Mail Bag

The Jays are less than a week away from opening their 34th major-league season and never have the city's true-blue baseball fans needed to step up more than now. It was easy to support the '77-'80 teams because major-league baseball was a novelty and Toronto was just happy to be a part of the scene as the city tried to climb out from under the huge international shadow cast by Montreal.

It was easy to support the '85-'88 Jays because they had finally found their identity and the farm system was producing and winning seasons became the norm. Manager Cito Gaston said this spring that the '85 team managed by Bobby Cox may have been better than the World Series winners except for the lack of a true closer. Who can argue?

It was easy to support the '89-'93 teams because of the new stadium and the winning ways. Baseball games became a social event and even non-fans could go and be a part of the "scene". But, since then, following the Great Strike of '94 it's been difficult to be a Jays' fan. The biggest show of good faith by Jays' fans this year will be to support a team that they know is not good now but will be good in two years. The Jays can only continue to inject additional funds and move forward in player acquisition if fans show that they believe in the program as outlined by the new GM. Start to rebuild in 2010, then mold in 2011, then fine tune, then fill in the gaps with free agency, then win again. But buying tickets for a 90-loss team is tough to expect in this economy. It will be interesting.

On to the mailbag.

Q: Good Morning,

With this season said to be Gaston's last as Jays' field manager, how is Jays brain trust handling the process of who will replace him? Is it reasonable they are in a wait and see mode where they will be patient to see how current team meshes together, the young emerge, mature, or, to the negative, regress.

If they, by August, appear ahead of schedule or appear to be near competitive with Sox, Yankees and Rays in division, could they find a more mature tactical manager. Or if they are in transition mode, will they do as Leafs have done and clean house as best as possible of older players who either will not be part of future or middle ground players who have shown their limitations, thus a player-friendly caretaker, educator, player-friendly type put in place for a more extended learning and growing period?

Got to wonder about this current group, those who apparently had such thin skin regarding Gene Tenace etc. Interesting many who have done so little had so much to say in who leads. Who do Jays look to as man (dare I say woman) they will listen to, and accept criticism with?

Thanks, Grant Freeman

A: This is certainly Gaston's last season as manager. As far as the next Jays' manager, there is no hurry in pinpointing the man, although in the ongoing process, GM Alex Anthopoulos is keeping a loose list of candidates on a personal, secret list. I hate always to keep referring to the Tigers between '03 and '06 when they went from 119 losses to the World Series, but for instance the Tigers let Alan Trammell manage through 2005 and then GM Dave Dombrowski went out and recruited his long-time ideal manager Jim Leyland when it was time to win. What that says is that the 2011 manager does not need to be the man that eventually leads them back to the playoffs.

Anthopoulos has insisted that he will not be lured by the Siren's Song of contention at the end of July to make any stupid short-term moves that detour from the master plan – and that includes changing managers. There are other reasons he might consider a managerial in-season change, but contending is not one of them. As for players that are not part of the future, it matters not whether they are young or old, they will be gone by 2011.

Yes, we have to wonder about this current group that put up such a brave front on the Friday in Baltimore last October about not being sure whether they could continue to move forward if Cito stayed on, then as soon as Paul Beeston called the leaders together and stared them down asking for clarity and Cito asked the leaders of the mutiny to declare themselves there was dead silence and back-tracking in the room. So this became a media concoction? Not! This revolt was led by a group of mumblers, embarrassed by their own losing record, not even endowed with batting practice balls.

Q: Richard, how are Brett Cecil and Marc Rzepczynski doing this spring? They pitched a fair amount last year but there hasn't been much talk about them. Are they due to be sent to Las Vegas or can we rely on them if Brandon Morrow, Dustin McGowan and even Shaun Marcum don't work out this year?

Bruce Hutchison, Winnipeg

A: Cecil and Rzepczynski are running on parallel career courses. They were both shut down at the same point last September and both took private lessons at the major-league level that final month from then-pitching coach Brad Arnsberg on the art of throwing the changeup. Of the two, heading into the spring, Zep had a leg up because of a series of solid late-season starts that had impressed his manager. That being said, even though Cecil is likely headed for Vegas, he has been like a Phoenix rising from the ashes of his disappointing mixed-bag of first impressions last season. In 2009, his conditioning was in question. His pitch selection was in question. The depth of his repertoire was in question. But in the second half of this spring, after new pitching coach Bruce Walton stripped him down to bare essential for a couple of starts – fastball, change – then built him back up, his confidence and performance have soared. In the last part of the question, if Morrow and Marcum stumble (McGowan is out of the picture), by the time Cecil and Zep can step in to move up to 3-4 in the rotation, it will be far too late. Marcum is the key.

Q: Hi Richard,

You have projected that Aaron Hill will hit around 20HRs this year. ESPN also projected 25 HRs. Are there any particular reasons for declining power drastically from one year to other? Why can't he hit 28 to 32 HRs this year? In spring training, he is swinging the bats same way like last year. I also want your opinion on McCoy. Is it possible that Jays trade Alex Gonzales before or during the regular season? McCoy could be our SS, leadoff hitter and he runs well.

Nesan Thambi, Toronto

A: It's not really a case of declining power. Hill will have the same power, but may have a different selection of pitches to hit with fewer runners on base in the absence of Marco Scutaro and a bottom of the order that may not provide the ducks on the pond. Hill's comeback from the 2008 concussion that could have ended his career was really astounding. There is a chance as you suggest that he does hit 28-32 homers and that is if Adam Lind and Vernon Wells are hitting so well themselves that pitchers throw Hill fastballs in fastball counts with nobody on base (Scutaro gone) so as not to walk him or if the Jays are always behind by four-plus runs and pitchers always just want to challenge.

As for McCoy at shortstop, I would not be opposed at some point to giving McCoy a chance at shortstop because the rest of the team is slower than an all-Molina 3x100 relay team. You don't even need to trade Gonzalez for that to happen. A-Gon is on a one-year deal and with no commitment beyond 2010 and in a rebuilding mode who cares how he feels about it. To paraphrase Bogie in Casablanca, "We'll always have Johnny Mac."

Q: Hi Richard,

I love your column, thank you for providing your honest opinions and insights on the Toronto Blue Jays. I hope Florida is treating you well. As a long-time Blue Jays fan, I am concerned about attendance at Rogers Centre this year. The numbers looked very bad at the end of last year (I believe a single game attendance record, or lack there of, was set last season). Have you heard of any rumblings from the Blue Jays brass on their attendance expectations? And, if they are forecasting low figures, are there any incentives the Blue Jays organization is looking to offset this? Thanks, look forward to following you throughout this season!

Joe Bassage, Niagara Falls

A: You think you're concerned about attendance at the Rogers Centre this year? You should work at the Rogers Centre. The biggest positive about last year's cliff-diving late-season attendance was that under Paul Beeston, the actual ticket revenue was up from the previous two seasons because he stopped the practice of throwing tickets in the air and counting them as attendance if they hit the ground.

As for an estimate for 2010 it's hard to say because the team's competitiveness will determine a lot of that once August rolls around. There are 81 home dates, so if they average 20,000 per game then that comes out to 1.62 million. Not great, but it may be realistic. The one positive they have going for them is that they have 18 or 19 home games against the Red Sox and Yankees and will average about 35,000 for those games. Thank God they are in the AL East. Oh, sorry that's not the way they think about it. They'd rather have the Royals and Twins for those extra home dates. I forgot.

This is tongue-in-cheek, but the incentive the Jays seemingly have come up with to combat falling attendance is to jack ticket prices in the upper deck to $14 and take away more of the special dates that used to lure the casual fan with limited entertainment dollars to spend. Hey, let's see, those Ti-Cat home games are looking more appealing once July rolls around.

Q: Richard, what is holding up the Hechavarria deal? Is there any chance that it will never happen?

Ken Henry, Waterloo

A: It seems Adeinis "The Rifle" Hechavarria has been on hold longer than a Bernie Madoff client looking for an annual update. The Cuban Shortstop Crisis for the Jays is midway through its third week since the Yankees leaked the info that they had lost out to the Blue Jays in the hunt for a Red for October to eventually replace Derek Jeter. There has never been an announcement or even a confirmation from the Jays, but the belief is that even though the US government had cleared ML teams to sign the Cuban defector, that the Canadian government bring new issues to the equation that may not have been anticipated. This could no longer be about a physical for Hechavarria. There is really no rush for the Jays since at best, the kid would start at Double-A and work from there. Maybe Manchester, New Hampshire in April does not appeal to him.

Q: If Lyle Overbay has a good season, do you see the Jays trading him at or before the the trade deadline for prospects, considering that Brett Wallace will be the future 1B?

Thanks, Ricky B, Markham

A: Overbay is a pretty consistent player when healthy, a doubles machine, so there is no reason to believe that at the trade deadline there will not be a contending team that could use him. By July 31, the Jays are hoping Wallace will be ready for prime-time. If not, they would likely still try and trade Overbay for a future prospect and make do at first base with maybe even a Wallace/Randy Ruiz platoon. In any case, Overbay will not be here in 2011, therefore they will make every effort at the deadline to get the equivalent of whatever compensation he will be eligible for as a free agent – Type A or B. If he stays with the Jays and they bench him in favour of Wallace, it hurts his chances of being compensation-worthy and works against their own interests. Catch-35.

Q: Hi Richard,

Do you think there's any chance that MLB will ever locate another franchise in Canada (preferably NL so we'd have the possibility of a Canada-only World Series)? And if there is ever another Canadian MLB franchise, would it go back to Montreal or is another city likely to be a better market?

Richard Avery, North York

A: As long as there are other cities in the US seeking a major-league franchises, the odds are against Canada getting another MLB team. Vancouver? Too close to Seattle. Calgary? Too cold, too far. Edmonton, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Halifax? Too small. Montreal? The only real option, but baseball would have to admit it assisted in the Expos' demise and there would have to be a ti-gar de chez nous billionaire step up which has not happened.

The Bullpen Gospels: Dirk Hayhurst bares his soul

Blue Jays' reliever Dirk Hayhurst, currently on the major-league baseball club's 60-day disabled list, has long been renowned for writing honestly, with wit and some life wisdom as demonstrated in a highly acclaimed personal blog. He kept readers up to date with his personal progress as a struggling minor-leaguer, through one of the game's most respected publications, Baseball America. he blog was a hit. As of March 30, Hayhurst can now add the title of baseball author to his list of off-field credits.

The Bullpen Gospels is a novel about life in the minor-leagues a loose diary kept during a physical and emotional roller-coaster ride through the 2007 season as a struggling veteran Padres' minor-leaguer.

For those that wonder why baseball players take it so hard when they are sent out to the minor leagues at the end of spring training and why the major-leagues are the ultimate Holy Grail of professional baseball, this mixed-emotion saga is well worth the read. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll spend $17.95 Cdn.

The book is well worth the read for both the hardcore and casual fans. For the seamhead fans it can be a revelation the true descriptions of monotonous life in the minor-league bullpen and the sophomoric frat pranks that 20-something pitchers who should be taking better care of themselves can invent to fill the time between outings in a mixed-bag of Class A and Double-A stadiums with fans that come to games because they're looking to hook up or are as bored on a hot summer night as are the players.

For the casual fans who might not find the often sexually-oriented conversations and "stupid human tricks" that amusing (a taste like appreciating The Three Stooges) there is a cover-to-cover subplot of human redemption involving Hayhurst and his emotionally-volatile family life back in Canton, Ohio. It runs as a thread throughout the book and often has you caring and despairing for Dirk's own future and his mental well-being. That is where he is most honest and where the book is most touching.

But when it comes to life on the road with his minor-league team, there is less true grit. He has combined some stories and some personalities and has sometimes used different names to protect some of the players from repercussions at home. Sure there are some real names, but those are usually peripheral characters whose behaviour is not in question, like Padres third baseman Chase Headley, or others that Dirk admires, like his Double-A manager Randy Ready. In fact, other than his own evolution as a man, there is little in the way of character development to make you care about anyone else in the book.  

I talked to Dirk about it in Dunedin as a criticism of what he had done. The combining of characters and the lack of development, never going back for an update. This is no Ball Four by Jim Bouton. In baseball's most infamous tell-all book, Bouton was all but gone from the game when he wrote about taboo stuff like Mickey Mantle's alcoholism and his Yankee teammates school boy behaviour. He pulled no punches in naming names, but it may have been easier since he was already on his way out. 

Hayhurst had a good answer to this criticism. He said that one-dimensional character of teammates is a reflection of the way it is in the minor leagues. You don't form close friendships because you are all competing for the same carrot on the same stick. In fact, the book supports that view. Hayhurst is promoted from A to AA and does not even say goodbye to any Lake Elsinore teammates as he sweeps his belongings into a bag and heads for the next level, the next bullpen, the next strangers to friends soon to be strangers. Dirk said that in the short time he was in the majors with the Padres and Jays in 2008-09, it was easier to relax and form relationships because everyone had reached their ultimate goal.

There are some disconcerting scenes played out within his family situation that make for a surprising and uncomfortable read at times. As a professional ballplayer he is not anywhere near the hero in his hometown that one would imagine or even a hero in his home. There is a putdown by a homeless man in a shelter that is especially compelling. It almost seemed like writing the book became therapy for Hayhurst, with a father slowed to a life-crawl by a workplace accident, a brother that could not cope with his own life or even his sibling's and a mother who had found a place of patient numbness from the reality. But never does Hayhurst hide from the truth of his own emotional frailty and that may be what in the end separates this from other first-person sports books.

The Bullpen Gospels is available in bookstores now and the author is planning a tour that will likely include downtown Toronto sometime in April.  

It's worth the read. 

       

  

Blue Jays Notebook: Hits and Misses

DUNEDIN, Fla.-The Jays lost a pair of exhibition games on Friday in their only split-squad action of the season, dropping the spring record to 9-11 with eight games remaining.

At home against the Rays, the Jays lost 14-10, with opening day starter Shaun Marcum allowing nine runs in five innings of work.

“It was just a bad day locating pitches,” Marcum said in the wake of his penultimate spring start. “Everything I threw seemed like it stayed on the middle third instead of out on the corners.”

Marcum refused to use the excuse that he had not faced a major-league opponent in 10 days, going first to a minor-league game, followed by a rainout that forcedhim to an indoor mound throwing 81 pitches against Jays' hitters that did not swing the bats.

“No, that wasn't it,” Marcum said. “Some of those pitch selections I probably wouldn't have thrown in a normal season, but I wanted to try and work on hitting that spot down and away that I was struggling with. Then again, we still have some time and I would rather it be now than April 5. It's a good thing to get that out of the way and move on.”

HITS: Aaron Hill continued his solid spring. Hill's three hits rraised his average to .417, his on-base to .667 and his OPS to 1.414...Kyle Phillips, filling in for an injured Lyle Overbay, slammed a three-run homer and an RBI double among three hits...Jose Molina slammed his first homer of the spring in the ninth inning.

MISSES: Joey Gathright chopped a sure hit off the plate over the mound. When Raul Chavez inexplicably stopped in the baseline to stay out of a double play, the second baseman flipped to short for the force...Catcher John Buck left the game in Fort Myers following his first at-bat, returning home for a family emergency. ..Steve Register cashed out with five runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning.

At Fort Myers, the Jays lost to the Red Sox 3-2 despite a solid performance by starter Brett Cecil. The lefthander went five shutout innings, allowing two hits with a walk and four strikeouts. Non-roster second baseman Brad Emaus had three hits in four at-bats.

* * * * * * *

The first inning was one to forget for Marcum. In amongst the single, double and homer to Evan Longoria was perhaps his worst moment.

Marcum fielded a bunt by Carl Crawford dashing towards the foul line. First baseman Lyle Overbay shifted across to take the throw in foul territory as he was taught, but Marcum stopped suddenly and threw across Crawford's body back into fair territory. As Overbay caught the ball for the out, he made contact with Crawford and limped to the clubhouse.

Overbay was diagnosed with a contusion to his left knee that was confirmed by Dr. Steve Mirabello. He will be listed as day-to-day.

* * * * * * *

The Jays' injury substitution at first base for Lyle Overbay, utility man Kyle Phillips responded with hits in his first three at-bats with a three-run homer and an RBI double. Phillips will be a third catcher at AAA-Las Vegas as well as playing first and third base and some DH.

* * * * * * *

Righthander Brandon Morrow, looking to reinsert himself in the opening rotation mix, threw his scheduled bullpen side session prior to his scheduled Monday start, with no apparent repercussions.

The righthander has been cut back to three innings for Monday vs. the Tigers after pulling himself from a start a week ago against the Astros with soreness in his shoulder as he was warming up in the bullpen.

* * * * * * *

Injured lefthanded reliever Jesse Carlson pitched a perfect inning at the minor league complex in a game on Friday. He has been sidelined with discomfort in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left knee. Carlson has made just one Grapefruit League appearance this spring.

* * * * * * *

Rays' third baseman Evan Longoria made the outstanding catch of the spring in the third inning. Outfielder Chris Lubanski lofted a pop foul. Longoria tracked it to the five-foot wire fence, leaped and extended into the crowd, flipping over and dangling by his ankles. He held onto the ball as the crowd lifted him back up over the fence to an ovation.

* * * * * * *

Against the Rays, lefthander David Purcey retired all four batters he faced, continuing his experiment of scaling his repertoire back to just his two best pitches – fastball and slider.

“He's doing so well, we're just kind of going to leave him alone,” Gaston said. “He's got so much confidence now throwing strikes. I've never seen him pitch like that. He's getting the ball and just throwing it. We're happy with him. We're happy for him.”

* * * * * * *

Prior to Friday's game, manager Cito Gaston confirmed that righthander Dustin McGowan will be held back from throwing for at least another two weeks. McGowan finally appeared in a game against a live opponent at the minor-league complex last Friday. He suffered what was described as “dead arm” and was shut down for a week. McGowan seemed relieved that he will get additional time off. He can stay on the disabled list indefinitely. His last regular season appearance was July 8, 2008.

Mail Bag

The best news that could have unfolded for the Twins this week and for all of Major League Baseball is that Joe Mauer agreed to terms on an extension through 2018 to remain with his hometown, small-market team as they move into a sparkling new outdoor stadium in downtown Minneapolis this year.

The worst news would have been if negotiations between the Twins and Mauer had been cut off and he had played the '10 season as a virtual farewell tour. Then, following the season, as would be expected, he had signed with the Yankees. What a way to welcome a new stadium.

In the wake of the Mauer's signing, there is renewed hope for small-market fans everywhere. Now the Twins' challenge is to generate enough revenue using the stadium and Mauer as the centrepieces of the franchise to get their hands on the payroll cash to add other winning-type players. It could be tough but it had to be done. It may have saved the Twins' franchise in the long-term. Nice job. On to the mailbag.

Q: Hey Richard, I'm a huge Blue Jays fan in Ottawa, a couple of weeks ago the Blue Jays were said to have signed some young Cuban star, and recently I haven't seen anything? Has contract talks stalled? Or what's going on?

Aaron Sheridan, Ottawa

A: The news about 21-year-old shortstop Adeinis Hechavarria, back at that time on March 14, did not come from the Jays' camp, meaning the details of any contract were likely still being worked out. The news came from the Yankee camp that had been notified by the player's agents that they were no longer in the running for the young defector. An educated guess re the delay is that there were more details than previously imagined to be worked out having to do with the US government, the Canadian government and the fact that Hechavarria had been cleared by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Committee to sign with MLB clubs. The question becomes was that specifically U.S. Based MLB clubs and is there an equivalent Canadian process that needed to be satisfied? In any case, news of Hechavarria has been non-existent since that moment when the Yankees bowed out. Silence fits in with the Jays' new modus operandi. It's just a matter of time for the announcement at which time the young Cuban will probably work out at extended spring training before being assigned to a Jays' farm team.

Q: I'm wondering if the Jays may have to use Jose Bautista at third, since Edwin Encarnacion is injured and has yet to play this spring!? John McDonald could also fill in at 3rd for a game or two per week. In that case, outfield (where Bautista) has played most of his career is weakened defensively, as Travis Snider will have to step in. Has there been anyone else who has caught your eye as an outfielder!? Thanks as always for your dedicated coverage!

Frank Dixon, Kingston

A: The Jays looked earlier in the spring like Bautista might have to play more third base than expected. The fact is that in his MLB career, Bautista has made 273 starts at third base and 170 in the outfield. Third base was his primary position with the Pirates. But Encarnacion's injured hamate bone in his left hand has healed and he is cleared to play. He had five at-bats in a Triple-A game on Monday and will play in another minor-league game before re-joining the major-league club. If Encarnacion can't make it to start the season, then Bautista goes to third and, yes, there is a defensive problem in the outfield, which would be maximized if Adam Lind and Snider were forced to flank Vernon Wells. If Bautista plays third, they would prefer to leave Lind at DH and insert either Joey Gathright or Jeremy Reed in the outfield. That battle is still a tossup. As for other outfielders that have impressed, the simple answer is there have been none. Chris Lubanski, brought in from the Royals, can swing the bat but his arm is a liability, close to Shannon Stewart calibre. Mike McCoy can play out there too but has been hurt. McCoy is like a faster, better defending Joe Inglett.

Q: Richard, Can you please educate me regarding the ten million dollars the Blue Jays have awarded to Adeinis Hechavarria? How does this work, as I cannot imagine they just hand over the money now, rather than over a period of time. Once he has the money how do the Jays protect themselves against ensuring he meets their requirements.

Brian Seddon, St.Catharines

A: The $10 million (U.S.) is paid over four years and that is the guaranteed time the Jays have to develop him into a major-league player. Once he is in the major-leagues, Hechavarria would be governed by normal timeframes, including three-year (plus super-twos) arbitration and six year free agency. Hechavarria is said to have rejected the Yankee bid because he saw a likely extension to Derek Jeter as blocking his short-term path to the major leagues.

Q: How far along is the Cuban SS Hechavarria and how accurate is the Soriano comparison?

Tony Aitas, Toronto

A: If the Hechavarria deal is consummated, the young Cuban suddenly becomes the Jays' top prospect at SS ahead of Justin Jackson, Tyler Pastornicky and Gustavo Pierre. There is no clear view of how far along he is since he had not played a lot of international baseball with the Cuban team. The Alfonso Soriano comparison is based purely on physical attributes and the way he carries himself. Baseball scouts are always using comparisons to current players in trying to describe prospects. Not many scouts have seen him play in game action.

Q: Hi Richard, I strongly believe, Jays will win 70 to 80 games in 2010. I disagree with your comparison with 2003 Detroit. Also believe Jays will win more games than the Orioles. The current Jays have more powerful line-up than any other team in the AL east. They scored more runs/home runs towards the end of 2009. They lost Roy Halladay but will bring Shaun Marcum, Brandon Morrow, and Dustin McGowan to the mound. I want your opinion on Jays' plan to move Brett Wallace to 1B. He played 3B in his career and Jays can bring him to 3B after this season. Jays have Brian Dopirak and Randy Ruiz both can play IB and DH.

Nesan Thambi, Toronto

A: There has been much misunderstanding of the comparison that was made with the '03 Tigers. It was not to say that the Jays are as bad as that Tigers team that went 43-119. The comparison was in philosophies that first you bottom out, second you avoid the temptation to add five wins in the current lost season if it costs you any part of your future, third you use this season to identify those players that will be a part of your winning future, then over the next three years you supplement with players from the farm, minor-league free agent signings, free agent signings and shrewd trades. The Jays no doubt were starting the process from a higher plateau than the '03 Tigers. As for the loss of Halladay to the rotation, Marcum missed an entire season and is jumping back in as Opening Day starter, Morrow has not started over a full season and has a slight shoulder problem and McGowan has been set back due to “dead arm” which is basically just a fatigue situation that requires complete rest. But he also has not pitched in a major-league game since July of 2008. The Jays want Wallace to be their first baseman, replacing Lyle Overbay. If the Jays are to contend then it won't be with Brian Dopirak and Randy Ruiz as their 1B/DH combo.

Q: Hey Richard, What's the back-story on Randy Ruiz? He's 32 years old, and has bounced around the majors and the minors, but his track record reads like he's the second coming of Crash Davis. I mean, how do ML clubs discard or outright someone who hits .293 with 22 home runs and 80 RBI, as happened to him 3 years ago? Why hasn't he caught on in The Bigs before this? There must be more to the story than we're hearing. Is he an ax-murderer in his spare time or something?

Richard Worzel, Toronto

A: Randy Ruiz is a really charming guy, easy to like and easy to root for, but once you leave the comfort and support of the first team that signs you as a pro, you're on your own. Top draft picks and bonus babies always have someone in their initial organization to protect them in internal meetings. Guys like Ruiz that were signed as non-drafted free agents have nobody with a vested interest in their well being. Ruiz was always considered an out of shape one-dimensional, one position player. Those guys can easily be replaced at Double and Triple-A because there's plenty of inventory that fits that description. After signing with the Reds after the '99 draft in which he was not chosen, Ruiz has signed as a free agent nine times and been sold for cash once. The 32-year-old New York City native has trimmed down, worked hard at learning to play the outfield and is in a good position with a team that needs some offence and a back-up first baseman and righthanded hitter to take some DH at-bats.

Q: Hi Richard, Who usually wins more games: the manager who plays the percentages or the manager who takes risks? Who, in your opinion, were the greatest managers of all time, and who is the best in the game today? What kind of manager do you see fitting in with the Jays in 2011?

Chris M., Collingwood

A: First question is easy. The manager who plays the percentages wins more games because the manager who takes risks is fired. As for the greatest managers of all time, that's tough because the game has changed so much since free agency was brought in the '70s. So we'll just go back to the '70s for this one. Top 5 managers since 1970? In no particular order, they would have to include: Bobby Cox, Sparky Anderson, Joe Torre, Whitey Herzog and Earl Weaver. Cox is the best in the game today followed by Terry Francona. As for the Jays' in 2011. The Tigers waited until they were on the cusp of winning before they reached out and grabbed Jim Leyland in 2006. The Jays could do worse than sign current third-base coach Brian Butterfield to continue the team's development in 2011 and then have the option of switching to a big-name whenever they believe they're ready to win.

Q: Hi Richard, Do you know if the Blue Jays have remained in contact with Doyle Alexander? He impressed me as a wily veteran and a real battler out on the mound, someone with big game experience who could tutor younger pitchers. I always thought he has the makings to be a solid minor league pitching instructor or a major league pitching coach. Back when he pitched for the Jays he won some big games for them (such as the '85 AL East Division clincher vs the Yankees) and he also won a lot of games -- 17 in both '84 and in '85 and his 9-0 record in 87 helped get the Tigers into the playoffs.

Fred Vance, Calgary

A: Some guys with all of these attributes just want to chill when their careers are over. The Jays usually stay in touch and at least have an address or phone number for their former players, but there has been no mention of the 59-year-old Alabama native in any retro or flashback festivities.

Q: Richard, Do you think the Jays will be stronger at pitching this year than hitting? It seems that they have done fairly well stocking pitchers but other than Wallace there do not seem to be any new strong-looking hitters. Are they counting on Wells post-surgery to rebound? If the hitters don't get the pitchers out of jams like they did last year it could be a long season. And will Aaron Hill continue to be a top hitter or do you feel the other teams will be on to his style moreso this year?

Bruce Hutchison, Winnipeg

A: They have indeed done very well with pitchers. Rookie GM Alex Anthopoulos had a deep base of starting pitchers, but still went out in the off-season and added more. The only problem with the starters is that they are all young (except for the inexperienced Brian Tallet). There will be too many cases this season where a pitcher will look really good for most of his stint but make just enough mistakes to lose. A bad pitch here, a bad decision there, a loss of focus here, a momentary meltdown there. It's all part of the learning process even if you have the basic talent. Offensively, the Jays rank fifth in the AL East. There is little speed in the lineup and replacing Marco Scutaro in leadoff will be tough. If Vernon Wells bounces back. If Lyle Overbay puts on a personal contract drive. If John Buck has a career year. If Aaroin Hill repeats. If others step up. Too many ifs. Hill is more likely to go .280, with 20 homers and 80 RBIs which are still good numbers for a middle infielder, but a comedown from his fabulous .286, 36HR, 108 RBIs of a year ago.

Q: Hi Richard, I don't understand why it's a big deal that Adam Lind isn't a good left fielder. He can't be worse than Manny Ramirez, Jason Bay and Johnny Damon's arm can he? Poor defense in LF doesn't seem to be an impediment to a successful team. Besides, surely both Lind and Snider could become adequate OF's with experience and coaching or am I delusional? Keep up the good work. Thanks,

Rob MacKay, Calgary

A: Taken on his own, you're right. There have been a lot of bad defensive left fielders that have had great careers. Lind can move back into the outfield at some point. He's too young to be considered just a DH. However in context, this is a bad Jays' situation to have a bad left fielder. The Jays have a young rotation that needs all the defensive help it can get, especially from outfielders. Even last September, manager Cito Gaston said it would be tough for him to have Lind and Snider flanking Wells in the starting outfield. Snider, even though he makes too many bad decisions, is still a better outfield choice than Lind. The young slugger will eventually move back into the outfield, but not this year. As for learning to play the outfield, yes, Snider and Lind can be taught better decisions, better positioning, better focus for better jumps and reads. They can become adequate. But not this year.

Jays Notebook: Former prospect Romero a real pro

DUNEDIN, Fla. - It's considered normal protocol for major-league players pitching in minor-league games to get their work in. But after finishing his six innings of work at the Bobby Mattick Training Centre on Tuesday, Jays' lefthander Ricky Romero made sure he worked his way down the dugout on the way back to major-league camp, shaking hands with all the young prospects. Romero used to be one for three springs and knows how much it means to the kids.

“I got some quality work in,” Romero said. “That was the biggest thing coming in. I wanted to work on a few pitches, the off-speed pitches early in the count and that's what we did. The thing right now is I'm feeling too good and that scares me because I tend to get a little excited and tend to overthrow at times. I felt like in the later innings, once I settled down, everything was good.”

Romero, pitching for Class-A Dunedin against a team of young Yankees, threw 88 pitches over six innings, allowing one run on six hits, with two walks and nine strikeouts. The lack of knowledge of the hitters he was facing allowed Romero to work on his own game.

“I walked in the dugout and I said, I guess I can't throw first-pitch fastballs to these guys,” Romero chuckled. “They're just hacking. I think it's good because you have to work on those first-pitch off-speed pitches and we threw a lot of those. A lot of first-pitch strikes. A lot of first-pitch changeups. Later in the innings we worked on fastballs inside which is good.”

Romero was passed over for the opening day assignment, with that honour going to Shaun Marcum. Romero, who went 13-9 in his rookie season, knows his time will likely come. “If there's one guy that deserves (the opener) it's definitely Shaun,” Romero said. “It's been a long road back and he's shown that he's ready. I'm excited for him. I'm excited to be part of the team. I can be the fifth guy for all I care. I just want to win. That's all I'm focused on. I grew up with a dream and that dream was to put on a big-league uniform. I don't take it for granted.”

The Jays on Tuesday enjoyed their third scheduled off-day of the spring. On Wednesday, the Jays travel to Port Charlotte to face the Rays, with Dana Eveland facing Jeff Niemann.

* * * * * * *

Brandon Morrow did not have an off-day on Tuesday. The righthander went in for treatment in the training room at Dunedin Stadium in preparation for a bullpen session on Friday that will hopefully lead to his next start on Monday.

Morrow scratched himself from a start with soreness in his right shoulder on Friday in Kissimmee as he was warming up minutes before the game. He will be asked to go three innings against the Tigers, with one more start before the season opens.

* * * * * * *

It was a high draft first inning for the Jays' Class-A team in support of Ricky Romero (1st round, '05). The first three batters were centre fielder Kenny Wilson (2nd round '08), shortstop Justin Jackson (1st round supplemental, '07) and catcher J.P. Arencibia (1st round '07).

Arencibia was borrowed for the day to catch Romero and was allowed to hit as the third batter of every inning. He was hitless in five at-bats.

* * * * * * *

Lefthanded reliever Jesse Carlson is scheduled to throw from a mound on Wednesday for the second time in 14 days. He has been sidelined with discomfort in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left knee. Carlson has made just one game appearance this spring.

Bad bounce for Blue Jays against Tigers

DUNEDIN, Fla.-Brian Tallet swore he wasn't going to bounce his first-inning changeup to Brandon Inge. The next bounce it took was towards the school located behind the fence in left centre field at Dunedin Stadium. The Tigers were on their way to an 8-2 win over the Jays that dropped the Grapefruit League record to 9-7, with an off-day on Tuesday.

 “Probably two pitches and one of them wasn't that bad,” Tallet said. “The home run that (Ryan) Raburn hit he just went out and ambushed an early-count fastball. Then it was the changeup that Inge hit. Through the first part of camp I've been bouncing so many changeups, I just told myself I'm not going to bounce them anymore. It's not going to get any better by bouncing it. I've got to be able to get that pitch in the (strike) zone. I was working on getting that pitch up and got it up a little too much.”

HITS: Jose Bautista doubled in three at-bats, keeping his average at .519, but good news is that regular third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was able to get five at-bats in a minor-league game and play the field over at the Mattick complex...Randy Ruiz was 2-for-2 and slammed his third homer of the spring...Travis Snider continued his torrid streak, raising his average to .306 with a pair of hits.

MISSES: Aaron Hill was hitless and struck out for the first time in 26 plate appearances this spring...Ryan Goins, filling in at third base, cut off a throw from Jeremy Reed in left that would have nailed a runner at the plate. He looked to throw to third but realized he was otherwise occupied...Adam Lind was hitless in two at-bats, dropping his average to .240...Righthander Josh Roenicke's running out of time to make an impression. He allowed two runs on four hits and a walk in 1-2/3 innings.

The Jays have their third scheduled off-day of the spring on Tuesday. Lefthander Ricky Romero will start at the minor league complex in a Class-A game, scheduled for five innings. Then on Wednesday, the Jays travel to Port Charlotte to face the Rays, with Dana Eveland facing Jeff Niemann.
    * * * * * * *
 The remainder of the Jays' rotation after Shaun Marcum in Texas remains up in the air because of the uncertainty of righthander Brandon Morrow. Acquired from the Ms, Morrow was originally slated to start the third game of the Rangers series, April 8. Morrow will miss a total of two starts, including what would have been Wednesday at the Rays, with soreness in his right shoulder. He will next throw in a game on Monday, March 29, scheduled for three innings.
    “We're going to wait and see and if he looks okay. That could make a difference in our rotation, too,” manager Cito Gaston said. “If he feels good, he's got a chance. If he doesn't feel good, he probably won't make it.”
    * * * * * * *
 It was a busy Monday for Jays' major-leaguers over at the Bobby Mattick. Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion saw his first game action, going 1-for-5 for AAA-Las Vegas. Also returning to action was utility infielder Mike McCoy, who was 1-for-4 with a walk and a pickoff. Jose Molina, who drove over to catch the Jays' relievers,  was 0-for-3 with a walk.
 Kevin Gregg, Jason Frasor, Scott Downs and David Purcey each pitched a shutout inning. Shawn Camp allowed a run in his inning of work. The relief pitching had been backed up in their work by the rainout on Sunday against the Red Sox.
    * * * * * * *
 Lefthanded reliever Jesse Carlson threw from a mound on Monday for the first time in 12 days. He had been sidelined with discomfort in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left knee.
 The session took place before regular batting practice and ended with trainer George Poulis, Carlson, manager Cito Gaston, and two P.R. men huddled with the lefty in the bullpen.
 The club announced that Carlson will throw in the bullpen again on Wednesday. Gaston indicated that Carlson still has enough time to prove he is healthy and break camp with the Jays. He has made one game appearance thus far in Grapefruit League play.
  

Jays Notebook: Rained out in Dunedin

DUNEDIN, Fla.-For the second time this spring, the Jays were rained out of a home date at Dunedin Stadium. With a sellout already in hand on Sunday for the only spring visit of the Red Sox, the Jays waited through a downpour, finally making the decision to call the game at 2:18 p.m. just as the rain subsided and the skies began to brighten.

Manager Cito Gaston and members of the stadium grounds crew took a walk across the outfield to second base and determined conditions were unsafe for play. Scheduled Jays starting pitcher Shaun Marcum went indoors to the cages behind the right field fence and threw his 80 pitches to minor-league catcher Kyle Phillips, trying to match game conditions with breaks to simulate innings.

The sellout crowd, many of whom had been in hand since late morning, were restless when the rain stopped and the game was cancelled. They were briefly entertained by Aaron Hill and Vernon Wells who took turns sliding head first on the rain-soaked tarp.

The Red Sox had a split squad scheduled, so only three major-leaguers had even made the trip, J.D. Drew, Bill Hall and Adrian Beltre took the long bus ride up from Ft. Myers, but manager Terry Francona did not. The Jays continue the Grapefruit League schedule Monday with a home game against the Tigers. Lefthander Brian Tallet starts for the Jays against lefty Nate Robertson.

* * * * * * *

With Shaun Marcum pitching indoors after the Red Sox game was cancelled, the four relievers set to relieve him on Sunday – Josh Roenicke, Casey Janssen, Jeremy Accardo and David Purcey – will now follow Brian Tallet in the Tigers game, while those originally scheduled to back up Tallet will take the short drive over to the Bobby Mattick Training Centre to pitch for AAA-Las Vegas. They are Jason Frasor, Scott Downs, Kevin Gregg and Shawn Camp.

* * * * * * *

Righthander Brandon Morrow will miss one more start after pulling himself out of Friday's game in Kissimmee with soreness in his right shoulder. His next mound appearance will be a bullpen session on Friday followed by what would have been his scheduled start on March 29.

Morrow was examined at the ballpark on Sunday morning by Jays' consulting orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Steven Mirabello.

“I could have thrown on Friday,” Morrow insisted. “I'll have two more starts and as we have it scheduled, I'll be ready for the season. I'll get three (innings), if I don't reach the pitch count.”

By the time Morrow makes his next start, every other Jays' starting pitcher will be stretched out to six innings. There may have to be early adjustments to the rotation when the season begins.

* * * * * * *

Lefthanded reliever Jesse Carlson will throw from a mound on Monday for the first time in 12 days. He has been sidelined with discomfort in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left knee. Carlson has made one game appearance thus far in Grapefruit League play.

Versatile utility man Mike McCoy, this year's answer to Joe Inglett, has been hobbled by an injured right shoulder. McCoy, who is batting .615 in eight games, may be ready to play a game at minor league camp early next week.

Jays Notebook: Jays spoil Bobby Cox's final visit

DUNEDIN, Fla. - The Jays came back three separate times in Saturday's game against the Braves including erasing one-run deficits in the ninth and 10th innings, winning 7-6 and spoiling Bobby Cox's final visit to Dunedin Stadium as manager.

“Bobby doesn't like to lose,” Jays' manager Cito Gaston chuckled. “I went over and shook hands with the coaches after the game. I said tell Bobby good luck, but wait until the bus gets back. Bobby's like me. He doesn't like to lose.”

The hard-fought win lifted the Jays' spring mark to 9-6. They continue the spring schedule Sunday in Dunedin. Righthander Shaun Marcum will face lefty Felix Doumont for the Red Sox.

HITS: Shortstop John McDonald with two outs in the ninth, lined a game-tying single to left field ... in the 10th, trailing by a run, first baseman Mike McDade drove a double up the gap in left-centre scoring Ryan Schimpf and Joey Gathright who had singled ... Aaron Hill drilled his second home run of the spring in the fourth inning vs. Derek Lowe ... third-baseman Jose Bautista was 2-for-3.

MISSES: Relievers Kevin Gregg and Merkin Valdez each entered a tie game and surrendered a run in one inning. Gregg allowed three hits, while striking out two ... Adam Lind booted a groundball single to left, allowing the Braves' third run to score ... On the nicest day of the spring, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the Jays did not sell out against the Braves for Cox's last visit.

* * * * * * *

Righthander Dustin McGowan has encountered yet another setback on his road back to the majors. The Jays' have decided to shut the 27-year-old righthander down for a minimum of seven days after his first outing in true game conditions on Friday for Triple-A Las Vegas.

Facing enemy hitters for the first time in 619 days, McGowan, rehabbing from a shoulder injury suffered on July 8, 2008, felt the symptoms of “dead arm” which is common even among healthy hurlers. He threw 36 pitches and topped out in the high '80s.

“In talking to (trainer) George (Poulis), the kid's been throwing since November,” manager Cito Gaston said. “You get dead arm. We hope that's what it is. We're just hoping he can come back and pitch again for us some time this year.”

It's become apparent McGowan will not be ready for Opening Day. He can remain on the disabled list and at extended spring training and pitch in those games indefinitely. When he is ready to join a minor-league affiliate, he can be sent on a rehab-option that can last up to 30 days.

* * * * * * *

The Jays sent four more non-roster players to minor-league camp for reassignment, including pitchers Willie Collazzo, Romie Lewis and Steven Register, plus outfielder Jorge Padilla. The Jays still have 40 players in major-league camp, including seven non-roster players.

* * * * * * *

Lefthanded reliever Jesse Carlson will throw from a mound on Monday for the first time in 12 days. He has been sidelined with discomfort in the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of his left knee. Carlson has made one game appearance thus far in Grapefruit League play.

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion may be able to participate in a game by next week, according to manager Cito Gaston. Encarnacion has not been in a Grapefruit League game while rehabbing his left wrist. With opening day still a couple of weeks away, Gaston is optimistic.

Versatile utility man Mike McCoy, this year's answer to Joe Inglett, has been hobbled by an injured right shoulder. McCoy, who is batting .615 in eight games, may be ready to play a game at minor league camp early next week.

Jays Notebook: Morrow misses start, Ruiz keeps battling

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Potentially disturbing news for the Jays when projected No. 3 starter Brandon Morrow was shut down while warming up for his Friday start against the Astros due to soreness in his right shoulder. Morrow has struggled this spring after being acquired from the Mariners in a trade for reliever Brandon League. In two starts, Morrow has a 7.20 ERA allowing four runs on six hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. The only time Morrow has been on the disabled list in his pro career was last April with right triceps tendinitis.

"It bothered me a little bit on Wednesday, the day after my bullpen day," Morrow said. "It felt fine (Thursday) playing catch. When I tried to turn it up today it was just bugging me. I shut it down early, just precautionary to try not to turn this into a – if I went out there and threw my four innings it might turn into a week-and-a-half two week thing instead of a two or three day thing."

"It's been a spring training thing in the past and I think the reason it may have popped up at the beginning of the year last year was because I didn't have much spring training, getting the flu. I only threw four innings last spring training. It's kind of that getting over the hill thing.

Morrow will receive treatment in the next several days and be re-evaluated for his next start. Non-roster pitcher Steven Register received the start in Morrow's place.

"We weren't going to take any chances with him," manager Cito Gaston said. "We think he's going to be a big part of this organization. When I was walking out, (pitching coach Bruce Walton) came up and told me about it and I said that was the right thing to do."

The Astros scored two runs off Register for a 2-0 shutout win, dropping the Jays' spring mark to 8-6. The Jays continue the Grapefruit League schedule Saturday in Dunedin. Lefthander Marc Rzepczynski will face righty Derek Lowe for the Braves.

HITS: Jeremy Reed, vying for a spot on the bench or as a starter in right field until Edwin Encarnacion returns to third base, was 2-for-3, including a perfect bunt on the grass towards third base against Pedro Feliz ,who was playing deep, raising his average to .394. He stole two bases... Sean Ochinko, seeing his first ever action in Grapefruit League play, played third base and recorded two hits including a double... The Jays' bullpen pitched five shutout innings, allowing one hit.

MISSES: Centre fielder Joey Gathright continued to struggle offensively, going hitless in four at-bats including a double play grounder, but he made superb catches in each of the alleys in right and left-centre fields... The Jays were shut out for the first time this spring although the lineup they sent over to Kissimmee did not have one starter.

* * * * * * *

Righthander Dustin McGowan faced hitters in an opposing uniform for the first time in 619 days on Friday, shutting out a Pirates Triple-A team over 1-2/3 innings, allowing two hits and two walks with a strikeout. His last appearance was July 8, 2008 against the Orioles.

"The most important thing is that I get healthy and stay healthy," McGowan told MLB.com. "It doesn't make sense to try to get healthy to start the season and then get hurt again. You've got to get healthy where you can stay at and compete at 100 percent and then not worry about getting hurt."

McGowan threw just 18 strikes among his 36 pitches and is not expected to be ready for Opening Day. He can remain at extended spring training and pitch in those games. When he is ready to join a minor-league affiliate, he can be sent on a rehab-option that can last 30 days.

* * * * * * *

With first-baseman Brian Dopirak being optioned to AAA-Las Vegas on Thursday, it virtually assured last year's Vegas player-of-the-year Randy Ruiz a spot on the Jays' opening day roster. The likeable 32-year-old was not celebrating the news.

"I love Brian, he's a great guy, a great teammate" Ruiz said. "I respect him. I love the way he goes about the game. To me it wasn't a competition. It was more go out there, have fun, put no pressure and whatever happens happens."

Ruiz isn't guaranteed a spot and as he points out there's a long way to go in spring training, but he's also come a long way in his career. He's far from an overnight sensation, at 32-years-old still looking for his first opening day roster. He sees a lot of himself in the struggles his short-term Vegas teammate Dopirak is going through at 26-years-old.

"You never give up, like my story from 11 years," Ruiz said. "I battled, I battled, I battled, I stayed with it, I never quit. And now I'm here and have an opportunity to show people what I can do. Now I'm at the major-league level, somewhere I've always wanted to be."

* * * * * * *

There were other scratches than Brandon Morrow from Friday's game at Osceola County Stadium. Scratched from the starting lineup for the Astros were pitcher Bud Norris with stomach flu and centre fielder Michael Bourn with a minor oblique strain. Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos was scheduled to make the trip to see the Jays and Astros but decided not to go because of a bout with the flu.

* * * * * * *

The Jays gave a third straight day off to third base coach Brian Butterfield. Manning third for the Jays against the Astros was Omar Malave. Taking over from Malave at first base was Las Vegas manager Dan Rohn.

Morrow scratched from Astros start

Jays' righthander Brandon Morrow was scratched from Friday's start vs. the Astros due to soreness in his right shoulder. Morrow was warming up in the Jays' bullpen minutes before the game when he shut it down for the day as a precautionary measure. Morrow is expected to be in the Jays' opening rotation after being obtained from the Mariners for reliever Brandon League.

Morrow had struggled this spring in two starts, with a 7.20 ERA allowing six hits and three walks in five innings, with seven strikeouts. He was replaced as starter by non-roster pitcher Steven Register who was signed as a free agent in January.

“It bothered me a little bit on Wednesday, the day after my bullpen day,” Morrow said. “It felt fin (Thursday) playing catch. When I tried to turn it up today it was just bugging me. I shut it down early, just precautionary to try not to turn this into a – if I went out there and threw my four innings it might turn into a wek-and-a-half two week thing instead of a two or three day thing.”

“It's been a spring training thing in the past and I thnk the reason it may have popped up at the beginning of the year last year was because I didn't have much spring training, getting the flu. I only threw four innings last spring training. It's kind of that getting iver the hill thing.

Morrow will receive treatment in the next several days and be re-evaluated for his next start.