Ah, the poor Jays. The bats are struggling. Could they be afraid? Is it time to summon the spirit of Mighty Jobu, with appropriate offerings of cigar and rum, to take the fear from the bats?

Or should we first see how they do against a bunch of pitchers who really don't have a whole lot of business being on a major league roster?

You're probably thinking - that sneaky old Magpie. Gives us thousands of words yesterday on the Tigers of the past because he's got nothing to say about the Tigers of today.

The end of the 2021 season's last long road trip comes into view.  Yes, after spending most of the last two years on The Longest Road trip in history, the Jays will spend most of the final six weeks at home. They have a three game trip to Detroit next week. They hit the road twice in September: once to visit New York and Baltimore, and once to visit Tampa Bay and Minnesota. They play 25 of the final 43 games in the Dome of Home.

The Western swing continues.

Two games on Tuesday, Shohei Ohtani on Thursday... this week will be lit, as the kids say.

If that's what the kids say. Come on, how would I know?

Not that it's likely to mean much of anything but the Red Sox have lost six of their last seven.

The Jays have won just 6 of 15 meetings with this tiresome Boston outfit, despite outscoring them 87-67. Boston has won by such scores as 8-7, 6-5, 2-1, 5-4. The Jays have won by such scores as 8-0, 18-4, 13-1. Well, if you have to beat them senseless... might as well beat them senseless. That's what I always say.