Toronto Blue Jays: Put the Pedal to the Metal

The Toronto Blue Jays open the most crucial homestand of the season tonight against the New York Yankees.

While many baseball insiders and experts have already written them off, the team is certainly in control of its fate, based on the number of games remaining against those ahead of them.

For the Blue Jays, it is vital for them to keep the good times rollin'.  Too many times in the past decade the team has put together a string of wins in late July and early August to put themselves back in contention, only to follow it with some of the most abysmal play of the season.

The Jays went 5-1 (and easily could have been 6-0) on their recent trip through Detroit and Boston, but now must carry that into the series against the Bronx Bombers, a team decimated by injuries this season. A sweep of the series will vault the Jays into third place in the American League East.

Tonight is a chance for A.J. Burnett to prove that he is a real-deal, pressure-situation type pitcher. Allowing his club to be beaten by unknown Darrell Rasner will not do much for his potential free agent stock. On the other hand, if he can come out and pitch the Jays to a victory--his 16th of the season--he will add another chapter to what has been a relatively brilliant season by the fire-balling righty.

Burnett is an interesting character and player who has always baffled yet impressed. His record (15-9) is very impressive for someone who has been known as a .500 pitcher for his entire career.

Additionally, a few of those losses could have been avoided this season. There was the relief appearance against Texas in the 14th inning of a game in mid-April, and at least two games where he pitched exceptionally well, only to be let down by the offense. Burnett could very easily be 17-6 at this point of the season.

Unfortunately for Jays' fans, that means he likely won't be around come Spring Training '09.

I've never really believed in players stepping up their performance during "contract years"--the final year of a current deal in which a player is essentially trying out for a new, more lucrative deal.

But that was before Burnett's 2008 campaign.

With all the talk of trade potential and him opting out of the final two years of his deal, Burnett has won nine of his last 11 starts to send his stock through the roof.

To A.J.'s credit, he has said he does not want to think about changing teams at this point, and his resurgence, like that of many other Blue Jays, co-incided with the hiring of manager Cito Gaston.

Gaston seems like the type of man who demands the best of his players and makes sure he gets it from Burnett every five days.

Time will tell where Burnett will be come February.

As for his teammates, they must also focus on the present, which means winning as many games as possible between now and the end of September.

They have dug themselves a hole by throwing games away during the first four and a half months of the season, but they can certainly take advantage of some good momentum and banged up opponents to give themselves a serious shot at playoff contention.

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