Pompey aims to stick with Blue Jays

‘Time’s ticking’ for Mississauga native

SARASOTA, FLA. • Being the Canadian with a spot on the Toronto Blue Jays opening day roster — a lone wolf now that Russell Martin’s gone — is not the biggest deal for Dalton Pompey.

The 26-year old Mississauga-born outfielder just wants a job in the majors. Here, there, anywhere. “It’s always cool to wear the Blue Jays colours and to be able to play for Canada’s only team, but I’m at the point in my career now where I just want an opportunity,” Pompey said before the Jays’ 6-4 Grapefruit League loss to the Baltimore Orioles in Sarasota on Wednesday. “I just want to be able to play and I want to make the most of my career. I’m 26 now and time’s ticking. So I just want to make the most of it, wherever that is.”

As far as move back home in April goes, it’s now or never for Pompey. A 16thround pick of the Jays in 2010, he is out of options. If he doesn’t break camp with Toronto as a member of the 25-man roster, he has to be put on waivers.

For Pompey, this is less of a concern than a situation he relishes.

“A lot of guys look forward to this point, just because you kind of force the team to make a decision on you,” said Pompey. “Obviously, I’m in a spot where I’m competing for a spot on the team. It’s nothing I haven’t been through before. I feel like a lot of people know what I have to offer here.

“It’s just whether or not they want it or not.”

Pompey has played 64 games with Toronto over the past four seasons. In 145 at-bats, he has hit .221. Last year he was a big leaguer for just five games, during which he struck out six times in 11 at-bats.

He has great speed, but offensively it’s rather useless if he can’t get on base.

Pompey was having what manager Charlie Montoyo called a “good camp” when he fouled a ball off his knee last week.

He was finally able to get back into action Wednesday, hitting lead off and ultimately going 0-for-4.

“It’s good now,” he said of the knee. “It hit like a nerve or something ... kind of had like dead foot. I’ve done it many times. But what happened was, when my foot stopped working, that’s when I got a little bit concerned. Took a couple of days to come back but I’m good now.”

In 24 spring at-bats, Pompey is hitting .250 with one homer, four RBI, one stolen base and eight strikeouts.

If he’s going to crack the squad, he’s likely going to have to pick up the pace.

Not including the obvious minor-league guys, there are seven outfielders still with the Jays, with three, likely four, having a lock on a job. After Kevin Pillar, Randal Grichuk and Teoscar Hernandez and Billy Mckinney, those left battling are Anthony Alford, Jonathan Davis and Pompey, who might prevail because of his status and the fact the Jays would rather not lose him.

Dalton Pompey