It was more than four hours before the first pitch in what, let’s face it, loomed as the most important series in the career of Blue Jays manager John Schneider and many of his players.

Post-season failure had dogged them all, hitting hard twice, spectacular defeats that stung and created such fallout that they were followed by a miserable last-place campaign a year ago.

But out of those defeats came a fresh attitude and determination that, after an immensely gratifying elimination of the New York Yankees in the ALDS on Wednesday night in the Bronx, has these plucky Jays four wins away from a World Series berth.

“I think that being scrutinized enough over the course of a couple post-seasons, you live with it and you’re good with it,” Schneider was saying back at the Rogers Centre. “I’m

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