Penton: Jays have what it takes to win, but will they?
By Bruce Penton
Toronto Blue Jays finished off their 162-game regular season on Sunday, Sept. 28, and ‘Yes!’ is the answer to the biggest question posed by Jays’ fans.
Yes, they can win the World Series. They may not, because the playoff grind is a tough one, but they have certainly shown over 162 games that they’re talented, have strong starting pitching, great hitting, resilience galore and quite the knack of posting comeback victories.
A comeback win in June or July is nice, but a dramatic comeback win in October, with a playoff series on the line, is even better.
The Jays got a good-news-bad-news report on Bo Bichette in mid-September. The Jays’ infielder, who led the majors in base hits until getting hurt and was generally regarded as the team’s MVP or co-MVP (with George Springer), suffered a knee injury in early September. The bad news from the medical folks was that Bichette would miss the rest of the regular season, and the team struggled down the stretch without him. The good news, however, is that he was expected back for the playoffs, which means the infield will be stabilized for post-season play. Bichette would return to his regular position at shortstop, with Andrés Giménez moving back to second base. Ernie Clement, who had been at second during the Bichette absence, would return to his normal spot at third.
Meanwhile, chasing the World Series title will not be easy. American League rivals Detroit, Cleveland New York, Seattle, Boston and Houston were in a dogfight down the playoff stretch. In the National League, Milwaukee Brewers have been the majors’ best team all year and winning four of seven from the Brew Crew won’t be easy. Then there are the Dodgers, the pre-season Series’ favourites, and Philadelphia Phillies, who ran away with the N.L. East and battled Milwaukee for the senior circuit’s best overall record. The Cubs and Padres will also contend.
The playoffs should be great theatre. Canadian fans will be huddled around their television sets from coast to coast as Jays’ manager John Schneider calls on Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber and Chris Bassitt for strong starting jobs. Seattle will be counting on more home runs from the amazing Cal Raleigh, while the Yankees will ride the arm of Max Fried and the bat of Aaron Judge to try to bring the Series’ title back to the Big Apple. Detroit’s Tarik Skubal is the likely A.L. Cy Young winner while Freddie Peralta is the Brewers’ pitching ace and veteran Christian Yelich is still a threat at the plate. Philadelphia will depend on the power of Kyle Schwarber, who trailed only Raleigh in the home-run department. The Dodgers, with Ohtani, Betts and Freeman, can never be counted out.
But most Canadian eyes will be on the Jays, with Springer, Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., and Co. powering the offence and hoping the starters go deep enough to not put too much pressure on the bullpen.
Could they somehow clone the 1992 version of Tom Henke?
Brad Dickson of Omaha: “My grandmother, Mable Micek, 106 and possibly the oldest person in Nebraska, will be at the Akron game. She's had season tickets since about 1949 and was once kicked out of a game in the '50s for ‘cussin’."
Columnist Norman Chad. “I’m not a fan of (Baltimore coach) John Harbaugh. He complains about everything. He would throw a challenge flag at a school crossing guard.”
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “An ESPN pundit suggested the Westminster Dog Show was biased because in 47 out of 115 events, a terrier won. I'm not saying it was fixed, but it sure looks to have been spayed.”
fark.com headline after John Daiy recorded a single-hole 19 in a recent Champions Tour event: “John Daly needs to put down the bottle or pick it back up again.”
Norman Chad again, on X: “Apple TV takes in-game interviews a step further. They are talking to Dodgers RF Teoscar Hernandez as he is in the field in the sixth inning, asking him questions as pitches are en route, and he is answering questions, as pitches are en route. At least he isn't a heart surgeon.”
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: “The still-winless Miami Dolphins showed improvement and big fight Thursday night in a 31-21 loss at Buffalo. And nobody cares. Only 0-3 matters.”
Comedy guy Torben Rolfsen of Vancouver, on the media hysteria over Micah Parsons of the Packers: “I’m surprised CBS didn’t stop the game for an infield ceremony after his first sack.”
Jack Finarelli at his sports curmudgeon.com website on the latest injury to quarterback Joe Burrow of Cincinnati: “Why can’t the Bengals find five aspiring piano movers to create a functional OL to protect their QBs?”
Headline at theonion.com: “A’s Fans Unable To Sustain The Wave Over Chasm Of 7,000 Empty Seats”
Headline at theonion.com: “Giants Players Horrified To Learn Uniforms Have Names On Back”
Another fark.com headline: “Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy out 2-4 weeks due to paucity of talent.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca