BRADENTON, Florida – J.A. Happs hold on a spot in the Blue Jays starting rotation is in question. The tall lefthanders sore back and poor performance this spring, combined with the emergence of Drew Hutchison and the sense that Marcus Stroman is almost ready to contribute to a successful major league club, has cast doubt on his role with the team. "I think were going to take the best team north," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. "Especially right now, we have J.A. and the back, the performance, things like that, we have to get him on track, stay healthy. Obviously R.A., Mark and Brandon. Again, we expect J.A. to be in the rotation but at the same time, the backs flared up on him twice. I just dont know. Look, if guys perform well and they force our hand, well take the best team." Hutchison has stood out. Members of the Blue Jays brass caution against overvaluing spring training performance. However, it isnt just about results. Hows a pitchers "stuff?" Is he locating his pitches, especially his fastball? Hutchison was dominant in two innings against the Orioles last Saturday, striking out four. The parks radar gun had his four-seam fastball clocked at 94 miles per hour while Jays scouts say it hit 96 on three or four occasions. The command was there, too. "We saw that velocity at the end of his time in 2012 before he got hurt," said Anthopoulos. "When I went to the Arizona Fall League, it was so encouraging to see him pitch that way. He really started to come into his own in 2012 before he got hurt so Im not surprised. I think I said it before. Hes a guy I expected to really impress. Hes off to a great start, hes definitely opened some eyes, hes a strong candidate to make the rotation but hes got to make it. But I love what I see." The Jays are enamoured with the makeup of both Hutchison and Stroman. Coaches say both men have come to camp on a mission – to make the team – and say neither will be satisfied with simply being a major leaguer and collecting a healthy paycheck. Both are driven to be front end of the rotation pitchers. Both expect to be the ace of a big league staff. About Stroman, the general manager jokes hes never seen a guy chomping gum in the middle of his delivery. Stroman was scheduled to throw three innings in Bradenton on Thursday. Due to rain, the outing has been rescheduled for Friday. To use Anthopoulos words, its a "big day" for the 22-year-old. "Im saying it more tongue-in-cheek. Its not like the decision gets made tomorrow but I think every outing for him is important." "He has a chance. I dont know what the chances are, the percentages, but theres a reason hes getting stretched out, theres a reason were giving him the innings. We want to take a look. If he can impress and really come on, hes going to make it hard on us, which is what we want." Happ was scheduled to pitch on Saturday but has been pushed back in the wake of the rainout. Tests have revealed no structural damage in Happs back, the Blue Jays say, just inflammation. This isnt the first time Happs battled the problem in his career. Anthopoulos remains willing to consider external options to add to the roster. Hes in periodic touch with representatives of free agents and is open-minded to a deal if the prices drop. A trade between now and opening day seems more likely and hell try to deal from a position of strength. "We do have inventory in the bullpen and we talk about it daily but we know how quickly that inventory can vanish," said Anthopoulos. "Guys get hurt. I think as we get to the last 10 days of camp is when things will ramp up a little bit ... Id say the last 10 days of camp or so is when youre expecting guys to stay healthy and itll be interesting, especially with all the guys we have who are out of options." Innings limits for the kids? Some in the organization would prefer Hutchison and Stroman begin at Triple-A Buffalo, to the extent there is debate it is healthy, not confrontational. Given that jobs could be at stake this season, it behooves the front office and coaching staff to take the best team to St. Petersburg on March 31. If that team includes both Hutchison and Stroman and they stick for the season, Anthopoulos says their innings will not be monitored. "Someone said Marcus threw 126 innings and 25 in the Fall League, well he threw more than that because he was being stretched out as a starter last year in extended and no one has those innings," said Anthopoulos. "The year before he was around 160 or something. He has no restrictions at all. He was a pretty high number last year." "Drew, the same way," Anthopoulos continued. "I think Drew, I think Ive said this before, reminds me a lot of a similar scenario with Shaun Marcum. Marcum was more than a year removed from Tommy John. He had it in August the year before, didnt come up in September on the one-year anniversary date, came into spring training, pitched great, was our opening day starter and had a three and a half ERA and pitched 195 innings, I think. Drews got no restrictions. I think it would be the same type of thing. I could see him, if he makes this team, going wire to wire." On second base Anthopoulos continues to be effusive in his praise of Ryan Goins. "Defensively, the more you watch him, the more you realize how good he is defensively, just his actions, the way he moves," said Anthopoulos. "You know, the bat, thats something were going to watch in spring training. The tough part is, you realize its two at-bats a game, three at-bats a game, the competition level varies. I would say, again, the competition is still there. Were going to value the defence because its that good. He has room to do less offensively because the defence is so elite. I dont use that word lightly. I really think hes elite and hes got a chance to win a gold glove there." Chris Getz, Jonathan Diaz, Munenori Kawasaki and Steve Tolleson are on minor league deals and are getting looks. "Goins is the front-runner because of the defence that he showed but he still has to earn that job," said Anthopoulos. Jays rained out Thursday The Blue Jays and Pirates were rained out in Bradenton on Thursday, forcing manager John Gibbons to adjust his pitching lineup. Mark Buehrle, scheduled to start on Thursday, will instead start Fridays home game against the Rays. Marcus Stroman and Ricky Romero will also appear. Drew Hutchison will make the start, at home, on Saturday against Minnesota. R.A. Dickey will take his knuckleball to Kissimmee on Sunday for a date with the Astros. Stitched Nationals Jerseys . Globo TV and other news outlets said early Monday that Scolari will not remain as coach after the national teams failure to win the World Cup at home. Michael A. Taylor Jersey . -- Arkansas didnt need a spectacular dunk to beat No. https://www.cheapnationals.com/1287r-daniel-hudson-jersey-nationals.html . - Canadian tennis star Eugenie Bouchard has signed with WME-IMG, saying the sports management powerhouse will help maximize the value of my brand. Raudy Read Jersey . -- Jesse Lussier scored 8:24 into overtime as the Halifax Mooseheads erased a four-goal deficit to beat the host Val-dOr Foreurs 6-5 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Roenis Elias Jersey .com) - Matt Beleskey has helped give the Anaheim Ducks some scoring depth and hell look to stay hot on Wednesday night when his club hosts the struggling Philadelphia Flyers.STANFORD, Calif. -- Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron might hear it from every angle if they were paying any attention or had a moments spare time. They could be reminded every day that this is the first time since 1990 the U.S. heads to a World Cup with no central defenders having played previous minutes in soccers showcase event. And that makes an already daunting task in Group G much more challenging for the Americans, who face Ghana, Portugal and Germany next month in Brazil. The competition for spots on the Americans back line is fierce, leaving no time to analyze the groups inexperience. "For us, theres nothing we can do about it," Besler said before Sundays training at Stanford Stadium. "We cant change the fact that weve never experienced a World Cup. Were looking at it as a great opportunity. Weve never done it before but everyone is excited and really hungry to prove that we belong here and that we can do well." Nobody knows how the foursome will look for the teams World Cup opener June 16 against Ghana in Natal, yet coach Jurgen Klinsmann will get a glimpse during an exhibition against Azerbaijan on Tuesday night at Candlestick Park. He has several choices for each defensive spot. If there are concerns with Omar Gonzalez, who tweaked his left knee during a May 3 game with the Los Angeles Galaxy against Colorado, Klinsmann might go with Cameron in the middle alongside Besler. Gonzalez has since returned to full training. "I think the competition is healthy, and its definitely alive and well here," Gonzalez said. "Before I got injured, I was probably the fittest Ive been in a very long time." Cameron plays right back for Stoke in the Premier League but insists he only needs a couple of reps at centre back in practice, scrimmages or exhibitions to find a groove again. "When youre playing against Man United, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham, youre playing all the big boys every single weekend against the best competition, theres no room for mental errors, theres no complaining about how tired you are or this or that because the games come so quick," Cameron said. "For me, it was a learning process the first year. As the second year comes, you get more comfortable, youre confident going into the other stadiums." Besler, the 27-year-old Sporting Kansas City star who was the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year, has played in the middle with both Cameron and Gonzalez. Cameron and Besler very well could start in the centre back spots for the opener. Fabian Johnson or Timmy Chandler might play right back, though Johnson said he has seen regular time there. "I played right back in all the scrimmages so Im ready for this position," Johnson said Sunday. DaMarcus Beasley could be on the left as he looks to become the first American to play in four World Cups. "It iis different playing with different guys.dddddddddddd Everyone has different styles," Besler said. "I think as a team we play the same but when you have different guys back there you have to make little adjustments depending on whos back there. But for me I have experience with both. Ive played in World Cup qualifiers with Geoff, with Omar. I feel comfortable with anyone, really." If midfielder Jermaine Jones is suspended at some point for accumulation of yellow cards, Klinsmann might call upon Johnson in the defensive midfield. While experience on the defence would certainly be preferred at this stage, goalkeeper Tim Howard will help everyone get up to speed. "All things considered, of course youd like to have some guys back there who understand the rhythm and the pacing and the difference of a World Cup," said Alexi Lalas, a starting U.S. defender for the 1994 World Cup, former MLS general manager and current analyst. "This decision was made a long time ago, regardless of the final personnel, you knew you were going to have some World Cup inexperience out there. And we still dont know how the back four is going to look. "With that being decided and the veterans no longer being part of the scene, it was about getting some sort of understanding, communication and comfort with the defence. Thats really a much more important piece considering theres not going to be World Cup experience." Cameron is considered a central defender by Klinsmann. "Ive said that over three years I think his best position is centre back," Klinsmann said. "And its good to know he can play right back, too, and its good to know he can play a No. 6, too. Still I think his best fit, his best game for himself is the centre back role." Klinsmann isnt making a big deal about the teams lack of experience. Only five players among the 23 have appeared in a World Cup. "The plan is to help them in that process, to get in that World Cup with a lot of confidence and being sure that they know what theyre doing. In every training session we will work on those pieces and we will guide them through all the different things that happen during a game, preparing the best way possible for the opponents they face in the group stage already," Klinsmann said of the defence. "Im sure theyre going to be very well prepared and they will be ready for the task. Theres always a first time in life in whatever you do. Its for some the first World Cup, though its the first of hopefully many World Cups to come for them. Im not worried about the inexperience." NOTES: Landon Donovan, cut by Klinsmann on Thursday, broke the Major League Soccer goal record Sunday night. He returned to the LA Galaxy to score his 135th and 136th regular-season goals in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union. ' ' '
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