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DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The last of the stragglers are slowly filing in, most of them early for a Blue Jays spring training that will be short on questions and long on preparation.
As of last night only two regulars -- Shea Hillenbrand and Alex Rios -- had yet to report and we are still four days away from the final reporting date.
In years past, there have always been jobs to fight for or positions in which to prove oneself in camp. But there is little of that this season.
With the exception of Eric Hinske, who is making his second position move in consecutive years -- this one to the outfield after going across the diamond from third to first last spring -- there really is only one other question to be answered.
And that is: Are the Jays, with their five additions, good enough to bump off one of the Boston Red Sox or New York Yankees in the American League East?
The answer, however, is not going to come here. That will come well into the regular season. But there is no denying that what gets accomplished over the next six weeks here will have a huge impact on how that question is answered.
In just his second full season as a manager, John Gibbons knows he is in a situation few managers in baseball ever get to enjoy.
"I really can't complain about not having this or that, now," Gibbons said of the infusion of talent that includes closer B.J. Ryan, starter A.J. Burnett, first baseman Lyle Overbay, third baseman Troy Glaus and catcher Bengie Molina.
"We're moving in the right direction. We filled some needs and now we need to go out there and see how good we are," Gibbons said.
As for that one lingering question, it won't keep Gibbons up nights. Hinske already has shown he is capable of changing position and Gibbons is convinced the move to the outfield is doable, requiring little more than a lot of repetition at his new position.
"The best work you can get is taking balls off the bat, over and over and over again," Gibbons said, promising Hinske will get plenty of that in practice and in games.
"I've done it before," Hinske said yesterday of learning a new position. "I'm not nervous about it. I'm confident that I can make the transition. I've already talked with Vernon (Wells) about it. He said: 'Anything in the gaps I've got' so I should be fine."
Sounding much like Gregg Zaun who saw his role change with the addition of Molina, Hinske seems content to roll with whatever comes his way.
"I don't think I was going to get any at-bats anywhere else in the lineup, so wherever I can help the team win is what I'm trying to do," he said.
When the idea of moving Hinske to the outfield first surfaced in the off-season, one scenario had Frank Catalanotto moving to right field and Hinske platooning in left with Reed Johnson.
Gibbons, though, sees no sense in moving two guys out of position and will put Hinske into a platoon with Alex Rios in right.
"I think Cat has found his place out there in left," Gibbons said.
So don't expect any thrilling competition out of this camp. The Jays' plan is to save it for the regular season.