Toronto Blue Jays Inside Pitch 2009-01-03

Although general manager J.P. Ricciardi is hoping to plug a few holes in his thin starting rotation with the ailing, aging arms of right-hander Matt Clement and left-hander Mike Maroth, it's the younger arms the Blue Jays are hoping to develop to lead them to a bounce-back year in 2010.

Lack of funds is a big part of the equation. Even though the Blue Jays lost right-hander A.J. Burnett to the Yankees, they are not going to take the $12 million they owed him for 2009 and spend it on obtaining other players.

"I don't really see us doing much," Ricciardi said of the rest of the offseason. "I think our payroll is what it is. I think our team is what it is. We'd love to be able to do some other things, but we just don't have the resources at this point.

"We're going to see if the young kids can help patch some holes and see if some veteran guys can patch some holes."

Those young guys include left-hander David Purcey (3-6, 5.54 in 12 starts with the Blue Jays in 2008), right-hander Casey Janssen (coming off shoulder surgery), right-hander Scott Richmond (1-3, 4.00 in five starts) and left-handed prospects Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil.

"At some point, you've got to give them experience," Ricciardi said. "At some point, you just have to do baptism by fire. You don't know how they're going to respond."

At this point you can say that about all the rotation's candidates -- the kids and the healing veterans.

After right-hander Roy Halladay, it's going to be a crapshoot.

Author: Fox Sports

Author's Website: http://www.foxsports.com

Added: January 3, 2009