Mail Bag

Amazing. In the space of one road trip, skittish Jays fans have gone from puffing out their chests with pride and planning an October parade route down Yonge Street, to demanding a dismantling of the roster, looking over their shoulders with fear and trepidation at the Orioles. The fact is, in the world of MLB nothing is ever that good and nothing is ever that bad. Baseball, of all the major North American pro sports, has the most parity of them all. Consider that as of Monday morning, only the Dodgers boasted a win-percentage above .600 and only the Nationals had sunk below .400. What that means mathematically is that 28 of 30 major-league teams win between 4 to 6 times out of every 10 games that they play. Oh, and one more thing. Gaston will eventually change his batting order.On to the mail bag.

Q: Some venting for you Richard. What has been absolutely killing me in watching this losing streak is to see the enormous number of men this team continues to leave on base. I can't even begin to comprehend the lack of hitting with men on base in key situations. I mean it's everyone. Every single player kills rallies, to the point where they can't even get a runner home from third with less than two outs. As a fan, this is actually worrying because this is becoming reminiscent of teams over the last few years - teams that just did not have a killer instinct. As a fan, am I to worry, or is this just a short-term dilemma?

Zaki Ameen, Mississauga

A: Even Cito Gaston has pointed at this lack of clutch as his main bugaboo over the length of the losing streak. The Jays can get 8-13 hits per game and still only seem to manufacture 1-2 runs.

Certainly good pitchers approach hitters differently when nobody is on base and your team has a lead. Challenge the hitters with strikes and make them earn their way one base and earn their way back into the game. Since the Jays always seem to be trailing during the losing streak, the hitters are seeing more hittable pitches – that is until Jays runners reach scoring position. At that point, the savvy opposing pitchers begin to work the hitters and that’s when the Jays struggle.

The problem compounds itself when every hitter tries to carry the load himself. The extra stress and pressure adds extra tension through the hands, wrists and forearms, leading to twitchy swings and dragging the bat through the zone, leading to runners left in scoring position leading to the next guy feeling added pressure, etc. The opposite of this situation is also true. That was called April.

As for short-term or long-term, that all depends on when the first time they can put two games in a row of solid clutch-hitting together will be. It can be bloopers dropping in, or grounder sneaking through. But it just has to be hits on the score-sheet and runs on the scoreboard. That’s when it will change.

Q: Saw Vernon Wells squinting after his strikeout in the seventh vs. Baltimore (Tuesday night). I did the same when my long distance vision was deteriorating. Could his eyesight be the problem?

Andy & Gloria Schwabe, Pickering

A: I don’t know about you guys, but whenever I sense my posterior starting to tighten up, I begin to squint. I don’t think it’s Vernon’s eyesight, because every year on the first day of training camp in Dunedin, players have a full physical, including peeing in a bottle for MLB drug-testers, and an eye test. Coincidentally, I got my hands on a copy of Vernon’s results of this spring’s eye exam. Vision at home 20-30; Vision with nobody on base .300-.300; Vision close and late with RISP .180-.180. No, I think the squinting after the strikeout was part of a full facial grimace or disgust.

Q: Hi Richard,

I was wondering, as the Jays finally returned to their nest and stopped trying to play with the bigger birds, what happened to Tim Johnson? His lying about being in the military was wrong I admit, but he did have the team finish (I think) 14 games over .500. Any reason why he hasn't resurfaced at the Major League level or has that lie just sort of buried him? Considering what he did with that team imagine what he could do with a good team? Is it that managers unlike players never get a second chance to prove themselves after they lie?

Ian Murray, Maple, Ont.

A: First of all, Tim Johnson did not lie about being in the military. He was a Marine Corps mortar instructor at Camp Pendleton, in southern California, training young recruits who were then shipped to Vietnam in the early ‘70s. Johnson was doing his military duty like every other eligible major-league player at the time. Only Johnson was doing more than most of them, who just did reserve National Guard duty on one weekend each month. His lie was that he actually did a tour of duty in Vietnam.

But, knowing Johnson well on a personal basis, visiting him at his home in Montana and spending much time with him as a coach with the Expos, I know he was profoundly affected by the fact that many of the kids he trained and got to know were sent to ‘Nam and never returned, or returned in a wheelchair. There is an actual medical syndrome that accounts for his feelings, like some others in similar situations, who needed to tell people that they actually served over there, themselves to assuage feelings of guilt.

Johnson was actually hired by the Brewers as an advance scout by owner Wendy Selig in the winter of ’99-00 but he resigned the position because of the pressure of ridicule from his still fresh firing by the Jays and the Vietnam lie. He went back to Mexico to manage, where he is a legend. Then, for most of the past decade, he managed in the independent Northern League. What amazes me is that Roger Clemens and Jose Canseco were big parts of that ’98 team and Johnson is the one some consider the biggest disgrace.

Q: Life and love has moved me from the chill of Edmonton to the urban sprawl of SoCal. To the west of La Mirada lay the Dodgers, to the southeast, the Angels. Confronted with such an embarrassment of baseball riches, where should an ex-pat Jays fan find a new home? I like that the Dodger stadium has been renovated to its original 1962 colours, though the loss of Manny, like the overpriced Dodger Dog, makes me Think Blue.

On the other hand, the Angels and their stadium has definitely more of the Orange County vibe, more like Disney than Dodgers with amusements, rides and Vlad the Impaler (though he's only batting .250). The mortality rate is the same at each, murders at both stadiums on opening day. I’m tending towards the Dodgers, but without Manny they lack the glitz that the amusement rides make up for at Angel Stadium.

Frederick Duquette, La Mirada, CA

A: Let’s do a Tale of the Tape to help you make a decision:

	Dodgers	Angels	Winner
Stadium	Dodger Stadium	Angels Stadium	Dodgers
Broadcaster	Vin Scully	Rex Hudler	Rex the Wonder Dog
Manager	Joe Torre	Mike Scioscia	Dodgers
Mascot	Tommy Lasorda	Rally Monkey	Angels
Negative	Over San Andreas Fault	Next to Disneyland	Dodgers

WINNER: Go with the Dodgers…except when the Jays are visiting Anaheim

Q: I am so fed up with Jesse Carlson as our new setup man. I think it is quite evident now that new pitchers with mediocre stuff will eventually be figured out by major league hitters, as evidenced by guys like Robert Ray, Scott Richmond, and now Carlson. Looking at the stats after the Atlanta loss, in Carlson's last 10 games, he has 2 losses, 2 blown saves, 7 earned runs and 1 hold in 9.1 innings. Are you telling me we don't have anyone better than this one trick pony (his unorthodox windup)? This guy is quickly becoming the new Josh Towers. Meanwhile, our highest paid reliever (B.J. Ryan) is being relegated to mop-up duty these days. Has Riccardi forgotten that we had a serviceable setup man/closer combo of Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo just a few years ago? Obviously he has because Janssen is now starting when history clearly shows he is better as a reliever, while Accardo toils in the minors after being passed over by scrubs like Brian Wolfe. Simply put, our bullpen is not even close to being reliable, with one good pitcher (Scott Downs), one lucky one (Jason Frasor), and a bunch of fringe major leaguers.

Wayne L., Richmond Hill

A: Just two years ago, 2007, in relief, Janssen was 2-3, with a 2.35 ERA and six saves in 70 appearances. At the same time, Accardo was 4-4, with a 2.14 ERA and 30 saves in 64 appearances. In 2006, was 6-10 with a 5.07 ERA as a starter. So how does getting Casey back in the rotation in 2009 qualify him as an “answer” to the rotation issues? It would make more sense if Janssen was coming back to the majors as a setup man. The biggest problem with moving Downs into the closer’s role was replacing Downs as the setup man. Carlson and Frasor in a perfect world should be the seventh inning guys. Janssen and Ryan (once he finds his 88 m.p.h. groove) should be given a chance to set up in the eighth. In 2008, the organization was very much down on Accardo during his injury-stricken season. Perhaps it was work ethic, but whatever, the negative organization impression has carried over in to 2009. Maybe he needs a new start somewhere else.

Q: Adam Lind has been struggling at the plate since he started playing left field. Is playing the field causing him to lose his focus at the plate?

Jason Sinnarajah, Sydney, Australia

A: It could be the fact of having to focus on defence, or it could be the fact of losing his best friend on the team to Triple-A Las Vegas. Earlier in the season, both Lind and Travis Snider spoke of the joy of having another player of their own age to share major-league experiences, music, conversation and doubts with. When Snider was shipped to Nevada after the Red Sox series, it must have been jarring to Lind. Most young players would rather play a position than DH. After all, since they were 6-years-old, baseball has always been about hitting AND playing the field.

Q: The Jays recent slide notwithstanding, their success this season and failures in the past poses a question: is it better to have strong hitting and weak (chaotic?) pitching or strong pitching and weak hitting?

Frederick Duquette, La Mirada, CA

A: Neither combination is “better”. But if you substitute “young, still-developing” for “weak” then we can discuss the question. Of the two choices, I would rather have strong pitching and “young, still-developing” hitting. You can always manufacture runs with young hitters, by bunting, stealing, hit-and-run, starting runners, taking an extra base, but you can’t manufacture outs as a pitcher. On the other hand, I think fans in the stands like strong hitting and “young, still-developing” pitching – that is until the strong hitters all go into a slump together. Then you get something like today’s mailbag.

Q: Richard, really appreciate your take on the game. I was able to watch the Jays and Red Sox on TSN2. It was tough to have to listen to, but even Dennis Eckersley and Don Orsillo seemed to think that the umpiring was going against the Jays. I was always taught to not blame the umps but I would like to hear your take on their calling of the games. We throw three lightweights up against the mighty Red Sox and they didn't need the help.

Also, I looked a little ways ahead and it seems that we will have the same three guys pitching the next time we face the Red Sox. Do you think that Cito should give Halladay a day off and let him and Richmond pitch against the Red Sox rather than Baltimore? I know that it is early in the year and this has all been a great treat, but my best friend grew up in Boston and he has been a real pain in the neck this week. Thanks.

Pat Monette, Penticton B.C.

A: You were taught well. Don’t blame the umps. No matter the era or the umps, when you have a starry veteran hitter up against a young pitcher, most of the close calls are going to the hitter. It’s human nature. As for the three lightweights up against the Sox, Tallet is emerging as more than a lightweight and once he lost Game 1, it became an easy call that a sweep was in order. The biggest game of the disastrous trip was the Halladay start in Atlanta. He pitched seven shutout innings with no decision. If the Jays score a couple and win that game, the whole trip takes on a different feel. That’s why Halladay is the MIP (Most Important Player) on the Jays.

Q: Albert Einstein defined "insanity" as "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". I admire Cito's wanting to not change his lineup, but doesn't batting Rios and Wells 3 & 4 constitute insanity? I see two problems with his thinking. The first being that they are not legit 3 & 4 batters in the first place; Rios seems to be in his position due to his potential only and Wells' skills have deteriorated significantly over the last three years. The second is there are hitters better suited for the 3 & 4 spots within his current lineup. I would rather see Aaron Hill bat third and Lind 2nd and Barajas clean up (to do so he would need to DH every other game). I foresee a basic batting order of Scutaro, Lind, Hill, Barajas, Wells, Overbay, Rolen, Rios plus another depending on who catches and the opposing pitcher.

Thanks,

Mike Swain, Calgary

A: Clearly “insanity” is contagious.

Q: Without his velocity Ryan just doesn't have what it takes to be a major league pitcher. He has to be absolutely perfect with the location of every fastball he throws and the slider will only be effective if he gets hitters to chase. With that said what can the Blue Jays do with B.J. Ryan, can he be released, bought out, or sent down to the minors again?

Kevin Godshalk, Rochester, NY

A: I disagree. Ryan does have what it takes to be a major-league pitcher. He simply needs to adjust to life with an 87-89 m.p.h. fastball. Ryan may need a little more time to finally come to terms with reality, but once he figures it out, he will have a role in middle relief or as a setup man in the majors, with occasional save opportunities. Frank Tanana is a perfect example of a guy that used to be a fireballing left-handed starter for the Angels, serving as Robin to Nolan Ryan’s Batman in the late ’70s. After a shoulder injury in 1979, Tanana changed his game completely, mastering a variety of off-speed pitches to re-establish himself as a winner. There are plenty of guys that have success with less velocity than Ryan. B.J.’s a smart man. He will figure it out.

Click here to send Richard a question, and he'll answer a selection in his mailbag Wednesdays in this space. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Richard. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**

Griff's Power Rankings, Week 7

(Last week’s rankings in parentheses)

1-Dodgers (2)

Tempestuous times is when ultra-cool Torre does his best managing

2-Rangers (7)

Rangers pitching ranks 15th overall in ERA despite hitters’ ballpark

3-Phillies (10)

Any surge by the defending champs deserves a jump in ranking.

4-Red Sox (9)

Sox took advantage of Jays’ young starters. Must show they are road warriors.

5-Yankees (6)

A-Rod thinks new Yankee Stadium is just like old one on steroids.

6-Cardinals (11)

Pujols needs help. Ranks 3rd in majors in OPS; next Card is Chris Duncan 89th.

7-Tigers (8)

Dontrelle is back; hard not to cheer for successful return.

8-Blue Jays (1)

Unfair pressure on Janssen; hasn’t started in majors since ‘06.

9-Brewers (3)

Dealing with injuries to lineup; looking for sage Counsell.

10-Braves (16)

Sweep revenge for Jays ’92 World Series win. But no rings for this.

11-Angels (15)

Lackey joins Saunders and Weaver for solid Halos Top 3 starters.

12-Rays (17)

If the (David) Price is Right, Jays should be looking over shoulders.

13-Mets (4)

Will be stuck in neutral until Reyes joins Mr. Wright as Mr. Right.

14-Twins (22)

Return of Mauer has sparked Twins to monster offensive numbers.

15-Reds (12)

Reds best team in Ohio; tomorrow the world.

16-Padres (25)

Since Peavy nixed deal and stayed, Pads have been on a roll.

17-Royals (14)

Bannister joins Greinke as solid starters but offence needs help.

18-Cubs (5)

Soto suffering sophomore jinx while Piniella sorts out lineup issues.

19-Pirates (24)

Have been flying under the radar since 1993.

20-Mariners (20)

Healthy Bedard helps M’s compete; need more than him and King Felix.

21-Astros (18)

If this was horse race, Astros trapped on rail behind early speed.

22-Giants (13)

Fee-fi-fo-fum, could it be that the Big Unit’s done.

23-White Sox (21)

How bad has it been? The day Peavy makes up his mind, Sox lose 20-1

24-Marlins (19)

Remember when these guys were ranked first for a week?

25-Diamondbacks (28)

Just wait until the weather warms up. Oops, it’s already 35 C. in the desert.

26-Orioles (23)

Adam Jones and Markakis are the start of something good.

27-Rockies (26)

Helton with 2,000 hits has put together a solid, mile-high career.

28-Indians (27)

Cliff Lee has rebounded but his win total doesn’t reflect ERA.

29-A’s (29)

A’s lineup with mix of veterans and youngsters has no identity.

30-Nationals (30)

Adam Dunn enjoys playing baseball more than fans like watching.

Axe finally falls on Snider

It seemed inevitable leaving Boston and heading to Atlanta to begin the Jays' schedule of inter-league road games, but after Thursday's game at Fenway Park, it became official -- Travis Snider has been optioned to AAA-Las Vegas. There was no callup immediately named, but it's likely to be Russ Adams, who can fill in at all the infield positions and the corner outfield spots. Adams is a lefthanded bat like Snider, but his sitting on the bench will not affect his future like it would Snider's. Adams had been hitting .324 at Vegas in 14 games at second base and in the outfield, missing some time with a hand injury. If not Adams, then Joe Inglett who brings the same credentials to the party.

Snider had just one extra base hit (a double) in his last 21 games and was being beaten regularly by soft stuff outside and down, causing him to also be late on the fastball. When he struck out in the middle game of the Sox series against Brad Penny, he looked whipped, head down, strolling back to the dugout. In the ninth, when Gaston pinch-hit for him against a lefthander, it became just a matter of time.

The clubhouse was closed for longer than usual and when the media was allowed in, Gaston's door was still closed. The meeting with Snider was a long one, which usually means trouble from the player on his way out in terms of needing an explanation. The fact that Snider was unwilling to discuss his feelings with the media also speaks volumes.  

As for the length of the Snider demotion, with the final six games of inter-league not coming until a trip to Philadelphia and Washington, it would seem extremely possible that he will stay in Vegas at least until the Jays return from D.C. on June 22. 

  

  

Mail bag

This major-league season has really been fun to cover so far. When the Jays play well, the players are happy and cooperative, fans are tuned in, baseball is important to the newspaper, the guys show up early to the park and the game unfolds the way it was supposed to – with men playing a kids’ game. Hockey playoffs? Uh, who’s still in it? Basketball? Just let me know when it’s Kobe and LeBron. But baseball? Hey, summer is almost here, the kids will be out of school soon and the Jays are still leading the East. Horsehide heaven. On to the Mailbag.

Q: I realize Cito is stubborn, but is he going to leave Vernon Wells at clean-up all year? Whenever he gets up with men on in important situations (which is often on a good-hitting team), this guy immediately waves at two outside pitches. So he's 0 and 2 more often than not. Pitchers aren't necessarily stupid. If the team is up or down by 5 or 6 runs, he might knock in a couple. But if the game is close, he usually strikes out or pops up. Do you, as presumably a keen follower of the team, agree with my assessment of "Vernon"?
Carl Harvey, Peterborough, Ont.

A: For the first time this season, Gaston seemed miffed and short-tempered after Tuesday’s 2-1 loss to the Red Sox. The best guess is that he was still steaming over the eighth inning, with Alex Rios and Vernon Wells popping up to left field with runners on first and second and one out. The moment may be coming that Cito moves Wells out of the cleanup, although he maintains that he likes to stay with guys even if they are struggling. But your outline of the way that pitchers approach him is pretty accurate. Consider that Wells after Tuesday was 9-for-53 with runners in scoring position. His career average with RISP close (within three runs) and late (7th inning on) was .246 with an OPS of .693, Meanwhile, his overall career average was .283 with an OPS of .812. It’s time to think about moving Wells down in the order.

Q: Mr. Griffin, If you were a baseball manager, how would you construct a lineup? A number of years ago, I recall reading an essay from sabermetrician Bill James who said that the best way to construct a lineup is to bat your best hitter first, your second best hitter second, etc., as this is the only way to ensure that your best hitter hits more often than anyone else.

It seems like every manager is stuck on this notion of batting a speedy guy who steals bases first (even if they never steal), a guy who can move him along second, a player with combo power/speed third and your big power hitter fourth. It's as if the manager is playing for a grand slam in the first inning. I was particularly struck by this in the Blue Jay/Yankee game on Tuesday, where Joe Girardi batted perhaps his WEAKEST hitter first (Brett Gardiner). I was thinking this because, for a while, it looked like Gardiner was going to be the only Yankee to get four plate appearances.

Thanks for your opinion.
Trevor Hardy, Burlington, Ont.

A: Bill James was hired as a consultant by the Red Sox several years ago and yet you didn’t see the Sox change their philosophy of constructing a batting order because of his presence. If your leadoff man is the only player to get four at-bats in a game, then you have bigger problems than just the batting order. The first hitter should be an on-base guy with speed, not necessarily a stolen base guy, but someone that can take pitches and force the pitcher to work for an out. The second hitter needs to be patient and selfless, because you may ask him to move the runner or take a pitch that he finds very hittable. The third hitter is your best hitter, ideally blessed with speed and power. The fourth hitter should be your top power guy, not always looking for walks but looking to expand the strike zone slightly to drive the ball and produce runs. The fifth hitter should hit from the opposite side than the cleanup man so they have to think twice about the reliever matchups late in the game. The ninth hitter, I would like to see as a second leadoff man, with some speed so that if he reaches base for the top of the order, he’s not clogging the basepaths.

Q: Sometimes a brand new pitcher has an advantage because the opposing team has very little tape/scouting on him and is unfamiliar with his stuff. My theory is once teams have played them once and have studied them a bit more, they can be easier to read/predict/score on (eg: Chacin, Gustavo). Are the young jays pitchers in danger of this happening later in the season, or is their stuff really this good?
Paul Clugston, Grassy Narrows, Ont.

A: The Jays young pitchers are pretty good, but your analysis also holds some water. The first time pitching around the league for guys like Robert Ray, Brett Cecil and other young hurlers sees them facing veteran major-league hitters that have never seen them before. In my 37-years of hanging around major-league hitters, to a man they hate facing kids coming up to pitch in the majors for the first time. Most good hitters are students of the game and if there’s no history to study, no video to break down, no known tendencies to anticipate, it’s advantage young pitcher. I think by August, it will be Jesse Litsch back as the No. 2 man in the rotation. The other factor facing the Jays’ youngsters in the rotation is the wall they will hit at the end of August in terms of the accumulation of innings and the mental and physical fatigue of pitching into September, when all the minor leagues have normally been shut down.

Q: Richard, I may be exposing my age or naivete in fashion, but what is with the various corded necklaces that some pitchers seem to wear, while others avoid them? Thanks.
Fred Crockett, Burlington, Ont.

A: They are called Phiten titanium necklaces and more than a fashion statement, they are supposed to promote good health and healing powers. They are supposed to enhance mental and physical abilities. The theory is that the magnets and titanium stabilize the electric flow that nerves use to communicate actions to the body. They originated in Japan and are sold online. It may be as much psychological and a fashion statement as anything. My 16-year-old wears one for baseball but it hasn’t helped him when it comes to cutting the lawn.

Q: Hi Richard, My questions have to do with present day terminology. In this era of cutters, 4-seamers, 2-seamers, etc., I don't hear a reference to the split-finger fastball. Has it gone from a pitcher's assortment of pitches? I remember my frustration at watching Jack Morris mow down Jays when he was pitching for the Tigers. Also I don't understand the term walk off or is it on homer. Can you interpret, please. Thanks. I enjoy your comments and column very much.
Carolyn Wilkinson, Gabriola, B.C.

A: The split-finger is still used by some players as an off-speed pitch. Jason Frasor throws a form of it, but his hands aren’t big enough to have his fingers spread that far, so he incorporates it with a circle-change grip. The new pitch has thrust him back into the mix of effective eight-inning setup men. It used to be called the forkball, but that pitch has now been replaced by the two-seamer as the moving fastball of choice with downward action. Roger Clemens saved his career with the splitter as he reached his mid-30s. That and of course the foreign substances he allegedly added to his training regime.

Q: Richard, In response to your article "Where would the Blue Jays be without Halladay", I pose this question...Where would the Blue Jays be with the 3 and 4 hitters performing? Rios and Wells are underperforming and that is an understatement, when will Cito realize this and move the hitters around? What would you think of a possible line up change of Rolen to 3rd, Lind to 4th, Wells to 5th and Rios 6th?
Scott Cochrane, Niagara-on-the-Lake

A: Longtime readers know how I feel about Rios eventually moving to the leadoff role, but as long as Marco Scutaro is doing the job at leadoff, I would leave Hill second and Rios third. However, I would throw a lefthanded hitter into the mix at cleanup, then go right-left-right down to the 7-hole. That would mean moving Lind to cleanup, Rolen to fifth, Overbay to sixth and Wells to seventh. Wells really does seem to thrive outside of the pressure-cooker. The move of Wells out of cleanup would not necessarily be permanent, but as the rest of the Jays’ lineup comes back to earth, Wells’ failure in the clutch will begin to be more noticeable. Don’t wait. Do it now.

Q: Hi Richard, love your blog. In the Victoria Day game against the White Sox, Richmond pitches 7 shutout innings, Carlson comes on in the 8th and gives up a 2 run homer to tie the game negating Richmond's win. Fair enough. But then when Rios plates the winner with his triple in the bottom of the 8th, Carlson is awarded the win. I don't agree with this. If Carlson does his job, Richmond gets the win. Richmond did nothing to deserve the loss. Your thoughts?
Ralph Muller, Oakville

A: There are a lot of things about baseball’s traditional way of recording pitching stats that I don’t agree with. Carlson gets a blown save AND a win in that same game? That’s not right, but baseball is a team sport and when as a starter you hand the lead over to the bullpen, the decision is no longer in your hands. How about a game that a reliever enters with a 4-0 lead and blows it all to send the game to extras tied 4-4. The guy doesn’t get charged with a blown save. What?? No. If he had blown a 3-0 lead, he would have had a blown save but since he wasn’t going to get a save at 4-0, then the rules say you can’t give him a blown save. Holds? How about a guy that comes in with a two-run lead and loads the bases while recording one out. The next guy comes in and induces a double play ball. Both pitchers are credited with a “hold”. What?? Say a starter comes out after six innings with a 6-1 lead. The bullpen sends three guys out to preserve the victory. There is no team save. If one pitcher had worked the last three innings, he would have been credited with a save and so would the team. In the three-pitcher, three-inning scenario, if the middle reliever gave up two runs to make it 6-3, then the final guy and the team are credited with saves, but is the pen is efficient and perfect, no save. What??

Q: Adam Lind will likely play lf during inter-league play, and Travis Snider seems to be getting more and more frustrated at the plate. Do you see the Jays bringing up a veteran bat for a couple of months and giving Travis a stint in Las Vegas to find himself and regain his confidence?
Sandy Webster, St. Thomas

A: I addressed that issue in Wednesday’s column. I can see the Jays sending Snider down to Vegas for at least a month, through the last inter-league road games in June when Snider won’t be in the lineup anyway. He needs to find success with the bat again before being thrust back into what the Jays are hoping will be a stretch drive for a playoff spot.

Q: I have a question which I'm quite certain no one has ever asked you. Do the Blue Jays have any policy towards workman-like, "professional conduct"? I'm speaking of Brian Tallet who seems to cut his own hair and never shaves. If he's going to be on TV for at least 2 hours and representing the Blue Jays then shouldn't he look like a professional making 1.9 mil this year?
Kam Hooshmand, Richmond Hill

A: Tallet does sport a little bit of the grungy Teddy K. look. (i.e. Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber). Tallet has always been a little off-centre in his personal presentation. When he showed up with the Jays a few years ago he still wore the original “stirrup” socks with the high pants, a look that was treated and greeted with much glee and ribbing from his teammates. Since then he has gone through a variety of looks, the most-recent of which is the “well-heeled hobo” look. To me, there is nothing wrong with a little individuality in baseball. The Yankees and Dodgers long had a no facial hair rule that has been modified to neatly-trimmed moustaches and short hair. It doesn’t make them play better.

Q: Richard, Is it just me, or does Alex Rios appear lazy at times? Just watching the Sunday game and he just grounded into a 5-4-3 in the first inning, but he barely even ran out the back end of the play. He seems to have no passion or drive.
Jess Bechard, London

 A: I think that the more natural ability a player has, the lazier he looks. Fans got all excited during the strike back in spring training of ’95 when they saw the “hustle” of the replacement players at spring training. The fact was that those guys looked like they were trying harder because baseball did not flow through their bodies with as much fluidity and grace as it does the true major-league stars. Nobody ever accused Devon White of not hustling, but if you just judged his play just on the intensity he exuded you would think he was playing centre field on valium. He was great and graceful. Rios is no Devo, but give him the benefit of the doubt on his hustle.

Q: Hey, it's great to see the Jays still on top of the AL. *knock on wood* My question is how Lyle Overbay is handling being platooned, and if you agree with it. From having the misfortune of watching (Kevin) Millar play in Baltimore for the last few years, he is not a particularly good hitter against lefties (or righties). I suppose this question also applies to John McDonald. Obviously I have a concern with another Shea Hillenbrand problem.
Jordan Bisasky, Baltimore, MD

A: It’s interesting to look at the career RH/LH breakdowns for those two players. For Millar it’s .277/.275 and for Overbay it’s .284/.272. Not much difference, but having Millar platoon with Overbay gives Lyle some days off and gives Millar some at-bats to keep him fresh. Most starters are righthanded so Overbay gets the lion’s share of playing time. Overbay is no Shea Hillenbrand. As for Johnnny Mac, I would think he is disappointed at his lack of any playing time. Recall that after the ’07 season he was rewarded with a two-year $3.8 million deal as the Jays’ starting shortstop. They went out and got David Eckstein and put him back on the bench and now Marco Scutaro is the man and has not missed a game. But McDonald is a team player and won’t go public although I’m sure he has spoken to Cito and J.P. about his situation.

Q: I noticed early in the year that, with a small number of at bats, Aaron Hill had a higher batting average than "on base percentage." I have often seen that apparent abberation on the scoreboard at games from time to time, always with a relatively small number of at bats. Can you explain how that is possible? Thanks,
Jack G., Thornhill

A-Sacrifice flies are not considered as at-bats for the batting average, but for some reason they are considered as plate appearances for on-base percentage. If a player is 4-for-12 with no walks, not hit-by-pitch and a sac-fly, then his batting average is .333 while his on-base percentage is .308. Another head-scratcher for baseball stats.

Q: Hello R-Griff: I love your column! Three quick questions: a) What are the origins of the expression "rubber match of the series"? b) What is it about Roy Halladay's delivery/pitch selection that generates so many ground balls? c) What do you suggest I insert into my ears the next time Darrin Fletcher is on board as colour man for a SportsNet broadcast? Thank you for answering my questions.
Mark Russel, Owen Sound

A: The expression actually should be “rubber game.” The expression is borrowed by baseball from the popular card game Bridge. A “rubber” in bridge is when a two-man partnership wins two of three games. If the bridge game is tied at 1-1, the next game is called the “rubber game”. It’s a much-mangled expression much like “flying under the radar” which is often used by sports announcer as “flying under the radar screen”. What?? As for Halladay’s propensity for producing groundballs, it comes from Halladay’s moving two-seamer that dives and darts at the last minute, combined with his superb control that has most of his strikes cross the plate at the knees. Since Halladay is “pitching to contact” by not looking for strikeouts unless the situation calls for it, he gets a lot of groundballs. The final question of what to put in your ears is simple. The best thing is earbuds that are attached to a radio that is tuned to Jerry and Alan.

Click here to send Richard a question, and he'll answer a selection in his mailbag Wednesdays in this space. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Richard. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**

Griff's Power Rankings, Week 6

(Last week’s power rankings in parentheses)

1-Blue Jays (1)

Halladay will not pitch in Fenway series. Monster looms for youngsters

2-Dodgers (3)

Manny apologizes to team; says he will name baby after Torre

3-Brewers (8)

Macha has hottest team in baseball’s deepest division

4-Mets (5)

Delgado’s hip gives out; can he come back or is it over?

5-Cubs (6)

Wrigleyville still chilly while Milton Bradley looks for game

6-Yankees (13)

Another day another walk-off as A-Rod sucks but presence felt

7-Rangers (16)

Washington second ex-A’s coach in top six while original A’s near bottom.

8-Tigers (7)

Jim Leyland finally has the engines humming in Motown

9-Red Sox (2)

Big Papi hitting like Little Mami; says just write Papi stinks

10-Phillies (12)

Have too many offensive weapons to stay down forever

11-Cardinals (4)

If Pujols ever got hurt, Nats would have to sublet the basement

12-Reds (10)

Votto has mysterious ailment; absence hurts offence

13-Giants (17)

Playing like real NL team two years after Bonds circus left town

14-Royals (9)

A young NL-style team that nobody in AL really wants to play

15-Angels (11)

Returning Lackey throws two pitches and gets tossed? Shake yourself ump

16-Braves (19)

Cox-Gaston intriguing inter-league matchup; Braves 6-10 at home

17-Rays (15)

Sure Maddon’s a little unorthodox, but Sonnanstine batting third? Oops!

18-Astros (23)

Keep an eye on this team as they await successful liftoff

19-Marlins (14)

Just like at Sea World, these Marlins are in the tank

20-Mariners (18)

M’s played Bosox tough, but still doing slow fade into sub-Mariners

21-White Sox (20)

The Chisox total is far less than the sum of the parts; especially in the rotation

22-Twins (21)

Victimized by Yanks for three walkoffs, Mauer is back and, oh yes, he’s real

23-Orioles (24)

Zaun average sinks below Mendoza line; can Matt Wieters era be at hand

24-Pirates (27)

Buccos ship struck broadside by the rest of division; hello Davey Jones

25-Padres (25)

West Coast order of horsehide friars has clearly taken vow of suck-itude

26-Rockies (26)

The biggest Hurdle to Rox contending is not Clint

27-Indians (28)

Tribe has too many good players to stay this low on totem pole for long

28-Diamondbacks (22)

The saying is you have to learn to crawl…but dammit, D’backs are snakes

29-A’s (29)

A’s rotation is same as Jays rotation without Roy Halladay

30-Nationals (30)

President Obama is working on stimulus package

Mail Bag

Opening Day II on Tuesday night was a huge success for the Jays at the Rogers Centre. Conservative Jays’ officials said they had been expecting around 35,000 fans even as late afternoon rolled into evening, but the public surprised the club (but not me) with a huge walkup crowd, swelling the gate for Doc and A.J. to just under 44,000. The game didn’t disappoint with a nice baseball rhythm dictated by two superior pitchers. But in the end, the sublime teacher beat the flaky student. What message could Halladay send to Burnett after out-dueling him in that masterful 5-1 work of art? In the words of pool hustler Fast Eddie Felson (Paul Newman) to his slick young protégé, Vince Lauria (Tom Cruise), in the '86 movie, The Color of Money: “You gotta have two things to win. You gotta have brains and you gotta have balls. Now, you got too much of one and not enough of the other.” On to the mail bag.

Q: Hey Richard,

A couple questions regarding 22-year-old Brett Cecil. Firstly, how does a guy who seemingly can't get minor-leaguers out (an 8-something ERA for Vegas) come up and give us the two performances that he has? Granted they were against the Indians and A's, but major-leaguers nonetheless. Could it be that his focus really wasn't with the 51's and had 'bigger' things on his mind, like the big leagues?

Secondly, in watching his start vs. the A’s, Cecil makes no effort to hide the baseball. The ball is in plain sight (to righties more so) and I was wondering if through tape that teams will figure him out eventually. Pat and Jamie alluded to it in the broadcast, but will Brad Arnsberg have to tweak Cecil’s delivery? If so, what will that do to the development of a 22-year-old?

Marino F., Toronto

A: There are various factors at work in the fairly common cases of a horsebleep minor-league pitcher rising to the majors and excelling, especially if he knew that he was just down on the farm to get some work in and to stretch out his number of innings before getting to The Show. That knowledge of impending promotion if it has been promised by the big club is invariably a deterrent on “focus,” on the task at hand, and focus is always a huge factor for a pitcher.

Then there’s the fact of coming to the major leagues and being helped out by superior defence he didn't have before. The same batted balls that were base hits in the minors are all of a sudden outs in the majors. That’s a fact. Then there’s the adrenaline at work in making your major-league debut and beyond. There’s the sudden responsibility thrust upon youngsters of being treated like a relied upon elite athlete instead of being coddled with baby-step pitch counts as Cecil was all of last year in the minors. They thought they were preparing him for 2010.

Cito Gaston does not baby his pitchers. In fact, he doesn’t even like pitchers as a species. He admitted earlier this year that in all the springs that he came to training camp as a Jays' guest coach in Dunedin, the only pitcher he ever talked to was Doc. So when Cecil, in his debut against the Tribe, reached five innings and 80 pitches, instead of shaking his hand and slapping him on the back and taking him out, Gaston sent him right back out for the sixth, ending up with 96 pitches and a feeling of being a real major-league pitcher.

As for Cecil tipping his pitches, that bad habit of showing his grip to hitters during his delivery has been no secret to the organization. But would they rather have quality pitches coming out of his hand that may be slightly tipped a split second before arrival or a modified delivery that produces lesser quality on his entire repertoire but without tipping. Until they find a delivery that Cecil is comfortable with, he will continue to tip. They are working on tweaking the delivery and it is a problem.

Q: Hi Richard,

I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself here, but humour me for a second if you will. Cecil's sparkling start on Sunday has made me think a little about something that I can't recall ever thinking before as a Jays fan - an abundance of real quality starting pitchers.

When (or maybe if) Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan return, the Jays could conceivably have seven solid starters from which to choose. Strutting out a staff of Roy Halladay, Jesse Litsch, Marcum, McGowan, Cecil, Ricky Romero, Scott Richmond is definitely something to flutter a wing at, and that's without even including converted bullpen arms like Brian Tallet and Casey Janssen. If such a situation arises, what do you see JP and his merry men doing? Who gets left out of the Starting 5, and does he package a few for an established position player (power hitting 3rd baseman, maybe)?

Thanks,

Adam G., Mississauga

A: This is just a personal assessment, but if I was building a Jays rotation from among that group of nine for this year and beyond, I would take the healthy quintet of Halladay, Litsch, Marcum, Cecil and Romero as my starters.

I will admit that the late-spring emergence and early-season performance of Romero was an eye-opener. The early season performance of Richmond was also a pleasant surprise, but I’m not sold yet on his long-term viability as an overlooked rookie starter at his age. I think Janssen’s eventual value lies in the bullpen. I think Tallet’s value may lie as trade bait in the off-season. As for McGowan, I think we need to wait and see how well his shoulder recovers before putting him in any of these groups. He still has a chance to be a stud.

I’m not sure that at this moment packaging excess starters is such a good idea. You need at least eight ready-for-prime-time starters at then top of an organization (Majors and Triple A) to handle injuries during the course of a season. The Jays are demonstrating that.

Q: Richard,

I was reading some comments about whether Tallet would return to the bullpen after impressive showings as a starter. Question: Do relievers aspire to become starters, or are they generally content with being relievers? Did Tallet ever hope to be a starter some day?

Don McElroy, Shanty Bay, Ontario

A: There’s a whole stratus of pitchers that aspires just to being in a major-league bullpen full-time. Those are guys that usually have just one or two quality pitches that can carry them effectively one time through the batting order. They are happy being in The Show and comfortable pitching in middle relief. Those guys are delighted to be the 11th or 12th pitcher on a major-league staff, getting major-league minimum and all the perks of ML travel and treatment.

Then there are the other bullpen guys that aspire to using bullpen time as a stepping-stone to the rotation. Tallet is one. Janssen is one. Scott Downs used to be one, but when asked during the past winter whether he would like a chance to start, Downs refused. He was already making good money as B.J. Ryan’s setup man and was quite good (and comfortable) at it.

Pitchers know that they need at least three above average pitches in their repertoire to last as major-league starters. Those bullpen guys that have that minimum usually want to, and are capable of starting. Tallet is one of those. He has been given the chance and has run with it.

Q: Hey Richard,

Love the blog and mailbags! If the Jays continue on this hot start, how do you see JP's future playing out? Would the Jays still let him go at the end of the season (as has been rumored) or do you see him sticking around for another tenure? I'm a believer that its Cito's doing this year and not JP's!

Dave Gosse, Grand Falls-Windsor, NL

A: Whether or not anyone feels Cito deserves most of the credit for the current Jays’ resurgence, the fact is that Gaston was on the team’s payroll all along and available to lead while Ricciardi handed the reins to first Carlos Tosca and then John Gibbons. This thinking in hindsight was more problematic during the later Gibbons years, especially after the Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly dustups when the then-manager's job status was most vulnerable.

Sure, it can be said that 29 other teams also passed on Gaston as manager, but the fact is that in the last few years, Cito had thrown his hands in the air and was not accepting offers to interview for open jobs, feeling he was just being called in as a token. The guy has two World Series rings. What else did you need to know in an interview? If someone wanted to offer him a major-league managing job, he was ready to listen, so it's clear the only team that really didn’t need to go through the interview process was the Jays. He was on the payroll.

As for Ricciardi's personal situation, he is already under contract for 2010, so next year is not the issue if they continue to perform well. But the dilemma will come if the Jays call him in and say “hang around for 2010” and J.P. points out that nobody likes a lame duck GM, so give me five more years. Therein lies the crisis for the Jays. They will not give him five more. With the current upswing of events, if Ricciardi does end up leaving after this season it will be a mutual parting based on not being willing to commit to another multi-year deal. The body of work to be judged is eight seasons (2002-09) not one.

Q: Hi Richard,

Just read that the lawsuit against Roberto Alomar has been dropped. It got me to thinking that he should be eligible for the Hall of Fame soon. Do you think he'll get in on the first ballot and would he pick to go in as a Jay?

Manny Wong, Toronto

A: Alomar was a far better baseball player than Ryne Sandberg and Sandberg is in the Hall of Fame. Robby is eligible for induction the first time this coming December and if he does not make it first ballot – maybe because of the spitting incident with umpire John Hirschbeck or the hissing incident with his ex-girlfriend, the professional arm wrestler from Queens, New York – it won’t be long before he does go in.

As for the choice of the cap that will be cast on his bronze bust at Cooperstown, it is no longer solely the choice of the player. The Hall of Fame itself also has a say. As such and with Alomar already expressing his preference for the Jays colours (although it was at a moment he was being honoured by the Jays) it is very likely that Alomar would become the first player to enter the Hall as a Blue Jay. Phil Niekro, Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield are other ex-Jays in the Hall.

Q: Having just read about Manny testing positive for banned substances and blaming it on a prescription prescribed by his doctor. I wonder if Manny will now sue the doctor for the $7.5 million he will lose during his 50-game suspension? I mean wouldn't you? That’s a lot of money to lose for someone who is innocent of any wrongdoing. I'm sure Manny's phone must be ringing off the hook from all the lawyers calling to represent him in court?

Doug Blacker, London

A: If, as ESPN.com reported, the drug of choice for Manny in his 50-game suspension was indeed a women's fertility drug sometimes used to re-start the production of testosterone following a steroids cycle (which as a masking agent is why it is included on the banned substance list), then that would allegedly suggest a pattern of alleged cover-up that likely and allegedly would have been a regular off-season process for Ramirez dating back to who knows when.

What went wrong this time? As a free agent this past winter, Manny may not have timed his masking cycle as well as he allegedly had in the past. There is mandatory PED testing within five days of all players reporting to spring training. The fact that Manny has not even suggested suing his doctor for lost income suggests that he knows what he did cannot be defended in a court of law. I would sue if I felt I had been mis-prescribed and it cost me $7.5 million. I would be on the line with Cellino and Barnes so fast, my man-boobs would spin.

Q: A technical baseball question, Richard. Friday night, in Oakland, first inning, Scoot doubles, then Hill flies out as Scoot tags and advances to third. An official AB for Hill, and an out recorded. Is the only sacrifice fly one that plates a run? Seems to me that Aaron advanced the runner, but gets no official recognition for it. Am I reading this right? Don't always agree with your opinions, but love your insight! Keep it up!

Bruce Spurrier, Fraser Lake, B.C.

A: First of all, I don’t even agree with the concept of a sacrifice fly at all, but in answer to your question, yes it is an official at-bat for Hill. His teammates appreciated Hill's useful out as can be seen with high fives and fist bumps whenever a player returns to the dugout after advancing his man. But back to the question of a sac-fly. Why reward the guy that lofts a soft flyball to a weak-armed outfielder for a run when you don’t give credit to a hitter who sees the middle infielders playing deep and grounds one out to shortstop scoring the runner from third base. He knew the situation and did his same job. What’s the difference? You’re giving the guy an RBI in both cases. Why reward him further with no at-bat? It makes very little sense. Sac-flies (with no AB) are only awarded when a run scores.

Q: Hello Richard, a friend of mine and I were having an argument and I was hoping for your input. We discussed which top three positional players you would rather have. I believed Adam Lind, Travis Snider and Aaron Hill as a trio was superior to the trio of Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury and whomever the (Red Sox) third would be, maybe Jed Lowrie. Anyways, wanted to know your thoughts; I believe either three is good but maybe being a bit of a homer I chose the Jays trio.

Marc Oliver, Paris, France

A: I assume you’re talking about trios of “young” players. The Jays trio of Hill (27), Lind (25) and Snider (21) are all under 27. For the Red Sox, Pedroia and Ellsbury are both 25. None of their other current starting position players are 27 or younger. Lowrie qualifies but he’s on the DL.

As a duo, I would pick Ellsbury and Pedroia over any combination of two Jays. But they can’t match up when it gets to three. Just as an exercise, going around the division looking for position starters at 27 or younger, the Rays lead the way with B.J. Upton, Dioner Navarro, Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford (he turns 28 in August). The Yanks have Robinson Cano, Brett Gardner and Melky Cabrera The O’s have Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Felix Pie.

Click here to send Richard a question, and he'll answer a selection in his mailbag Wednesdays in this space. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Richard. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**

Griff's Power Rankings, Week 5

(Last week’s power rankings in parentheses)

1-Blue Jays (2)

First week in top spot; enjoy, real test begins with Yanks & Bosox

2-Red Sox (3)

Bullpen looking solid and deep; Youkilis ready to return

3-Dodgers (1)

Manny on women’s fertility drug? In-conceivable!

4-Cardinals (4)

Hosting All-Star Game in July; playing like all-stars

5-Mets (17)

Starting to enjoy games at home; new park, no Shea (thank God)

6-Cubs (5)

May well sink quickly with Zambrano on DL for a while

7-Tigers (12)

Verlander returning to rookie form; Zumaya helps

8-Brewers (15)

Manager Ken Macha finally understanding what he’s got

9-Royals (8)

Greinke clear leader over Doc for Cy; Soria sore

10-Reds (11)

Talented young pitchers starting to mature

11-Angels (20)

Halos season finally starting to settle into semblance of normalcy

12-Phillies (9)

Things never seem easy for defending Series champs.

13-Yankees (7)

Mariano gives up back-to-back homers; yikes! Can Mo's end be near

14-Marlins (10)

The rainy season in south Fla? Call it the 21st Century

15-Rays (13)

Evan Longoria so hot even Tony Parker is interested

16-Rangers (21)

Rangers UFC brawlers in a Marquis of Queensbury world

17-Giants (22)

First to take down Manny-less L.A. at Dodger Stadium

18-Mariners (6)

M’s are like the sun; always sinking in the west

19-Braves (19)

Bobby Cox looking for his hitters to step up to plate

20-White Sox (16)

John Danks and Gavin Floyd need to step it up in Sox rotation

21-Twins (18)

Twins will hang around middle of pack all year, then, boom, contenders

22-Diamondbacks (23)

Manager A.J. Hinch ran the farm. Acceptance by vets will be main chore

23-Astros (27)

This team will get better as NL Central comes back to earth around them

24-Orioles (28)

Cito insists O’s just need a little pitching to be good; okay maybe a lot

25-Padres (25)

Quick, name three starting position players for Pads. I thought so

26-Rockies (29)

Since peaking at the ’07 World Series it’s been a downhill schuss

27-Pirates (14)

Lull in Bucs once promising rotation has fans crying a (fourth) river

28-Indians (26)

May be AL’s most disappointing team; Sizemore needs to step it up

29-A’s (24)

Problem? Young pitching is pitching like young pitching; well, yeah

30-Nationals (30)

Have ranked last every week; hey, at least they’re consistent

Manny's Positive Test Latest Blow to Baseball

Manny Ramirez may, in fact, have produced the most expensive urine in history. His positive test for performance enhancers under the Major-League Basic Agreement has cost the Dodgers slugger 50 games, starting right now, and has cost him almost $7.75 million of his $25 million in '09 salary. In addition, the Dodgers have a club option of $20 million for 2010. There would seem to be a strong chance, depending on how the club finishes up in the standings and the post-season this year, that in the wake of current events they will pass on paying Manny for the extra season.Since there were already no other bidders for his services this past winter, there is no reason for anyone else to step up now.

Manny being Manny? More like Manny being stupid. He claimed in a statement released by major-league baseball that the positive test for Performance-Enhancing Drugs came as a result of an ingredient in a prescription given him by his doctor for a personal medical issue. I'm sure it's an argument he will stick with for the rest of his career and since there is no appeal being planned by Ramirez or the union, then there is no reason for MLB to try and dispute Manny's claim. Or vice-versa. The doubt will appease those in the Cult of Manny and soften the long-term blow, including potential Hall-of-Fame inclusion.

But his argument makes no sense. Ever since first-time offenders were being penalized starting in '05, players have been advised to let their team trainers or their agents or MLB know whatever they were planning to put in their body so they can be cleared or warned. Manny knew.

The sources at ESPN.com as reported by Peter Gammons, have listed HCG a women's fertility drug as the likely cause of Manny's positive test. It is often used to restart natural testosterone production at the end of a steroid cycle. That is why it would be included on the list. The fact that Ramirez was not subject to random off-season testing as a free agent may indicate that when he signed on March 4 with the Dodgers, he may have decided to use the HCG without knowing it was one of 55 banned PEDs. According to ESPN it is similar to Clomin, linked to Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi and BALCO.

Make no mistake, there is a lot of private fist-pumping going on from guys like Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Raffy Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa, The Rocket and most especially the discombobulated and confused A-Rod, who only wanted to be loved. His timeline for returning to action has coincidentally been moved up by the 13-14 Yanks so he will already have had maybe three games and a lot of hootin-and-a-hollerin' from jeering road fans under his belt by the time he reaches the somewhat polite Rogers Centre -- and oh, yeah, if you're going to yell at A-Rod about sex, or drugs or rock and roll, Jays' fans, judging by the history of the biggest library in North America -- be prepared to be threatened with ejection starting next Tuesday..

But back to Manny. It's another blow for commissioner Bud Selig and MLB. The argument has been that the newer, tougher drug policy has been working and that the game is returning to normal, led by its incredible shrinking superstars. The game has been fun to watch in April. Over the past two seasons the list of those caught, even with the harsh first-time offence, mandatory testing, is short. In '08 there was 1) Elizier Alfonso C (SF) and 2) Humberto Cota (C (Col.). This year there has been 1) J.C. Romero LHP (Phi.) and 2) Sergio Mitre RHP (NYY). Now comes the headline-grabbing Manny, sending Bud back into defensive mode.

It's sad because Manny has been praised throughout his career with the Indians and Red Sox for his unbelievable work ethic and dedication to the craft of hitting. He spends more time watching video and in the cage than any of his teammates. He's always been a pure hitter. Now that purity is tainted forever.

Does this make the Jays the best clean team in baseball? Unfortunately we can't say that for certain about any ML team anymore. Once again, one positive means 750 players are clouded by the negative.

R-Griff

Mail Bag

On Tuesday, Brett Cecil became the ninth starting pitcher to toe the rubber for the Jays – and yet they are in first place overall in the AL. That is even more amazing because at spring training they only had three starters considered ready-for-prime-time. And of those, two are not even here right now – Jesse Litsch (disabled) and David Purcey (optioned). It’s ironic that even though Doc is the only one with the same nickname as one of Snow White’s little pals, Halladay is also the starter standing the tallest. The nine Jays’ starters have been Halladay, Litsch, Purcey, Brian Burres, Robert Ray, Scott Richmond, Ricky Romero, Brian Tallet and Cecil. On to the mailbag.

Q: Hey Richard,

In looking at the schedule, it appears as though Doc and AJ might be squaring-off next Tuesday. Could this be the best pitching match-up storyline of the year thus far? Which deity can we thank for this occurrence?

Cheers,

Brian Smiley, Toronto

A: The Jays/Yankees schedule certainly has it set up for a classic early season Roy Halladay-A.J. Burnett pitching match-up. It would feature the understated mentor, Halladay facing his flashy, well paid, sometimes over the top protégé, Burnett. I have done a little research and apparently a silent prayer of thanks should be offered to Our Lady of What Goes Around Comes Around.

Jays fans, to prepare for this beautiful game (and it would be a major upset if it doesn’t happen), some suggestions would be to purchase your tickets right now, practice some clever ad-libs to yell in A.J.’s direction while he warms up, draw up some clever signage to hold up and get yourself on TV (e.g. bunches of $$$ signs, but watch the accompanying language).

Finally, on the off-night when the Jays travel back from the West Coast, rent the movie The Color of Money, starring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Check it out. This Doc-AJ matchup is virtually a remake of that 1986 pool room classic with Newman (Doc) as Fast Eddie Felson and Cruise (A.J.) as Vince Lauria. It’s the veteran hustler teaching lessons in life to the young cocky, insecure pool hustler. There’s one review of that movie that says it all: “despite their flaws we don’t end up hating any of these people, because the intentions (even the selfish ones) aren’t really that bad. It’s a real, ‘I do for you; you do for me (but I want more)’ kind of message.”

The Rogers Centre should be rockin’. Only a miracle of weather, scheduling or nerves could prevent this matchup from occurring. Stay tuned.

Q: Jason Frasor seems to be in the doghouse for a couple of years. He started the season 4-0 and had an ERA of 0.00. Did the Jays coaching staff misjudge him? Would they also be misjudging Jeremy Accardo?

Alex Lee, Hong Kong

A: Frasor has emerged as a fairly reliable sixth-seventh-inning option. With the injury to B.J. Ryan, Downs has moved into the closer’s role and Frasor and Jesse Carlson are the co-setup men with Brandon League in the mix. Frasor’s emergence has more to do with his new split-circle change that he perfected in the off-season in sessions with former major-leaguer Doug Bochtler. The former doghouse dweller had a lot to do with Jason’s shaky body language which almost made it seem like he was not happy to be out on the mound in some situations. He’s been much better about that this year, but increased confidence and success will do that for you.

Q: Hello,

I was wondering if the Rogers Centre has a policy about opening the roof in the spring? There have been a few games already, where it has been gorgeous weather, yet the roof remains closed. The fan experience is much better, and could attract more fans to the games.

Mike A., Toronto

AND

Hi Richard,

I have a huge pet peeve and I wonder if you have the answer. I am not a big fan of the SkyDome in general – refuse to call it by the new name. Anyway, it is at least a tolerable ballpark when the roof is open but when the roof is closed it is like watching baseball in your basement – dank, dark and ZERO atmosphere. Why are the Blue Jays so loathe to open the damn roof? A beautiful sunny day like yesterday and the roof was closed! I refuse to go to a game if I know the roof will be shut and at some point I know I am going to have a huge argument with the staff about getting my ticket price returned because I do not want to watch baseball in a basement when it is sunny and relatively warm outside. Why do they not just state if it is not raining the roof will be open? Are Toronto fans such wimps that they can’t stand a little cool weather? Is the climate that much different in Detroit? Or Cleveland? You dress for the situation. I thought the idea of a dome was to keep the game on even in inclement weather. I did not think it would be used on a 15 degree day sunny day in May. Okay so it is cooler down by the lake – agreed. Wear a sweater and or jacket. For God’s sake we are Canadians! This is not the first time I have seen this happen. Baseball is a beautiful game – partly due to it being played outdoors and to it’s signaling a new beginning to the year (spring etc.etc.). With the dome closed it is hard to tell what season it is outside.

Rob Carson

A: The theme of the two questions above has been repeated over and over this spring. There have even been some rumours that the roof is broken and will remain closed all summer. That was shot down by Jays vice-president Jay Stenhouse. He insists that it is a matter of “new software and operating drives” and that the testing has not been completed. Normally I would press the B.S. buzzer on that one, but Jay said that it should be ready by the next homestand. Hopefully the next retraction will be the roof and not that statement.

The question remains, why could the testing not have been done in March between the WBC and Opening Day? It even smells better at the park when the roof is open, with a little spring breeze and some real weather. Someone else suggested there were union issues to opening the roof. I thought there was just a button to be pushed. I remember at Olympic Stadium there were other unique issues during the late spring to opening the roof, especially on weekends. Since the Expos were tenants to La Regie des Installations Olympiques, they were the only ones with les clefs pour le toit. And the catch vingt-deux was that on weekends when the weather was nice in April and May the only guys with the keys for the roof were in the Eastern Townships at their brand new cottages that had been built on the payola from Roger Taillebert’s original over-inflated construction contracts.

But maybe Doc and A.J. will be an outdoor classic.

Q: I was thinking about BJ Ryan's season to this point, and reading and hearing about how he's done, his career is over, his velocity is down and the Blue Jays should get rid of him for whatever they can get, etc. But isn't he still recovering from Tommy John surgery? Isn't it possible that his velocity may still come back? The recovery time for this type of surgery is typically 18-24 months, and although I can't remember exactly when he had the surgery, I know it hasn't been two years yet. Perhaps he was just brought back to the team too soon.

Patrick Lannon, Richmond Hill

A: The accepted recovery time for Tommy John elbow surgery is 10-12 months. Ryan’s surgery was on May 10, 2007. He did regain several miles per hour from the start of spring training until mid-April, but he is still not fast enough (89-91 m.p.h.) to be effective in the closer’s role. It is possible his velocity may come back if it turns out it was mechanical or he was squeezing the ball a little tight.

The Jays are paying him $10 million for the next two years. They owe him nothing when it comes to the closer’s role. If Downs is doing the job, they are not obligated to change. He could earn it again by being effective in the setup role and if Downs was unavailable.

Q: Mr. Griff,

Love the mailbag. Thanks for the insight. I am thrilled to have Cito back, and do believe he has made a difference simply by providing the guys with a leader who commands respect. Having said that, I have 2 major problems with his handling of the lineup.

Firstly, his avoidance of using pinch hitters has me reaching for the Prozac. The fact that he let Chavez hit in the 8th inning of that last game in KC representing the tying run, while Lyle or even Barajas and Rolen were sitting on the bench is inexcusable. Is he worried about damaging Raul's psyche as a hitter? Please don't tell me it is because he had scratched out a couple of hits.

Next, I cannot be the only person who thinks that Alex Rios does not belong in the 3-hole. With Hill and Scutaro getting on ahead of him, Alex is seeing the toughest pitches in every at bat, and he just does not have the discipline or skill set to succeed in that role. He still may be the stud we hope, but maybe he is better suited to batting 6th, or dare I say leading off. He did just steal 32 bases last year!

Here's hoping that he proves me wrong just in time for next week's mailbag.

Cheers,

Darren A., Toronto

A: Cito is not the master of in-game strategy, but there is no manager in history that has ever been great at everything. The Jays needed a psychologist that could get into the heads of the hitters and bring out the best and that’s what Cito brought. Part of that is to reinforce that positive feeling by not pinch-hitting for some guys whenever a pitcher comes in with the opposite hand. It’s impossible to quantify, but Gaston says that he would rather lose a game now and win several down the road. Who can say if that’s true. I agree with you on the pinch-hitting thing in Minny with Bautista and in K.C. with Chavez. He sees Rios as his No. 3 hitter and as long as Scutaro is doing the job at leadoff, there is no need in his mind to juggle the lineup. I see Rios as an eventual leadoff man.

Q: Hi Richard.

I know the Jays are knocking the ball around but what do you think about their stealing bases ability and moving runners along with bunts. The hot hitting will hit a cold front eventually.

Terry Fallat, Espanola, Ont.

A: It’s funny. Gaston at spring training talked about stealing more bases and about Hill bunting more to move runners along. But I have asked him several times about Hill and he said that the way he’s swinging the bat that he doesn’t want to take the bat out of his hands for even one at-bat. Who can argue? He was asked the other day by Mike Rutsey of the Sun about the team’s lack of steals and Cito’s response was quizzical, like he was so caught up in the roll that his hitters have been on that he didn’t even realize that the steal totals were that low. Once again, who can blame him? They are capable of both but have not yet seen the need. Once the bats cool off (if they do) you’ll see more of that.

Q: I know it’s difficult for the Blue Jays to admit because of the huge (probably too huge) contract they gave Vernon Wells, but when will the Blue Jays admit and/or realize that Vernon is a great number 2 or number 6 hitter, but not a number 4? He just doesn't seem to hit with runners on base and especially not with runners on base and 1 or 2 out.

Rob Landau, Toronto

A: I think he’s a 5-6 guy in this lineup. Like with Ryan, the Jays are compensating him well and don’t owe him being the cleanup guy, but Cito doesn’t want to play with his mind at this point.

Q: Hi Richard,

A couple of questions. From time to time I hear on the Jays' broadcasts that the Jays have doubts about Dustin McGowan being able to return as soon as they thought he would. But no medical evidence is ever offered in support of this. So on what basis are the Jays making their assessments of McGowan's readiness to return? Pain? Weakness? What?

Second question. Rios has been struggling at the plate. Okay, that's not good but he's still learning. But what has bothered me lately is that he seems to be regressing defensively. Fumbling catches, not throwing accurately to a base. What do you think is going on?

Arthur Menu, Sidney, B.C.

A: There is no need for medical evidence with McGowan. There is always residue from surgery even in a completely healthy shoulder that comes in the form of soreness, weakness and perhaps a little discomfort the morning after throwing. It does not mean the surgery was unsuccessful. It means that this particular patient is taking longer than another particular patient. The Jays are not making the assessments. McGowan’s shoulder is making the assessments.

As for Rios, I have seen signs of the same thing you’re talking about. It started when he took a rebound off the fence off the face on opening day. The next time a ball hit the fence, he ducked out of the way. But there are other incidents when a ball leaves the bat or you see him tracking the ball, knowing what he has done in the past, you think a play is going to be made a certain way and it’s not. Perhaps, subconsciously, he has been carrying some of his hitting woes into the field.

Q: Hey Richard,

I miss the Expos. Having grown up in Montreal with a passion for the 'spos I have had a chance to see a few great teams and/or players pass through Olympic Stadium. With such a bad reputation the Big Owe had/has in Montreal, was it really all that bad a place to play for the players? I mean, the city itself must have taken away from any of the negatives of the stadium. I even heard BJ Ryan reference Chez Paree just the other day at "Meet the Jays" so you know the famous city night-life must have been a plus to playing in Montreal. What do you think?

Chris Gauvin, Whitby

A: Those stars that played in Montreal still remember the experience fondly. They loved the city. They loved the fans. They loved the stadium access. But the field itself, the surface was always hard and fast. Its amazing Andre Dawson’s knees lasted as long as they did roaming that parking lot of an outfield. It was one of the big reasons he went to Wrigley Field as a free agent.

Like the Jays, the Expos always felt they had to go the extra kilometre in treating families and players well in order to overcome the “foreign country” aspect. I remember one of our team trainers having his wife in town for a couple of weeks in the summer. As he was walking up Stanley St. with his wife on his arm and the baby in a stroller, the regular doorman at the Chez Paree called out a greeting, calling him by name. She glared. That didn’t go over too well at home, of course, but it shows the small town feel Montreal always had for its Expos

Q: Hi Richard, I'm a Blue Jays fan and a regular at the Rogers Centre. In recent years I have made a point of visiting other MLB ballparks when I get the chance. However, since a trip last summer (Wrigley, Fenway, Citizens Bank, PNC, Milwaukee and Toledo), I find the Rogers Centre depressing. It’s not any one thing that bothers me, but it’s a lot of little things that boil down to this: baseball is not the central focus of the Rogers Centre experience. From keeping fans away from players, to charging $5 for an endlessly recycled magazine when all I want is the scorecard, the Rogers Centre sometimes feels like a mini-mall instead of a ballpark. Based on your experience, what your impressions of the Toronto in-game experience compared to other cities?

Michael Paris, Toronto

A: I agree that the Jays in-stadium experience is lacking compared to other MLB parks. I have heard complaints from fans that have been “shushed” by ushers for yelling at the other team’s players or umpires, with no profanity involved. This is not a damn library.

Being able to purchase a scorecard by itself should be an option. There is nothing that builds fan interest and attention more than scoring a ballgame. You’re into the action and understand the nuances, but if you have three people in a family group and you have to buy three magazines to score the game, that sucks.

On Monday, the Jays were rallying in the late innings, the Tribe was making a pitching change and the scoreboard had a 45-second bit with that stupid Ace in a tree, with complete silence except for the annoying occasional tweeting of a bird. Then Ace takes a birdhouse and sucks the birdseed out of it. That’s just plain ignorance of where the game is and what the crowd needs. The place should have been rocking as the pitcher warmed up and the Jays rallied. Instead they were looking around for where that stupid bird noise was coming from. Other parks give their fans some credit for knowing what to do at any given time. The Rogers Centre gives their fans no credit for being baseball fans. It’s insulting.

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