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In the past four Drafts, Toronto has managed to pick up a trio of catchers -- J.P. Arencibia, Brian Jeroloman and Curtis Thigpen -- who are showing great potential. Combine that group with Robinzon Diaz, who may be nearing a big league promotion, and the Jays like what lies ahead.

"Right now, we've got catching depth," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "Right now, we've got some young players who are doing some really good things down there. I wouldn't say we have an excess of it, but we have a few guys who we think have a bright future here."

Left-hander David Purcey, who was Toronto's top pick in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, has already turned some heads this spring. The 25-year-old southpaw showed up to Spring Training with a slimmer build and he's coming off an impressive showing in the Arizona Fall League.

In six AFL starts, Purcey posted a 1.23 ERA and struck out 25 batters over 22 innings. That followed an injury-shortened campaign with Double-A New Hampshire in '07, when Purcey went 3-5 with a 5.37 ERA in 11 outings. Gibbons noted that Purcey could be considered for a big league promotion if Toronto's pitching staff is hit with injuries this year

Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells was certainly at a disadvantage when, during the first batting-practice session of the spring, Halladay sent one of his sharp curveballs dancing toward home plate. Wells knees buckled and he leaned back, watching helplessly as the baseball popped into catcher Gregg Zaun's glove for a strike.

"Oh, God," said Wells, shaking his head

A large green duffel bag with an Oakland A's logo was easy to spot in one of the lockers inside the Blue Jays' clubhouse on Thursday. It was a sure sign that Toronto's new super sub, Marco Scutaro, had arrived at camp.

"As long as I'm playing, I'm happy," Scutaro said. "I'm just going to be ready for whatever the manager needs me for. I'll be ready. I'm going to be the utility guy here, and wherever they play me and however they need me, I'll be ready."

Blue Jays right-hander A.J. Burnett was one member of the big league club who didn't throw against batters on Thursday. Gibbons said the reason for holding Burnett back is simply to make sure the pitcher "is good and ready." Toronto's skipper added that he believed Burnett was scheduled to throw in the bullpen on Friday.

Johnson didn't look the same on the field, but he'd always shake off suggestions that he wasn't completely recovered. On Friday, Johnson finally allowed himself to admit that there were indeed issues following his return.

Perhaps the fact that he's feeling great this spring helped Johnson realize how far he's come.

"I'd like to say that I was 100 percent last year," Johnson said. "But I kind of tried to ignore any type of pain I was feeling when I did come back. The reality is it was there, and I've had the opportunity in the last three months to rehab and to try to shore up those strength problems

I don't see anything. He looks like the old guy," Gibbons said after a rain-shortened practice on Saturday.

The "old" Overbay is the one the Blue Jays are hoping can help revitalize the offense this season. In 2006 -- the first baseman's first tour with Toronto -- he hit .312 with 22 home runs, 46 doubles and 92 RBIs over 157 games. Following that showing, the Jays rewarded Overbay with a four-year extension worth $24 million

Jays outfield prospect Travis Snider injured his left elbow while throwing last week, but he said that his arm is feeling better. Snider is working on a throwing program to get back to full strength and he's already started swinging again during batting practice.

One strategy Litsch implemented over the winter was to focus on conditioning while training from his home in Florida. The right-hander, who will turn 23 on March 9, made it a goal to shed some weight during the offseason, and he accomplished just that, teaming with Halladay for workouts and losing around 12 pounds in the process.

"It was really good," Litsch said about his winter. "I had an offseason agenda and that was to lose some weight. Working out here with Halladay and [strength and conditioning coordinator Donovan Santas] definitely helped me out in that regard.

"It's showing. A lot of people are giving me compliments and I just feel better, personally.

risktaker91 wrote:April 2nd, at New York against the Yankees.

jalenrose#5 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I'm pretty sure it's March 31st against the Yanks actually

Jesse Litsch, the freckled-faced right-hander who impressed with his fearlessness as a rookie out of double-A in 2007, gave up all four runs in two inconsistent innings of work, while Gustavo Chacin, the left-hander trying to rebuild himself from shoulder surgery last fall, followed with a scoreless frame.

The conversation didn't last long when the Toronto Blue Jays, the club that brought Brian McNamee to the big leagues, discussed Barry Bonds for this season when his agent was shopping him around.

They quickly decided that neither the optics nor the baseball angle was right.

General manager J.P. Ricciardi was intrigued by Bonds' outstanding 1.045 OPS (on-base and slugging number) from 2007. That kind of output doesn't often float around the market. But the discussion, according to a man with good information, "didn't last five minutes" among Ricciardi, his assistants and team president Paul Godfrey.

Schadenfreude wrote:Not deserving of its own thread, so I'll put it here:

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/308042

Bonds not a good fit for Jays

The conversation didn't last long when the Toronto Blue Jays, the club that brought Brian McNamee to the big leagues, discussed Barry Bonds for this season when his agent was shopping him around.

They quickly decided that neither the optics nor the baseball angle was right.

General manager J.P. Ricciardi was intrigued by Bonds' outstanding 1.045 OPS (on-base and slugging number) from 2007. That kind of output doesn't often float around the market. But the discussion, according to a man with good information, "didn't last five minutes" among Ricciardi, his assistants and team president Paul Godfrey.

I can just imagine the conversation...I'm guessing that the phrase "why the %$#@ did I sign Frank Thomas!?" comprised a portion of those five minutes.