With just about 48 hours until real, actual baseball gets going again the pitchers who will be toeing the rubber in the first week of games has been announced. With a pretty wide open competition for the spots at the back-end of the rotation, all these starters will be keen to show they deserve to break camp with the big league team. Writer Shi Davidi was the first to release the schedule:
#BlueJays SP this week 1-2 IP each: Wed Happ Redmond; Thu Dickey Rogers; Fri Buehrle Morrow; Sat Huthison Romero Stroman
Mike Wilner also added some additional pitchers:
Drabek slated to pitch in relief Wed., McGowan Thur., Stroman Sat. Janssen makes first appearance on Sunday. #Bluejays#Jays
On Wednesday at 1pm the Blue Jays will make the short trek across town to visit the Philadelphia Phillies, with current fourth starter J.A. Happ and Todd Redmond likely each getting two innings. Kyle Drabek will return to the Blue Jays from injury on Wednesday as well, making an appearance in relief.
The first home game in Duendin on Thursday at 1pm will see R.A. Dickey make his first start of the spring, followed by Esmil Rogers. Dustin McGowan is expected to appear in this game as well.
The third game of the Spring Training campaign sees Mark Buehrle and Brandon Morrow on the mound against the Pittsburgh Pirates, which should be an interesting game to watch with both starters being heavily counted upon this season.
Saturday will make for some seriously interesting viewing as Drew Hutchison returns from missing nearly the whole 2013 season. After Hutchison, another forgotten pitcher in Ricky Romero will pitch trying to capitalize on what might be his last real opportunity to prove he still has the stuff to be in the big leagues. Lastly, highly-touted prospect Marcus Stroman will make his first appearance of the spring, which should be fun to watch.
Two more days until baseball!