Last season the Blue Jays had the best pitching in the league. It was the offense that let them down. From the first day of spring training, manager Cito Gaston said that the Jays will go as far as their offense carries them and that they need all bodies to be hitting on all cylinders, especially given the inexperience in their rotation. Through their opening seven games, where they've gone 5-2, the offense led the way, with three of the wins the come-from-behind variety. They'll need it for the rest of the season.
PLAYER NEWS: --LHP Bill Murphy was surprised to get the call to move up from Class AAA Las Vegas after RHP Jesse Litsch was placed on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. "It was a shock," Murphy said. "There are a lot of great guys down there at Triple-A pitching well. Hopefully I'll just do what these guys are doing now, find a way to win and just do my job."
--2B Aaron Hill went 4-for-5 with a home run Wednesday to record the eighth four-hit game of his career. Hill has hit safely in nine of the Blue Jays' 10 games so far this season.
--Even though 1B Lyle Overbay and LF Travis Snider, who both bat left-handed, have yet to start a game against a left-handed starter, manager Cito Gaston maintains he does not have a strict platoon when it comes to those positions. The Jays have faced three left-handers this season, and each time Kevin Millar was at first and Jose Bautista in left -- both right-handed hitters. "First base is still Overbay's job," Gaston said.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Jesse Litsch (strained right forearm) went on the 15-day disabled list April 14. He is out indefinitely.
RHP Casey Janssen (right labrum surgery in March 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He missed all of last season. Counted on to be part of the rotation, Janssen suffered a setback in mid-March 2009 when he felt muscle tightness in back of his right shoulder. He is expected to be back with the club in early May.
RHP Dustin McGowan (right shoulder surgery in July 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. Initially, he was expected to be able to contribute by mid-June 2009 at the latest, but it appears that a late-July date is a best-case scenario.
RHP Shawn Marcum (Tommy John elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. Initially, the Blue Jays didn't expect him back until 2010. Now they say he could be back by August.
ROTATION:
RHP Roy Halladay
LHP David Purcey
LHP Ricky Romero
RHP Scott Richmond
LHP Brian Tallet
BULLPEN:
LHP B.J. Ryan (closer)
LHP Scott Downs
RHP Brandon League
LHP Jesse Carlson
LHP Bill Murphy
RHP Jason Frasor
RHP Shawn Camp
CATCHERS:
Rod Barajas
Michael Barrett
INFIELDERS:
1B Lyle Overbay
2B Aaron Hill
SS Marco Scutaro
3B Scott Rolen
INF John McDonald
INF/OF Kevin Millar
INF/OF Jose Bautista
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Travis Snider
CF Vernon Wells
RF Alex Rios
DH Adam Lind
