Blue Jays face off against the dirty city of Cleveland

Blue Jays face off against the dirty city of Cleveland

To say the Toronto Blue Jays are on fire right now would be an understatement. They are hot and they are just getting started.

The Blue Jays are a clear example of why the month of October is so special. This team barely made the playoffs, using all 162 games to get there.

Their big guns of Troy Tulowitzki, Jose Bautista, Josh Donaldson and Edwin Encarnacion stepped up when it mattered most, October. This team just knows how to grind out wins when their season is on the line and that’s what makes them so special.

They have a healthy balance between young talent and experienced veterans very few weaknesses in their lineup.

Jose Bautista's legendary bat flip
Jose Bautista’s legendary bat flip

This team is scary when it comes to the playoffs. As we all can remember correctly, last year around this time the Jays battled it out against the Rangers. The legendary bat flip heard round world followed by Rougned Odor cleaning Jose Bautista’s clock which thus started the heated rivalry.

First up on the Jay’s agenda were the Baltimore Orioles. Toronto took care of the wild card game beating the Orioles 5-2 in 11 innings off of Edwin Encarnacion’s three run moon shot sending the Oriioles back to Baltimore empty handed.

May history repeat itself as the Texas Rangers were the next pit stop on the Blue Jays playoff run. The Blue Jays sitting at a four seed while the Rangers sitting pretty at a one seed. Hard to think that the Blue Jays were an underdog by any means.

Toronto showed off how great they can swing the bats and also how well they can flash the leather, sweeping the Rangers in the series 3-0 without a problem.

playoff-bracket
Postseason bracket

Next up on the Blue Jays long World Series journey are the Cleveland Indians. The last time these two teams faced off it went all the way into 19 innings and I think that’s just a little preview of how this series is going to turn out. It should be a dog fight that is going to require everything each one of these teams has.

The Indians, going 94-67 and finishing first in the American League central, took the two seed in the postseason. Cleveland, took care of business against the Boston Red Sox in the first round sweeping them in a five game series 3-0, but it’s a whole different ball game playing the Blue Jays. Their fans are electric and know how to get into the heads of opposing teams.

The Blue Jays have one of the best pitching rotations in the American league with two Cy Young contenders which should give the Indians plenty of problems. Jose Bautista, being out with a knee injury, could hurt the Jays ability to produce runs but they have plenty of long ball hitters in their lineup that can carry his load.

Cleveland is hoping to advance to the World Series and seek its first World Championship since 1948. Only thing standing in their way is Toronto and the way that the Blue Jays have been playing I believe they will put an end to the Indians run. The Blue Jays are just too talented from top to bottom. They have a consistent defense and big bats they can rally around to give them the push to take the 2016 championship.

Both teams coming off first round clean sweeps looking to take the next step in keeping their World Series hopes alive. I believe the Blue Jays, being the more talented team will take this series without question. The whole “believeland” ordeal will soon blow over after the Jays take care of business and send the Indians back to their dirty city on the lake.