This exact poll is running right now on ESPN.com's baseball home page, but ONLY with the following options for voters;

• Boston
• Chicago
• Detroit
• New York
• Other

Buh-bye Toronto. Oh, and Entire AL West? Don't let the door hitya!

All right.....who's the three people voting for Toronto.  What's the rationale?

This exact poll is running right now on ESPN.com's baseball home page, but ONLY with the following options for voters;

• Boston
• Chicago
• Detroit
• New York
• Other

If the ESPN poll is limited to five choices, which I assume is the case, I can't imagine listing any other four teams.  Twins fans will just have to start a write-in campaign.

Somehow I get the feeling that Oakland will do it this year (at least to the series).  Maybe because they really shouldn't while in past years they should've.

Alright i love toronto but they cant do it this year, if they played everygame like the played today(sunday yanks) they could easily but they gutta stay healthy:) Boston will do it, Detriot will choke

Current odds to win AL pennant:

Detroit          7/5
Boston         5/2
Chicago      5/2
Yankees       4/1
Oakland       8/1
Toronto         9/1
Minnesota   12/1 (there's a bet I like)
Anaheim      12/1

<i>All right.....who's the three people voting for Toronto. What's the rationale?</i></p><p>In every other poll I try to be rational and vote for the most likely choice. However, I will vote Toronto in this poll every time with no hesitation whatsoever. If I am going to be optimistic for the Jays, I'm going all out [and I'm not saying if you don't vote Jays in this poll that you don't believe they can do it- it's just the way I'm wired].</p><p>Logically, I think the Jays have perhaps a 15-25% chance of the play-offs. There are a lot of BO-TOR-NY match-ups still to come which means the Jays can easily make up the 4 games that they trail by. Also, it really seems like the pitching is starting to get on a consistent roll: Doc is Doc, AJ has put up back-to-back good starts, Lilly hsa been very consistent lately and Marcum seems ready. I have no problem with a guy like Janssen or Chacin in the fifth spot.</p><p>Janssen is actually very close to league average in ERA and under league average with a 1.29 WHIP. He is actually pretty similar to Kevin Millwood in ERA, WHIP and BAA; Millwood has a much better K/BB ratio than Janssen however. In my mind, he is a very valuable pitcher to have as a fifth man, especially if he can start going deeper into games.</p>

Man, I suck.

I picked Toronto because I think it can happen and I'm really rooting for it. I realize that it's a little bit of an uphill battle, and it might not work out "statistically" but I'm seeing the injuries that the Yankees and Boston are suffering, the recent skid of the White Sox, the Jays 1-2-3 in the rotation coming together and Marcum showing some consistent skills as a number 4, and the bullpen tightening up with Speier and Ryan pitching well, hoping that Accardo will be able to join the ranks. Based on this, I see no reason why the Red Sox or Yankees would be significantly better than the Jays.

I will say though that meeting Detroit in the playoffs does not sound like a fun proposition.

So far mine is the only "other" vote. I picked Minnesota.  They're on a tear right now and could get in with a wild card birth if they keep their pace up.  I'd pick the Jays but then my vote would surely curse them and if I picked anyone else on the list my vote surely give them good fortune.

It will be Boston, after they trade for Clemens and move Pabelbon into the starting rotation.

I really like the Jays, and of course I'm rooting for them down the strech, but there going to need to play fantastically for 2 months to make the playoffs. Right now there on pace for about 90 wins, when its probably going to take closer to 100 to make the playoffs. So basically the Jays will probably need to go 43-21 - winning 2/3 of their remaining games. Not impossible, but it will be difficult.

Just for fun, the 2006 Blue Jays are one game ahead of the 1993 Blue Jays 98 games into the season.

I have the utmost confidence that when in the playoffs the Jays could do well upon eliminating the fifth starter from the equation and they certainly have the offence to take them there. Getting there will be the biggest test, and I think there's a very good chance at grasping the Wild Card with the White Sox and Yankees showing signs of falling.

I forecast a long September battle with the Minnesota Twins.

Right now there on pace for about 90 wins, when its probably going to take closer to 100 to make the playoffs. So basically the Jays will probably need to go 43-21 - winning 2/3 of their remaining games. Not impossible, but it will be difficult.

And after that they have to win two playoff series against the Tigers and the White Sox.  No problem!!