The Kingston Whig-Standard from Kingston, Ontario, Canada • 19

FRIDAY APRIL 13 2Q12BTHEKINGSTONWfflG-STANDARD PAGE 19 sports BUIE JAYS: Farm system teeming with impressive pitchers Between them those four pitches have tossed 18 innings allowed 10 hits six walks just one earned run with 24 strike-' outs It is entirely possible that any or all of them could blow through diis level and through Dunedin (high Class A) this -season The Jays have three other short-season teams (Gulf Coast Bluefleld and Vancouver) which begin play in June As they wiit for those seasons to: begin the dub has 104 play- era in extended spring training in Dunedin working out and playing informal games against teams from other major-league camps That account for the kids in the Dominican Republic who will play for the Uue Jays-sponsored dub in the Dominican summer league Once those short-season Class A teams are populated tiie Jays will be ready to bring in tills year's draft class yet to be selected in the June draft Up until Just a few years ago the entire Toronto farm system accounted for maybe 150 players tops Now in addi-: don to the full rosters at Las Vegas New Hampshire Dunedin and Lansing they have more' than 100 biding their time in: Florida with as many as 50 more to come from the draff In the recently- signed collective bargaining agreement the signing deadline for players selected in the June draft was Amoved ahead by more than a month from Aug 15 to July 13 That should prove better for everybody and allow late signees to join teams and start their pro careers faster than in the past The smart players have always known that the quicker they sign the quicker they can start moving up the professional ladder: In case that is a ladder laden with talent only a matter of time before it starts to pay off at the big-league level KaaFUDa BASEBALL All through spring training manager lohn mantra vas conslstedt: The Toronto Blue Jays would go as far as their rotation can take them That talking point has not changed and will not change Six games Into the season the lays are 4-2 and their starters with only a couple of excep- tjons appear to have gotten the message Other than Ricky uncharacteristic hiccup on opening day and rookie Joel nervous reaction to his start in Game 3 the start-! cjrs have thrown strikes challenged hitters and relied on their defence They've averaged about qtt innings per start with a WHIP under 100 and an ERA of £63 On Friday Brandon Morrow who gave up one hit a home rjm Aver seven Innings in his season debut in Cleveland will I tfy to get his first win against die Baltimore Orioles Despite the relative success the starting staff so it will remain a rather fluid outfit in die aiming weeks tCarreno was sent back to Triple A after his start so the dullpen could be expanded to ease the workload that back-! to-back season-opening extra-' inning games put on the relief corps Toronto does not require filth starter until April 21 in Kansas City and that assignment could be filled in a number of ways Aaron Laffey is the probable choice since experienced and already on die staff There are other options whether it is Carreno again or perhaps one of die a of Double A prospects Drew Hutchison Chad Jenkins STEVE NESIUS Reuters Totxmto Blue Jays pitcher Brandon Morrow wtio surrendered just one hit over seven innings in his season debut against Cleveland goes for his first win of the season Friday when the dub takes on the Baltimore Orioles after enjoying an off-day Thursday DeSclafani Nicolino with Sanchez Right now they are limited to three Innings each game Syndergaard and Sanchez have both been clocked at 99 mph tills spring 'Those poor said assistant GM Tbny LaCava shaking his head and thinking about Lansing's opponents 'One night they get Syndergaard and DeSclafani The next night they get Sanchez and Nicolino die season and die pitching staff had an ERA of 176 Eight of the 13 pitchers who had appeared in games to that point had not allowed a run High-end prospects in Lansing include Noah Syndergaard 19 Anthony DeSclafani 21 Justin Ntcolino 20 Aaron Sanchez 19 and Jesse Hernandez 23 With the exception of Hernandez those young arms are being stretched out slowly and are being piggy-backed in games Syndergasrd is paired with home especially this spring for anyone who visited the minor-league complex and saw the multitude of young quality pitchers That quality is already asserting Itself in the current minor-league season Thke the Lansing Lugnnts for example fourth from the top in die Blue Jay chain They play in the low Class A Midwest League and their pitching staff is a whds who of major-league prospects The Lugnuts through Wednesday's game wen 6-0 on or Deck McGuire Hutchison and Jenkins are both off to solid starts while McGuire got beat up in his first start victimized for five home runs in as many innings by a gale blowing out in Trenton GM Alex Anthopoulos has said he Is unafraid to tap the depths of his minor-league pitchers feeling that several are very close to being ready for the majors For a couple of years the Jays have talked proudly of their stockpile of elite arms but it hit MLB NOTEBOOK: Johnny Damon has a new home in Cleveland pain tolerance to be tested taking control of living longer stronger better The evidence Is In Inactivity can teke years eft your Ufa Rt more physical activity Into your dap and ywfll nsckjcs your ride of heart dhows Gnadri numbarono kWar To find out how to gat started cdfc (413)149-1232 or UW0-247-7l7loxt40l bejy active rUW i -St a a VARSITY Maybe a broken pinkie finger keep New York Mets third baseman David Wright out of the lineup long after alL The Mets released a statement Thursday saying that a hand specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery told Wright he can resume activities ss tolerated Effectively that means if Wright can handle the pain he could be in the lineup Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies And the Mets certainly need him playing if they hope to win After starting the season with four straight wins they lost both games after Wright broke his finger diving back to first base Monday against the Washington Nationals As much as you want to say everybody picks each other up David was a big part of what we were doing early on Mets outfielder Jason Bay said on the team's website 'And then obviously you take David out of that equation Any team that's going to hurt" If Wright day Friday die 'Mets could put Urn on the disabled list and shift second base-man Daniel Murphy to third DAMON JOINS TRIBE Looks like Johnny Damon has a Inew home in Cleveland Damon a free agent who failed Ito gamer any interest over the off-season has agreed to terms with -the Indians and expects to sign Friday after he's undergone a ecal He will likely play left for tire struggling Indians -who went into Thursday with a 1-4 record and 178 team batting av- SANGEE i( 'vf I i iV 4 ST LAWRENCE COLLEGE VIKINGS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK role with the basketball team increased dramatically as the 2011-2012 season went by The freshman forward started the i on the bench but ended season as a regular starter would sometimes play the game Martin a graduate LCVI finished the season with points-per-game average of 66 was a key player down the as the Vikings finished with 12-8 record and a home playoff "He recently represented St Lawrence College at the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association All-Star Basketball event at Centennial There he participated in three-point competition and in the top five in st MARTIN a a sV: i Sangee Vikings season the who entire of a and stretch a 8 pot College the finished ADAM HUNGER Reuters NewYork Mets third baseman David Wright looks on from the dugout with his broken pinkie in a splint against the Washington Nationals during the fifth Inning of their MLB National League baseball game at CltiFieidinNewYbrk if ts --'''tVC I ber of the Philadelphia Phillies The long-time Phillies outfielder will sign a one-day contract with the dub in May so he can go out the same way he came into the big leagues The Phillies will hold a retirement ceremony fin tiie 35-year-old on May 19 more I thought aboqt it It's the right thing to do Burrell said on MULcom 1 was with that organization foiso long I have such good memories You realize it's an honour and I'm very appreciative of the fact they wanted to do this for me I'm looking forward to it I really Burrell selected first overall in the 1997 draft played for the Phillies from 2000 to the year he helped diem win the World Series He also played for the Ibmpa Bay Rays and San Francisco Gi- the Nationals are hoping rest will correct the problem which flared up during his rehab stint with ass A Hagerstown He can swing the bat fine but throw without feeling pain We are going to put him on total shut-down mode for six weeks so he can rest it Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said tried to ramp him up and get him ready as quickly as we could because he is a big piece of our line- up He just reaggravated it and we have to be ultra cautious and make sure he is right tor the majority of the season Nats closer Drew Storen had minor elbow surgery to remove a bone chip on Wednesday according to his agent expected to return some time before the all- STRADWICK kept myself in pretty good -shape and just excited that Cleveland is giving me this oppor--tunity to see what I can do and al--ao go help out a young tram and -provide some leadership to them -Damon said on MLB Network Re-Idia 1 told them IVe been staying pit great shape been running -Been throwing been hitting been playing soccer: So I told them I foel like I could be ready in a couple of days The 38-year-old outfielder is 277 hits shy of3000 for his careet Damon hit 261 with 16 homers and 73 RBb in 150 games with the Thmpa Bay Rays last season NATS NEWS NOT GOOD The Washington Nationals expect outfielder Michael Morse to miss at least six weeks with a strained muscle in his back Morse need surgery and Locally Owned Operated Since 1953 The ONE store for your perfect floor JSRADWICKPl 'I LSXHG a dSsl613J3 8 915 5 4 Agency feURREU SET TO RETIRE Pat Burrell will retire as a mem- i.