The best thing Alex Rodriguez could’ve done in the wake of the SI.com report that indicated he used steroids during the 2003 season was simply come clean and admit it was true.

Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi took that route before and have been able to continue with their careers without much controversy still tailing them. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens kept denying and their historic careers will forever be tainted. Mark McGwire made a fool of himself in front of Congress and he’s currently being kept out of the Hall of Fame.

On Monday, A-Rod came clean. He sat down with ESPN’s Peter Gammons and said the SI report was correct, and Rodriguez took it a step further. He admitted to using performance enhancers in each of his three seasons with Texas from 2001-03. Will A-Rod’s rep be tarnished? Sure. But, the game will be able to move on a bit easier now that he’s fessed up to cheating.

When the report came out, I can’t say that I was surprised. Why should any of us be surprised when we hear a player from this era tested positive for PHDs? As Rodriguez correctly points out in his comments, it was a loose era in the ’90s and in the early part of this decade. Things have changed for the better in recent years with the new testing that’s in place.

There’s a good chart in the MLB.com article on A-Rod’s admission. It breaks down his stats before, during and after the period in which he says he was using steroids. From 1996-2000, He averaged a .315 average, 36.8 homers and 114.8 RBIs in 145 games per season. From 2004-2008, the averages were .303/41.6/123.2 in 153.4 games. With Texas, A-Rod went .305/52/136.3 in 161.7 games on average.

You want to strip A-Rod of his tainted numbers? Go ahead. This guy is still a Hall of Famer. You want to strip Bonds of his totals from the point he is accused of using? Fine. He’s still a Hall of Famer. Clemens? McGwire? Even someone like Sammy Sosa? I say put them in the Hall.

They are the product of an era when hitters AND pitchers were using. Put it right on their plaques in Cooperstown: “Achieved these feats during the so-called Steroids Era.” Put it out there. Show what they did and why it was wrong and educate, but don’t try to hide these players from the kids. They’re in baseball’s record books and they’re not going anywhere.

That might not be the popular opinion, but that’s mine. Then again, I’m also from the camp that believes Pete Rose should be enshrined as well. If cheating or character are really deciding factors, there are plenty of players in the Hall who you could make a case for removing. Asterisks could be applied for reasons well beyond steroids.

Bottom line: I was happy to see A-Rod fess up as quickly as he did. Waiting until he arrived for Spring Training would’ve been a mistake, as would denying the accusations. He’s still going to hear plenty of “A-Roid!” chants when on the road and I’m sure Toronto will be one place that gives him a “warm” welcome.

Let’s move on and get ready for this 2009 season. Spring Training is here and the World Baseball Classic is right around the corner. Maybe some of you Jays fans aren’t as excited about this season, but you know what? Another baseball season is here and that’s plenty to be pumped about. I’ll be landing in Florida on Thursday and getting to work on Friday.

Here’s the A-Rod interview for those who haven’t seen it:

 

Some minor news today, with the Jays finalizing the Minor League deal for Japanese lefty Ken Takahashi. Word is that Toronto is also nearing another Minors deal with first baseman/designated hitter Kevin Millar. Jays also claimed reliever T.J. Beam off waivers this week, adding another body to the spring mix.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, I’ll get to the second edition of the E-mailbag. We’ve also been given the go ahead to run mailbags again on club sites, but it will now be called “Inbox.” I’ll probably roll out the first one when I get down to Florida for Spring Training next week.

So keep firing questions to jordan.bastian@mlb.com or bluejaysmailbag@gmail.com.

Hey Jordan,
Just wondering what the status is on Aaron Hill? Is he expected to be ready to go for Spring Training, and are the Jays expecting him to be the everyday second baseman? Thanks.
 
Allan, Halifax

Hill should be fully recovered from last season’s concussion and ready to go for spring. That’s what the Jays are saying and that’s what Hill has told me this winter. Of course, we’ll know for sure once we can watch him running through drills down in Dunedin. If he’s healthy, which he should be, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be Toronto’s regular for second — in the field and probably in the lineup, too.

Jordan,
In your opinion, do you believe the ‘Cito effect’ last season was legit, or just a fluke?  I don’t have the numbers with me, but I know the Jays drastically produced a lot more than they did earlier in the year under John Gibbons. Can a manager have THAT much influence over a team? Will that translate into next season with this group?
 
Jeremy, Hamilton

Here are some of the statistics:

Under Gibbons: 35-39 record, .231 with RISP, 49 homers
Under Gaston: 51-37 record, .285 with RISP, 77 homers

The Jays also scored more runs per game and had a higher slugging percentage under Cito, but the on-base percentage went down. Based on the numbers, I think the “Cito effect” was legit. The players all thought it was legit as well. This could be for a number of reasons.

First, a managerial change shows the players that no one is safe — not even a skipper who is a long-time friend of the general manager. That alone could be enough to motivate players to start focusing better and taking things up a level. Beyond just that, though, Gaston and the revamped hitting coaching staff implemented a different philosophy.

It’s been written to death, but Gaston emphasized having a plan at the plate and he also tried to have stability with his lineup. He put players in certain spots and tried to keep them there unless injuries or other circumstances dictated a change. It’s Cito’s view that players are more comfortable when they come to the park knowing they’ll be in the order and where they’re probably going to be hitting.

Will the changes carry over to this season? Obviously, there’s no way to answer that. What I do know is that Gaston is itching to get to work this spring on continuing what he started last year. Rios is a player that Gaston keeps mentioning as one he wants to really work with on his approach at the plate. Gaston is also hoping for more production from the corners.

It’d be hard for Toronto’s offense to be worse than it was last season.

Jordan, we are planning to see the Jays on the road somewhere this summer. Since you have been around baseball a lot, is there one city you would recommend?

Tanya

My favorite cities to visit are Boston and San Francisco, though I usually look forward to the non-baseball related sites. Both cities are beautiful and have great museums and dining. Also, being a runner, these are two great cities to head out on a long run because, while urban, they have great scenery. I love running along the Embarcadero in San Fran or by the Charles River in Boston. I’m also big into history, so Boston appeals to me in that way, too.

Now, moving on to baseball. San Fran still rates high because AT&T Park is gorgeous. I’d also highly recommend Seattle. The city is fantastic and the ballpark is great, and not too far from Vancouver. A lot of Jays fans come to Seattle when Toronto is in town and it’s often a rowdier crowd than at Rogers Centre.

If you don’t want to head all the way to the West Coast, Chicago is great as well, though I’m biased because I’m from there. You could catch the Cubs and the Sox while in Chicago and there’s plenty else to do in town. They have great architecture tours there and the food is awesome. Of course, New York is New York, and you’ve got two new stadiums there this year.

~JB

 

Some minor moves this week so far: Blue Jays agreed to terms on a Minor League deal with Japanese left-hander Ken Takahashi and today claimed lefty Brian Burres off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.

Nothing too extravagant, but Toronto keeps adding more arms to the mix for rotation and bullpen jobs. Both Takahashi and Burres have experience as a starter and as a reliever. Today, catcher Curtis Thigpen was designated for assignment to clear room on the roster for Burres.

Here’s a scouting report of Takahashi from NBPTracker.com:

“Takahashi has a fairly straightforward delivery with a high kick. … Takahashi throws a fastball, slider, sinker and curve, but I have also have a photo that clearly shows him throwing a circle change. Based on his walk numbers over the years I’d say his control isn’t phenomenal, but he is capable of keeping the ball down.

Here’s a clip from youtube:

~JB

As you all might have noticed, the once weekly mailbag that would appear on bluejays.com is no more. We at MLB.com used to run mailbags every week during the winter and every other week during the regular season on the club sites, but we’re now headed in a new direction content-wise.

That being said, I know there are many fans — not just of the Jaybirds — who loved the weekly Q&A and are probably upset that it’s gone. With that in mind, I plan on trying to do a weekly E-mailbag right here on my blog. For now, let’s tentatively pencil it in for Fridays, since I’m doing one tonight, but I’ll probably move it to Saturday or Sunday once the season opens.

So, without further ado, I’ll kick it off with just one question that was brought to my attention this week:

Hi Jordan,

Just a question regarding your recent starting rotation posts. Why is it such a given that David Purcey will be one of the Jays’ starters going into next year? He finished 3-6 with a 5.54 ERA, not exactly dazzling numbers. I know there aren’t a lot of options, but if Casey Janssen is anywhere near 2007 form, he’s way ahead of Purcey. Matt Clement was a consistent 3.50-4.50 ERA guy before his injuries. I just don’t think Purcey has done anything yet to be promised a Major League job.
 
Thanks for the articles though, much enjoyed.
 
Aaron

Thanks, Aaron. One thing to keep in mind is that Purcey’s stats are skewed some by his first few outings. After being inserted into the rotation on a full-time basis, the big lefty went 2-5 with a 4.88 ERA over nine outings. Sure, those still aren’t dynamic totals, but Purcey certainly showed flashes of his promise. Also, take into consideration that he only received 1.4 runs of support in his five losses during that stretch.

Purcey isn’t necessarily guaranteed a job in the rotation. All I wrote in the four-part series that ran this week was that he is one of three presumed locks on the staff, along with Roy Halladay and Jesse Litsch. And the only reason I included him in that group was because manager Cito Gaston and general manager J.P. Ricciardi have been saying since the Winter Meetings that it’s his job to lose this spring.

Obviously, if — for argument’s sake — Janssen, Clement and Scott Richmond have fantastic showings during the spring and Purcey labors, his stock could fall. As for Janssen’s 2007 form, he was a reliever that season — not a starter. He’s also returning from a shoulder injury, as is Clement, and those can be tricky ailments to rebound from. There’s no guarantee that Janssen and Clement will be back at 100 percent. But, from what the team is saying, they’re ready to compete for jobs.

So, basically, it’s only a “given” that David Purcey will be one of the Jays’ starters because that’s what Toronto is saying at this point. Consider that we were only saying Halladay and Litsch were locks when the offseason started. It’s also possible that someone like left-handed prospect Brett Cecil steps up in a big way this spring and forces the Jays’ hand.

I hope that answers your question.

As for the rest of you readers, feel free to shoot inquiries my way at jordan.bastian@mlb.com. A link to my e-mail is also included at the bottom of each story I write on the team’s web site. And, hey, this doesn’t have to be limited to just roster questions. We can just as easily discuss movies, music or my marathon training, or anything else I deem relevant for that matter, if the Jays don’t have much going on.

~JB

Some more Minor League contracts were handed out by the Blue Birds today. Toronto inked outfielder Jason Lane and infielder Brandon Fahey to add some more depth and tacked on invites to Spring Training for the pair of players.

To date, that’s seven Minor League deals with invitations to spring camp for the Jays this winter. The others were for Mike Maroth, Matt Clement, Michael Barrett, Raul Chavez and Randy Ruiz. No big spending sprees for Toronto, but plenty of low-risk additions to guard against any injury mishaps this spring.

Also this week, the Jays dismissed assistant GM Bart Given, who was one of three assistants to J.P. Ricciardi. Given’s duties will be passed along to assistant GMs Tony Lacava and Alex Anthopoulos. The timing of the firing was a bit odd, and reportedly happened on Wednesday — one day after Given was in attendance at the State of the Franchise event.

Today on BlueJays.com, I rolled out the first of four stories highlighting the contenders for the Jays’ Nos. 4-5 jobs in the rotation. Today’s story keys in on Casey Janssen, and I’ll follow with stories on Scott Richmond, the reclamation projects (Maroth and Clement) and the prospects (Cecil, Romero, Mills) all being discussed in the rotation competition.

As of right now, Ricciardi said Janssen is in the rotation. So, that means it’s Roy Halladay, presumably followed by Jesse Litsch, David Purcey and Janssen. That would leave Richmond to fight it out with Clement/Maroth for the last spot. Then again, Ricciardi said he’s not ruling out a guy like Cecil earning a job.

———————–

Beyond baseball, this is one of my favorite times of year: Oscar season. I have yet to see all the contenders, but of the one’s I have seen, I definitely recommend The Wrestler, Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire, Doubt and Gran Torino. I was somewhat disappointed with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and didn’t think it deserved all 13 of the nominations it received. The Dark Knight and The Wrestler were snubbed big time as well.

And, if there are any Flight of the Conchords fans among my readers, did you guys catch Episode 2 of the second season on Sunday night? Hilarious stuff. I got Season 1 over Christmas and have been loving that show.

~JB

That’s how long remains until the Blue Jays’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to Spring Training in Dunedin, Fla. Mark it down: February 14. That means it’s three weeks until yours truly hops on a plane and jets for the Florida sun, leaving the bitter cold of Toronto behind.

It’s been a while since I blogged and, well, I guess you could blame this winter of inactivity on the Blue Jays’ part. There hasn’t been a ton going on, with the exception of a few Minor League contracts (Matt Clement, Mike Maroth, Michael Barrett, Raul Chavez).

On Tuesday night, I did head over to the annual State of the Franchise event, which gives season-ticket holders a townhall type setting to hit the Blue Jays’ brass with questions. GM J.P. Ricciardi, manager Cito Gaston and interim prez Paul Beeston were all on hand for the hour-long Q&A.

Typically, this event has included a lot of questions about the ballpark — whether it’s concerns about concessions or renovations — or about ticket sales and other off-the-field topics. This year, the questions were nearly all about the roster or the budget, and the lack of moves made by the team this offseason.

Of note from the question-and-answer session:

–Ricciardi said the Jays did not agressively pursue slugger Jason Giambi because, A) it’d make the lineup too left-handed (what?) and, B) it’d take at-bats away from youngsters Adam Lind and Travis Snider. The latter would seem to be the main concern.

–It was revealed that, if healthy, Casey Janssen is likely the frontrunner for a spot in Toronto’s rotation. Ricciardi said that would leave Scott Richmond battling out Maroth and Clement for the fifth spot. Then again, the GM added that if a young arm (Cecil, Romero, Mills, for example) steps up in a big way this spring, they could fight their way into a job.

–Ricciardi said the Jays are stepping up their scouting overseas and noted that the club is even in talks right now with a Japanese pitcher.

–Ricciardi and Gaston both said they’d prefer a “catch and throw guy” for the No. 2 catcher’s job. That being the case, one catcher to monitor this spring is prospect Brian Jeroloman. He’ll be battling Chavez, Barrett and Thigpen for the backup role.

–The Jays didn’t ask Halladay to skip the World Baseball Classic, but the team doesn’t mind that he decided against taking part. Gaston and Ricciardi are both hoping the tourney can help hitters like Wells and Rios get off to a hot start, as was the case in 2006.

–Beeston emphasized that Toronto’s budget doesn’t have a limit. He said lowering the payroll to $85 million was “an organizational decision” aimed at helping the club break even financially. Once the club gets into a better financial state, it will be able to better afford high-profile players in future offseasons. With the current economy, and the injuries within the rotation, the club felt this season was better used as a way to get better footing financially, while also giving some young players some much-needed experience.

There was more, but for now, those are some of the highlights for you all to ponder and discuss. And, with the Jays offseason activity in mind, I leave you with this:

Just tossing up a short note to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Or, a Merry Christmahannakwanzukah! Or, Happy Festivus! Whatever you’re celebrating this time of year, have a blast. I’m heading home to Chicago with Mrs. Bastian for the holiday and will be back next week. Until then…

~Jordan Bastian

TORONTO — I’ve been stuck on the couch or in bed pretty much since I got back from the Winter Meetings. I’m sick and it’s not fun. I’ve got a marathon in less than a month and I haven’t been running in a week. Basically, I feel like garbage.

My theory is that my body is rejecting all this fresh air after being stuck inside the smoky casino in Las Vegas for four days. But, what are you going to do? Hopefully, I’ll be on the mend here soon. I’ve been sick for about five or six days now — very rare for me.

Anyway, just because I’m stuck inside with this cold, that doesn’t mean I haven’t been trying to work the phones. Spoke briefly with Paul Kinzer today — the agent for shortstop Rafael Furcal — and it appears as though the Jays are no longer in the running to sign the free agent.

“J.P. did all he could, but he couldn’t work it out,” Kinzer said. “We appreciate everything he did.”

The A’s appear to lead the pack, with the Dodgers and Royals also in the mix. Kinzer declined to going into specifics, but I’ve been writing from the beginning that acquiring Furcal was a long shot. Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi wasn’t immediately available for comment.

As for short, I’m not sure what this will mean for the Jays. They might be content with using Marco Scutaro and John McDonald, which is what Ricciardi had been saying all winter until the Furcal rumors resurfaced. Orlando Cabrera is also out there on the open market.

Again, though, if the Jays want to add anything, they’ll have to subtract, according to Ricciardi. Without Furcal in the plans, maybe Toronto could again turn its focus toward someone like Jason Giambi to help out in the power department. Just some speculation on my part.

More as more develops…

~JB

LAS VEGAS — Yup, the Winter Meetings have come to a close, with the boys in the Big Apple making the most noise this year. No surprises there, I guess. As for your Toronto Blue Jays, it was a quiet week — aside for some sitdowns.

Today, Toronto agreed to a Minor League contract with free-agent pitcher Matt Clement, and the deal could be announced as soon as Friday. Clement is coming off 2006 shoulder surgery, so we’ll see what kind of shape he’s in health wise. Toronto has also had talks with free-agent Carl Pavano this week.

The biggest news was the re-emergence of the Jays as players for shortstop Rafael Furcal — a few weeks after GM J.P. Ricciardi said the club’s interest had diminished. Now, Toronto is hoping to land the shortstop to boost their offense, which has lacked a true leadoff hitter for a while now.

The Jays aren’t saying they’re out on A.J. Burnett, but it seems highly improbable that he’d wind up back north of the border. The Yankees are apparently offering him five guaranteed years, which is something the Jays aren’t willing to do. Between the Braves and the Bronx, I would wager that Burnett winds up in pinstripes.

As for Rule 5 rumblings, the Jays lost infielders Anthony Hatch and Ryan Klosterman in the Triple-A phase and picked up outfielder Cody Haerther and pitcher David Shinskie in the same round. No activity in the Major League portion, so no Jason Smiths or Randy Wells types this season.

In the search for a backup catcher, the Jays have met with free-agent catcher Michael Barrett. Toronto is probably hoping to sign him to a Minor League contract as well. That would provide some depth behind Rod Barajas, and would allow the Jays to keep J.P. Arencibia playing every day in the Minors.

With that, I’m going to get out of here. I have some time to kill before I have to catch a Red Eye back to the GTA and I feel like I still have never been to Vegas. I’ve been stuck in the Bellagio pretty much this whole week. Catch you all from Toronto…

~JB