All that brave talk by the Toronto Blue Jays about putting together a run now that they're healthy is going to be put to the test right away.
A four-game series with the American-League East leading Boston Red Sox that opens Thursday followed by another four-gamer in the Bronx with the New York Yankees could either restore their hopes or bury them in a hurry.
"We understand what's at stake," centre-fielder Vernon Wells said in Toronto last weekend. "A lot's going to be answered when we start that second half. After that we'll have a better sense of where our season is going to be at."
The Blue Jays (43-44), savaged by injuries to their core in the first half, will be nearly at full strength when they take the field at Fenway Park.
Catalyst Reed Johnson returned from back surgery last Friday and first baseman Lyle Overbay is expected back from a broken hand Thursday. Once Overbay is activated from the disabled list, the Blue Jays will be able to field their regular lineup for the first time since April.
"We've had obviously our share of injuries, it's really been a roller-coaster I think," said ace Roy Halladay. "You win a couple, then we go through a tough losing streak, there's been a lot of hurdles for us."
The question now is whether the first-half struggles have cost them too much time to recover? The Blue Jays are 10 games back of Boston in the East and 8 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the wild card.
"Looking at the first half, I think everyone in this locker-room has to believe we're good enough to compete with any team in the game," said designated hitter Frank Thomas. "We got to put it together on back-to-back days - we can come one day and blow out the best team in baseball and then the next day don't show up. That's what I've been watching in the first half.
"We have to get some type of spark in the second half, put it all together and make a run, because we really haven't made a run."
A lack of consistent production from the offence is a big reason for that. While youngsters like Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo have helped carry the pitching staff, the Blue Jays need their bats to do more of the heavy lifting.
And even if that happens, there's no guarantee it's not too late with the Red Sox on cruise control and four teams ahead of them vying for the wild card.
"It's not hopeless," said Thomas. "I've been in this game a long time, I've seen some strange things happen, especially with a team that's so talented.
"This type of talented team could just take off and barn-bust the second half and win this thing."
Playing better on the road would help, too.
The Blue Jays are just 17-25 away from the Rogers Centre and play 39 of their final 75 games on the road. At least they have series remaining with the teams in front of them.
"Anytime you have the opportunity to play the teams ahead of you, you have to take advantage of it," said Wells. "Nobody's panicking in this clubhouse. We haven't panicked since Day 1 even with the injuries."
Or as Halladay so aptly put it: "Our fate is going to be in our own hands."
A four-game series with the American-League East leading Boston Red Sox that opens Thursday followed by another four-gamer in the Bronx with the New York Yankees could either restore their hopes or bury them in a hurry.
"We understand what's at stake," centre-fielder Vernon Wells said in Toronto last weekend. "A lot's going to be answered when we start that second half. After that we'll have a better sense of where our season is going to be at."
The Blue Jays (43-44), savaged by injuries to their core in the first half, will be nearly at full strength when they take the field at Fenway Park.
Catalyst Reed Johnson returned from back surgery last Friday and first baseman Lyle Overbay is expected back from a broken hand Thursday. Once Overbay is activated from the disabled list, the Blue Jays will be able to field their regular lineup for the first time since April.
"We've had obviously our share of injuries, it's really been a roller-coaster I think," said ace Roy Halladay. "You win a couple, then we go through a tough losing streak, there's been a lot of hurdles for us."
The question now is whether the first-half struggles have cost them too much time to recover? The Blue Jays are 10 games back of Boston in the East and 8 1/2 games behind Cleveland for the wild card.
"Looking at the first half, I think everyone in this locker-room has to believe we're good enough to compete with any team in the game," said designated hitter Frank Thomas. "We got to put it together on back-to-back days - we can come one day and blow out the best team in baseball and then the next day don't show up. That's what I've been watching in the first half.
"We have to get some type of spark in the second half, put it all together and make a run, because we really haven't made a run."
A lack of consistent production from the offence is a big reason for that. While youngsters like Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo have helped carry the pitching staff, the Blue Jays need their bats to do more of the heavy lifting.
And even if that happens, there's no guarantee it's not too late with the Red Sox on cruise control and four teams ahead of them vying for the wild card.
"It's not hopeless," said Thomas. "I've been in this game a long time, I've seen some strange things happen, especially with a team that's so talented.
"This type of talented team could just take off and barn-bust the second half and win this thing."
Playing better on the road would help, too.
The Blue Jays are just 17-25 away from the Rogers Centre and play 39 of their final 75 games on the road. At least they have series remaining with the teams in front of them.
"Anytime you have the opportunity to play the teams ahead of you, you have to take advantage of it," said Wells. "Nobody's panicking in this clubhouse. We haven't panicked since Day 1 even with the injuries."
Or as Halladay so aptly put it: "Our fate is going to be in our own hands."
SIB (or maybe Beckett at up to -170 if Sox win Saturday):SIB )