Tomorrow, the Blue Jays will participate in the one major league game per season that starts before noon, the 11:00 start that precedes the Boston marathon. Fittingly, the game will end a string of 20 contests against three teams, the Yankees, Twins and Red Sox, that could all end up in the playoffs. Fitting, because the baseball season is its own marathon; a 162-game test of endurance that hasn't yet reached the 1/8th mark.

To carry the marathon analogy through with the Blue Jays, they stumbled right off the starting line, scrambled quickly to their feet, and have since been flattened, trampled and pantsed by their competition. And so, when we look at the standings three weeks into the season, there it is: 6-13; last place. The slow start is especially disappointing with the collection of young talent the Jays have assembled and the modest buzz around the ball club coming out of spring training.

Given the Royals schedule, a steady diet of Tigers and Indians, the Jays could quite easily be sitting at 12-7, or 13-6. That kind of start might have generated a little media attention and some larger crowds, as it has in Kansas City. Instead, we have another poor start, the type that shrinks attendance and already has Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun invoking the "sophomore jinx" for Eric Hinske and Josh Phelps, which is like pulling the ripcord on your parachute before you've bought the plane ticket.

Last year's brutal April even prompted the usually rational Rob Neyer of ESPN to pen a column comparing the Jays and Devil Rays. The Jays would eventually prove their superiority, just as they will this season. The Rays, and Tigers and Indians, are on their way to town, and should provide a balm for the Jays early season woes. So should the Royals, who are clearly overachieving. Remember when the 2002 Indians were 11-2 and headed back to the playoffs?

Today's loss was the kind that makes it seem as though a team may never win again. The ace can't hold a big lead, while the opposing star performs every contrived heroic act outside of a 5-run homer. Yet, there are some encouraging signs, as the Jays continue to mould their roster. Already, the three-catcher experiment has ended, and fourth outfielder Reed Johnson has mercifully joined the bench. Aquilino Lopez continues to look good, while Doug Linton has been dispatched to Syracuse in favour of a left-hander who might actually get someone out.

The Jays will continue to tinker as they begin to play some of the teams not named "Yankees." They should make up quite a bit of ground on those teams that got off to a fast start. Such is the nature of marathons. The fight back to .500 and the middle of the pack begins this week against Tampa.