Several developments in Blue Jays camp were revealed this morning all via the fine reporters down in Dunedin. First, John Gibbons announced that shortstop Jose Reyes will be getting his tight left hamstring looked at under a magnetic resonance imaging device later today to see what's going on. Just like the 50-or-so times we've heard it said it last year, Reyes is considered to be day-to-day, so depending on the odds I might throw in a few bucks to bet that he won't be on the Opening Day lineup (sorry).
Gibbons also named Ryan Goins as the Blue Jays' starting second baseman (sorry) because he is, quite apparently, the best they have. Goins will be the primary backup at shortstop as well, with Maicer Izturis taking over at second when the Jays need someone to fill in for Reyes. Chris Getz, Steve Tolleson, and Mike Nickeas all were officially cut and were returned to minor league camp. As non-roster invitees, none of them were expected to make the team anyway. Brendan Kennedy, who was hanging out at the clubhouse earlier this morning, saw Anthony Gosepacking his bags because he was optioned to Buffalo to start 2014.
Munenori Kawasaki, who was told he was not going to make the 25-man roster (unless Reyes is not available, I assume), will be allowed to stay in big league camp for now. With Reyes's injury and Kawasaki's popularity, I would predict that #66 would be travelling with the team up to Montreal this weekend for the exhibition games against the Mets.
Speaking of which, the Blue Jays have announced that the crowd at Stade Olympique will see Mark Buehrle start on Friday night (which will let them arrive earlier at afterparties) and Brandon Morrow start on Saturday afternoon. I will be there for both games that weekend and hopefully many of you would too. So this is what the first round of the rotation is looking like:
- Mar. 28 vs Mets (exhibition): Mark Buehrle
- Mar. 29 vs Mets (exhibition): Brandon Morrow
- Mar. 30: Off day
- Mar. 31 @ Rays (Opening Day): R.A. Dickey
- Apr. 1 @ Rays: Drew Hutchison
- Apr. 2 @ Rays: Mark Buehrle
- Apr. 3 @ Rays: "5th" starter (J.A. Happ and Dustin McGowan are frontrunners)
- Apr. 4 vs Yankees (Home Opener): Brandon Morrow
Matt Tuiasosopo has returned from Down Under (SYD-DFW-TPA) and has reported to the Blue Jays. Tuiasosopo will be wearing J.P. Arencibia's old #9 as he leads off this afternoon's game as the left fielder.
Also, according to a Bisons press release, the triple-A team lost 6-4 in a minor league spring training game to the Indianapolis Indians on Sunday. Ricky Romero started the game and allowed five runs in three innings. No further detail about Romero's outing was on the release, but I think we can guess how many walks he might have given up because the Indians only had seven hits in the entire game.