Apr 3, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey (43) and pitcher J.A. Happ (48) and pitcher Mark Buehrle (56) and pitcher Josh Johnson (55) look on from the top step of the dugout against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre. The Indians beat the Blue Jays 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

This time around we hope to build off of perhaps our most complete game of the season: Timely hits, great pitching (though each pitcher seems to still have “the inning”) and the defense seems to have started to pick itself up off the trash heap. Can we keep it going? Well I hope so, though we are facing our dreaded nemesis, the Rays.

Mind you our dreaded nemesis seems to be going through the same rough patch of pitching and timely hitting and thus are also the only other team in the East with a losing record. James Loney has been leading the charge lately at the plate (Over his last 17 games played he has hit .528 (28-for-53)) This has raised his average to .398…yes I know…THAT James Loney. The pitching always seems to give Toronto fits, especially at Tropicana Field. The game matches up Tampa Bay’s No. 9 ranked American League offense (4.4 runs per game) against a Blue Jays defense and pitching staff that sits at No. 13 in the American League at 5.1 runs allowed per game.

Probable Starters:

Game 1: Mark Buehrle (1-2, 6.43 ERA) vs Jeremy Hellickson (1-2, 4.71 ERA)
Game 2: J.A. Happ (2-2, 3.98 ERA) vs Roberto Hernandez (1-4, 5.28 ERA)
Game 3: Ricky Romero (0-1, 6.75 ERA vs Matt Moore (5-0, 1.95 ERA)
Game 4: R.A. Dickey (2-5, 5.36 ERA) vs David Price (1-3, 6.25 ERA)

Game 1 should provide a boatload of offence considering the struggles of both Buehrle and Hellickson (who is 3-2 with a 2.89 ERA in six career starts against Toronto). After allowing four runs on nine hits in his last start he is looking to start their 10 game homestand with a win. Buehrle…well he has to stop lofting up tater bombs every game. 3 homers given up in each of the last two games is kind of a lot, even by Buehrle standards. Even if we don’t score first, Tampa has given up the lead in 11 of their 16 losses. This is definitely a Rays team still searching for who they are this season.

Game 2 features our most consistent starter against a man trying to find his own identity (after having to give up his false one…right Fausto?). If Happ can keep the walks to a minimum (SEVEN last game), he has as good a shot at this average offensive team. Since Fausto became Roberto it has not been smooth sailing for the 33 year old (we think 33). He has one quality start out of his last five and seems to have become just a mediocre rotation filler. He does have strikeout capability (30 Ks in 30.2 innings) but will it be enough?

Game 3 should be intriguing for two reasons. First off, Romero did ok in his first outing since changing his pitching mechanics. He had a sweet 1st time through Seattle’s lineup setting them all down through 3 innings but he ran into hit troubles in the 4th. If he can build off the first three innings then we may have a chance. If he can’t, this could be the game where you hide your hands over your eyes. Matt Moore has followed in the footstep of many Rays pitchers and is dominating the league in the early going. In 2012 he displayed flashes of his greatness and this season has put it all together. All-Star games and votes for the Cy Young await him if he continues to baffle hitters (41K in 37 innings and a 1.05 WHIP)

Finally Game 4 is a test of both staff aces. Dickey and Price are struggling. Dickey claims his injury is minor and perhaps it is. Unfortunately it seems to be affecting the way he pitches. He gave up a trio of home runs in the Seattle series. He also has a paltry 2-1 K:BB Ratio and I am starting to wonder if a DL stint would help. Let’s see how his knuckler dances under the Trop Dome. Aside from a public feud with umpire Tom Hallion, Price has not been his usual dominant self. His last start against the Rockies he gave up 9 runs for the first time in 4 years. His velocity is down as well so I wonder…arm trouble? This could be a great chance to lay a beating on the man.

Line-Ups:

The following are the probable line-ups for both squads:

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. 3B: Brett Lawrie
2. DH: Adam Lind
3. RF: Jose Bautista
4. 1B: Edwin Encarnacion
5. LF: Melky Cabrera
6. C: J.P. Arencibia
7. CF: Colby Rasmus
8. 2B: Maicer Izturis
9. SS: Munenori Kawasaki

Tampa Bay Rays:

1. CF: Desmond Jennings
2. RF: Matt Joyce
3. 2B: Ben Zobrist
4. 3B: Evan Longoria
5. 1B: James Loney
6. SS: Yunel Escobar
7. DH: Luke Scott
8. LF: Kelly Johnson
9. C: Jose Molina

We all know that both teams are struggling. This may be the best chance the Blue Jays have to salvage their season. If they can take 3 of 4 we are still in it. If we lose 3 of 4 we will be buried in the basement and all the percentages and hope wouldn’t seem to matter. If we want to get the proverbial monkey off our backs then we need to beat this Rays team. They are staggered in ways they never have before. Their offense was always suspect but the pitching held them and guided them over the years. This year it is a different story. Let’s hope we write a better ending.

The Final Word

The Blue Jays look lost from one game to the next, occasionally throwing a bone to the fans like Sunday’s slugging of the Mariners. Flashes of our potential is there. Don’t take Brandon Morrow going 8 innings yesterday as something to take lightly. It gave us a chance to rest some arms in the pen. If we can get through a couple turns through the rotation with quality starts, going deeper into games, then we might have a shot at redemption. The sun is out, the sky is blue, it’s beautiful and so are you…dear Blue Jays. Won’t you (finally) come out to play?

May 1, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) discusses a call at the plate with home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman at the Rogers Centre against the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The rest of the rotation and an average hitting team are what keeps the Mariners from moving up and challenging the A’s and potentially the Angels. When top prospects James Paxton (Canadian boy), Dannny Hultzen and Taijuan Walker rise up to replace Joe Saunders, Aaron Harang et al., this could be a team that could seriously contend for a division championship.

I figured I might as well lead with the Mariners since there is nothing new to be said about the Blue Jays. Pitching is mediocre in the rotation (7 walks by J.A. Happ last night was putrid), the old adage that hitting is contagious must also apply to NOT hitting because we don’t have one regular hitting above .255. That, my friends, is vile. Other than the bullpen, led by the perfect Casey Janssen, I am thoroughly disappointed. At least our defence seems to have settled down…there’s that…and ummm…hey Colby is up to .253. Yup…

Probable Starters:

Game 1: Felix Hernandez (3-2 .214 opp BAA) vs Ricky Romero (1st start)
Game 2: Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1, .160 opp BAA) vs R.A. Dickey (2-4, 4.50 ERA)
Game 3: Joe Saunders (2-3, 5.25 ERA) vs Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.29 ERA)

If there is to be a saving grace for Game 1, it’s that Hernandez is 3-3 and has a 3.75 ERA against the Blue Jays lifetime. Mind you that stat is always bogus considering the players change so much from one year to the next but it’s something. If Romero can go 5 and the hitters can scrape together a few runs we may have a chance. Seattle hitters have provided their ace with 3.17 runs per game so far this year, hence the mediocre W-L record…which we mention every year it seems in regards to Hernandez.

Game 2 should be an interesting match-up. R.A. Dickey goes in with a slightly bum neck but is still cleared to play. I wish the blisters that have been bugging Iwakuma come back hardcore. Dickey should have a great shot at holding down the Mariners offence but Iwakuma has some stingy numbers folks. I mean SICK numbers. I see a pitchers duel in this one and a definite low scoring affair overall.

Game 3 should be the one truly no problem game of the lot. Joe Saunders is no longer a Diamondback, when he was at his best. He is now a Mariner who is 0-3 on the road with a bloated ERA of 12.51. Playing against your former team always seems to get players up and Brandon Morrow is no different. In 23.2 inning pitched against Seattle, Morrow has 32 Ks and a tidy 3.04 ERA. He is due for a brilliant start and this would appear to be the game to do it.

Line-Ups:

The following are the probable line-ups for both squads.

Seattle Mariners:

1. CF: Michael Saunders
2. 3B: Kyle Seager
3. DH: Kendry Morales
4. RF: Michael Morse
5. LF: Jason Bay
6. 1B: Justin Smoak
7. 2B: Dustin Ackley
8. C: Jesus Montero
9. SS: Robert Andino

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. 3B: Brett Lawrie
2. DH: Adam Lind
3. RF: Jose Bautista
4. 1B: Edwin Encarnacion
6. LF: Melky Cabrera
7. CF: Colby Rasmus
8. 2B: Maicer Izturis
9. SS: Munenori Kawasaki

I could decimate you with stats. Ok I WILL decimate you with stats: LAST in MLB in average (.228). 22nd in MLB in OPS (.690). 28th in MLB in Team ERA (4.72). 26th in MLB in BAA against (.268). Are we getting the picture? Hack the numbers to bits. The team is a mess. We needed that Boston series. Now we need this Seattle series. 2 out of 3 would be a great start since we have won only one series all season…cross your fingers. The time to worry is growing near.

The Final Word:

The all or nothing approach is failing fast. It may have worked for Chad Mottola in the minors where the pitching is more suspect but in the big leagues the pitching can leave us flailing or being too aggressive. There has been a bit more attention to longer at bats but then there are also a lot of called third strikes happening as well. I wonder if Mottola and Dwayne Murphy have the hitters confused as to what to do. Is it a room divided between both men? It is a thought. Perhaps a little shift in accountability between them may lead to results on the field. If not, I don’t see anything remotely resembling the team this group should be.

Apr 25, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons (5) argues a call with umpire Jeff Kellogg (8) against the New York Yankees during the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Probable Starters:

Game 1: Jon Lester (4-0, 2.27 ERA) v/s Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.27)
Game 2: Clay Buchholz (5-0, 1.19 ERA) v/s Mark Buehrle (1-1, 6.35)
Game 3: Ryan Dempster (1-2, 3.30 ERA) v/s TBA

Game 1 sees a resurgent and healthy Lester taking on forever-waiting-on-potential Morrow. I like the guy, I think he works hard and is a true team player but we are now into our fourth year of muddling and befuddling Morrow. His stuff is filthy but so is his pitch count. If he can bring himself down in pitch count and ease off on the walks (19:9 K/BB ratio), the potential for Cy Young stuff is there. But the bright side is John Lester, with the sparkling ERA and record seems to hit a bump in his last start, issuing 6 walks and 3 earned in just over 6 innings. If he is falling into the same Lester as last year then perhaps the Blue Jays could take this one.

Game 2 is a match up of perhaps the biggest surprise so far in Buchholz and perhaps the biggest pitching disappointment in Buehrle. Buchholz has not gone less than 7 innings all season. A 3:1 K/BB and a WHIP of 1.01 are the makings of an early Cy Young candidate. Buchholz has always had the potential. Is this the year he finally puts it all together? On the other end, is this the beginning of a sharp decline for Buehrle. A WHIP of 1.52 and a collective BAA of .306 is high, even for a guy who is prone to giving up lots of hits. He can’t seem to bear down and is prone to the big inning so far. Is this just a fluke? This would be a great way of proving the value of his contract. Beat their best when you are not performing at your best.

For Game 3, Ryan Dempster has done fairly well so far. Many thought he would have a sharp spike in ERA coming over to the AL from the NL but his .187 BAA has been amazing and he has struck out between 7 and 10 batters in every start so far. Strikeouts carry a lot of weight in this division and unless we curb our free swinging ways this could be a feast for Dempster. There is no starter listed as of yet for the good guys. Johnson is scheduled but they are still monitoring his progress from tricep tightness. With an off day yesterday it may mean bumping J.A. Happ up a notch to fill the spot. I have no problem with this as he has been the steadiest contributor in the rotation.

Line-Ups:

The following are the probable line-ups for both squads.

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. DH: Rajai Davis
2. SS: Munenori Kawasaki
3. RF: Jose Bautista
4. 1B: Edwin Encarnacion
5. LF: Melky Cabrera
6. C: J.P. Arencibia
7. CF: Colby Rasmus
8. 3B: Brett Lawrie
9. 2B: Maicer Izturis

Boston Red Sox:

1. CF: Jacoby Ellsbury
2. RF: Daniel Nava
3. 2B: Dustin Pedroia
4. DH: David Ortiz
5. 1B: Mike Napoli
6. LF: Mike Carp
7. C: Jarrod Saltalamacchia
8. 3B: Will Middlebrooks
9. SS: Stephen Drew

The lineup needs some semblance of stability. With Brett Lawrie working his way back in the majors and Jose Bautista seemingly over his back issues, this would be the perfect time to pull a Cito and set the lineup for a few weeks and let the players sink or swim. Fiddling with the roster has done nothing so try the other approach. With the MLB ranking of 27th in both pitching and fielding perhaps a different methodology would work…that and perhaps working the count (see Rasmus, Colby and Arencibia, J.P.).

Boston has been nothing short of amazing so far but this crew is a starter injury or Pedroia injurya away from a free fall. Can John Farrell do what Bobby Valentine couldn’t? So far the numbers speak for themselves (all numbers are MLB ranking): 3rd in Team BA, 2nd in slugging, 2nd in OPS, 6th in ERA and 1st in BAA. Them some fine numbers them is.

The Final Word:

It is great to see EE performing better as of late and thank goodness for Lawrie at third. I almost forgot how slick he was around the bag and his throwing arm is mint. Reyes and Lawrie will be a dynamite left side for the nest few years. We are getting hits here and there, home runs here and there but ultimately it is both the offence and the starting pitching that is performing below par. The starters seem to be straightening out a bit so there is hope there. Where is the hope for a team that ranks 27th in OBP, 28th in BA, 28th in WHIP, 3rd in hits allowed and 6th in walk allowed. At this pace we could challenge for worst statistical team in franchise history…but we all know there is nowhere to go but up right?

Sep 27, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) is congratulated by center fielder Colby Rasmus (28) after his 2-run home run in the third inning against the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

But by the time Jose Bautista suffered his wrist injury in July the Blue Jays were leading the major leagues in runs scored.

That turn around for the Jays offense didn’t just come out of nowhere. It started at the beginning of June when John Farrell made a drastic lineup change. Or as I like to call it the one thing he did right in his 2 years as Blue Jays manager.

At the start of June last season the Blue Jays put Brett Lawrie in the lead-off spot and Colby Rasmus as the number 2 hitter in front of Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion who are still chilling in the 3 and 4 spots. When the Jays did that last season the offense took off. Why not try it again?

For one the Blue Jays have had Munenori Kawasaki, Rajai Davis, Adam Lind and Emilio Bonifacio hitting either 1st or 2nd recently. So it’s not like Lawrie and Rasmus would be taking the spots away from players that really deserve to be there.

Yes Adam Lind has been walking and getting on base. And yes Lawrie and Rasmus both have ugly on base percentages, 225 and 286. But those factors are a product of a small sample size and should change.

Out of all the 6 players just mentioned none of them make more sense to hit 1st or 2nd than Melky Cabrera. But it also makes a lot of sense for him to continue hitting 5th because when Bautista and Edwin start getting on base like they can the Jays need someone that can actually drive them in.

You can keep Lind in the 2 spot unless he stops getting on base. You could hit Melky 2nd. But Lind’s probably not going to continue having a 396 on base percentage and there’s a lot to like about Melky in the 5 spot.

Try and tell me this lineup doesn’t look beautiful:

Lawrie/Rasmus/Bautista/Encarnacion/Melky/Lind/Arencibia/Izturis/Kawasaki.

Lawrie and Rasmus hitting 1st and 2nd worked last year so it’s worth giving a shot.

What it really boils down to is if you can’t trust Lawrie and Rasmus at the top of the lineup more than Kawasaki, Rajai, Lind and Bonifacio the Jays offensive problems are way bigger than we think.

Apr 17, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) reacts after a strike against the Chicago White Sox at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

One notable player who missed time early was Brett Lawrie. Before you jump all over me for my bold headline, to clarify I am not saying that Lawrie is the Blue Jays’ most valuable player. Obviously that distinction will be held by Jose Bautista at for the least foreseeable future. But Lawrie might be the most important player in the lineup for this year’s edition of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The stats so far this season haven’t been pretty. Going into today’s game he was hitting 2 for 19 for a paltry .105 average with one RBI. But I’m not too worried about this very small sample size. Today batting eighth in the Jays lineup, Lawrie came through with the game-winning hit smacking a two-run double down the left field line. A couple of batters later Jays fans witnessed a classic Melky Cabrera moment when he cashed in Lawrie with a single through the 3-4 hole. J.P. followed up with another late game home run to tack on some insurance.

But back to Brett. At the young age of only 23 Lawrie is already playing in his third big-league season. His fun-to-watch yet reckless style has led to some missed playing time early in this career, but so far injuries are about the only thing that has slowed him down. Not many kids his age have this type of success at the major-league level. Even after his slow start Lawrie has a very realistic shot to bat a solid .280 this year. And although he’s far from perfect in the field he has incredible range and takes away countless hits over the course of a season. He may make a blunder or two trying to do too much, but I’ll take that for the highlight reel plays we are blessed to watch on a regular basis. To me he looks like a young David Wright (or maybe even better).

September 29, 2012; Toronto, ON, CANADA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) reacts at the end of the game against the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated New York 3-2. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Lawrie also brings much-needed energy to the Blue Jays squad. He’s a Rogers Centre fan favourite and I think one of my best Jays memories of recent years was his first walk-off when he showed off a shocking vertical leap on his way home to the plate. I know this doesn’t mean much for some, but these intangibles can keep a team excited to play baseball during the dog days of summer. And although he has had some early setbacks he should be able to bounce back and only continue to get better.

As Canadians we are proud to call Lawrie our own – hopefully this year he will a key piece in leading the Toronto Blue Jays to a postseason berth.

The first two instances of this debauchery that immediately come to mind occurred a little over a year ago, during spring training leading up to the 2012 season. Supposedly healthy when they reported to camp in February, before long both Sergio Santos and Dustin McGowan found themselves being held out of games. In the case of Santos, then-manager John Farrell spoke to the right hander being too amped up too early trying to impress his new team, and that they wanted to slow him down to a more normal routine. For those who have somehow forgotten, Santos would make just six appearances during the 2012 season, before months of rest – and eventually surgery – was required to repair a bum shoulder.

With Dustin McGowan, the organization declared he was suffering from a foot injury and he’d be off the mound for a few days, but that he should be 100% in time for Opening Day in April. They even went as far as to sign him to an often-ridiculed (and rightfully so) two-year extension for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. That foot injury somehow turned into a shoulder injury over the course of a couple weeks, leading some – or at least me – to question whether the foot injury ever even existed in the first place. McGowan still hasn’t thrown a pitch for the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13 months since he signed that fully guaranteed, major-league contract. Considering I haven’t read an article mentioning his rehab in a solid month or two, I wouldn’t hold my breath in anticipation of it happening any time soon, either.

The team was decimated by injuries during the season, but as all of them happened during nationally televised games – as opposed to hidden on backfields of a spring training complex – it was pointless for the organization to try and feed the masses any kind of bullshit. When Kyle Drabek throws a pitch and he immediately grabs his right elbow with a grimace on his face, you don’t need a medical degree to surmise that maybe he just injured his UCL.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) in the dugout against the New York Yankees during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The offseason and spring training leading up to 2013 is a different beast entirely. Casey Janssen underwent shoulder surgery in mid-November, and the public didn’t even know he had been having issues with it until a week after he’d already gone under the knife. It was also just supposed to be a quick cleanup of some AC joint spurs, yet Janssen was just barely ready for Opening Day 20 weeks later, and is still on a very strict pitching schedule.

During March, starting third baseman Brett Lawrie left to represent Canada in the World Baseball Classic. In an exhibition tilt against the Cincinnati Reds on March 6th, Lawrie felt a grabbing sensation on his left side and removed himself from the game. Originally it was thought he might only miss the first round, but he needed to be evaluated by the Blue Jays back in Dunedin before a more accurate prognosis could occur. An article from the Globe and Mail, written by Tyler Harper on March 7th, quoted General Manager Alex Anthopoulos as saying

“He’ll be back on Monday, he’ll get some more exams, but he said it has improved today. It’s just one of those things that you need to rest. It’s very mild, which is certainly good news, and they’re saying two-to-three weeks on the really conservative side, which means there’s obviously a chance that it’s sooner than that.”

He used the words “very mild”, and “chance it’s sooner than that” when describing the two-to-three week timeframe. In reality, Lawrie missed almost six weeks, and it’s fair to say that with a healthy Jose Reyes, it might’ve been another week until our great maple hero returned.

In addition to Lawrie, Sergio Santos again made headlines this past spring. After appearing in a few games – and looking downright filthy, forcing many to question Janssen’s grasp on the closer job – he was shut down for a few days because of some right triceps soreness. Upon his return, while he still looked pretty good, there was a little missing. His fastball was still buzzing but he struggled to command it, and his monstrous slider wasn’t quite as sharp as it was when we saw it in early March. Regardless, he was declared ready to head north, and after making three appearances on the home stand, he was once again held out of the Detroit series because of that same triceps soreness. Santos pitched in back-to-back games against the Royals on the 12th and 13th, and was then officially placed on the disabled list yesterday with, unsurprisingly, a sore right triceps.

I can only really see two possible explanations for the inaccuracies in the diagnoses I mentioned above. The first, which is more than a little farfetched, is that the Blue Jays employ a training and conditioning staff composed of morons who can’t even operate an MRI machine, let alone comprehend and analyze the results it offers. Considering the Blue Jays are a professional sports team valued by Forbes at $337 million back in 2011, and are owned by a media conglomerate valued at $18.36 billion in 2011 (according to Wikipedia), I doubt those are the kind of doctors they choose to employ.

The second, which is far more realistic, is that the organization simply doesn’t find it necessary to keep the ticket paying public in-the-know when it comes to player injuries and recoveries. They may see it as a competitive advantage issue, as if the public knows, so do opposing teams. The thing is, baseball isn’t like hockey or football – both of which are far worse when it comes to “stretching the truth” about injuries to be fair – where a certain weak spot on a player could be targeted and exploited. What could the Yankees or Red Sox possibly gain by having the knowledge that Brett Lawrie’s going to miss six weeks instead of two or three? They’re not going to alter their roster in any way, shape, or form because of that news, and if they would, they have such a poorly run and reactionary front office that you really don’t need to worry about them anyways.

My question is, how much truth does a professional sports organization owe to the public when it comes to injuries? Fans, whether it is through ticket and concession sales or TV revenue, are the gasoline that runs the engines of professional sports. If the team was a corporation, the fans are the shareholders whose investments allow for the corporation to flourish, and without those investments the corporation will fail to survive. What kind of accountability should they be held to, for, perhaps not lying, but certainly stretching and smearing the truth for their own unforeseen benefit?

April 9, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) sits in dugout against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Lawrie situation hung with me all March and into April. Not necessarily in a “Why isn’t he back yet?” way, but as the weeks progressed and Brett, well, didn’t, I wanted to know why the team’s original timeline was so horribly far off reality. If a doctor says something will heal in two weeks and it’s still bothersome five weeks later, either a setback occurred or the injury was more serious than originally anticipated. The organization said neither of those things; simply that he was “progressing.”

What drove me to write this article are the shenanigans that are currently revolving around Jose Bautista, and I legitimately fear that this is once again a situation where the team is giving us half truths and paying us little more than lip service. Tonight will be the team’s 15th game of the year, and the sixth of which Bautista has missed due to three apparently separate issues – a sore ankle, a stiff back, and an ear infection. What bothers me even further is that the team constantly uses the “day-to-day” line. They’ll say he’s out tonight, but should be good for tomorrow and can pinch hit if needed. Manager John Gibbons has used that line on more than one occasion, and it was glaringly untrue last night. Down one run in the bottom of the ninth, both Rajai Davis and Maicer Izturis were allowed to bat, and both created outs to end the game. Not only did Bautista not pinch hit, I didn’t even see him in the dugout. Jose Reyes, he of the gnarly ankle, was seen sitting on the bench in both Chicago games, cheering on his teammates with a huge smile on his face. Where was Jose Bautista? At this point, how much trust can we place on anything the team says about injuries?

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) reacts as he stands on second base after a steal on a wild pitch against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

If it’s not 2011 it must be 2012. As soon as one Blue Jays star returns another 2 go on the DL with Reyes and Santos.

But that’s enough with the Jays depressing recent history, Brett Lawrie’s back!

The Jays went 6-7 without Lawrie (who says in depth analysis is dead). Would they have a better record with Lawrie? Maybe, you never know.

Lawrie’s elite defense at 3rd base has already been missed in 13 games. Anytime a ball has gotten past a Blue Jays substitute 3rd basemen it’s hard to not think Lawrie would have gotten to that. You’ve probably heard by now that he played some 2nd base during his rehab assignment so the Jays have the option of playing him there every once in a while under the right circumstances.

It will be great to see Lawrie in a Blue Jays lineup that’s had Mark Derosa, Rajai Davis and Munenori Kawasaki starting games. Side Thought: Darn it Reyes why’d you have to get injured 4 days before Lawrie comes back!

So what can we expect from Lawrie now that he’s back. It’s hard to say since he only has 168 major league games under his belt. In those 168 games he has a 5 WAR, a 348 on base percentage, 20 homeruns, 20 stolen bases and 7 triples. Not bad at all.

Lawrie is just 23 so he will only get better. He started showing signs of that during the last week of the 2012 season. Of course his last week is a small sample size but it stands out because it was his last week. You had to like what you saw. He had 9 hits including 2 homeruns and one of his homeruns was an opposite field bomb that may not have landed yet.

When you watch a player as talented as Lawrie you want him to stay healthy and reach his potential right away. It might be asking a lot for Lawrie to reach his potential in 2013 but it’s not like he doesn’t already have a lot of pressure on him as the Canadian kid on the Toronto Blue Jays.

If Lawrie can be the player we all hope he is, 20+ homeruns with a lot of extra base pop in the bat, stealing bases with gold glove defense he’s going to make a HUGE difference to the Jays season.

Last season when Mike Trout came up to the big leagues the Angels went from a struggling team to one of the best teams in the league. The Angels didn’t make the playoffs because they dug themselves to deep a hole to get out of which the Blue Jays haven’t done. Trout had one of the best seasons in baseball history so no one expects the same thing from Lawrie. But Lawrie’s certainly capable of having the same positive affect on the Jays. Either way the Blue Jays are a better team with him. Welcome back Number 13!

Won’t be seeing this again for at least 15 days. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Sergio Santos is no stranger to injury, as he spent 166 days last season on the DL due to a frayed labrum in his shoulder. It’ll be a huge blow to the Blue Jays bullpen, as he has given up only one run on a ridiculous neck-high home run to Mark Reynolds, while striking out 6 and giving up a walk and 3 hits over 4.1 innings. Hopefully it won’t be a long stay for Sergio Santos on the DL, as the team could use more of his swing and miss stuff.

The silver lining is that Brett Lawrie will be coming back for tomorrow’s game. He spent about 45 days being injured with and recovering from a ribcage injury, on the opposite side from his oblique injury from last season’s campaign. In rehab starts, Lawrie spent time at second base in order to utilize a stronger infield defense than what would be provided by having Emilio Bonifacio, Maicer Izturis and Mark DeRosa at either second or third base. But with Jose Bautista out of today’s game due to back spasms (which may or may not have been caused by spending time at third base), the team might look to have Jose return to right field and have Lawrie field at third base just to avoid further injuries.

Essentially, losing Sergio Santos at this time has forced Brett Lawrie to (possibly) come up from rehab assignment early. Hopefully that won’t result in further injuries down the road, as well. After the Blue Jays’ 2012 season, staying off the DL as long as possible is priority #1.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) hits a double in the fourth inning against the New York Yankees during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

For the short-term, the team has promoted Munenori Kawasaki from Triple-A Buffalo to take the place of Reyes on the 25-man roster and started right-fielder Jose Bautista at third base Saturday. Emilio Bonifacio got the start in right field and took over for Reyes in the lead-off role.

However, the Blue Jays are likely less than thrilled with the idea of using Bautista at third base. He has played 385 career games at the hot corner during his career, but ultimately Toronto prefers him in right field.

That’s where Brett Lawrie comes in.

The injured Blue Jays third baseman started appearing in extended Spring Training games on Thursday and was to see his first rehab assignment game on Saturday in Dunedin.That appearance was cancelled and some thought that Lawrie was possibly heading north ahead of schedule. However, that theory proved to change, as the Dunedin Blue Jays just announced that Lawrie was pushed back to today’s game.

For clarification purposes, Brett Lawrie will be playing 2B for the D-Jays today. That was not a typo.

— Dunedin Blue Jays (@DunedinBlueJays) April 14, 2013

Curiously, Lawrie will be playing second base, but that’s another question altogether.

Still, Dakers’ post does bring up a solid point. In the team’s current infield situation, one has to wonder if the Blue Jays will exercise the same restraint with Lawrie that they have to this point. With the trio of Emilio Bonifacio, Maicer Izturis, and Mark DeRosa rotating in and out of the line-up, and now the additions of Kawasaki and the worry of playing Jose Bautista daily at third base, it would be easily fathomable for Toronto to hurry Lawrie along.

However, in the end, it does not help anyone to bring Lawrie back up until he gets his timing down. Yes, his defense will save runs while his bat comes up to speed, but knowing Lawrie’s all-or-nothing drive, the pressure of trying to do too much at the plate could represent a set-back for him long-term.

Toronto is better off letting his rehab run its 10-day course and getting Lawrie back into the fold as planned. The current conglomeration can likely hold its own, or at least resemble a replacement level player, until he returns healthy.

Maybe I’m wrong, but do the Blue Jays really save that much by rushing him by a couple of extra days?

Feb 25, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) tags out Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (39) during the top of the first inning of a spring training split squad game at Florida Exchange Park. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Lawrie, 23, was placed on the disabled list March 31, retroactive to March 22nd, with an injury to his left rib cage. Lawrie suffered the strain during the World Baseball Classic with Team Canada, injured in an exhibition match-up with the Chicago White Sox.

In an interview with Alex Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays general manager professed to being encouraged by Lawrie’s progress and said that if all goes well, the third baseman could possibly rejoin the team in Toronto when they host the visiting Yankees on Friday April 19th.

“We talked about it internally, maybe the New York series at home, maybe the Baltimore series on the road. That would give him enough time in the minor leagues.”

The Blue Jays would be very excited to see Lawrie return, as they’ve been dealing with the underwhelming duo of Emilio Bonifacio and Maicer Izturis, who rather than platooning at second base, have been getting regular at bats and playing time in Lawrie’s absence. The pair is hitting a lowly .235 with 1 home run and 1 RBI through 8 games, and Jays’ third basemen have also committed 3 errors in Lawrie’s absence.

According to Baseball-Reference.com, Lawrie has saved 34 runs above average over the course of his 168 games played. He also brings a solid upgrade offensively to the line-up as well, and will look to improve upon his 2012 season, where Lawrie hit .273 with a .729 OPS while posting a 4.3 bWAR.