Just a few days ago, it all looked great. The Blue Jays appeared to have finally emerged from their season-opening funk with six straight wins, and fans were looking ahead at the Yankees, not behind to the Devil Rays. Then came two straight demoralizing losses, including a truly ugly outing yesterday in Kansas City, and the news that reliever Chris Speier was off to the DL. Now the Jays come home to face the powerhouse Boston Red Sox, the start of an intimidating 16-game stretch where the Jays play not one game against a team with a losing record. Add to that today's terrible news about Dustin McGowan, and this looks like low-morale time for the organization.
It's at times like this, one way or another, that you get to find out what your team is made of. The Blue Jays could conceivably roll over during these next 16 games, stagger through that stretch with a 6-10 or 5-11 record, and emerge on the other side with a 19-31 record and a season all but over. But you know, when you face daunting odds, knowing the road ahead of you is gruelling, and yet still go out there and give everything you have (and maybe some you didn't know you have), then you may be surprised to learn you're better than anyone suspected.
The Blue Jays still have life, and they now have an opportunity, playing several games against the Red Sox in particular, to pull themselves out of what threatens to become a death spiral. These next few weeks will test the players' character, and they will test the leadership abilities of its manager and coaches; it will show whether these are the Fighting Jays that JP Ricciardi wanted to see on the field in 2004. If it turns out they are not, then I would fully expect major changes to this club well before the end of the season. But I still think they are, and I think they can start proving that tonight.
It's Miguel Batista, who has pitched much better lately and is overdue for his first win of the season, versus Curt Schilling, a certified ace who nonetheless has an Achilles heel called the home run ball. The Dome will be open for the first time this year, on a beautiful evening in Toronto. If you can get to the game, go down there and yell for all you're worth in favour of the home side, while the chance is there. In many ways, the 2004 season will be made or broken starting tonight.
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