Commentary: Where Were You

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Sick of the Blue Jays talk yet?

Hope not. Because it’s just getting started.

The Toronto Blue Jays are off to their eighth American League Championship Series after disposing of the Yankees 5-2 in Game 4 of the Division Series Wednesday night in New York.

What a nerve-wracking outing that was, as the Blue Jays used eight different pitchers in the series clincher.

Listening to the radio broadcast, the announcers said “Usually when you use that many pitchers, things aren’t going well.”

But they went as well as possible for the Bluebirds, whom are off to the ALCS for the first time in nine years and will host either Seattle or Detroit in Game 1 on Sunday.

The Mariners and Tigers will decide their Division Series on Friday.

I’ve gotta say I’m incredibly happy for Blue Jays fans and Canadians who shrugged off the rude New Yorkers boo’ing the Canadian flag and national anthem prior to Tuesday’s Game 3.

Clearly, the Jays and their fans had bigger fish to fry.

Now New York can direct their energy to their usual finger-pointing and figuring out what went wrong.

As for Toronto, skipper John Schneider referred to his team as a “special group” after Wednesday’s Game 4. A group which will come home to a hero’s welcome and have plenty of time to rest before the next big series. I’ve noted this summer that there was as special vibe at the Jays training facility in Dunedin during training camp, but I thought it was just the usual exuberance over a new season.

Turns out it was the real thing, that’s lasted all year.

For those of us old enough, this run is conjuring up memories of the Jays’ back-to-back World Series championships and the “Where were you?” moments from over 30 years ago.

Robbie Alomar, Joe Carter, Pat Borders, Paul Molitor, Cito Gaston. All those names have come flooding back and we’re wondering if we’re watching the next generation of Blue Jays heroes.

We’ll know soon.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary.

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