Jays Notebook for Day 4

Catcher J.P. Arencibia quietly demonstrated a burgeoning Jays' leadership at the Mattick Training Centre on Tuesday. Finishing up a 20-pitch session of live batting practice with Brandon Morrow, the Jays' starting catcher went halfway to the mound to greet his pitcher and recap the outing. Meanwhile, young catcher Carlos Perez stepped behind the plate in behind him to take over for Dustin McGowan.

But with the recovering righthander competing for a major-league starting spot, Arencibia waved Perez back to the bullpen and proceeded to catch McGowan himself. The session was dynamic for McGowan who was thrilled afterwards. While other pitchers are on an every-second-day routine, McGowan is starting out on an every three days basis, to be cautious. He will jump into his Grapefruit League rotation for the Jays the second time through and by then will have caught up with the others by March 10 or thereabouts.

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Bullpen candidate, righthander Jesse Litsch has been shut down from throwing for the next seven days with inflammation and soreness in the right shoulder. He was examined by Dr. James Andrews on Monday. He had felt some discomfort, but tried to continue.

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Righthander Carlos Villanueva continues to encounter good news on his comeback from the scare that he encountered on Saturday when his right hand went cold and he felt strange sensations in his forearm. He will throw a bullpen session on Wednesday and if that goes well will throw live batting practice on Friday. Villanueva revealed that he lost 31 pounds this off-season and he is looking to gain a few back this spring.

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Batting coach Dwayne Murphy was given permission to leave training camp to deal with a family issue. He told manager John Farrell that he needed a week off.

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Three young Canadian Jays were afforded a thriil on Tuesday morning. Outfielders Dalton Pompey, Michael Crouse and Marcus Knecht, all drafted by the Jays and who are participating in the Jays' top prospects camp each afternoon, were invited to work out with the major-league Jays at the Mattick Centre in the morning.

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The Jays will play their only intra-squad game on Friday at the ballpark formerly known as Dunedin Stadium. They will bus over to the Mattick Centre for a final morning of work and then head back with the game starting some time after noon.  

Comments

[Brian Waugh]

Poor Jesse L or as we call him here at home, 'Oppie" will things ever go smoothly for him. Things of an ill nature just seem to follow him.