It's a long season

It can be hard to remember not to get too high off of individual victories.

That said, just three short days after inducing the first pessimistic grumble of the season, the Jays have looked enough like a contender to induce unreasonably yeasty optimism round these here parts. The new guys are crushing the ball, Aaron Hill's looked like an above-average defensive second baseman, and the pitching staff, while spotty, has shown flashes of potential. I'll be sorry to see Brian Tallet's indescribably awful sartorial combination of 1840s-esque sideburns, baggy pants and stirrups (I can't find a picture, unfortunately) go back to Syracuse, but his departure will help the team's ERA. Add to that the fact that Scott Downs will no longer be starting, and you have the makings of a good staff.

Tonight's win was exciting not least because it showed the team had some grit; it would have been easy for Pete Walker to implode in the third and allow the Chisox to get up 8-2 or something, and it would have been entirely imaginable for the hitters to fail to well, explode during the later innings. Also, that Vernon Wells is hitting a tear this early in the season is wonderful; generally, he hits like a backup catcher in April and the team predictably suffers for it.

Tomorrow, the last of the new Green Jays makes his debut as A.J. Burnett pitches against Chicago. If he looks good, it might be a very exciting spring.