The next nine days probably wont determine the Toronto Blue Jays playoff fate, but the upcoming stretch of games definitely will play a role. Nike Trainerendor Black White . Over the next three series, Toronto will face the East-leading Baltimore Orioles, the Central-leading Detroit Tigers and finally the Wild Card-vying Seattle Mariners. The Blue Jays can put themselves in a better position to make the postseason for the first time since 1993 with a solid record over this stretch or they could put themselves out of it entirely with a disastrous one. So the question is: How many games will the Blue Jays win over the next nine days? Baltimore Orioles (63-48) - Four games ahead of Blue Jays for first in AL East This one has been marked on Torontos calendar for quite some time. The clubs have split the first 10 games of their season series and the Jays can pull within a game of the Orioles for the division lead with a sweep. Toronto had been playing good ball until they ran into a pesky Astros squad, losing three of four in Houston over the weekend. Toronto should get a jolt to the lineup as Brett Lawrie was activated from the disabled list Monday night and is expected to get the start Tuesday in the opener. Baltimore, on the other hand, has been red-hot since the All-Star break with an impressive 11-6 record. The Orioles are also the American Leagues best road team with 33 victories away from Camden Yards so far this season. They acquired relief pitcher Andrew Miller from the Boston Red Sox on deadline day and seem to be putting things together both at the plate and on the mound. Baltimore will go with Bud Norris (8-7), Wei-Yin Chen (12-3) and Miguel Gonzalez (5-6) while Toronto will counter with Mark Buehrle (11-7), Drew Hutchison (7-9) and J.A. Happ (8-5) over the three-game set. There should be plenty of power too at the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre, as the Blue Jays and Orioles sit one-two in homers with 134 and 133, respectively. Detroit Tigers (61-48) - First place in AL Central After Baltimore, the Jays welcome to Toronto the team with arguably the best pitching staff in all of baseball. Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and now David Price lead the Tigers starting staff with each having won a Cy Young award over the last three seasons. And then theres the very formidable Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello, who have combined for a 21-10 record this season. The Jays will likely have to face Sanchez, Scherzer and Price over the three-game set next weekend. Detroits arms are one thing to worry about, but theyre also one of the best hitting teams in the American League. They are first in team batting average (.277 – 13 points better than the second place Los Angeles Angels), first in on-base percentage (.331) and first in slugging percentage (.435). If the Blue Jays want to be considered a legit playoff contender, taking two of three from the well-rounded Tigers would be a good step. Seattle Mariners (57-54) - Two games behind the Blue Jays for the second Wild Card spot Toronto wraps up this critical stretch out west at Safeco Field against the Mariners, who may sneak into the playoffs with a Wild Card entry, but theyve fallen off as of late, losing six of their last 10. Ace Felix Hernandez may anchor one of the leagues better pitching staffs (they lead the Majors with a 3.05 team ERA), but their hitting has left a lot to be desired. Theyre last in the American League in RBIs with 402 and second last in team batting average with .243. The Jays could possibly put the Mariners away in this series, in a place thats become a home away from home because of all the west coast fans that come down from B.C. for the games. Looking ahead, the Blue Jays will play the Orioles six times, the Mariners four times and the New York Yankees four times over the final two weeks of the season at the end of September. Those games will undoubtedly determine Torontos season if theyre able to stay in contention until then. But that is then and this is now, and the Blue Jays need to think about taking care of business in the present day. Having said that, how many games will the Jays win over this critical nine-day stretch? As always, its Your! Call. Mens/Womens Fragment x Nike Sock Dart SP Be True Shoes Black/Rainbow 686058-019 . Speaking on TSN Radio 1050s TSN Drive with Dave Naylor on Monday, Colangelo said he had no intention of tanking the shortened 2011-12 season, but definitely wanted a high pick in the draft. "I wish that word wasnt used for headline reasons," said Colangelo, "but the story behind it was: how can we fix the system? How can we tweak the system to make it less likely that teams are rewarded for losing records? "I do believe that if youre as transparent as we were at the time - with our season seat holders, our fans, the market place and the media - everybody knew what the plan was and what we were going through. Nike Juvenate . Nine years later, he might have finally figured it out. He had only five rounds in the 60s in his previous eight trips. http://www.windrew.com/cheap-nike-react-hyperdunk-2017-flyknit-men-s-black-white-metallic-silver-917726-001.html . Ben Street scored twice for the Heat (17-5-1), who won their fourth game in a row and 13th in their last 14 outings. Brett Bulmer scored the lone goal for the Wild (6-11-0), who dropped their sixth straight contest.ANAHEIM, Calif. - Derek Jeter gave the Los Angeles Angels fans something special to remember him by in his final game at the "Big A." And he received something equally special in return. Jeter ended a home run drought of 161 at-bats in his final regular-season game against the Angels, and the New York Yankees kept Hector Santiago winless in seven starts with a 9-2 victory on Wednesday night. Vidal Nuno (1-0) allowed a run and four hits in 6 13 innings, struck out three and retired 14 of his last 15 batters. The left-handers only other victory in seven big league starts was May 13 of last season, when he pitched five scoreless innings of three-hit ball at Cleveland in a 7-0 decision. Unless both clubs meet in the playoffs, this was Jeters swan song against the Halos, who dropped two of three in the Bronx 1 1-2 weeks ago. Jered Weaver, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Howie Kendrick carried a 12-foot-long pinstriped paddleboard with Jeters No. 2 and the Yankee logo to the middle of the diamond and presented it to him following a milestone-studded video tribute as the sellout crowd of 44,083 roared its approval. "That was a cool gift. I thought that was awesome. I can use that in my backyard," Jeter said with a grin. "But I dont expect something everywhere I go. I mean, this was a surprise to me. The fans have been awesome here from the first game of the series. Its something that youll remember, and I appreciate it. Ive played a lot of games here in the regular season and post-season, so I have fond memories of playing in Anaheim." It was the second time in two years that the Angels management went out of the way to honour a member of former manager Joe Torres "Core Four." Last season it was Mariano Rivera, who retired as the all-time saves leader and received a painting of himself. "Mos different from me," Jeter said. "I play every day, so I have to go out there and play (after the pregame ceremony). Mo got massaged for five innings and went out on to the bullpen in the seventh, so its completely different." Jeter made it 6-0 in the second with a two-out drive to left-centrre for his 257th career homer and first since July 28, 2013, against Tampa Bays Matt Moore at New York. Air Max Flair For Sale. In Mondays series opener, the Yankees captain doubled to end a drought of 55 at-bats without an extra-base hit. "Its good to get one," Jeter said. "Im not catching Babe Ruth or anything, but at least youd like to get one. The important thing is that we got a win. It was a good game for us in a lot of different ways." Eleven of Jeters last 12 home runs have been solo shots, including one against Santiago when he pitched for the White Sox in August 2012. "When he came up to the plate the first time, I kind of gave him a little head nod, like Hey, we appreciate what youre doing here. But then you just battle, man," Santiago said. "I felt like I made a good pitch to him his next time up. Hes gotten me in the past on off-speed stuff, so I just went away from that. It was one of the better cutters Ive thrown my last seven starts, and he got me." Jeter got a standing ovation before his final at-bat during the Yankees three-run eighth. He hit a fielders choice comebacker to reliever Cory Rasmus for a force at the plate after a two-run single by John Ryan Murphy, and Carlos Beltran added a sacrifice fly. Santiago (0-6) was charged with six runs, five hits and three walks in 2 1-3 innings. Four of the runs were unearned, the result of errors by Santiago and right fielder Cowgill. NOTES: One day after the publication of Riveras book, "The Closer: My Story," Yankees manager Joe Girardi sidestepped questions about the combustible content — which included Riveras opinion that Bostons Dustin Pedroia was a better second baseman than ex-teammate Robinson Cano. "Those are Marianos comments, and its probably why I chose not to write books," Girardi said. "I had plenty of opportunities with some of my experiences, but right now I just dont think it would be a good idea." ... Jeters first game in Anaheim was May 27, 1996, when he batted ninth and went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and two walks in Andy Pettittes 16-5 win over future Yankee Jim Abbott. ' ' '