Through spring training and the opening weeks of the season, alarm bells were ringing loudly over the performance of veteran closer B.J. Ryan. He blew two of his first four save chances, leaving manager Cito Gaston to ponder handing the ball to someone else in the ninth inning.
PLAYER NEWS: --C Rod Barajas had two-run home runs in consecutive at-bats in the second and fourth innings Wednesday. It was his sixth multi-homer game and first since May 17, 2008, vs. the Phillies.
--RF Alex Rios, who came into Wednesday's game just 3-for-18 on the homestand, recorded a season-high four hits, all singles. He drove in two runs. Rios, who was 4-for-6, raised his average to .246 from .206.
--1B Lyle Overbay was hitting just .176 (3-for-17) after his first seven games of the season. Since then, Overbay has gone on a .474 (9-for-19) tear with two home runs and seven RBIs to raise his average to .333. Overbay, who didn't start Wednesday night due to the Rangers starting a left-hander (Matt Harrison), has recorded a multi-hit game in four of his last five contests.
MEDICAL WATCH:
C Michael Barrett (torn right shoulder muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 18.
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
Raul Chavez
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
