WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY: A STEP BACK

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)

TUESDAY SEEMED TO BE A MILD STEP BACK FOR OUR SPORTS TEAMS.

THE BLUE JAYS BATS WERE COOLED IN A 2-0 HOME LOSS TO THE DIVISION-LEADING TAMPA BAY RAYS.

THIS WASN’T AS MUCH FUN AS WE’RE USED TO AS JAYS FANS!

TAMPA’S MIKE ZUNINO SAID AFTERWARDS THAT FELT LIKE A PLAYOFF GAME, AND HE WAS RIGHT. EACH AT-BAT WAS INTENSE, AND IT WAS A LOW-SCORING ‘GRIND IT OUT’ GAME.

IT WAS JUST THE THIRD TIME ALL YEAR THAT TORONTO’S BEEN SHUTOUT – THE LOWEST IN THE MAJORS – AND, AGAIN, JUST NOT SOMETHING WE’RE USED TO.

ON TOP OF THAT, JAYS STARTING PITCHER JOSE BERRIOS LEFT THE GAME WITH AN AB STRAIN WHICH MADE ME IMMEDIATELY LOOK AHEAD TO THE PLAYOFFS AND HIS AVAILABILITY.

THE RAYS PLAY BIG BOY BASEBALL AND WHEN THEY NEED TO, THEY BUCKLE IT DOWN. THE BLUE JAYS ARE A TON OF FUN TO WATCH AND WE ALL LOVE THEM BOOGEYING IN THE DUGOUT IN THE HOMERUN JACKET.

BUT THE RAYS SERVED NOTICE ON TUESDAY – THE PLAYOFFS HAVE ALREADY STARTED. HOPEFULLY THE BLUE JAYS GOT THE MESSAGE.

AND THEN FOR THE RIDERS, THEY WERE BACK AT PRACTICE FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE BANJO BOWL AND COACH CRAIG DICKENSON REPORTED CODY FAJARDO TOOK LIMITED REPS WITH THE FIRST TEAM.

IF I HAD A GUESS, THE RIDERS WILL STRING THIS OUT RIGHT UP TILL KICKOFF AGAINST THE TORONTO ARGONAUTS FRIDAY NIGHT.

IT’S NOT EVERY WEEK THAT YOU CAN PLAY COY WITH THE STATUS OF YOUR STARTING QUARTERBACK SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL PLAY IT UP WHILE YOU CAN.

AND IT SAYS HERE THE RIDERS WOULD BE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE EVEN IF YOUNGSTER ISAAC HARKER HAD TO MAKE HIS SECOND CAREER START.

BUT IT ALSO SAYS HERE THE RIDERS POTENTIALLY HAVE BIGGER PROBLEMS TO DEAL WITH THAN THEIR OWN STARTING QUARTERBACK. COMING OFF A BACK-TO-BACK MANGLING AT THE HANDS OF THE BLUE BOMBERS, THEY NOW HAVE NO IDEA WHOSE DEFENSE TO PREPARE FOR IN THE ARGOS FRIDAY NIGHT: NEWCOMER DEFENSIVE COACHES RICH STUBLER OR CHRIS JONES.

THE PLOT THICKENS, AND THIS IS WHY WE LOVE SPORTS.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

(PHOTO: Toronto Blue Jays)