DUNEDIN, Fla. -- With just more than two weeks left in spring training, the usual suspects have moved to the front in the chase for the open spots on the 25-man roster.
To date there is no big surprise in camp, no type of player who elicits raves such as: "Wow, look at that guy. We thought he had an outside chance but he's been so lights out that there's no way he's not making the team."
The biggest jumble of names involves the bullpen.
The Jays will deploy seven relievers and the question is: Who are the four guys that will make the team in back of right-handers Kevin Gregg and Jason Frasor and lefty Scott Downs?
Right-hander Shawn Camp is next in line as a sure bet because of his versatility and the fact that manager Cito Gaston loves his tenacity and competitiveness.
As Gaston likes to put it when talking about Camp: "He's got balls."
Whippet-like lefty Jesse Carlson should also be back despite a significant falloff from 2008 when he was virtually unhittable.
In 2008, Carlson allowed just 41 hits in 60 innings with a 2.25 ERA and held opponents to a .196 average. Last year, it was 67 hits in 672/3 innings, a 1-6 record, 4.66 ERA and the opposition clipped him for a .258 average.
This spring, Carlson had a slight problem with his right shoulder and currently is bothered by the MCL in his left knee. He hasn't pitched in over a week.
If he isn't physically ready by April 5, opening day, that's one thing. But if he's healthy, he should be on the team.
So that's five bodies, two of them left-handers, with two spots to go. Here's where it gets interesting.
PROTECTION
On Thursday, general manager Alex Anthopoulos stated the obvious when he said that, if all things were equal, then the Jays probably would go with the pitchers who were out of options and send the others to the minors. It's called protecting yourself and it is done by all 30 major league teams.
"It certainly goes into it and we told all the players," Anthopoulos said.
"We met with them before spring training started and said to all the guys that have options: 'The guys who have options, you guys are more at risk.'
"The guys that didn't have options, I told: 'You've got to make this team, otherwise you can get exposed to waivers, you can clear, you can get claimed.'
The ones that have options I said: 'The reality of it is, you have options. If it is close, you have the risk of being sent down. It means your performance has to be that much stronger if it is a tie between the two of you.' "
So, who are the relievers that still have options?
They are, in no particular order: Carlson, lefty David Purcey, who is now being viewed as a power arm in the bullpen, and right-handers Josh Roenicke, Jeremy Accardo and Casey Janssen.
The out-of-option list contains names such as Camp, lefty starter Dana Eveland, who was obtained from Oakland, and hard-throwing right-hander Merkin Valdez.
"They're all in the mix and at this stage we don't know how it's going to line up," Anthopoulos said.
"We have to balance two things: What's the best team now and the best team over 162 games."
One of the final two spots should go to Janssen, given the way he has pitched.
The final spot remains a crapshoot with Valdez holding a slight lead, but Purcey could edge him at the wire.
MIKE.RUTSEY@SUNMEDIA.CA
