How Do You Feel About The Jays' Postseason Chances Going into Game 5?

[intentional wok]

Rangers fans probably filling their Texas-sized diapers about game 5. We've been living with the prospect of elimination since Friday, so Wednesday will be no different.

 

That said, the game will basically be a toss up. A Stroman v. Hamels match up will come down to who makes the more costly mistakes.

 

Also I'll be lucky to catch the 9th inning when I get home. Thanks, Major League Baseball.

[Nafro]

is loud home crowd giving jays too much pressure?

Maybe we shouldn't be cheering too loudly at the rogers centre

they looked much comfortable playing in texas

 

Lol. Yes be very very qwiet....were hunting wabbits..err playing baseball. Don't want the players to feel any pressure. I want Game 5 to be like a golf or tennis match everytime the Jays go to do something. That won't be incredibly awkward and add more pressure.

[Stangstag]

Rangers fans probably filling their Texas-sized diapers about game 5. We've been living with the prospect of elimination since Friday, so Wednesday will be no different.

 

That said, the game will basically be a toss up. A Stroman v. Hamels match up will come down to who makes the more costly mistakes.

 

Also I'll be lucky to catch the 9th inning when I get home. Thanks, Major League Baseball.

 

Can't believe we're getting the s*** time AGAIN. Dammit, Astros why couldn't you hold your lead.

[G-Snarls]

I think we're gonna win

[BigBounceyBlueBalls]

Wait, since when do Mods think? Lol

[rydermike]

Pro: We are the Toronto Blue Jays

Con: It's one game. Throw all the stats out the window. Stats hold up over a season, in one game, its 25 men vs 25 men, anything can happen

[HERPDERP]

I like the Jays chances with Stroman. If we threw Price in game 5 I'd say we'd definitely lose.

 

However, we lost Cecil, and Loup may not even be available for tomorrow either with his family issue, whatever that is.

 

Which is why it was stupid to begin with to have Price pitch his arm off yesterday. We could use a lefty in the pen, and now we may have to resort to having Ryan Tepera hold our season together.

 

If Beltre plays tomorrow, I hope we take advantage and have Revere bunt early on to test his back. We have to take advantage of whatever is given to us and Hamels is tough already.

[Flashman]

Perhaps it's better to take a shoulder-shrugging approach to lessen the potential pain of losing, but I am very confident for the Jays for a few reasons:

 

1. Stroman on the mound. A legit ace, and tough to see any team blowing him out. FWIW, he also appears to have exactly the right attitude for these situations. Someone who truly wants the pressure.

 

2. Hamels. Sure, a fantastic pitcher, but the Jays have numbers against him, and we'd take him over Gallardo (or most other teams' aces)

 

3. Momentum. I loved the professionalism of locking up that series in Texas even when 7-1 up. They are running up the pitch counts, there are no ego disuputes, and the initial bad luck seems to have evened out. Texas, by comparison, must feel much greater pressure having blown a two game lead. It'd be interesting to know the win stats on teams in Game 5 after winning the first two.

 

4. Home field advantage. Seems contradictory to say after the Rangers won two in Toronto and Toronto won two in Texas. But it might just compound the backfoot feeling the Rangers must be experiencing. Intangibles, sure, but there's such an ocean of anecdotal evidence in sports psychology books to suggest these are definite edges. I'll take 'em all. There's also the Jays' regular season home record to show that more often than not they'll play better than their opponents at RC.

 

Go Jays.

[BlueJayWay]

feelin' fine

[500LevelSTH]

Cole Hamels vs Jays Game 2

 

Innings 1/2

2IP, 3H, 1ER, 3R, 0K, 0BB

 

Innings 3-7

5IP, 3H, 1ER, 1R, 6K, 0BB

[Spanky99]

Pros

 

Like where the team is at mentally now versus where they were after giving up on a couple of games and losing the AL crown. The adversity of going down 0-2 was a needed wake up call IMO.

 

Big three living up to their rep.

 

Pillar looking awesome.

 

Estrada and Stroman proving they can do it in the postseason.

 

Dickey looking solid, if not spectacular.

 

Cons

 

I really am concerned that Price is not the same pitcher in the postseason as he is in the regular season. Can't find updated stats with this game included, but I believe he now has an ERA that's 5+ in a significant postseason sample size (50 innings). The pressure gets to him it looks like.

 

Goins has not looked good at the plate. Hopefully it won't matter.

 

Tulo isn't a full con, but I think he's missed two ground ball plays he'd normally make this series and while the home run was awesome, the rest of his hitting hasn't looked good. Hopefully getting that monkey off his bat will translate to at least a .200 average for the rest of the playoffs.

 

Pitching drama/confidence issues. Hopefully it doesn't matter.

 

Overall

 

Overall I like where we're at more than we were when we entered the postseason. I was concerned about the way we trailed off/gave up at the end of the regular season and I never like having a bunch of major media outlets predict the Jays as WS champions. Going down 0-2 is the best thing that could have happened to this team I think, hopefully they can pull it out Wednesday and hopefully they can figure out Price one way or another (either get him back on track or limit his usage so he doesn't lose us two games in a series).

 

 

What do you guys think were the biggest pros/cons of the series thus far?

 

There are no words...

[RealAccountant]

There are no words...

 

Still time bud. Shake my hand. End the Jays pain

[RealAccountant]

Rangers 2.70 vs Jays 1.5

[RealAccountant]

Jays strong favorites

[Spanky99]

Still time bud. Shake my hand. End the Jays pain

 

f*** off... Pinky!

[reedjohnsonfan]

Rangers 2.70 vs Jays 1.5

 

That's different than earlier today. Considering it's the same as game 2 except the Rangers have Beltre now, and the Jays don't have Cecil... I believe the line was 1.72 or around that (even after the lineups came out) so it really doesn't make sense to me. I anticipate it to keep moving and end up around what it was for game 2.

 

If anyone wants to hedge their happiness for tomorrow, now is probably a good time to bet on Texas.

[G-Snarls]

That's different than earlier today. Considering it's the same as game 2 except the Rangers have Beltre now, and the Jays don't have Cecil... I believe the line was 1.72 or around that (even after the lineups came out) so it really doesn't make sense to me. I anticipate it to keep moving and end up around what it was for game 2.

 

Beltre looks like s***. They might be better off with Alberto unless Beltre heals up quick.

[reedjohnsonfan]

Beltre looks like s***. They might be better off with Alberto unless Beltre heals up quick.

 

He seemed ok at the plate, but yes everything else he is doing looks like crap.

[BigCecil]

Beltre looks like s***. They might be better off with Alberto unless Beltre heals up quick.

 

He seemed ok at the plate, but yes everything else he is doing looks like crap.

 

That guy is a beast. He got 2 hits and almost 3...and made all the plays....and he couldn't move. unreal player.

[RealAccountant]

That's different than earlier today. Considering it's the same as game 2 except the Rangers have Beltre now, and the Jays don't have Cecil... I believe the line was 1.72 or around that (even after the lineups came out) so it really doesn't make sense to me. I anticipate it to keep moving and end up around what it was for game 2.

 

If anyone wants to hedge their happiness for tomorrow, now is probably a good time to bet on Texas.

 

Where are you looking at?

[reedjohnsonfan]

Where are you looking at?

 

sports interaction

[RealAccountant]

sports interaction

 

Bet365 still has Rangers @ 2.7

[Trouba95]

I'm betting on the Rangers. With that said, Go Jays!

[G-Snarls]

That guy is a beast. He got 2 hits and almost 3...and made all the plays....and he couldn't move. unreal player.

 

Yeah, Beltre is the position player I wanted most this off season (with plan to move Lawrie to 2B)

 

(Though only because I never even dreamed that Donaldson would be available LOL)

[reedjohnsonfan]

Bet365 still has Rangers @ 2.7

 

Thanks.

 

SI though: Jays 1.48 Rangers 2.75

 

Generally I believe they have the best lines for underdog betting.

[G-Snarls]

I'm betting on the Rangers. With that said, Go Jays!

 

Shocker

[RealAccountant]

I don't understand how Jays are way bigger favorites than KC. KC and Houston are almost even money KC slight Favs

[birchy]

It'd be interesting to know the win stats on teams in Game 5 after winning the first two.

 

I'm pretty sure they showed that stat right at the end of the game yesterday.. and it surprised me how often the team that won the first two ends up winning game 5.. I can't find it now though. Since 1995, Only 5 teams have come back from 0-2 in a 5 game series.. and only 2 came back after losing the first two at home.

 

All that being said.. I'm confident the Jays will add their names to both those lists..

[Travis_Snider]

I don't understand how Jays are way bigger favorites than KC. KC and Houston are almost even money KC slight Favs

 

Nobody would bet on the rangers if the lines were like Houston KC

[Candide]

i'm excited. we waited 22 years to experience this again, and so far, it has been amazing.

of course I want the Jays to win and advance - but if they don't, I'm happy to see that they fielded a successful team.

a lot of good guys on the team that makes it very easier to cheer for the squad - I'm optimistic that even if Price leaves that this team will be a contender for at least 2 more seasons.

 

p.s. anyone notice that in Price's interviews, he never talks about the team in the same way as the other members do - even a late acquisition like Tulowitzki? He always uses phrases like "I'll do whatever I can for those guys" or "that's what I'm here for", whereas any other player will use the term 'we' (hell, even the fans do this) or 'us'. Suggests that he's obviously committed to winning, and appreciates the fan support for him since he arrived, but doesn't have the same level of loyalty or attachment as, say, a Josh Donaldson, Ben Revere, or Marco Estrada. Makes sense that he's due a massive payday, but I don't get the sense that he's looking to stick around based on his interviews in the past couple of weeks. Just my two overeducated with sub-optimal financial return cents.