To me, this has been the biggest difference between 2016 and 2017. Last year, the horror start took away their confidence and they never got it back. Every time they lost a game you expected them to lose three more in a row. This year, with the exception of the West Coast swoon two weeks ago, there has always been a sense that they could always come back following a defeat and win the next one. Some of this is probably greater maturity in players such as Buxton, Berrios, Sano, Kepler, Polanco, and Rosario. Some of it MIGHT be more effective mentoring by the new veterans Castro, Gimenez, Belisle, and maybe even Colon. Whatever the reason, it seems likely that they will be able to at least hang around .500 and get the experience of serious September competition. I'm not counting on making the post-season, and if they do I'm expecting at best a wild-card or first-round loss, but it is sure a lot more interesting than last year (or 2011 or 2012 or 2013 or 2014 or 2015)!