Blue Jays: How can you not be romantic about baseball?

Sep 30, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Mark Buehrle (left) has beer poured on his head during the celebration of winning the A.L. East division after game two of a double header in the visiting locker room at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Toronto Blue Jays clinched the division after game one of the double header. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Buehrle’s quest for 200 innings: 

Mark Buehrle is 36-years-old and has 3,276 Major League innings to his name. Of his 15 career seasons, Buehrle has eclipsed the 200 innings plateau 14 times. With only one scheduled start left, and 191.1 innings pitched on the season for the veteran left-hander, Buehrle is in jeopardy of missing his Mark for the first time in his career.

To reach his goal, Buehrle would have to nearly pitch a complete game Friday, a feat he hasn’t managed since his June 3^rd start against the Washington Nationals.

Alternatively, manager John Gibbons could allow Buehrle to pitch a handful of innings during Sunday’s game as the Jays have an open spot with Stroman unlikely to pitch on three days rest.

The knuckling battery:

In game two of Wednesday night’s doubleheader, R.A Dickey took to the hill with Josh Thole—not Russell Martin—completing the battery.

It wasn’t really a shock considering Martin had caught Stroman in game one; few would expect a 32-year-old catcher with 126 games under his belt this season to get behind the plate for 18 consecutive innings.

But it does raise the question as to who may catch Dickey if it is he who gets the nod in the playoffs over Buehrle for the final spot in the rotation.

Career wise, Dickey has far more experience pitching to Thole, with 862 innings and an impressive 3.58 ERA, whereas Martin has caught Dickey in only 128.1 innings this season. Dickey’s ERA to Martin mirrors that of Thole in a smaller sample size, leading most to believe it’s Martin who will work with the dart-throwing Dickey this postseason.

Sep 27, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays players salute fans in the third inning of their final regular season home game against Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Home, home on the range: 

The race for first place in the American League, and consequently home-field advantage during most of the playoffs, still wages on in the last week of the regular season.

Currently, the Jays hold a two-game lead over the Kansas City Royals. For the Blue Jays, this is a huge deal. On the season, the Jays hold an impressive 53-28 win-loss record at home, compared to a more pedestrian 38-37 record on the road.

When you couple that home-field success with their potential American League opponents who all have losing records on the road—aside from the New York Yankees—you get a very frightening team come playoffs time.

The playoff roster:

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With the happiness of playoff baseball comes the sadness that not all of the current roster will be part of the contributing 25-man squad this postseason.

Due to playoff baseball’s conventional four-man rotation, one of the Jays’ current pitchers is going to find himself viewing rather than contributing to a run at the World Series. Given Buehrle’s struggles with his arm throughout the second-half of the season, it’s conceivable he will be the one sitting out starting next week.

Outside of the rotation, the Jays will have to deal with the return of Troy Tulowitzki from injury, while juggling what combination of their three first baseman—Edwin Encarnación, Justin Smoak and Chris Colabello—they want on their roster.

The unfortunate reality is that not everyone is going to fit in such a confined lineup. Although they would still receive a hypothetical World Series ring, that sting would leave a sour taste in anyone’s mouth that may not be cured through flashy jewelry.

Next: Breaking down the true advantage of home field in October

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