Players keep positive attitude as season progresses

TORONTO -- Time is starting to run out on the Blue Jays' chances in the American League East and nobody is more aware of that than those inside the Toronto clubhouse.

The Blue Jays were in desperate need of a strong start to the second half of the season but so far that accomplishment has failed to materialize. The club is fresh off being swept in a three-game series by the Rays, dropping the Blue Jays' record to seven games below .500.

The 11-game winning streak in June is now just a distant memory and the results on the field will need to turn around in a hurry to avoid turning 2013 into a lost season.

"We're struggling right now and we just need to continue coming with the right attitude in the game with our head up and continue to play, continue to battle," Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes said. "We know we're struggling right now and we have to turn it around as soon as possible."

Late last week, Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle suggested that perhaps his club was overrated heading into the year following a dramatic offseason overhaul that included R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson, Melky Cabrera and Reyes joining Toronto.

Dickey echoed that sentiment on Sunday, but that doesn't mean there is any sort of internal turmoil happening with the club. Losses obviously lead to certain levels of frustration but as Reyes pointed out there is still more than two months remaining in the year and nobody is giving up hope just yet.

Still, the overall struggles of a team entering play on Monday night with a 45-52 record has been a big surprise Reyes and the rest of his teammates.

"The first day we got to Spring Training, we didn't expect to be that far at this point of the season," Reyes said. "That kind of surprised me because with all of the talent we have we should be playing better baseball than the way we've been playing right now."