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

Nov 20, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin (left) shakes hands with general manager Alex Anthopoulos after Martin was introduced at a press conference at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

“How can you not be romantic about baseball?”

Alex Anthopoulos has endured plenty in his time as the General Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays. It started with the dealing of club ace Roy Halladay and extended to consecutive losing seasons in 2012 and 2013, along the way making blockbuster trades aimed at reshaping this team for playoff baseball.

So when the Jays clinched the American League East for the first time in 22 years Wednesday night, you finally saw emotion out of the man who constructed baseball’s top team in the American League.

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While the atmosphere at Camden Yards was not the same as it would have been in a clinching victory at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, the Jays dominated the Baltimore Orioles in game one of the doubleheader. They took the game by a final score of 15-2 in the offensive heavy fashion they’ve commanded all season.

The Stro-show:

On March 12^th, Marcus Stroman tweeted, “the return shall be legendary,” days after undergoing what could have been season ending surgery on his torn ACL.

Indeed, the return was legendary Mr. Stroman. Since coming back, he has mastered the New York Yankees twice, the Boston Red Sox once and now the Orioles.

Wednesday, in what was likely the most momentous game of his career, Stroman stepped up with an eight-inning performance, allowing only one run on five hits, while striking out eight and walking two.

Although the Jays will almost surely pitch ace David Price in game one of the playoffs, Stroman’s four starts culminating in a 1.67 earned run average gives fans ample faith in the hopes of a deep October drive.

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.