NEWS » der Chris Sale, sidelined with a left flexor strain, rem

BRADENTON, Florida - J. Joe Thomas Jersey .A. Happ was pummeled by the Pirates on Tuesday, leaving general manager Alex Anthopoulos with an unappealing conundrum: its become easier for him to sell to the fan base the idea of having $12.7-million (Ricky Romeros and Happs combined 2014 salaries) of dead or differently-allocated money than it is to sell the fan base on including the left-hander in the opening day starting rotation. Happ faced 20 batters in three-plus innings. Twelve of them got hits, including Pittsburgh starter Wandy Rodriguez, who hit a wind-aided, opposite field, two-run home run to cap a four-run second inning. Rodriguez had never homered in 437 career major league at-bats. Happ allowed seven earned runs, bloating his springtime ERA over four starts to 20.57. The Blue Jays lost, wait for it, 22-5. "It wasnt a good day for anybody, really," said manager John Gibbons. "We got pounded pretty good. They werent missing em. We got hit around pretty good." Meanwhile, back in Dunedin, Dustin McGowan, the sudden favourite for the final available rotation job, threw four innings of scoreless baseball in a Triple-A game. His fastball was clocked in the mid-90s; McGowan hit the 62-pitch mark. "I thought he looked great," Anthopoulos told a pool reporter in Dunedin. "Its just trying to get him stretched out here. Every step is a step in the right direction, but well see how he feels tonight, tomorrow, all that kind of stuff. He got up to 62 today off of 48 the (outing) before. Well take it outing by outing at this point." The logical next step, provided McGowans wonky shoulder feels good on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, is to have the right-hander throw another minor league game in Florida on Sunday. "The big thing is that we dont get ahead of ourselves because we re-evaluate it almost daily to see how he feels," said Anthopoulos. "I always remind him as well, I keep reminding him that at any time any concerns, any tweaks, anything at all, he needs to tell us, and he said, Absolutely. Hes obviously a big part of wanting to do this as well. As I told him when were even exploring this, he needs to want to do this because we would never take chances with his career or with his health. Hes the one who knows how he feels. Hes been through this enough times. He has to communicate with us." Happ has had a puzzling spring. He arrived in Dunedin under the impression he had a spot in the starting rotation locked up. After poor starts on February 26 and March 3, he missed game action due to a bad back. His two appearances since his return, on March 19 and on Tuesday, have gone no better. "Yeah, thats not an issue," said Gibbons, when asked if Happs back was still a concern. Happ has an option remaining, meaning he could be sent to the minors without first passing through waivers. However, the fly in the ointment is significant: as a major league veteran with more than five years of service time, Happ has the right to refuse the assignment, at which point the Jays could keep him or release him while paying him full freight. Would Happ be willing to move to the bullpen? "Im not thinking about that," he said. "Ill answer that question if someone else, one of the bosses, decides they need to ask that. Well deal with that then. But thats not something thats on my mind." The Blue Jays still have not officially named Drew Hutchison to their starting rotation although its inconceivable he doesnt make the team. Hutchison has been the clubs best pitcher this spring and Anthopoulos is on the record as saying hes taking the best 25 players north. Assuming Hutchison joins R.A. Dickey, Brandon Morrow and Mark Buehrle in the rotation, Anthopoulos, Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker have to decide between McGowan, Happ and Todd Redmond for the final spot. The idea of piggybacking McGowan, that is starting him on a strict pitch count and backfilling with Redmond, Esmil Rogers, maybe even Happ, behind him has been bandied about. It likely will be revisited during internal meetings ahead of Sundays deadline to announce the opening day roster. "When we announce the team, everybody will know who it is," said Gibbons. REYES GOING TO MONTREAL? The Blue Jays are encouraged by the MRI results on Jose Reyes left hamstring, which revealed a minor strain. "Hopefully hes in there the next couple of days, maybe at DH," said manager John Gibbons. "Let him run half-speed, three-quarter-speed. It actually made us feel pretty good after we heard the results." When asked on Monday, before he had his MRI, whether he would play through the strain if the regular season already was underway, Reyes didnt answer. It behooves the Jays to be careful, though, especially considering the club plays 91 games (81 at home, 10 in Tampa Bay) of its 162 on artificial turf. "With baseball, too, there can be a lot of dead time too before you actually get a ball," said Gibbons. "That quick movement will sometimes get you. We feel good about it and you hope it doesnt turn into anything down the road either." Still, Gibbons says the plan is to bring Reyes to Montreal, where two games will be played on turf, if hes healthy enough to go. "Im sure everybody wants to see him play up there," said Gibbons. THE SECOND CATCHER R.A. Dickey is scheduled to start the Blue Jays final Grapefruit League home game on Wednesday. By game time, we should have a better idea of who will back up Dioner Navarro. "I would say the guy who catches him (Wednesday) will be the backup catcher," said Gibbons. "Ill leave it at that." Erik Kratz and Josh Thole are vying for the job. Gibbons has repeatedly said that effectively catching Dickey is the jobs number one priority. Thole, to the extent someone can be, is a master at it. Hes also got the most experience. Dickeys pitched 565 innings to Thole over their time together with the Mets and Blue Jays. Kratz, a 2002 Blue Jays draft pick, returned to the organization in an offseason trade with the Phillies. Hes a threat to hit a home run, having gone deep 18 times in 375 at-bats over the last two seasons. Thole posted a .175/.256/.242 line in limited action last season. If he makes the team it appears the club will have trouble generating offence from the eighth and ninth (Ryan Goins) spots in the lineup on the days he plays. Tyron Smith Jersey . The photograph shows Parker and a French comedian making a gesture known in France as a "quenelle," which critics describe as inverted Nazi salute. Parker said in a statement released through the Spurs that the photograph was taken three years ago. Parker, who was born in Belgium but raised in France, said he didnt know at the time that "it could be in any way offensive or harmful. Mel Renfro Jersey . "I have had no discussions with Chad Johnson or his representation," Popp said Friday in an email. However, he appeared to confirm a report on Twitter from TSN this week that Johnson was on Montreals negotiation list. https://www.cowboysjerseysale.com/835p-jason-garrett-jersey-cowboys.html . You can watch coverage on TSN, TSN2 and CTV beginning today at 3pm et/Noon pt. The championships will feature approximately 250 of Canadas best figure skaters in senior, junior and novice as they vie for spots on the national team, international assignments and will act as the final step in the 2014 Olympic qualification process. CHICAGO -- Bryan Holaday saw an opening and took advantage. Holaday drove in Austin Jackson with a two-out bunt single in the ninth, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night. Holaday said he focused on White Sox third baseman Marcus Semien before going for the bunt hit against Ronald Belisario. "I noticed he was staring in and then he backed up and I thought I had a good chance to lay it down," the catcher said. Jackson bolted for home while Holaday beat the throw to first. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he was calling for the bunt, but he wasnt sure if the message ever got to Holaday. "I dont know if he heard us or saw it on his own and took advantage," Ausmus said. "(Holaday) is not a speed merchant but hes not slow. . Hes got the ability to beat it out." Jackson started the winning rally when he reached third on a one-out error by right fielder Dayan Viciedo. Belisario (1-3) pitched two innings, allowing one hit and striking out three. Holaday, a late lineup addition, went 2 for 4. White Sox starter Jose Quintana struck out a season-high 10 in six innings, but received a no-decision for the third time this season. The left-hander allowed three runs and eight hits. Justin Verlander allowed three runs and six hits in seven innings for Detroit. It was the right-handers 176th quality start since 2006. The White Sox jumped ahead with three runs in the third. Adam Eaton doubled home Semien and then scored on Gordon Beckhams base hit. Adam Dunn drove in Beckham with a two-out double to right. Detroit got one back on Victor Martinezs RBI single in the fourth, and then tied with two runs in Quintanas laast inning. Marion Barber Jersey. The Tigers collected four straight two-out hits. Torii Hunters RBI single scored Miguel Cabrera and Jacksons base hit drove in Martinez. "He was doing pretty good, but you run into that part of the lineup, if youre not perfect, that can happen," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said of Quintana. "With Cabrera, then you go to Victor, so unless youre on it and youre throwing it right where you want, that can happen, it can sneak up on you." Quintana struck out Nick Castellanos to close his final inning. Alejandro De Aza tripled with one out in the seventh but was stranded when Verlander struck out Semien and Eaton. Verlander walked three and struck out four. "I was a little out of rhythm after six days off," he said. "After the third inning I kind of established a rhythm and got back to the way I should and have some quick innings." Tigers catcher Nick Avila was a late scratch with lower back spasms. He was replaced about 2 1/2 hours prior to the game by Holaday. NOTES: Ausmus said RHP Anibal Sanchezs finger "looked good" and he is scheduled to do informal throwing Wednesday. Sanchez was placed on the disabled list April 27 with a laceration on his right middle finger, and that "rawness kind of seems to have gone away," Ausmus said. "Its just a matter now of building up the skin on the end of that finger where it can take the friction of a baseball coming off of it again." ... The Tigers entered Tuesday after two days off having played just 21 games - the fewest in baseball. ... White Sox left-hander Chris Sale, sidelined with a left flexor strain, remains unlikely to pitch into this weekend. ' ' '