The decision to hang on to catcher Michael Barrett was one of the last ones the Blue Jays' coaching staff made, and manager Cito Gaston could tell the tension was wearing on Barrett when informed he had made the squad.
"(The conversation) was short," Gaston said. "He was sitting down having breakfast and I just walked in and congratulated him and I could see he was a little emotional. I think by leaving him back the night before (against the Phillies) he probably thought he was out of here. Guys get all kinds of thoughts in their head." Gaston said when he played, he would seek out the equipment manager near the end of spring training for clues about his fate. If the manager packed a suitcase for him, he knew he'd made the team.
With the team's opening-day roster set, Gaston acknowledges the starting pitching rotation is still a big concern, but says he sees plenty of potential in his offence. Several times this week he has said the team needs more offensive production from third baseman Scott Rolen and first baseman Lyle Overbay, but adds young hitters like Adam Lind and Travis Snider have developed well all through spring training.
"I think there are enough hitters on this team to do some damage," he said. "(But) will they do it?"
Tigers 8, Jays 5
THE GOOD
RF Alex Rios raised his spring average to .310 with a fifth-inning home run. The three-run shot travelled more than 420 feet to centre field. ... P Scott Richmond's quick thinking ended the fifth inning for the Tigers. With two out, Tigers RF Magglio Ordonez broke from first trying to steal second. When Richmond saw the move he wheeled and threw to second, where Aaron Hill applied the tag. ... LF Snider hit another double. That's eight for him this spring. He's hitting .411.
THE BAD
Richmond didn't have the strong outing he'd hoped for. In six innings, he surrendered six runs on nine hits. ... Rios, the team's leading base stealer last season, was caught stealing by Tigers catcher Gerald Laird.
TODAY'S GAME
The Jays face the Marlins in Jupiter, Fla. Jesse Litsch finally gets a start against big-league competition. First pitch, 7 p.m.
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