Jays gain in arms race

I found an interesting story by Bob Elliot in the Toronto sun today. Bob Elliot is a respected sports writer for the Toronto sun that looks after the Baseball beat. I thought that I would just quote his story. You Blue Jay fans out there all is not lost in our division this year where we always have to go up against the likes of the Boston Red Socks and the New York Yankee's. Both of these franchises have very deep pockets and it makes it very difficult for the rest of the division to keep on a level playing field with them. Anyway here is Bob's story.

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Are things rolling the Blue Jays' way?
Maybe.
Let's examine the evidence since Ray Olmedo popped up for the final out Sept. 30 in a season-ending 8-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays:
- Dec. 4: Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte decides he will pitch in 2008, a month after saying he would retire.
The Yanks agree to pick up his $16-million US option, hours before the midnight deadline New York had set in trade talks with the Minnesota Twins for lefty Johan Santana.


- Jan. 30: Santana, the Cy Young Award winner the Twins could not afford to re-sign, is dealt. But Santana is not traded to either of the Jays' American League East rivals, the Boston Red Sox or the Yanks, who pursued him following the World Series.
Instead, Santana heads to the New York Mets.
- Feb. 8: Right-hander Curt Schilling writes on his 38pitches.com blog that he has an injured right shoulder. Schilling decides to go with Boston's request to rely on rest and rehab rather than having what could be career-ending surgery.
How long will he adhere to management's decision? What's the over/under on him remaining quiet? A month into the season? He may wind up being a distraction.
Does Schilling talk a lot? Well, when he refused comment on his shoulder injury, ESPN ran on its news scrawl "Curt Schilling declines comments to ESPN ..."
The week after Santana goes elsewhere, Boston finds out it is shy a starter.
- Feb. 8: Pettitte testifies before lawmakers behind closed doors in Washington, D.C. Pettitte was excused from yesterday's Congressional hearing.
Yet his sworn affidavit yesterday said Roger Clemens told Pettitte nearly 10 years ago that Clemens used human growth hormone.
Clemens and Pettitte have been friends since 1999. When Pettitte jumped to the Houston Astros as a free agent in 2004, Clemens followed. They both rejoined the Yankees in 2007. They are dear friends and have pitched in the same rotation for 10 seasons.
Pettitte is a sensitive man as ball players go. He did not want any part of the hearings. Due to report to the Yankees today in Tampa, Pettitte is behind in his normal schedule and word is that the Yanks are looking for help for their rotation.
If the government moves forward with perjury charges against Clemens, Pettitte still will be in the midst of a firestorm, although not near as badly as Clemens.
This time Pettitte will not be excused as he was yesterday. He will have to testify. In open court. More distraction.
- Feb. 11: Jays closer B.J. Ryan throws pain-free and impresses catcher Gregg Zaun, leading to hope Ryan will be ready for opening day.
Ryan faces long odds to be able to line up along the third-base line as part of the active 25-man roster on opening day, March 31, at Yankee Stadium.
He's coming off Tommy John surgery. Normal rehab is 12 to 18 months. Ryan had surgery on May 10 last year.
If he's ready for opening day, he will have had to have pitched in exhibition games by March 15. That's roughly a 10-month rehab.
Good for the Jays if he bounces back that quickly. But is it worth it for management to rush a reliever in Year 3 of a five-year deal?
And finally, not that anyone is counting, but Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has not been booed since he appeared on the Rogers Centre videoboard in the ninth inning on Sept. 30.