Who is on first ?

Or who should be on first base, in Toronto.

Currently Lyle Overbay holds down that job, and I sense no panic in Cito Gaston to make any changes after 1 month of the season.

After all Lyle is a a veteran, and deserves the opportunity to display his talents despite his early struggles.

All the while Rome burns, and Nero fiddles away nailing Randy Ruiz's butt to the pines. So Ruiz was asked about any apparent frustration, and he was quoted as saying, " after 11 years of playing in the minors, you develop patience, and I will just be ready when called on".

What did you think he was going to say, "Play me or trade me" no, Randy has no choice, and he is clearly either not in favour with the manager, as displayed on certain situations when a pinch hitter is required, and John Buck's or John McDonald's name gets announced. Hey Randy, change name to John, perhaps Cito will yell out for John to grab a bat, and you beat Buck or McDonald to the rack before anyone notices.

Also perculating down in Nevada is youngster Brett Wallace, who was as of yesterday hitting .282, with 8 long flies so far. Now it is the PCL league, and while I do not fully suscribe to the theory that all the parks are band boxes, with warm Southwest breezes blowing out, or rarified air in Colorado assiting those power numbers, his .671 Slugging % is something to keep an eye on.

So Lyle labours on in May hitting .165, with 2 home runs, hitting 5th in the order. Of course the naysayers would say, so Ruiz is only hitting .111, but c'mon, the kid has 18 at bats, and few actual starts, while Overbay has 79 at bats, he hit over .300 last year , and if given time , he might have caught Overbay for extra base hits, but he only showed up in late August.

I have this hunch that as we watch the year unfold, the manager, Mr. Gaston will be faithful to the vets, giving them long stretches of rope and patience, because what can anyone do, it his Cito's swan song, and he is stubborn enough not to care what the media, or idiot bloggers like moi think of his batting order.

Who will be on 1st next year is the greater question, and I think it will be Brett Wallace, becasue the next manager of the Jays will have a mandate of "play the kids, develop the talent, and grow the brand ", and not placate the vets, but for Randy Ruiz, this should have been his year, at least to platoon. At the rate Overbay is hitting, he will not garner muck trade deadline interest, BUT, if Cito changes his mind in June, and Ruiz catches fire, Ruiz might showcase himself for future duty here or elsewhere.