Pleased to meet Yu? Jays bid big for hurler: reports

Josh Visser, ctvtoronto.ca

Date: Friday Dec. 16, 2011 10:18 AM ET

In August, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero had a perfect 5-0 record in six starts. (Chris Young/Canadian Press)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero was named Tuesday as the American League pitcher of the month for August.

Romero had a perfect 5-0 record in six starts with an AL-best 2.05 earned-run average last month. The left-hander from Los Angeles struck out 26, while issuing 16 walks over 44 innings.

His month was highlighted by a complete-game shutout against the Oakland Athletics on Aug. 18 as the Jays cruised to a 7-0 victory. The all-star held batters to a .160 batting average during August.

Romero is 13-10 on the season with a 2.97 ERA and 157 strikeouts. He’s had four complete games and two shutouts in 193.2 innings pitched over 28 starts.

Ricky Romero takes aim at his seventh straight winning decision this afternoon when the Toronto Blue Jays continue their three-game series against the New York Yankees.

Romero picked up another win on Monday against Tampa Bay, as he allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to improve to 13-9 to go along with a 2.84 earned run average.

“When everything’s working it’s easy to get through a game and go eight, nine innings,” Romero said. “It’s these outings that make you mentally strong and you’re like, ‘You know what, I grinded and I did everything I could and I made it through six.’”

Romero is 6-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his past eight starts, all of which have resulted in victories for Toronto. The native of California has eight consecutive quality starts and 21 in 27 outings this season.

His last loss, though, came at the hands of the Yankees back on July 16. He is 3-3 lifetime against them with a 4.80 ERA.

New York, meanwhile, will counter with right hander Bartolo Colon, who has lost his last three starts and is winless in his past five outings. Colon pitched well in Baltimore on Sunday, but suffered the loss, as he allowed two runs and seven hits in 7 2/3 innings. He also struck out four without walking a batter. He is 8-9 on the year with a 3.63 ERA.

“It’s real encouraging for us,” manager Joe Girardi said. “He had struggled a little bit [recently]; he hadn’t been as sharp. I thought he was real sharp today. I think that maybe the extra rest helped him recharge it a little bit and got him going.”

Colon lost to the Blue Jays the last time he faced them and is 9-5 in 21 starts against them with a 4.02 ERA.

New York drew first blood in this set on Friday, as Ivan Nova shook off a pair of first-inning runs and held the Blue Jays scoreless over the next six frames and Brett Gardner’s two-run homer and Robinson Cano’s RBI single proved to be enough in the Yanks’ 3-2 victory.

Nova (15-4) allowed just three hits and two walks en route to his eighth straight winning start and 11th consecutive positive decision.

“I know what I can do. I have to stay hungry and keep winning games,” said Nova.

The Yankees have won five of their last six and jumped over the Red Sox for AL East supremacy, though it’s a tenuous half-game advantage over Boston.

Brandon Morrow (9-10) gave up three runs on four hits over a six-inning start for Toronto, which came into the three-game series having won three of four.

The Yankees are 8-5 versus Toronto this season, including wins in five of the seven match-ups in the Bronx.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ricky Romero is the second member of his team to win the AL player of the week award. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero was named the American League’s player of the week Monday.

Romero won both of his starts, posting a 1.69 earned-run average, while allowing just five hits. He also had 12 strikeouts with only four walks over 16 innings.

Romero is the second Blue Jay behind Jose Bautista to win the award this season. Romero becomes the first Toronto pitcher to capture the honour since Roy Halladay on May 18, 2009.

Romero pitched five hitless innings in a 3-1 road win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. He went five innings, allowing one hit on one run with eight strikeouts.

Then on Sunday, Romero gave up two runs on four hits while fanning five over eight innings in Toronto’s 7-2 road win in Baltimore. Romero issued no walks in the game in recording his third straight decision over the Orioles.

Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ricky Romero is the second member of his team to win the AL player of the week award. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero was named the American League’s player of the week Monday.

Romero won both of his starts, posting a 1.69 earned-run average, while allowing just five hits. He also had 12 strikeouts with only four walks over 16 innings.

Romero is the second Blue Jay behind Jose Bautista to win the award this season. Romero becomes the first Toronto pitcher to capture the honour since Roy Halladay on May 18, 2009.

Romero pitched five hitless innings in a 3-1 road win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday. He went five innings, allowing one hit on one run with eight strikeouts.

Then on Sunday, Romero gave up two runs on four hits while fanning five over eight innings in Toronto’s 7-2 road win in Baltimore. Romero issued no walks in the game in recording his third straight decision over the Orioles.

TORONTO — Because of a flurry of trade activity earlier in the day that featured three teams and 11 total players changing addresses, the Toronto Blue Jays played Wednesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles with just a 22-man roster, and without three normal members of their bullpen.

But in reality, the only guy that they really needed was on the mound, and talented lefty Ricky Romero didn’t give the Orioles much of a chance.

A night after their best offensive output of the season, the Orioles were held to just four hits by Romero who pitched 8¹/
₃ scoreless innings in the Orioles’ 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays in front of an announced 16,861 at Rogers Centre.

“That’s baseball,” said Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis, trying to explain how a team looks so dangerous offensively one night and so overmatched the next, before adding, “We could have had him early, but we let him off the hook.”

Romero departed after hitting Derrek Lee to bring up the tying run to the plate in the ninth. Blue Jays closer Jon Rauch entered needed one pitch to get Matt Wieters to line out, and then retired Mark Reynolds on a flyout to end it.

It was the fourth time this season that the Orioles have been shut out, with three coming over the past 14 games.

The Orioles (41-59) will get one more chance to snap a seven-series winless streak, and win their first series since June 24-26, and the good news is that they won’t see Romero for a little while.

Romero (8-9) struck out nine, including five of the final nine hitters that he faced. Four of those strikeouts came against J.J. Hardy, who hit two homers and drove in four the previous night. The Blue Jays’ ace is 5-1 in his last seven starts against the Orioles. In two starts against them at Rogers Centre this season, Romero has allowed just one earned run and seven hits while striking out 21.

— Baltimore Sun

Seems my report of Seattle’s demise was a tad premature. Miguel Olivo just brought his team back from the dead with the first M’s grand slam of the season to tie the game 5-5 in the eighth inning.

The rally seemed to come out of nowhere. With one out, Ichiro and Brendan Ryan both reached on infield singles and Adam Kennedy walked to end the day for Ricky Romero.

But Romero’s day turned real ugly two pitches later when reliever Casey Janssen served one up to Olivo, who drilled it over the center field wall.

Josh Bard talked last night about the M’s needing somebody to do something special. Don’t think he wanted it to come this late in a game, but Olivo’s slam certainly qualifies as a special feat.

11:14 a.m.: Chris Ray did a great pitching job in allowing just one run after coming in with the bases loaded a none out in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, the apple cart was already wheeless by that point, courtesy of Doug Fister bobbling a bunt attempt in which he had a clear shot at the lead runner at third base.

There were two on and none out at the time and Fister’s gaffe loaded the bases. Yunel Escobar then singled to bring one run home, Eric Thames walked to score another and Fister was yanked. Ray gave up a sacrifice fly to Jose Bautista, then retired the side with no further damage.

But too little, too late. It’s 5-1 for the Blue Jays and the M’s are about to lose their 12th in a row.

Brandon League warming for the Mariners here on Showcase Day.

11:14 p.m.: Toronto went ahead 2-1 in the sixth after Eric Thames reached first base on a wild pitch by Doug Fister during a strikeout. Jose Bautista then doubled over the head of Chone Figgins in left.

Figgins needed to be at least a foot taller to have a shot at the ball.

Fister did a good job of getting out of the inning with Bautista at third and only one out, but his team just went 1-2-3 in the seventh on three strikeouts as I was typing this, so things aren’t looking too hot when it comes to preventing No. 12.

10:55 a.m.: Toronto came back and tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth. Doug Fister issued a leadoff walk in the inning but then got two quick outs without the runner advancing. The turning point came when he drilled J.P. Arencibia with a pitch to put two on and move the lead runner into scoring position.

Mike McCoy is the only guy to really hit a ball hard off Fister today and of course, he came up next and lined one past the bag at third for the RBI double. I thought things might come undone there with runners at second and third and the top of the order due up.

But Fister got a huge out on a Yunel Escobar grounder to end the inning.

10:44 p.m.: Seattle just took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning after Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia could not hold on to a two-strike foul tip by Ichiro with two out. Toronto starter Ricky Romero began walking off the mound, thinking his catcher had held the ball. A sheepish Arencibia had to inform his pitcher that no, he did not squeeze it.

Ichiro promptly lined one up the middle for an RBI single. Travis Snider of Mill Creek foolishly threw home — he wasn’t going to nab the speedy Chone Figgins — instead of trying to nail Jack Wilson going from first to third. Ichiro took second on the throw, giving the M’s a great chance to break things open.

But Brendan Ryan went down swinging. Ryan is having an awful game at the plate, with a double play grounder and two key strikeouts with RISP.

Doug Fister has allowed one hit — a single that dropped in front of Ichiro — in four innings.

10:20 p.m.: Doug Fister has retired all nine batters he’s faced so far in a scoreless game now headed to the fourth. The only guy to hit a ball to the outfield was Mike McCoy, who lined out to center to end the third inning.

Otherwise, Fister has three strikeouts, two popouts and three groundouts.

10:01 p.m.: We’re through two innings already and both pitchers have faced the minimum amount of hitters. Ichiro led the game off with a single, but was erased on a double-play grounder by Brendan Ryan.

Doug Fister looks sharp, with a pair of strikeouts, a popout and a bunch of weakly-hit grounders.

9:35 p.m.: That’s a veteran lineup thrown out there today by manager Eric Wedge. For those wondering why Dustin Ackley isn’t in it, I’d say his poor throw on the back-end of that double-play last night had something to do with it. Cost the team three runs and pretty much ended a game the M’s showed signs of coming back in.

You can’t bench veterans and let rookies get away with mistakes like that. Everybody has been made to earn playing time this season and today — good start at the plate or not — Ackley is sitting.

Even if it contributes to loss No. 12 in a row.

Mariners (43-54)
——————————-
51 Ichiro Suzuki (L) RF
26 Brendan Ryan SS
4 Adam Kennedy (L) 3B
30 Miguel Olivo C
17 Justin Smoak (S) 1B
3 Josh Bard (S) DH
21 Franklin Gutierrez CF
9 Chone Figgins (S) LF
2 Jack Wilson 2B
——————————-
58 Doug Fister RHP

Blue Jays (49-49)
——————————-
5 Yunel Escobrar SS
46 Eric Thames (L) RF
19 Jose Bautista DH
26 Adam Lind (L) 1B
10 Edwin Encarnacion 3B
45 Travis Snider (L) CF
16 Corey Patterson (L) LF
9 J.P. Arencibia C
18 Mike McCoy 2B
——————————-
24 Ricky Romero LHP

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero delivers against the Baltimore Orioles in the second inning of the Jays victory over the Orioles. (Gail Burton/Associated Press)

The Toronto Blue Jays have picked up where they left off against the Baltimore Orioles.

Ricky Romero now gets his chance to continue his own dominance of the Orioles, and Adam Lind’s scheduled return may boost those chances.

Romero looks to extend his personal winning streak to four, and Lind is expected back from injury when these teams meet at Camden Yards on Saturday night.

Toronto (29-28) has won 21 of 27 against Baltimore (25-30) and went 15-3 in the season series last year. The Blue Jays carried that success into 2011, winning 8-4 on Friday.

Romero (5-4, 2.88 ERA) went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA in four starts against Baltimore last year.

The left-hander, Toronto’s leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts (66), has been outstanding over his last four starts, going 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA. He yielded two runs in seven innings of a 13-4 win over Chicago on Sunday.

Lind is slated to be the designated hitter Saturday after he was activated from the disabled list following the series opener. The first baseman has been out since May 8 with a lower back strain.

He was on a tear prior to getting hurt, hitting .457 with six homers and 15 RBIs in 12 games. Lind has a .343 average over his last nine meetings with Baltimore.

Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia is batting .308 with six RBIs in the last six games after connecting for his first grand slam Friday. The catcher is hitting .255, but his nine homers and 30 RBIs rank among the rookie leaders, while 19 of his 41 hits have gone for extra bases.

Arencibia is vastly more productive versus left-handers, compiling a .357 average with four homers. He’s hitting .218 against righties.

“He’s done an excellent job at the plate and behind the plate, and (Friday) he had a very good game all-around,” manager John Farrell said.

The Orioles, losers of six of seven, will turn to Jake Arrieta (6-3, 4.97). The right-hander will be looking to rebound from one of his worst performances of the season in trying to gain a share of the AL wins lead.

He surrendered four runs and four hits with four walks in 2 1-3 innings of a 4-3 loss at Seattle on Monday.

“I’m pretty upset about this one,” Arrieta told the Orioles’ official website.

Arrieta was impressive in his only start versus Toronto on Sept. 14, allowing four hits with five strikeouts in six scoreless innings of an 11-3 win at Camden Yards.

Adam Jones is batting .407 with 11 RBIs in his last 12 home games, and he’s hitting .347 with seven RBIs over his past 12 meetings with Toronto.

Jones is 8 for 23 with a homer against Romero.

The Orioles’ 37 errors rank among the most in the AL, and they have committed 12 in nine games. Mark Reynolds’ error Friday – his 11th – led to two runs for Toronto.

Baltimore Orioles’ Mark Reynolds is congratulated by J.J. Hardy after hitting a grand slam against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning of a baseball game on Saturday in Baltimore. The Orioles won 5-3. (Gail Burton/Associated Press)

Mark Reynolds hit a grand slam and Jake Arrieta pitched six effective innings to lead the Baltimore Orioles to a 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday night.

With the Orioles trailing 3-1 in the sixth, Reynolds hit the first pitch from Ricky Romero into the left-center stands for his eighth homer of the season and the first slam of his career in 129 home runs.

Arrieta (7-3), allowed three runs on five hits, walking four and striking out one. While his line didn’t look impressive, he got better as he went along — retiring his last seven batters.

Romero (5-5) lost for the first time in his last five starts. Through five innings, he held the Orioles, who had lost six of seven to a run and six hits.

Ricky Romero looks to extend his personal winning streak to four games on Saturday night. (Kathy Kmonicek/Associated Press)

The Toronto Blue Jays have picked up where they left off against the Baltimore Orioles.

Ricky Romero now gets his chance to continue his own dominance of the Orioles, and Adam Lind’s scheduled return may boost those chances.

Romero looks to extend his personal winning streak to four, and Lind is expected back from injury when these teams meet at Camden Yards on Saturday night.

Toronto (29-28) has won 21 of 27 against Baltimore (25-30) and went 15-3 in the season series last year. The Blue Jays carried that success into 2011, winning 8-4 on Friday.

Romero (5-4, 2.88 ERA) went 3-0 with a 1.88 earned-run average in four starts against Baltimore last year.

The left-hander, Toronto’s leader in wins, ERA and strikeouts (66), has been outstanding over his last four starts, going 3-0 with a 1.21 ERA. He yielded two runs in seven innings of a 13-4 win over Chicago on Sunday.

Lind is slated to be the designated hitter Saturday after he was activated from the disabled list following the series opener. The first baseman has been out since May 8 with a lower back strain.

He was on a tear prior to getting hurt, hitting .457 with six homers and 15 RBIs in 12 games. Lind has a .343 average over his last nine meetings with Baltimore.

Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia is batting .308 with six RBIs in the last six games after connecting for his first grand slam Friday. The catcher is hitting .255, but his nine homers and 30 RBIs rank among the rookie leaders, while 19 of his 41 hits have gone for extra bases.

Vastly productive

Arencibia is vastly more productive versus left-handers, compiling a .357 average with four homers. He’s hitting .218 against righties.

“He’s done an excellent job at the plate and behind the plate, and [Friday] he had a very good game all-around,” manager John Farrell said.

The Orioles, losers of six of seven, will turn to Jake Arrieta (6-3, 4.97). The right-hander will be looking to rebound from one of his worst performances of the season in trying to gain a share of the AL wins lead.

He surrendered four runs and four hits with four walks in 2 1-3 innings of a 4-3 loss at Seattle on Monday.

“I’m pretty upset about this one,” Arrieta told the Orioles’ official website.

Arrieta was impressive in his only start versus Toronto on Sept. 14, allowing four hits with five strikeouts in six scoreless innings of an 11-3 win at Camden Yards.

Adam Jones is batting .407 with 11 RBIs in his last 12 home games, and he’s hitting .347 with seven RBIs over his past 12 meetings with Toronto.

Jones is 8 for 23 with a homer against Romero.

The Orioles’ 37 errors rank among the most in the AL, and they have committed 12 in nine games. Mark Reynolds’ error Friday — his 11th — led to two runs for Toronto.

TORONTO — Aaron Hill hit his first career grand slam, Corey Patterson added a two-run shot and the Toronto Blue Jays routed the Chicago White Sox 13-4 on Sunday.

Patterson went 4 for 5 with three RBIs and has nine hits in two games. Edwin Encarnacion also homered for Toronto, which had a season-high 18 hits.

The Blue Jays have won 22 of 27 meetings with the White Sox, including 15 of 18 at home.

Ramon Castro hit a two-run homer, and Carlos Quentin added a solo shot for the White Sox, who have lost three straight and six of 10.

Blue Jays left-hander Ricky Romero (5-4) won for the third time in four starts, allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings.

White Sox left-hander John Danks (0-8) allowed a season-high nine runs and nine hits in four innings. He is the first White Sox pitcher since Eddie Smith in 1942 to start 0-8.

RED SOX 4, TIGERS 3: At Detroit, DavidOrtiz had a pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning off JoseValverde to give Boston a win over Detroit in the opener of a day-night doubleheader. Ortiz, pinch-hitting for JarrodSaltalamacchia, worked a full count against the Tigers’ closer, then hit a line drive over the scoreboard in right-center. Boston has won 13 of 15, including five in a row. MattAlbers (1-2) earned the win with two shutout innings of relief. Valverde (2-2) took the loss. JonathanPapelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

RAYS 7, INDIANS 0: At St. Petersburg, Fla., JeremyHellickson pitched seven impressive innings, JohnJaso homered, and Tampa Bay beat Cleveland. Hellickson (6-3) scattered three hits, walked two and had six strikeouts. The right-hander has won five of six starts. Jaso hit a two-run homer off JustinMasterson (5-3) as Tampa Bay went ahead 4-0 in the fourth. BenZobrist had an RBI grounder, and SamFuld hit a run-scoring infield single in a three-run fifth that extended the Rays’ lead to 7-0. Masterson, 1-6 in 11 career games against Tampa Bay, allowed seven runs, eight hits and five walks in five innings. He entered winless in his five previous starts — including two losses — despite a 2.80 ERA over the stretch.

ANGELS 6, TWINS 5: At Minneapolis, ErickAybar had three hits and three RBIs and DanHaren earned his first win since April 17 in LosAngeles’ victory over Minnesota. Haren (5-3) gave up three runs, 10 hits and one walk in six innings. ScottDowns got the Angels out of Haren’s two-on, no out jam in the seventh inning to help Los Angeles take two of three in the series. MarkTrumbo hit a 436-foot homer in the ninth, and JordanWalden got his 12th save. CarlPavano (2-5) gave up five runs — four earned — and 10 hits with three strikeouts for the Twins, who dropped to a major league-worst 17-34.

By Sports Direct

BY SHI DAVIDI
sportsnet.ca

One game is no measure of any significance, but boy did all the pieces come together nicely for the Toronto Blue Jays on opening night.

Speed created opportunities and forced mistakes. Smart situational hitting cashed in runs.

Aaron Hill and Adam Lind raked like it was 2009.

J.P. Arencibia, in a performance reminiscent of his big-league debut, cracked two homers, a triple and delivered a strong night of work behind the plate.

Ricky Romero dominated and Jose Bautista picked right up where he left off.

In so many ways, Friday night’s 13-3 thumping of the Minnesota Twins was a performance straight off the blueprint for the 2011 Blue Jays.

Romero set the tone with a crisp 1-2-3 first, and he cruised through 6.1 innings from there, while Rajai Davis’s speed was the catalyst for a methodical four-run rally in the bottom of the first that displayed the diversity of attack new manager John Farrell is seeking.

Complete with a sell-out crowd of 47,984, pre-game tributes to Roberto Alomar and Pat Gillick for their selection to the baseball Hall of Fame, and the unveiling of two banners in the rafters to honour them, the Rogers Centre had precisely the type of atmosphere Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos is trying to restore on a more regular basis at home.

Not even the pre-game news that the Blue Jays were declining a trio of options on Hill’s contract that would have locked up the second baseman through 2014, could take away from the festivities.

It was in so many ways an ideal start. Now, they must make a habit of it for the 161 games remaining.

“I don’t want to make too much out of Game 1, but there is an awareness that has been demonstrated throughout spring training and … the one thing we continue to preach is play the game, understand the situation that’s in front of us and execute as it calls for,” said manager John Farrell. “The first inning was probably as good as we could have drawn it up as far as executing to the situation at hand.”

Davis got the crowd going when he beat out an infield single and was picked off by Twins starter Carl Pavano only to elude the tag and return to first safely after a rundown. Yunel Escobar followed with a soft chopper through the left side and after a double steal and a Jose Bautista walk to load the bases, Adam Lind brought home the season’s first run with a hit-by-pitch.

Hill and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a pair of fly balls that each brought home a run, while Lind capped the rally by scoring when second baseman Tusyoshi Nishioka booted Travis Snider’s grounder.

“I think (the action on the basepaths) really got their starting pitcher out of his rhythm and I think it showed the rest of that inning,” said Lind. “He couldn’t settle in and that’s what we’re trying to do with Rajai and Escobar at the top.”

The Blue Jays went vintage 2010 after that, teeing off on Pavano for three homers to blow things wide open.

Arencibia, being counted on to provide offence while handling a young pitching staff, crushed a two-run shot to dead centre in the fourth to make it 6-0.

Bautista, the reigning MLB home run champion, and Lind went back-to-back to open the fifth, and Arencibia added two-run triple off reliever Jeff Manship later in the inning to make it 10-0.

“We’re capable of doing that still,” Bautista said of the power display. “We’re going to have other options on the offence, but we’re not going to shy away from swinging the bats as well.”

For good measure, Arencibia opened the eighth with a solo blast to right.

The 25-year-old certainly knows how to make first impressions—in his big-league debut last Aug. 7, he ripped two homers and had four hits in a 17-11 clubbing of Tampa Bay.

“It’s a little different because for me it’s obviously my first opening day,” said Arencibia. “I really feel like the team is excited about what’s going on here. That was the biggest thing for me, I had so much fun playing behind these guys.”

Lind’s RBI single and John McDonald’s sacrifice fly later in the eighth made it a 13-3 contest.

Romero, meanwhile, was in total control while pitching into the seventh, although he sputtered a bit at the end. He left after an Encarnacion error on Dannny Valencia’s chopper allowed Delmon Young to score the first Twins run, and Alexi Casilla followed with an RBI double.

Casey Janssen relieved and got Denard Span on an RBI groundout that made it 10-3 before diving to snare Nishioka’s soft grounder and relaying to first from his belly to end the threat.

Romero ended up allowing three runs, one earned, on seven hits with seven strikeouts. But they key stat he was most pleased with was no walks.

“That’s something that just shows you’re attacking the strike zone and making pitches when you’re supposed to,” said Romero, pitching with his mom and two sisters in town. “I’m proud of that. Walks are one of the things I’m looking to cut back on this year.”

Memorable debut for Farrell

During pre-game introductions, Farrell and Twins manager Ron Gardenhire shared a warm exchange by home plate.

“He had some words of encouragement, almost a welcoming into a similar role,” said Farrell. “It was encouraging, a class move on his part.”

It was one of several highlights from Farrell’s big-league debut as a manager and he made sure to try and savour the moment.

“It was a special night, particularly when you look at the three people honoured before the game, particularly with Pat and Robbie and what they’ve meant to this organization,” he explained. “It was a great night for Blue Jays fans.”

News and Notes: Kyle Drabek (0-3, 4.76 ERA in 2010) starts for the Blue Jays on Saturday against Francisco Liriano (14-10, 3.62 ERA). With Brandon Morrow on the DL and on track to right now miss just two starts, Drabek, Jesse Litsch and Jo-Jo Reyes remain in competition to stay in the rotation once the right-hander is ready. As for how the Blue Jays will make that decision, manager John Farrell is playing things close to the vest. “First and foremost Brandon is going to have to continue on his rehab course, which is a positive one so far,” said Farrell. “That will kind of work itself out in due time as he builds back up.” … Jose Molina will catch Drabek on Saturday. … Both Alomar and Gillick looked to be fighting tears during the pre-game festivities. “I’m proud to go into the Hall of Fame with a Blue Jays cap,” Alomar told the adoring crowd before hugging Gillick. The longtime Blue Jays GM told the fans, “we couldn’t have done it without you.” … Hill left the game after seven innings and Davis after eight just so McDonald and Mike McCoy could get some work…

BY SHI DAVIDI
sportsnet.ca

One game is no measure of any significance, but boy did all the pieces come together nicely for the Toronto Blue Jays on opening night.

Listen Live: Mike Wilner hosts Jays Talk on Sportsnet Radio the Fan 590

Speed created opportunities and forced mistakes. Smart situational hitting cashed in runs. Aaron Hill and Adam Lind raked like it was 2009.

J.P. Arencibia, in a performance reminiscent of his big-league debut last summer, cracked two homers, a triple and delivered a strong night of work behind the plate.

Ricky Romero dominated.

And Jose Bautista picked right up where he left off.

In so many ways, Friday night’s 13-3 thumping of the Minnesota Twins was a performance straight off the blueprint for the 2011 Blue Jays. Romero set the tone with a crisp 1-2-3 first, and he cruised through 6.1 innings from there, while Rajai Davis’s speed was the catalyst for a methodical four-run rally in the bottom of the first that displayed the diversity of attack new manager John Farrell is seeking.

Complete with a sell-out crowd of 47,984, pre-game tributes to Roberto Alomar and Pat Gillick for their selection to the Hall of Fame, and the unveiling of two banners in the rafters to honour them, the Rogers Centre had precisely the type of atmosphere Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos is trying to restore on a more regular basis at home.

Not even the pre-game news that the Blue Jays were declining a trio of options on Hill’s contract that would have locked up the second baseman through 2014, took anything away from the festivities.

It was in so many ways an ideal start. Now, they must make a habit of it for the 161 games remaining.

Davis got the crowd going in the first when he beat out an infield single, was picked off by Twins starter Carl Pavano, but eluded the tag and returned to first safely after a rundown.

Yunel Escobar followed with a soft chopper through the left side and after a double steal and a Jose Bautista walk to load the bases, Adam Lind brought home the season’s first run with a hit-by-pitch.

Hill and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a pair of fly balls that each brought home a run, while Lind capped the rally by scoring when Twins’ second baseman Tusyoshi Nishioka booted Travis Snider’s grounder.

The Blue Jays went vintage 2010 after that, teeing off on Pavano for three homers to blow things wide open.

Arencibia, being counted on to provide offence while handling a young pitching staff, crushed a two-run shot to dead centre in the fourth that made it 6-0. Bautista, the reigning home run champion, and Lind went back-to-back to open the fifth, and Arencibia added two-run triple off reliever Jeff Manship later in the inning to make it 10-0.

For good measure, Arencibia opened the eighth with a solo blast to right.

The 25-year-old certainly knows how to make first impressions—in his big-league debut last Aug. 7, he ripped two homers and had four hits in a 17-11 clubbing of Tampa Bay.

Romero, meanwhile, was in total control while pitching into the seventh, although he sputtered a bit at the end. He left after an Encarnacion error on Dannny Valencia’s chopper allowed Delmon Young to score the first Twins run, and Alexi Casilla followed with an RBI double.

Casey Janssen relieved and got Denard Span on an RBI groundout that made it 10-3 before diving to snare Nishioka’s soft grounder and relaying to first from his belly to end the threat.

Lind’s RBI single and John McDonald’s sacrifice fly in the eighth made it a 13-3 contest.

Notes: Kyle Drabek (0-3, 4.76 ERA in 2010) starts for the Blue Jays on Saturday against Francisco Liriano (14-10, 3.62 ERA). With Brandon Morrow on the DL and on track to right now miss just two starts, Drabek, Jesse Litsch and Jo-Jo Reyes remain in competition to stay in the rotation once the right-hander is ready. As for how the Blue Jays will make that decision, manager John Farrell is playing things close to the vest. “First and foremost Brandon is going to have to continue on his rehab course, which is a positive one so far,” said Farrell. “That will kind of work itself out in due time as he builds back up.” … Both Alomar and Gillick looked to be fighting tears during the pre-game festivities. “I’m proud to go into the Hall of Fame with a Blue Jays cap,” Alomar told the adoring crowd before hugging Gillick. The longtime Blue Jays GM told the fans, “we couldn’t have done it without you.”

TAMPA, Fla. — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Brandon Morrow will start the regular season on the disabled list because of right forearm inflammation.

The Blue Jays announced the decision before Wednesday night’s game against the New York Yankees.

Morrow was slated to be the No. 2 starter. Kyle Drabek, Brett Cecil, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jesse Litsch will now follow Opening Day starter Ricky Romero in the rotation.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. – Right-hander Brandon Morrow of the Toronto Blue Jays will start the regular season on the disabled list because of right forearm inflammation.

The Blue Jays announced the decision before Wednesday night’s game against the New York Yankees.

Morrow was slated to be the No. 2 starter. Kyle Drabek, Brett Cecil, Jo-Jo Reyes and Jesse Litsch will now follow opening-day starter Ricky Romero in the rotation.

DUNEDIN, Fla. (AP) — Cliff Lee missed most of spring training last year with Seattle because of a foot injury. This season, he feels much more settled.

Lee tossed six effective innings, Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 on Tuesday.

“I feel like I’m right where I need to be, considering last year I missed basically all of spring training,” Lee said. “I feel like I’m right there with everyone else. To be able to go six innings, I felt like I could have kept going. At this point in the spring, that’s where you need to be.”

Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill, who had been sidelined by a strained right thigh muscle, was hitless in three-at bats in his spring debut.

Lee gave up two runs and four hits, including Rajai Davis’ leadoff triple in the first inning and Juan Rivera’s homer in the third. Toronto touched up Danys Baez for two runs in the ninth before he closed it out with a double-play grounder.

“There’s always something you can get better at,” Lee said. “I think I walked two guys today. Obviously I don’t want to do that. I missed location a little more that I would like it but I got away with it.”

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was happy with Lee’s outing.

“He’s out there to get his work in. He threw (90) pitches today, next time out he’ll go 100. He’s right on course. That’s all we want to see,” Manuel said. “He passed the test today. He pumped a lot of fastballs early. Some of them got hit, but that’s to be expected.”

Ricky Romero, who missed his previous turn due to inflammation in his left middle finger, allowed first-inning singles to Ben Francisco and Ryan Howard before Ibanez launched a drive to center. Josh Barfield singled in the third, stole second and scored on Michael Martinez’s single for a 4-1 lead.

“My arm felt great, finger felt great,” said Romero, scheduled to start the season opener. “Just made that one bad pitch where I stayed up and Ibanez made me pay there.”

Blue Jays manager John Farrell said he thought Romero’s stuff was “sharp and crisp.”

“But most important, he felt good,” Farrell said.

Romero has given up 12 runs and 16 hits over 14 innings in four starts.

NOTES: RHP Octavio Dotel, pitching for Toronto for the first time since injuring his left hamstring March 8, struck out two in one inning in a minor league game. … LHP Jo-Jo Reyes starts for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night against Yankees RHP Phil Hughes in Tampa.