The Jays are quietly confident that RHP Casey Janssen could be back with them by the middle of May. Janssen, who missed all of 2008 following shoulder surgery, was auditioning for a spot in the rotation this spring but was derailed when he felt tightness in back of his shoulder. That ailment proved unrelated to his surgery, and Janssen hasn't had any setbacks in his rehab. He is tentatively scheduled to pitch twice for Dunedin in the Florida State League, to be followed by two more outings in the Double-A Eastern League with New Hampshire.
PLAYER NEWS: --RHP Jesse Litsch, on the 15-day disabled list with right forearm tightness, threw before Saturday's game and felt some tightness on his last five throws. He is scheduled to be examined by Dr. James Andrews on Monday.
--2B Aaron Hill extended his hit streak to 11 games by going 1-for-5. He is hitting .420 (21-for-50) during the streak and leads the majors in hits with 33 and tops the Jays with 18 RBI, which ties him for fifth place in the American League.
--LHP Brian Burres didn't pitch well Saturday in his debut with the Jays -- six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings -- but manager Cito Gaston thinks he can be effective while he fills in for injured LHP Ricky Romero. "He's a good pitcher," Gaston said. "He knows how to pitch."
--RHP Shaun Marcum will pitch a bullpen session on Thursday while the Jays are in Kansas City, Marcum's hometown. Just seven months removed from Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, Marcum has made better than expected progress, but the team continues to be careful not to push too hard. "He's recovering so well," Jays assistant general manger Alex Anthopoulos said. "But all these guys know not to be a hero."
MEDICAL WATCH:
LHP B.J. Ryan (left trapezius tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list April 23. He will need a rehab assignment before returning to the Blue Jays.
LHP Ricky Romero (strained right oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 20.
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. Litsch experienced discomfort while throwing on April 25.
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
RHP Scott Richmond
LHP Brian Tallet
LHP Brian Burres
BULLPEN:
LHP Scott Downs (closer)
RHP Brandon League
LHP Jesse Carlson
LHP Bill Murphy
RHP Jason Frasor
RHP Shawn Camp
RHP Bryan Bullington
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
