|  Wys³any: 2019-01-13 04:08:49 Temat postu: fter winning their first
The good news is that, heading into Canada Day, the Toronto Blue Jays are still in first place in the American League East. The bad news is that with 78 games left to play, they have removed almost all of their margin for error. After winning their first five games in June, injuries and a cooling offence caught up with them. They only won seven of their next 22 and finished the month at 12-15, exactly their record in April. In other words, thats two losing months out of three so far this season. Two things are saving them, the general mediocrity of the entire AL East and that brilliant month of May that saw go 21-9. If you go back to 2002, only twice have the Jays headed into July with a better record than the one they have now. In 2006, they were 45-34 and, in 2003, they were 46-37. In the latter, they tailed off to 42-41 the rest of the way and finished at 87-75, while in the former, they went 42-39 down the stretch and finished at 86-76. Both were in the era before the extra Wild Card and, in 2003, they wound up in third place in the division, 15 games back of the Yankees in the East and seven-and-half games out of the Wild Card spot taken by the Boston Red Sox. They didnt fare much better in 2006, finishing three games back of the Chicago White Sox for the Wild Card. Even if there had been a second Wild Card, they would have missed it by a game to the Angels. The Blue Jays will have to go 45-33 the rest of the way to finish with 90 victories, which figures to be around the number they will need to put themselves in the conversation for a post-season berth, division title or a Wild Card. The AL East will probably be won within the division. The Baltimore Orioles have the best record within the East at 22-16, while the Jays and Yankees are both 17-15. The trouble part for the Blue Jays is they are only 3-6 against the Yanks this season and havent won in New York so far this season or in all of last year. Seven of the Jays remaining 10 games against the Yankees are in the Bronx. On the plus side, theyve split with Baltimore thus far in 2014 and six of their remaining nine against the Os are at Rogers Centre. Boston, though still a long shot, is slowly entering the equation again, as well. The BoSox are six out in the East and six out in the Wild Card race. The Blue Jays still have 13 left with Boston, seven at home and six at Fenway. Tampa Bay is pretty much an also-ran now. The Jays still have 12 left with them, including six in September, but Joe Maddons teams arent know for packing it in in the final month. So the Jays will play 44 of their final 78 games in the East, 22 at home and 22 away. Going 26-1) over than span just might be enough to put them in the playoffs if they hold their own in their other 34 games. To break it down even further though, the Blue Jays and T-Bay have the fewest number of home games left of the teams in the East with 37 apiece. The Yankees have the most with 43 and Baltimore has 41. Although the latter two have stumbled a bit in their own parks this season, being at home and travelling less and playing meaningful games in their own facilities could be a sizeable edge in a close race. Boston, too, has a favourable home/road split at 42-38. Then there is the matter of strength of schedule down the stretch. The Blue Jays play 40 of their 78 against teams that currently sport winning records and 38 against teams with losing records. The Yankees, on the other hand at my count, play only 38 against teams above .500 and 44 games against teams below .500. Again, that gives them an edge. The Orioles, though, play 48 games against teams with winning records and only 33 against teams with losing marks. So, the Blue Jays and the Yankees get the edge there. For the Blue Jays, the next five weeks could ultimately tell the tale. In July, they play only nine of their 17 games at home, broken up in the middle by the All-Star Game. After the next two games at home to the Milwaukee Brewers, they hit the road for 10 in 11 days including four at the Oakland Athletics, three at the Los Angeles Angels and, after an off-day, three at Tampa Bay. Then, after a seven-game homestand, they go on another 10-game journey over 10 days that includes three in New York versus the Yankees,three at Fenway against the Red Sox, culminating with four at Houston against the Astros. If they are still in it at that point, the Blue Jays will at least have a shot. Somewhere near the end of that span, Brett Lawrie should be back, as well. - With Milwaukee hitting town, its interesting to compare the numbers of the two guys who were disgraced by PED suspensions that, this year, have been key factors in getting their teams into first place in their respective divisions. The Brewers Ryan Braun, coming off his 50-game suspension of last season, is batting .290 for the N.L Central leaders with 11 homers, 46 RBI, an .849 OPS and 18 walks versus 52 strikeouts. Braun also helped the Brewers cause by agreeing to move to right field this season. Melky Cabrera is having a stand-out season in his own right and has put up almost identical numbers, hitting .299 with 11 homers and 42 RBI, an .809 OPS and 23 walks to 46 strikeouts. Cabrera is playing some strong left field, as well. Both have a decent shot at being at the All-Star game two weeks from Tuesday at Minnesota. - Speaking of the All-Star game, isnt the Home Run Derby starting to feel like the NBA Slam Dunk Contest? Every year it seems many of the bigger stars opt out. This year, American League captain Jose Bautista has to deal with the fact his own teammate Edwin Encarnacion doesnt want to compete and neither does Orioles slugger, Nelson Cruz. Then, White Sox rookie Jose Abreu, who slugged two dingers at Rogers Centre Friday night against the Jays and is one of baseballs emerging stars, isnt inclined to take part either, though, he apparently hasnt entirely closed the door. Good on Jose Bautista for agreeing to be part of this again. But if most of the other sluggers the fans really want to see dont want to be part of it all, then whats the point? Air Max Plus Cheap Australia . He left in the 4th inning of Saturdays game against the Tigers after experiencing tightness. Reyes and the team still hope that he will be ready for Opening Day in Tampa Bay in one week. Wholesale Air Max Plus Australia .C. -- Charles Oakley, one of the NBAs all-time tough guys, may not return to the Charlotte Bobcats bench next season because of a painful back condition he says was caused during an assault last year in Las Vegas. http://www.cheapairmaxplusaustralia.com/. The top-ranked Djokovic also beat Gael Monfils and then routed Roger Federer en route to his first Abu Dhabi title. "Its always great to win a title. This is the best way to start the 2012 season," Djokovic said. Buy Air Max Plus Australia . The Maple Leafs may not have had a pick until the third round, but they have made the biggest move of the second day of the Draft, dealing defenceman Carl Gunnarsson and a fourth-round pick in the draft to the St. Air Max Plus Australia Wholesale . They signed their first kicker. Ottawa inked Nick Setta, a 32-year-old native of Lockport, Illinois, to a contract.Defending champions Surrey Storm will meet 2014 champions Manchester Thunder in the Vitality Superleague Grand Final after Saturdays semi-finals. After Thunder had booked their place in the Copper Box showpiece with victory over Team Bath 53-46 earlier on Saturday, it was left to rivals Storm and Hertfordshire Mavericks to play out a thriller.Coming down to the final seconds, it was Storm who held on with Rachel Dunns nerve holding to nail the all-important goal that ensured a two-goal deficit would not be hauled back with little time remaining in a 53-51 victory. It means the defending champions Storm will get the chance to keep their trophy when they face a Thunder side that finished top of the regular season standings and keen to make amends for missing out in the semi-finals last year. Player of the Season Your chance to vote on the seasons star turn Dan Ryans team will be equally keen to avenge their only defeat of the regular season, when they were beaten by Storm in Manchester in February.In front of a lively crowd at the Surrey Sports Village, a thrilling first quarter ebbed and flowed with Mavericks recovering from a nervy opening few minutes to edge into a two-goal lead after the first 15 minutes.The second quarter was a cracker with the radars of shooters Rachel Dunn of Storm and Sammy Wallace of Mavericks very much on - Wallace taking Mavericks into a seven-point lead before Dunn and Pamela Cookey led the Surrey fightback. Superleague semi-finals A recap of the semi-finals as they happened With just two points in it at half-time the third quarter was equally as thrilling with Dunn and Cookey finding their range to turn the deficit into a one-point advantage ahead of the final 15 minutes.And there was no let up in the drama as the game ebbed and flowed with brilliance under the posts from both teams and fantastic turnover defence.However it was a turnover and crucial score from Dunn that proved to be crucial, Dunns goal in the final ten second of the game enough to secure a return to the Copper Box for the champions. Reaction from both camps after Manchester Thunder beat Team Bath to progress to the Vitality Superleague Grand Final Manchester was the venue for the opening semi-final of the day and a blistering start from them set the tone for an opening quarter that was to prove crucial against Team Bath.ddddddddddddWith the visitors slow out of the traps and freezing in the semi-final spotlight, Thunder wasted no time in forging an 8-2 advantage and by the end of the opening 15 minutes they were a huge 11 goals clear - a deficit that was to prove too much for Bath to make up.The visitors rallied throughout the remaining three quarters, and were just edged out by a point in quarters two and three before a stirring fightback in the final quarter set nerves jangling at the Thunderdome.Anna Stembridges team were busy from the outset and as they ebbed away at the lead, their confidence grew.Having pulled the deficit back to seven points with three minutes remaining Baths efforts to set up a grandstand finish were hindered by some understandably desperate attempts to win the ball back or find the goal.In the end Thunder closed out the win and remain on course for their third Superleague title in Ryans first season as head coach. We look back to 2014s Superleague final between Manchester Thunder and Surrey Storm as Helen Housby won the game for her side in the final second You can follow all the build-up to the Grand Final on www.skysports.com/netball this week and watch the game on Sky Sports 1 next Saturday from 6pm.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Semi-finals - as it happened Vote for your Player of the Season Table Live on Sky China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' ' |
fter winning their first 
