TORONTO — Cito Gaston has received plenty of congratulatory phone calls since assuming the manager’s chair for the Jays on Friday. On Wednesday, he ran through a list of some of his callers: George Bell, Leo Mazzone, Cecil Fielder, Mel Queen and, wouldn’t you know it, Frank Thomas.

“Every day I get here I say I’m going to call some of them back, but I’ve just been so busy,” Gaston said.

When he’s not weeding through his voicemail, Gaston is also having visitors drop by the stadium. One Joe Carter ducked his head into the manager’s office after the game last night and Gaston’s face lit up. Before Tuesday’s game, Gaston also spent a couple hours with former Jays prez Paul Beeston.

Gaston also noted that Toronto second baseman Aaron Hill, who is out indefinitely with a concussion and has been instructed to stay away from the team for two weeks (as to avoid wanting to take part in baseball activities), dropped by the ballpark to say hi to his new skipper.

“Aaron came by to see me today,” Gaston said. “He’s anxious to get back in the lineup. I told him that we’d love to have him back in the lineup, but we want him back healthy. It’s not about today, it’s about the rest of his life and his future. They’re starting to take those things a little more seriously than they used to and I think they should.”

Hill was clocked in the side of the face on May 29 by a David Eckstein elbow and has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms ever since. As Gaston noted in that last quote, concussions weren’t treated with nearly as much care as they are nowadays.

“I got one right here,” said Gaston, pointing to his left cheek — nearly the same spot Hill was drilled. “And I was in the lineup the next day. I guess they hit me in the right place. Back then, it was, ‘How do you feel?’ ‘I feel good.’ ‘Where are you?’ ‘I don’t know, but I can play.'”

Gaston was then asked if he remembered who hit him.

“Oh, no, it was too long ago,” he said with a laugh. “See? And I said it didn’t affect me, right?”

Today’s lineups:

CINCINNATI (35-42) at TORONTO (37-41)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre

REDS
Jay Bruce, RF
Adam Dunn, LF
Brandon Phillips, 2B
Ken Griffey Jr., DH
Joey Votto, 1B
Jeff Keppinger, SS
Corey Patterson, CF
Javier Valentin, 3B
David Ross, C

PITCHING: RHP Aaron Harang (3-10, 4.33)

BLUE JAYS
Marco Scutaro, SS
Joe Inglett, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Matt Stairs, DH
Scott Rolen, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Gregg Zaun, C
Adam Lind, LF

PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay (8-6, 2.90)

QUOTABLE: “Last night he came in and he sat down and I said, ‘Worn out, huh?’ He said, ‘A little bit.’ But I said, ‘Keep it up.’ We want him to be worn out. It was a good night for him last night — a good night for all of us.” — Gaston, on third-base coach Nick Leyva and Toronto’s 14-run, 22-hit win on Tuesday

TORONTO — So it’s the sixth inning and I’m blogging now, so sue me. Honestly, I was so dumbfounded by the fact that the Blue Jays were scoring 11 runs over the first two innings that I complete forgot about hopping on here. Ah, well. Better late than never.

With the Reds in town, Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi couldn’t escape questions about the recent controversy involving him and the Cincy slugger. As you probably know by now, Ricciardi made some comments last week during his weekly radio show, saying Dunn “lacked a passion for the game.” Dunn wasn’t happy.

On Tuesday, Ricciardi had this to say:

“I talked to Adam on Saturday, so I see it as a dead issue. I don’t know if he [accepted it] or if he didn’t, but I apologized. Actually, he called me. I tried to get his phone, but I wasn’t having any luck. So he called me and I told him I made a mistake. I apologized. I let my guard down, which I shouldn’t have done, but I did. That’s all I can do is apologize.”

Upon hearing that, Dunn said that phone conversation never took place. Caught up with Ricciardi up here in the pressbox later and he stuck by his story, insisting that he spoke with someone on Saturday who claimed to be Dunn. Ricciardi was at a loss, “All I know is the person I talked to said it was Adam Dunn. That’s quite a prank to pull.”

Somebody’s fibbing, but honestly, it’s reached the “Who cares?” realm, in my book. Ricciardi said what he said, he issued an apology either indirectly or directly to Dunn, Dunn didn’t reall sound like he accepted the apology, and let’s move on. Dunn’s not coming to Toronto.

Oh, yeah, it was Cito Gaston’s first appearance at the Rogers Centre since taking over as the manager. The fans responded with loud chants of “Cito! Gaston!” in the fifth inning.

Today’s lineups:

CINCINNATI (35-41) at TORONTO (36-41)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre

REDS
Norris Hopper, CF
Adam Dunn, LF
Ken Griffey Jr., DH
Brandon Phillips, 2B
Joey Votto, 1B
Jeff Keppinger, 3B
Jay Bruce, RF
Paul Janish, SS
Paul Bako, C

PITCHING: RHP Bronson Arroyo

BLUE JAYS
Marco Scutaro, SS
Joe Inglett, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Matt Stairs, DH
Scott Rolen, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Gregg Zaun, C
Adam Lind, LF

PITCHING: RHP A.J. Burnett

NOTES: RHP Shaun Marcum (right elbow) is due to resume throwing on Saturday and Ricciardi said the pitcher will likely be out until after the All-Star Game. … Ricciardi again said there’s no timetable for the return of 2B Aaron Hill (concussion). … Ricciardi noted that LHP John Parrish is the “front-runner” for Saturday’s start against the Braves. … Former hitting coach Gary Denbo has been offered a job as Toronto’s roving Minor League hitting instructor. … Gaston indicated that shortstop is the one position he’s still trying to sort out the playing time for. Scutaro has started at short the past two games.

PITTSBURGH — It goes without saying that the coaches who were recently let go by the Blue Jays aren’t happy, and know that the coaches who survived the firings aren’t all pleased with everything that’s gone on around the team either.

This was a tough weekend for a lot of people around the Jays camp.

The coaches who are still with the club — pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, bench coach Brian Butterfield and bullpen coach Bruce Walton — are each only signed through this year and it’s an open question whether they may consider their options at the end of the season in light of the recent developments.

Former first-base coach and long-time Toronto coach/player Ernie Whitt is the first of the fired coaches to air his thoughts. Here’s some of what he told the Toronto Sun in a story by Bob Elliott in today’s paper:

“The word ‘disappointment’ doesn’t fit. The word ‘shock’ doesn’t accurately describe how I feel.

“I understand that, when a team is not performing, the manager’s job is on the line. When we’re not hitting, the hitting instructor’s job is on the line. Usually, if the manager is fired, the bench takes over or the bench coach is fired. This is difficult to accept or to understand.

“J.P. Ricciardi wanted me to quit last year by re-assigning me. He has wanted to get rid of me for a while. All the time I was there, he never once asked my opinion. Gibbons would, as a game would unfold.

“I thought I had people in my corner. I go back a long way with Paul Godfrey, with people close to the team like Herb Solway and Paul Beeston. … I’m beyond angry, I’m beyond shock. I am trying to take the high road, but if I did something wrong, I wish they’d have explained it to me.

“I thought giving my loyalty and passion to the game, the city of Toronto, the Jays fans and this organization meant something. The love I have for this organization, my God, and all of a sudden it has been pulled away. That’s the biggest disappointment. The best answer I can come up with is they thought it was a good time to get rid of me.

“I still feel I’m the best manager Toronto has never hired.”

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (35-41) at PITTSBURGH (36-39)
at 1:35 p.m. ET at PNC PARK

BLUE JAYS
Marco Scutaro, SS
Joe Inglett, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Scott Rolen, 3B
Gregg Zaun, C
Adam Lind, LF
Dustin McGowan, P

PIRATES
Luis Rivas, 2B
Jack Wilson, SS
Nate McLouth, CF
Jason Bay, LF
Adam LaRoche, 1B
Jason Michaels, RF
Jose Bautista, 3B
Raul Chavez, C
Ian Snell, P

PITTSBURGH — Jays right-hander Shaun Marcum has been placed on the 15-day DL with a an injury to his throwing elbow and he’s currently in Florida seeing team doctor Steve Mirabello. Marcum is scheduled to see renowned arm specialist Dr. James Andrews in the next few days.

Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said Marcum has been dealing with some minor discomfort in his arm for the past few weeks, but the pitcher didn’t indicate that he felt bad enough to skip a start. The Jays finally decided that Marcum should be checked out after the pain persisted.

Replacing Marcum on the roster is outfielder Adam Lind, who was called up from Triple-A Syracuse. He was sitting next to Chip Cannon win the third inning of a game on Friday night when the manager delivered the news saying, “You’re going to first,” to Cannon and then “You’re going to Pittsburgh” to Lind. “I was shocked,” Lind said.

Jays ace Roy Halladay was fine a day after being struck in the head with a line drive. He underwent a CAT scan on Friday night and everything came up clear. Halladay is going to start as planned on Wednesday. The Jays will need to call up a starter to fill in for Marcum on Saturday.

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (35-40) at PITTSBURGH (35-39)
at 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC PARK

BLUE JAYS
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Scott Rolen, 3B
Rod Barajas, C
Kevin Mench, LF
David Eckstein, SS
Jesse Litsch, P

PIRATES
Jack Wilson, SS
Freddy Sanchez, 2B
Nate McLouth, CF
Jason Bay, LF
Adam LaRoche, 1B
Doug Mientkiewicz, RF
Jose Bautista, 3B
Raul Chavez, C
Paul Maholm, P

PITTSBURGH — You’ll have to excuse my lack of bloggage yesterday. That was quite the hectic day for this weary scribe — nothing sleeping in couldn’t cure this morning, though.

My day yesterday began at 4:45 a.m. in Milwaukee. I’m on a strict schedule for that whole marathon training program I’m doing and I had to log 5 miles yesterday. That meant heading out at 5 for a jaunt along Lake Michigan before heading to the airport.

Two flights later — thanks Continental! — I was in Pittsburgh and at my hotel around 12:30, about the time the news landed that the Blue Jays had fired John Gibbons and brought back Cito Gaston and a few of his handpicked coaches. Add 12 innings and an ace pitcher getting hit in the face with the liner and, well, I was beat.

Gibbons handled his dismissal with grace, offering nothing but thanks to the Jays and GM J.P. Ricciardi for giving him the chance to manage. The only part that bothered Gibby — a fellow American who will be missed — was that three other coaches (Ernie Whitt, Marty Pevey and Gary Denbo) also were shown the door.

“That’s the toughest part of it all,” said Gibbons, who received the news Friday morning in Pittsburgh. “If it just effects me, that’s one thing, but when other coaches are involved — that’s their livelihoods. That’s what bothers me.”

Know that Gibby never lost that clubhouse. The players in that clubhouse were Gibbons fans, but simply lost too many games to this point, underachieving in light of lofty expectations, and costing Gibby his job in the process. A move had to be made as a statement that the season to this point has been unacceptable.

I’ll admit that it seemed a bit odd to bring back Gaston and some members from the Jays’ staff from the 1990s. I was going over possible replacements earlier this week and considered Gaston’s chances, but didn’t think the club would go that route. Well, I thought wrong, and it’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.

In his first game as the new-old skipper, Gaston watched the same ol’ Blue Jays: great pitching, no hitting. Toronto dropped a 1-0 game in 12 innings in Pitt and Gaston admitted to making “some mistakes out there.” One, perhaps being a little rusty after 11 years between managerial stints, came when Gaston brought Jason Frasor into the game in the 12th.

“I walked off the mound tonight to give the umpire the name of the pitcher,” he explained. “Once you walk off you can’t go back. He walked away from me and I walked off to tell him and I couldn’t go back. So when Frasor came in, I couldn’t even tell him anything, so I just tossed the ball to [Wilkerson] and he gave him the ball. That’s a mistake on my part right there.”

As for Roy Halladay, who took a line drive off the side of his face and left after seven inning, he was deemed day-to-day and expected to make his next start. Still, as a precaution, he was off to have an X-ray after the game. So, we’ll learn more tomorrow. After what’s been going on with Aaron Hill (out indefinitely due to post-concussion syndrome), the Jays aren’t taking any chances.

MILWAUKEE — Did Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi learn nothing from the recent A.J. Burnett ordeal, or even from his own slip of the tongue last season about B.J. Ryan’s injury?

I give Ricciardi all the credit in the world for being one of the game’s most accessible GMs, and his willingness to speak is mind is wonderful for us scribes. But there are still times when Ricciardi would benefit from applying the ol’ filter to his thoughts. He openly aired them again on Wednesday night and he’s talked himself into some controversy once again.

This is from “Wednesday’s with J.P.” — the weekly radio call-in show Ricciardi has with Jays fans on the FAN 590 AM in Toronto. Ricciardi was asked if Toronto perhaps had interest in Reds slugger Adam Dunn, to which J.P. responded:

“Let me ask you something. What do you know about Adam Dunn?” Riccardi told the caller. “He’s a lifetime .230, .240 hitter that strikes out a ton and hits home runs. Do you know that the guy really doesn’t like baseball all that much?

“Do you know the guy doesn’t have a passion to play the game that much? How much do you know about the player? There’s a reason why you’re attracted to some players and there’s a reason why you’re not attracted to some players.

“I don’t think you’d be very happy if we brought Adam Dunn here.”

All Ricciardi had to say was something to the effect of, “No, we’re not interested in Adam Dunn. He doesn’t fit what we’re looking for” and this would’ve been another non-story. Just like if he’d never admitted the Jays lied about Ryan’s elbow injury last year during the same weekly call-in show.

Last week it was Burnett saying he’d accept a trade to the Cubs “with open arms,” instead of limiting his comments to “my loyalties rest with the Blue Jays and I’m not thinking about my future just yet.” Burnett had to deal with the aftermath of his honesty and Ricciardi’s now dealing with the same.

In Cincinnati, here’s what Dunn had to say to reporters:

“I know nothing about this clown. I have no idea who he is. I don’t really care what one guy thinks, to be honest with you. If I’m a GM, I don’t know if I would go out of my way to kind of discredit a player.

“It [ticks] me off to be honest with you. He doesn’t even know me. If he knew me, fine, say what you want. This guy doesn’t know anything about me other than what he sees on whatever SportsCenter they have up there. That’s it.”

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (35-38) at MILWAUKEE (38-33)
at 2:05 p.m. ET at Miller Park

BLUE JAYS
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Matt Stairs, LF
Scott Rolen, 3B
Vernon Wells, CF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Alex Rios, RF
Gregg Zaun, C
David Eckstein, SS
A.J. Burnett, P

BREWERS
Craig Counsell, 2B
J.J. Hardy, SS
Ryan Braun, LF
Prince Fielder, 1B
Corey Hart, RF
Russell Branyan, 3B
Gabe Kapler, CF
Jason Kendall, C
Ben Sheets, P

NOTES: Jays RF Alex Rios was moved down to the No. 6 spot in the lineup — the lowest he’s hit in the order this season — in light of his recent struggles. Said Jays manager John Gibbons: “It’ll take a little pressure off — take a load off — and maybe get him going. He’s missing his pitch and his swing is a little long.”

MILWAUKEE — It’s another sunny day here with the dome open at Miller Park, but boy is it chilly. Noticeably colder than yesterday, so good thing I brought the ol’ sweatshirt to the ballpark to help battle the open pressbox.

Anyways, the Jays’ lineup had a noticeable omission for tonight’s game. Right fielder Alex Rios is on the bench, though manager John Gibbons said it was simply a way to get more left-handed bats in the order to counter hard-throwing righty Ben Sheets.

Gibbons said Rios being out had zilch to do with his 0-for-4 showing with three strikeouts in last night’s 7-0 loss to the Brews. Still, it’s worth noting — as we’ve been doing all year — that Mr. Rios just isn’t producing the way Toronto had hoped he would.

Over his last 42 games, Rios has hit .237/.284/.305 with no home runs and 11 RBIs, moving between the leadoff spot and the No. 3 hole. Whether he’s in the middle of the order or at the top, Toronto can ill afford to have Rios continue to perform this poorly.

If you ask me, Rios is the key to Toronto’s offense. He came into the year as arguably the Jays’ most potent hitter and definitely with what we thought was the most upside. He could still turn it around, and for the Jays’ sake, here’s hoping he does.

If Rios were producing as the power threat we all thought he’d be, Toronto’s offense might not be in such sour shape. Now, he’s hardly the lone hitter at fault here. But, especially with Rios struggling, there’s just no hitter to fear within the Jays’ lineup.

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (35-37) at MILWAUKEE (37-33)
at 8:05 p.m. ET at Miller Park

BLUE JAYS
Brad Wilkerson, LF
Joe Inglett, 2B
Scott Rolen, 3B
Matt Stairs, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Gregg Zaun, C
David Eckstein, SS
Shaun Marcum, P

BREWERS
Craig Counsell, 2B
J.J. Hardy, SS
Ryan Braun, LF
Prince Fielder, 1B
Corey Hart, RF
Russell Branyan, 3B
Mike Cameron, CF
Jason Kendall, C
Ben Sheets, P

QUOTABLE: “What do you want me to do? Light a little fire?” –Gibbons, when asked his plan for turning the bats around

MILWAUKEE — Tucked away in a display case inside the Brewers’ clubhouse is a base that was pulled from the field when Lyle Overbay set a Milwaukee franchise record for doubles in a season with 53 in 2004.

“Really?” said a smiling Overbay, when told the base was still in the stadium. “I may have to sneak off with that.”

The Milwaukee media were loving them some Lyle Overbay on his Reunion Tour to Milwaukee. His first trip back to ‘sconsin since being traded to the Jays prior to the 2006 season. So, who got the better of that five-player deal?

Overbay’s been hot and cold this year, was hurt all last year and was strong in 2006. Pitcher Ty Taubenheim — the othe player the Jays received in the deal — is currently 4-8 with a 4.98 ERA for the Pirates’ Triple-A squad.

The Jays sent Dave Bush, Zach Jackson and Gabe Gross to the Brew Crew. Gross is now with the Rays (sent in a trade earlier this year for a pitching prospect). Bush won 12 games in each of the past two years, but is 2-7 this year. Jackson is 1-5 for Milwaukee’s Triple-A team.

Gee, let’s call it even.

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (35-36) at MILWAUKEE (36-33)
at 8:05 p.m. ET at Miller Park

BLUE JAYS
Alex Rios, RF
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Scott Rolen, 3B
Vernon Wells, CF
Kevin Mench, LF
Rod Barajas, C
Lyle Overbay, 1B
David Eckstein, SS
Dustin McGowan, P

BREWERS
Craig Counsell, SS
Joe Dillon, 2B
Ryan Braun, LF
Prince Fielder, 1B
Corey Hart, RF
Russell Branyan, 3B
Mike Cameron, CF
Jason Kendall, C
Manny Parra, P

NOTES: 2B Aaron Hill is heading to Pittsburgh on Thursday to visit a concussion specialist. He’s still at least 10 days away from a return, and I’m being very optimistic with that assessment. … Jays skip John Gibbons weighed in on the A.J. Burnett would-accept-a trade-to-the-Cubs-“with-open-arms” ordeal, saying in response to the media’s reaction: “He said what he said. It can be interpreted any way you want it. A.J., he speaks his mind — he always has. It’s funny in this business, sometimes people like that and the media doesn’t think there’s enough of that anymore. When a guy does, that’s what happens. I don’t doubt his loyalties here — I don’t doubt that.”

From today’s Chicago Sun-Times:

TORONTO — One day after beating the Cubs in Toronto, Blue Jays pitcher A.J. Burnett liked the idea of a trade to the Cubs so much he might as well have said, ”Please.”

”As of right now I’m a Blue Jay, and I’m going to pitch to the best of my ability as long as I’m part of this club,” he said. ”But if something were to happen and I’d have the opportunity to go to a place where baseball is breakfast, lunch and dinner, that would be awesome.

”Right now my focus is with this club, but if something like that were to happen, I’d accept it with open arms.”

With six weeks to go before the non-waiver trading deadline, the Cubs’ biggest need as they eye October is a veteran starting pitcher, preferably one capable of competing for a top-three spot in a playoff rotation.

A clear-cut frontline starter such as the Cleveland Indians’ C.C. Sabathia might not even be available, much less attainable. But second-tier guys such as Burnett — who has good-enough stuff to be a lightning-in-a-bottle find if he gets on a two-to-three-month roll — are expected to be out there.

Granted, Burnett (he can opt out of his contract and become a free agent after this season) covers himself by saying his focus right now is on the Jays, but I don’t know what his teammates might think about him publicly saying he wouldn’t mind a trade to Chicago. Thoughts?

TORONTO — The Blue Jays activated catcher Gregg Zaun from the 15-day disabled list on Sunday and sent Curtis Thigpen back to Triple-A Syracuse. Someone asked manager John Gibbons if Thigpen was going to talk to “Voodoo” Joe Inglett about how to stay in the big leagues.

“We’ll get him on his flight as soon as possible before Joe can get ahold of somebody,” Gibbons said with a laugh.

Zaun was in the lineup as the DH, but Gibbons said having him catch is “a non-issue.” Zaun’s arm is feeling fine. Gibby was non-committal when asked about how he plans to divy out the playing time between Zaun and catcher Rod Barajas, saying, “We’ll just put the guy out there that we think can help us win that day.”

Vernon Wells was back in the lineup one day after leaving early with a sore left wrist — the same one he broke in May. Lyle Overbay was given the day off and Brad Wilkerson took over at first base. Gibbons liked Wilk vs. lefties and former Jays southpaw Ted Lilly is on the bump for the Cubbies.

Today’s lineups:

CHICAGO (44-25) at TORONTO (35-35)
at 1:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre

CUBS
Reed Johnson, LF
Kosuke Fukudome, RF
Derrek Lee, DH
Aramis Ramirez, 3B
Jim Edmonds, CF
Geovany Soto, C
Mark DeRosa, 2B
Micah Hoffpauir, 1B
Ryan Theriot, SS

PITCHING: LHP Ted Lilly (6-5, 5.13)

BLUE JAYS
Alex Rios, RF
Marco Scutaro, 2B
Scott Rolen, 3B
Vernon Wells, CF
Kevin Mench, LF
Rod Barajas, C
Brad Wilkerson, 1B
Gregg Zaun, DH
John McDonald, SS

PITCHING: RHP Jesse Litsch (7-2, 3.42)

…really? Playing “Father of Mine” by Everclear during pregame? Don’t they realize that’s not exactly a heartwarming song to be playing on Father’s Day? Of course, as I type that, it’s promptly cut off. Nice.