overall awesomeness in terms of pitching ability, quotability and facial hair, I have taken to pronouncing his name "Tall-ay", much like Target stores in the US are pronounced "Tar-jay", in order to lend cachet and complexity to something cool, yet simple.
If the Tao of Stieb likes this, it can use it, as it has already dubbed this year the Summer of Tallet. Or should I say, Tall-ay.
One thing about Americans, they love anything French. Just ask the residents of Calass, Maine.
Or the folks in Mont-Pee-Lee-Err.
I'm liking Eckersley as a color commentator.
I think Jason Frasor looks like the singer in this Canadian 80s band.
Well now...do we listen to the JaysTalk, or do we bang our head against the wall until it splits open?
Fuck off, Wakefield.
Red Sox should be competitive enough to keep pace with the others...all informations about Red sox can also be found at:
http://www.redsoxhome.com
Hey Tao, Pedroia and Bailey were doing a little "Gaston and Alphonse" act there at one point last night. Made me think of your Tom Cheek tribute.
Louise may be the most understated Sox fan yet: "should be competitive enough to keep pace with the others..."
Sounds like a Canadian.
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