BALTIMORE – The champagne party is on hold for the Toronto Blue Jays, who might have beaten the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night if the weather, undefeated in its long and dominant career, hadn’t intervened.
Relentless rain means a single-admission doubleheader starting at 4:05 p.m. ET is on tap Wednesday, when the ability to clinch the franchise’s first American League title since 1993 will be in their hands. Marcus Stroman starts the first game and R.A. Dickey the second when the bubbly will be on ice.
Despite the postponement announced about 30 minutes before game-time, all was not lost for the Blue Jays on Tuesday, as Troy Tulowitzki took batting practice at Camden Yards in the early afternoon before the rain started, saying afterwards he’s “definitely pretty close” to a return.
That could be in the next few days, depending on his feedback Wednesday on how things feel the day after really letting loose in the cage. After sitting out the past couple of weeks with a crack in his left shoulder blade, he’s itching to play as soon as he can, without being reckless.
“Especially with where we’re headed,” said Tulowitzki. “You play this game and you dream about (playoffs). I haven’t been to the playoffs since 2009, so even though I’m a veteran player, any time you go to the playoffs is special. It gives you a chance to win that ring that you chase or just have those experiences that make you that much better of a player, and share it with your teammates. It’s always special, something you’ll never forget.”
Tulowitzki is one of several Blue Jays with post-season experience – Mark Buehrle, David Price, Josh Donaldson, Russell Martin, Dioner Navarro, Cliff Pennington, LaTroy Hawkins, Mark Lowe and Jeff Francis are the others – something manager John Gibbons feels will be invaluable once the playoffs begin.
Of that group, Buehrle is the only one to have won a World Series, although Tulowitzki, Price, Navarro, Hawkins, Lowe and Francis have all played in one and lost. Tulowitzki believes the experience really matters.
“There’s something to be said about guys that have been there done that, played in big games. It’s a different level, it’s a different atmosphere,” he explained. “Guys will experience that in our first series. The World Series, obviously, is the ultimate goal, and the emotions and everything that come with it. I think I definitely can help some of these younger guys by just talking to them.
“But more importantly they’re going to have to experience it.”
There’s no fast-tracking that end of things, although the Blue Jays have been in several playoff-type games in recent weeks, especially during last week’s series against the New York Yankees.
In erasing large deficits both in the AL East and in the race for best record in the American League, in which the Blue Jays hold a slight edge over the Kansas City Royals, they’ve already demonstrated an ability to respond under pressure.
While Gibbons said Tuesday he’ll give regulars a bit of rest once the division crown is sealed, playing for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs – the American League gets it for the World Series by virtue of the all-star game win over the National League – is something to keep the Blue Jays interested.
“That helps a lot,” said Tulowitzi. “I think it’s helped in this case right now to where the Royals were running away with this thing a little bit, and we were coming to the ballpark really playing meaningful games at least since I got here. Every game’s been meaningful, we’ve needed to win them. That’s helped out a lot.”
Tulowitzki’s return will help out a lot, too, even though Pennington and Darwin Barney have helped cover his absence admirably. They’re 10-5 since the all-star shortstop’s injury, and once he returns the batting order will get deeper again, with more bench flexibility for Gibbons.
“I definitely like my chances to play in games before the post-season starts,” said Tulowitzki.
While Tuesday’s batting practice session answered any lingering doubts about his recovery, there are some remaining tests that can only happen in-game. The tricky part is ensuring he doesn’t take those tests before he’s ready.
“At the plate there are going to be swings and misses that my first time’s going to be during the game, really, foul balls, diving, having to slide,” he said. “Those things you’re not going to simulate until the game comes along. I’ll go with it as it comes. More importantly, though, just being out there helping the team is more important than anything.”
He’s already thinking less about his shoulder when he’s swinging at the plate, and he’s rebuilding trust in his body on a daily basis. There’s also been improvement off the field for Tulowitzki, who at first struggled at night because of pain from the injury.
“Sleeping is great,” he said. “I can lay on each side now, so that’s been way better than what it was.”
With the chance to clinch the American League East on Wednesday, sleep for Tulowitzki and the rest of the Blue Jays may be tough to come by for different reasons.
