Hoping For No Déjà Vu In Texas

July 9, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers teammates celebrate with left fielder Josh Hamilton (center, behind) at home plate following HamiltonThe Toronto Blue Jays started this season 9-13. Irrirational Blue Jays fans everywhere started panicking. But people who’ve been following baseball for a few years knew that even the best teams in baseball can have a bad 22 game stretch so there was nothing to worry about. The Jays were also only 4 games under 500 in freaking April so there was nothing to worry about.

Then the Jays had a 4 game series against the Yankees in Yankee Stadium and got swept pushing their record to 9-17 which took the crazy panicking to reasonable panicking. I’m no mathematician but I think the Jays have played 500 baseball since then since they are still 8 games below 500 now.

That series against the Yankees was a good example of how a 4 game series against a good team in their home ball park when you’re already scuffling can really put a dent in your record.

That brings us to the Jays 4 game series against the Rangers in Texas.

Even though the Yankees swept the Jays in a 4 game series earlier this season I can’t even remember how they lost those games. But I’m still traumatized enough from the Jays getting swept in a 3 game series by Texas in Texas last season to remember it well.

Brandon Morrow was one of the hottest pitchers in baseball and the Rangers knocked him out of a game in the 1st inning. Henderson Alvarez gave up back to back to back homeruns. Josh Hamilton hit a walk off homerun in extra innings in a game where the Jays scored in the top of the inning.

As hopeless as the 2013 Blue Jays seem they really are a couple of hot stretches or extended win streaks away from at the very least being a late season threat to a wild card spot.

But the Rangers have a 60-35 record against the Jays at home and have beaten the Jays in 6 of their last 8 home games.

So if the April Yankees series and the Rangers series from last season are any indication the Jays better be on their A game against the Rangers in Texas or they could have the nail on the 2013 season coffin slammed shut.