Tao of Stieb: This time, Blue Jays fans can focus on the present

Albert Pujols moved into sole possession of 10th place on baseball’s all-time home run list and the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Toronto Blue Jays.

It feels different to be a Blue Jays fan this year.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the spirit and general mood of the fans of the Toronto Blue Jays are markedly changed this season. History has a way of creating the context, and setting the tone.

Last season was defined, as most recent seasons were, by the angst of more than two decades of frustration. In the early part of the season, the anxiety over the Jays’ slow start and the disparity between the quality of play and the results had the more optimistic fans pleading with fate to do right by us – for once! – while the more cynical segments of the fanbase sunk comfortably into unconvinced indignation: “Here we go again.”

The latter half of that season, of course, was defined by an incredulous elation. The surprising trades that brought in superstars, paired with the historic run of excellent results in the final eight weeks of the season whipped the fanbase – from the ardent true believers to the skeptics to the casual drop-ins to the new adopters – into an incredulous, ecstatic frenzy.

As much as the prolonged frustration created the context for last year’s elation, the division title, bat-flipping surrealism of Game 5 of the ALDS, and the disappointment of the ALCS loss have created a frame of reference for fans this season.

Where the timbre of last season – and many of those leading up to it – was defined by the disappointing past, and the desire not to repeat it, the generally positive tenor and tone of the discussion this season seems far more focused on present.

In fact, aside from some brief doubt early in the season, it seems as though there is a generally accepted expectation that the Blue Jays will play October baseball this year. Anything less than that would certainly be a disappointment, if not a surprise.

That emphasis on the short-term is certainly grounded to some extent in the knowledge that Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are possibly in their final seasons with the club. That might not mean that the window is closing, but the added urgency suggests a focus on the here and now.

But more than that, the events of last year demonstrated that baseball is capable of providing a spectacular moment on any given night. When unbelievable moments occur, you’re drawn to see what happens next.

Last August, I wrote that Jays fans had their swagger back, and that certainly seems to have carried through to this year. You can see it in the packed houses at home, and the manner in which the fanbase routinely takes over ballparks on the road. Winning feels good, and brings with it an air of confidence.

Given this newfound brashness, it’s important to not lose sight of the fact that baseball can be a cruel game. As entertaining as it was, last weekend’s series in Cleveland offered some humbling reminders that there are no guarantees in baseball, and the Blue Jays are still have much to do to assure themselves a postseason berth.

As the Blue Jays prepare for their stretch run, they’ll spend most of their remaining schedule battling AL East rivals. That includes two series against a resurgent Boston Red Sox squad, which seems to have recaptured its mojo and is playing scarily good baseball recently. It also includes two series against the imperishable Baltimore Orioles, who continue to hang around the playoff hunt seemingly in spite of themselves.

It’s going to be a nervous month, as we watch the Blue Jays attempt to get in to the playoffs, and maybe more to the point, attempt to reclaim the division title, thus side-stepping the need to play in a Wild Card game.

Of course, baseball would hardly be fun if success came easy. But if adversity is imminent, it’s entirely more fun to face that pressure with defiant confidence (“We like our team, Barry”) rather than tense foreboding.

As much as the mettle of the team itself will be tested in the coming weeks, so too will the newfound nerve of Blue Jays fans.

When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.