Joe Warmington

The best way to can all this doom and gloom talk about the Blue Jays brutal 2017 start?

Have a tall boy at the game, of course.

Lots of fans so far in this 1-6 are doing just that to drown their sorrows.

Didn’t Major League Baseball ban selling cans at the Rogers Centre following last year’s suds mystery when a fan threw a cold one toward Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim who was running toward the wall to make a catch?

Yes. But they never said it would be forever.

“Enhanced security and alcohol management measures will be in place to provide our fans, staff and players with a safe and enjoyable atmosphere,” said a statement from the Blue Jays last October. “As such, all beer will be poured into cups throughout the stadium for the remainder of the post-season.”

It’s a new season and the cans are back – and performing better than what is happening on the field.

And no issues so far with anybody taking liberties like we saw in last year’s American League Wild Card series in which stadium security and 35 million Canadian forensic detectives and 300 million American ones too pored through video evidence to determine just who did throw the can.

Ken Pagan was charged with public mischief under $50 and is still before the courts on the matter.

The fans I have spoken with say they doubt that will ever happen again. Message sent.

Beer-drinking fans, and particularly those who like a cold can coming from a fridge, say they are glad to get a second chance to enjoy their suds in Toronto’s biggest beer garden.

“It was just a temporary ban,” says Rogers Centre. “There was a review of what happened and it was felt it was a one off that came out of the intensity of a playoff game.”

There was no hesitation to bring back beer cans.

Gisenia Utreras said it was the right decision since you can’t blame everyone for the poor split decision of a fan.

“Even Major League Baseball said there is no problem with cans being served,” added a Rogers Centre security representative.

So guess where the biggest lineups are as the Jays try to get things going? At the fridges that sell the tall boys.

It doesn’t get any more Canadian.

“It doesn’t get any better than local beers too,” said Terence Landrault. “I love it.”

Steamwhistle, Mill Street, Amsterdam, Labatt’s, Molson, Keiths and so many more.

Things may not be going so well on the field so far in the 2017 season billed as #LetsRise on social media, but up in the stands there’s no complaints – and no talk about what the team can’t do but what it can.