Plenty of 'pen picks Twelve have shot with Jays By KEN FIDLIN, QMI Agency

Jays pitcher Brandon Morrow throws during spring training in Dunedin, Fla., on Monday. (REUTERS/Fred Thornhill) Solid rep follows Buck Richmond going to war

A year ago, the Blue Jays bullpen was coming off a season in which it led the American League in earned run average. The thinking then was: "Why mess with a good thing?"

This year, not so much. Already Kevin Gregg has been hired to take the spot vacated by Brandon League. Scott Downs and Jason Frasor can be considered safe bets.

After that?

"Who knows?" manager Cito Gaston said. "The rest of it's open."

That leaves four positions with as many as a dozen candidates.

Jesse Carlson is a "probable," but he wasn't quite as effective last season as he was the year before.

"Carlson is one of the guys I really like," Gaston said. "We pitched him a lot and he was having problems, not with his pitching arm, but with his other shoulder. You do have to lead with that shoulder.

"He's still got to go out and do something because he didn't have a great year last year."

Josh Roenicke, who came over from Cincinnati in the Scott Rolen trade, is another of last year's crew who could nail down a job.

"All he's got to do is go out there and take it to them," Gaston said.

Then there are Jeremy Accardo, Shawn Camp and Casey Janssen, all holdovers; Merkin Valdez, Rule 5 pickup Zech Zinicola, as well as several other non-roster invitees who could open some eyes once the games begin.

Romero to start opener

Ricky Romero will get the start in the Blue Jays' Grapefruit League opener Wednesday at Dunedin Stadium against the Detroit Tigers and Jeremy Bonderman.

Dana Eveland, formerly of the Oakland Athletics, and Roenicke will follow Romero to the mound.

All three are expected to pitch two innings.

Thursday, in a return engagement against the Tigers in Lakeland, Fla., Marc Rzepczynski, Brett Cecil and Kyle Drabek are scheduled to pitch two innings for Toronto. Rick Porcello will start for Detroit.

On Friday, the Jays will face the Phillies at Dunedin, with Brandon Morrow scheduled to make his spring debut against Philadelphia's Cole Hamels.

In a 10 a.m. B game that morning, also against the Phillies, Brad Mills will start for Toronto.

McInnings Boost

While Alex Gonzalez is going to get the bulk of the innings at shortstop for Toronto this year, Gaston is planning to get John McDonald more playing time as well. Last season, McDonald played in just 73 games and started only 37 times.

"Gonzalez has never played on turf before and he's one of the guys I want to give a day off here and there if I can," Gaston said.

"I think it's going to be better for Mac. I'm going to try to make it better for him.

"I'd like to find him some more playing time."

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