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: --RF Alex Rios went 0-for-4 Friday to extend his hitless streak to 0-for-14. Rios, who bats third in the lineup, has yet to hit a home run in the Jays opening 12 games.
--SS Marco Scutaro, the Jays' leadoff hitter, came into Friday night's game leading the league in runs scored with 13. He upped that total to 15 thanks to a leadoff home run in the first and scoring a run in the Jays four-run third. Last year, Scutaro hit seven homers but didn't hit No. 4 until July 20.
--RHP Jesse Litsch, who is on the disabled list with a strained right forearm, said he puts the blame on his injury for "throwing too many cutters." As to when he'll be back, Litsch figures it will be at least a month. "I won't be allowed to even throw for two more weeks," he said.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Jesse Litsch (strained right forearm) went on the 15-day disabled list April 14. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks.
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
