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DUNEDIN, Florida – Surely, after Drew Hutchisons latest Grapefruit League performance, only injury or a couple of calamitous outings will keep him out of the Blue Jays starting rotation when camp breaks in a little over two weeks. Mauricio Pinilla Jersey . Manager John Gibbons wasnt taking the bait on Friday afternoon following his clubs 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Red Sox. "When we put the team together, well announce it at the end," said Gibbons. "Nice try, though." Pressed further, Gibbons was only slightly more willing to share what everyone believes hes thinking about his 23-year-old right-hander. "Hes doing everything he needs to do," said Gibbons. "When the time comes, everybody will know." Hutchison pitched five innings on Friday with his only blemish coming in the fifth, when a Corey Brown double cashed in Jonny Gomes. He struck out seven Red Sox, didnt walk a batter, scattered four hits and threw 51 of his 71 pitches for strikes. Once again, Hutchison commanded the strike zone. Continuing the trend he set from the start of camp, Hutchisons fastball routinely clocked at 95 miles per hour. Surely the young hurler knows hes pitching his way onto the team. Regardless, he insists hes not looking ahead, his post-start dance with the media as seasoned as his stuff on the mound. "Stay in the moment," said Hutchison. "It doesnt do me any benefit to think ahead or think behind. You just focus on each pitch and continue to execute and perform." The Blue Jays love Hutchisons will to compete. Coaches say hes not satisfied with being a big leaguer. He wants more; he expects to be a staff ace one day. Hutchison displayed that mentality in a full count showdown with Red Sox slugger Mike Napoli to lead off the second inning. He lamented a two-strike change-up earlier in the at-bat. Napoli fouled it off. Hutchison felt he could have better gotten on top of the pitch. He went back to the fastball and, on the eighth pitch of the showdown, froze Napoli with a heater on the outside corner. He addressed the approach to Napoli. "When you get in that deep of a count, youve got to win that," said Hutchison. "It drives your pitch count up, so youve got to make sure you get him." If the Blue Jays are to contend in the American League East, the club needs at least one pitcher to step up and pleasantly surprise. Hutchison fits the bill, although he isnt shocked in the least by his successful spring. "No, Im not surprised," he said. "As far as everybody else, Im not really concerned about it. I prepared myself coming into camp to have a good camp and have a good year." HAPP FEELS "GOOD" J.A. Happ threw three scoreless innings in a minor league game on Friday. It marked his first appearance in more than a week with what the Blue Jays and Happ say inflammation in his back. "I felt good," said Happ. "It was good. Exciting. I felt normal out there, which is really nice." He threw 43 pitches, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out two. Happ was away from the Blue Jays for two days last Friday and Saturday. The Blue Jays say Happ was prescribed bed rest. Happ didnt want to miss any time. "I wasnt too far away," said Happ. "It was just something we need to take a step backward in order to go forward. We tried to take care of it with a few things and I think it definitely helped." What exactly was wrong? "Just some inflammation," said Happ. "We think there was something that was kind of pushing on the nerve that was sending some discomfort my way for a little while. We tried to ease that and I think weve taken a step in the right direction." The Blue Jays had a radar gun at Happs start. Happ said his fastball clocked 91-93 miles per hour. He hopes to build to 90 pitches by his final spring start. Happ didnt wish to address comments made last week by general manager Alex Anthopoulos that hes now competing for a spot in the starting rotation. "My comment is no comment," he said. "That was probably disappointing to hear but theres nothing I want to say about it." Manager John Gibbons has only one concern about Happ. "Weve got to make sure his back is healthy." DIAZ BACK "HOME" After one season with the Red Sox organization, infielder Jonathan Diaz is back where his career began. "It almost feels like I never left," he said. "It feels like home. I was here for so long and Im very familiar with a lot of the guys and the coaches, so it just feels like home." Diaz, 28, was a 12th-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2006. At 59" and 165 pounds, hes a smaller player known for his big glove. Often playing in the back end of Grapefruit League games, hes seemingly matched starter Jose Reyes big play for big play. It hast been an easy journey. Diaz was the final cut from Blue Jays camp in the spring of 2011. Playing at Triple-A Las Vegas, hed gotten off to the best offensive start of his career. In mid-May, he and his wife Kerry were in the backseat of a Vegas taxi. The driver ran a red light. The car was t-boned. Diaz suffered a concussion. Kerry had broken ribs, a separated shoulder and a lacerated spleen. Both were knocked unconscious and awoke in hospital. Diaz needed two months to recover from the symptoms. "It was hard focusing, disoriented and all that stuff," he said. "The funny thing was, when I started running, my eyes had a hard time adjusting and they would wobble." When he returned after the All-Star Break, Diaz was at Double-A New Hampshire. He would finish the season there. When Yunel Escobar went down in September, Diaz hoped for a call up and the chance to make his major league debut. It wasnt to be. Fast forward almost two years to June 29, 2013, the day Diaz first appeared in a big league game. It was Fenway Park. The Blue Jays were there, but he was wearing a Boston uniform. "It was just like, youre writing a story," said Diaz. "It kind of made me more comfortable because I knew a lot of guys on the other side. I knew what they did and I had a scouting report in my head already about all of the guys, so it made me more comfortable in my first game." Diaz appeared in only five games for the Red Sox, spending most of the season with Bostons top minor-league affiliate in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Still, hell be getting a World Series ring. "Its very special," he said. "I wish I would have played a little bit of a bigger part in the whole process, but its definitely something Im going to cherish for a long time." Just getting to the major leagues, when it appeared the taxi cab accident had taken away his chance, means more to Diaz now than he could ever have imagined. "I feel blessed enough to finally make it to the big leagues last year because sometimes the windows in this game are very small and it could have been my only window," he said. "Luckily, I got the opportunity last year with Boston. That took away a lot of the emotional stuff that I had from the accident that maybe Ill never make it again because of it." Gonzalo Jara Chile Jersey .Y. -- The Ottawa Senators got aggressive in overtime and Jared Cowen made it work. Enzo Roco Jersey .com) - Four-time champion Novak Djokovic has been installed as the top seed at the Australian Open, which will begin Monday in Melbourne.PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phillies got some major production out of the middle of their order on the way to an easy win. Chase Utley hit a three-run homer, and Ben Revere had four hits, including a triple, to lead the Phillies to a 10-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Ryan Howard had two hits and two RBIs with a double for Philadelphia, which had scored just two runs in 35 2-3 innings entering Wednesday. The Phillies topped the Astros 2-1 in 15 innings on Tuesday night. Utley, Howard and Marlon Byrd -- the Phillies Nos. 3-5 hitters -- had five hits and six RBIs. "It makes a big difference all the way around," Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg said. "That becomes contagious." David Buchanan (6-5) was called up again to replace Cliff Lee, who is on the disabled list for a second time because of a left elbow strain sustained last Thursday. Buchanan, whose strategy was to get ahead of hitters, gave up three runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings with five strikeouts and no walks. He filled in for Lee during the left-handers previous two-month stint on the DL, but made his last three starts in the minor leagues. "Steady, gave us a chance to win," Sandberg said. "He doesnt get rattled out there. He hangs in there." Brad Peacock (3-8) struggled in his first big-league start since being sent to the minors to work on his fastball command. He allowed eight runs and seven hits in five innings, and lost his third straight start. The right-hander had an 18.00 ERA in his previous two starts with the Astros, which landed him in Triple-A Oklahoma City. The Phillies jumped on Peacock in the first inning for five runs and four hits, highlighted by Howards two-run double. Buchanan drove in the final run of the frame with his first major-league hit in his 18th at-bat. "I couldnt get into a groove," Peacock said. "I was probably working a little too quick. I was a little amped up." Utleys homer in the fourth gave Philadelphia an 8-2 lead. "It was a bad pitch to Utley, but after that I felt great," Peacock said. "But the numbers are the numbers." Houston scored in the first inning on Jon Singletons RBI groundout, in the fourth on Jake Marisnicks sacrifice fly, and in the seventh on Jose Altuves groundout. Altuve had two hits with an RBI, giving him his major league-leading 48th multi-hit game. UP NEXT Astros right-hander Colin McHugh (4-9, 3.32) faces Phillies right-hander Roberto Hernandez (6-8, 3.87) as the teams wrap up their three-game set on Thursday night. Hernandez will be trying for his third straight win after allowing just two earned runs in 15 innings over his last two starts. Nicolas Castillo Jersey. McHugh, who will be making his first career start against the Phillies, entered Wednesday ranked fifth in the AL in opponents batting average (.203) and second in strikeouts per nine innings (10.14). TRAINERS ROOM Phillies: Lees season appears to be over. Although no announcement on his status has been made, Lees locker in the clubhouse has been cleaned out. Lee was making his second start last Thursday after a two-month stint on the DL when he was hurt again. Astros: Rookie outfielder George Springer, on the DL since July 20 with a strained quad, played in his third rehab game with Quad Cities on Wednesday night. Springer doubled but was lifted after feeling a pull, Houston manager Bo Porter said. The AL Rookie of the Month in May is batting .231 with 20 homers and 51 RBIs in 78 games with Houston. Before Wednesdays game, Springer was on pace for a possible return on Thursday although Fridays home game against Texas is more likely. OUT FROM HIS KNEES Second-base umpire Jeff Nelson made an out call from his knees in the first inning after falling while trying to get in position when Buchanan slid into second. Sandberg challenged Nelsons decision but the call stood after a 3-minute, 12-second replay delay. Buchanan thought he was safe but said, "I think for now Im going to stay on first base." DANCING WITH THE PHANATIC Third-base umpire Laz Diaz showed off his dancing skills during a skit with the Phillie Phanatic following the fifth inning. Dressed in a red and black costume with Spanish music blaring, the Phanatic danced Salsa style in front of Diaz. Diaz at first made no expression and twice turned away from the Philadelphia mascot before getting in on the dance toward the end of what seemed to be an unscripted act. FOLTYNEWICZ WORKS OUT OF JAM Astros reliever Mike Foltynewicz worked out of a jam in the seventh inning in his second major league appearance. The right-hander allowed three straight hits to start the frame, capped by Byrds RBI single, before getting Grady Sizemore to ground into a double play and Wil Nieves to strike out swinging. It was the first career run allowed for Foltynewicz, who pitched 2-3 scoreless innings in his big-league debut on Saturday. Foltynewicz came back out for the eighth and gave up another run when Revere tripled and scored on a wild pitch. BULLPEN ON A ROLL Philadelphia relievers Jake Diekman, Justin De Fratus and Cesar Jimenez combined to allow one hit in 2 2-3 scoreless innings in a strong performance from the Phillies bullpen for the second straight night. In Tuesdays win, the Philadelphia relievers allowed one hit in eight scoreless innings and struck out 14. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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