Toronto Blue Jays' Jose Bautista is congratulated by teammates in the dugout after he hit a solo home run against the Oakland Athletics during fifth inning AL baseball action in Toronto on Tuesday August 11, 2015.Fred Thornhill/The Canadian Press
"Yankees, we don't care about no stinking Yankees."
Nobody was heard uttering those words in the home clubhouse after the Toronto Blue Jays dispatched the Oakland A's 4-2 at Rogers Centre on Tuesday night for their ninth straight victory.
But that was most assuredly the sentiment being expressed, especially by one Mark Buehrle, the veteran Blue Jays pitcher.
You could almost hear those thoughts ruminating in the mind of Buehrle after reporters entered the clubhouse following the Toronto win to see the New York Yankees game against the Cleveland Indians being shown on all the clubhouse televisions.
At least for the next 30 seconds or so.
After Buehrle had a quick word with one of the clubhouse attendants, the TVs were all quickly switched to a different channel, one that was not featuring a Yankee team that the Blue Jays are doggedly chasing in the American League East standing.
So the Blue Jays, at least those remaining in the clubhouse, were not able to watch as the Indians would eventually topple New York 5-4 in 16 innings, New York's fourth straight loss.
More importantly, at least as far as the Blue Jays are concerned, New York's lead over Toronto as a result has dipped to a wafer-thin ½-game in the A.L. East.
The message that Buehrle and the rest of the Blue Jays are trying to impart as the regular season enters the stretch run is simple.
The Blue Jays do not care to see the Yankees playing and how they are faring in their games.
At this late stage of the season, the Blue Jays believe as long as they take care of their own business their playoff dreams will become fruition.
"We have one vision I think collectively," said Toronto designated hitter Chris Colabello, who played a key role in Toronto's win over Oakland with two doubles and a single in four at-bats. "I don't think any of us are worried about our own stuff [statistics] right now.
"It's that time of year where you're just worried about one thing. And for us that's winning the division, putting ourselves in a position to get to the post season. And we believe guys one through 25 have the ability to get it done."
Actually, the program that came on in place of the Yankee game in the Toronto clubhouse in many ways echoed the plight that New York now finds itself as Toronto closes in on its quarry.
The screens were all tuned to Wild TV, Canada's hunting and fishing network, and the show that happened to be on was Gun Talk TV.
Gun Talk TV is "a wide-ranging showcase for the breadth of gun ownership in America," according to the show's website. "One week features a night time hog hunt with directions from a drone. Another episode covers the most popular questions about concealed carry, complete with tips for beginners and experienced gunnies.
"Top firearms instructors show how to handle machine guns as well as handguns and shotguns, manufacturers reveal new guns and accessories, and new shooters get put into tough self-defense situations and have to fight their way out."
Sort of sounds like how the Blue Jays went at it, hammer and tong, against the Yankees in New York over the weekend where Toronto emerged with a three-game sweep.
And with the Yankees coming to Toronto this weekend for another three-game series against the Blue Jays at what will be a sold-out Rogers Centre, the hunter could soon become the hunted.
As for their game against the A's, it was a redemption of sorts for starter Drew Hutchison, who despite a record that has now improved to 11-2, has pitched inconsistently this season.
Not on Tuesday, when he went seven-plus innings, allowing the two Oakland runs off four hits to stifle the A's.
The game marked the first time since May 25th against Cleveland that Hutchison has lasted seven-plus.
Many had started to question how long Toronto manager John Gibbons, who has continued to defend Hutchison to the hilt, would continue to employ the pitcher in the starting rotation.
"He's been kind of the whipping boy around here lately and to step up like that, it's big," Gibbons said.