GIBBONS STILL FACING KEY ROSTER DECISIONS
Jays’ opening day starter philosophical about honour, writes Rob Longley
DUNEDIN, FLA. Though he has a point, Marco Estrada was being a little too humble in his reaction to being named the Blue Jays opening day starter.
When asked what it meant to get the ball from pitching coach Pete Walker and manager John Gibbons for Monday’s contest in Baltimore, Estrada deferred to his four cohorts in the Jays starting rotation.
“It could have been any one of the other guys, that’s how deep we are,” Estrada said. “I say they basically had a hat and they just pulled my name out. It just happened to be my turn.
“It’s a huge honour.”
Though Estrada is right — there’s a case to be made for each of those who follow him — J.A. Happ, Marcus Stroman, Francisco Liriano and Aaron Sanchez — the right-hander is getting the call on merit.
“Marco pitched some of our biggest games we’ve had in Toronto the last couple of years, so he’s earned it,” Gibbons said. “But really, any one of them could have handled it.”
The Jays have one of the deepest starting staffs in the game. While many teams name their ace as the opening day starter early in spring training, the Jays had a decision to make.
So they took their time, assessed the progress of the group as a whole, and decided on Estrada.
“Back a little bit in history, it was always Roy Halladay in my time here,” Gibbons said. “Generally, most teams are like that. But we’ve got confidence that all of them can pitch.”
Meanwhile, after battling back problems a year ago and though the season, Estrada said he’s feeling like “night and day” compared to how he felt entering last season.
FLYING NORTH
With Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to the Yankees, the Jays ended the Grapefruit League portion of spring training. They now head north for weekend games Friday night and Saturday afternoon contests in Montreal.
There are still some decisions to be made before submitting the 25-man roster on Sunday, most notably in the bullpen.
Dominic Leone, Ryan Tepera and Mike Bolsinger all remain in the hunt for one remaining spot.
The other notable call to be made is in left field. With Steve Pearce showing he’s capable of playing the position, it’s unlikely that both Ezequiel Carrera and Melvin Upton will remain.
Meanwhile, as a whole, the
Jays are pleased to be done with six-plus weeks of spring training, especially after a final week that seemed to drag on.
“We’re excited to get going,” Gibbons said. “This was starting to drag. It was a long spring. We’ve got an older team. Those guys need a jolt. It will be nice to get rejuvenated a little bit in Montreal and we’ll start next week.”
TAKE YOUR PICK WITH PEARCE
With concerns about postel bow surgery arm strength out of the way, Gibbons is ready to employ a versatile outlook for off-season acquisition, Pearce.
On Tuesday in Clearwater, the former Oriole looked nimble in keying a 3-6-1 double-play while playing first and he’s also shown he’s comfortable at first. In other words, Pearce comes as advertised — a versatile fielder who can hit.
Gibbons acknowledged on Wednesday that he’d be comfortable starting Pearce in the field, both at first base and in left.
“He’s good to go either way,” Gibbons said. “He looks good. He feels good. He’s not necessarily a fleet-footed runner if you put him in left, but he’s got the instincts. He’s one of those guys who’s going to be in the right place at the right time.”
FINGER MENDING
Aaron Sanchez gave the thumbs up on the mild blister he suffered on a finger of his throwing hand in a start on Monday night.
And any worries that it may keep Sanchez out of his first scheduled start on April 8 in Tampa were dismissed by Gibbons on Wednesday, though the team will potentially alter his work up until then.
Originally scheduled to pitch a minor league game here this weekend, Gibbons said he might have a longer side session instead.
“He actually feels better,” Gibbons said. “There’s a good chance he doesn’t pitch Sunday. We’ll back him off a couple of days and then he can just throw a long side. But he’ll be ready to go next week in Tampa.”
The blister popped up on the right hand of Sanchez in a game against the Phillies. It has since been drained and, as Sanchez confirmed to us on Wednesday, is well on the mend.
In any event, the decision to have the 24-year-old emerging star begin the season fifth in the rotation is starting to look like a wise one.
CLOSING TIME
After seeing him struggle at the WBC and having a rough go in his last outing here, the Jays say they saw what they needed out of closer Roberto Osuna on Wednesday.
Osuna unleashed an easy three-up, three-down inning in the sixth, inducing two easy fly balls and a strikeout of Aaron Judge.
“I thought he was good,” Gibbons said. “A couple of pitches were jumping for him. That’s what we were looking for.”
There has been some concern about Osuna’s velocity, though the radar gun wasn’t operating for his appearance on Wednesday. Osuna is expected to get some work in Montreal this weekend.