[browna]

Hopefully the way the 8th and 9th innings last night will give some/many of the Jays that feeling that they’ve now been in the most pressured situation, so any similar situation tonight, “they’ve already been there”.

In the 8th bases loaded 2 outs. Varsho has to have even a fleeting thought that he has the World Series on his bat. Everyone on base would suddenly have that anticipation too.

9th, they get the rally going again. A lot in the dugout started to believe with 2nd and 3rd no out. Ernie has to have the thought cross his mind as well that he could be a legit World Series hero, especially with the pitching change that occurred and the extra time to think about it. And makes a terrible decision to swing at the first thing he sees. It is chess. They know he likes to swing at first pitches and he knows that they know that too.

Barger too amped up thinking about somehow scoring on a bloop and instead is doubled off to end the game.

So for as level headed as the Jays have been to wear down opponents through relentless small ball, I think the moment and stage caught up with a few guys there in the 8th and 9th. Hard to blame them of course. But not often would you get a second chance in such a high profile situation.
They do have that opportunity.
And having gone through that now, and the team collectively had those emotions, they’ll be better suited to deal with the same situation tonight if it presents itself.

May be a once in a career chance to play in playoffs, even less a WS, even less odds to have a WS elimination game within your direct control like Varsho, Clement and Barger had last night and even less of a chance to get a second chance to win the WS in the next game after not coming through the first time.

Any of those 3 should be locked and loaded and take full advantage of the fact that they get another incredibly rare opportunity for the chance to again be a difference maker. Most guys don’t get one chance at playing in a WS, those guys have a second chance to be the WS hero tonight.