Toronto Blue Jays Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Even though they sport the best record in the American League at 22-12, the Blue Jays still have a long way to go as far as proving they are a legitimate contender for postseason play. Critics point to the fact that the Jays have yet to play the big boys in their division Boston, New York and Tampa Bay because of a quirk in their early season scheduling. So far, the only East Division opponent they've faced has been the Orioles, a team they swept (3-0) at home to open May. But that all changes beginning Tuesday night when the Jays play host to the Yankees in the opener of a three-game set. It starts with Roy Halladay, who at 6-1 is off to the best start of his career, going against friend and former teammate A.J. Burnett, who bolted from the Jays to join the Yankees in the offseason. No doubt the boobirds will be out in force at the Rogers Centre to blast Burnett. Halladay should be looking forward to facing the Yankees. Last year in six starts against the Yankees, Halladay went 5-1 with a 2.40 ERA. His career mark against them is 15-5 with a 2.86 ERA. The Jays get to face their division foes often this month. Of their remaining 19 games in May, 12 will be against East Division rivals, including two three-game series against the Red Sox. The Jays are attempting to keep these big series in perspective and not make too much of them. "For us, every series is a big series," second baseman Aaron Hill said. "We have to do a good job, do the little things it takes to win games. I guess the buzz is bigger because it's the Yankees and the AL East." How the Jays fare in these games will go a long way in determining if the club is for real or a pretender.NOTES, QUOTESWith the five runs scored in Sunday's victory, the Jays became the first team in baseball to reach 200 runs scored this year. The Jays have scored 204 runs, an average of six per game.LHP B.J. Ryan made a rehab appearance with Class A Dunedin (Fla.) on Saturday night, working one inning and allowing one hit, one walk and an earned run. Ryan, who went on the DL April 23 with back tightness, had pitched a perfect inning on Thursday for Dunedin. Toronto hasn't indicated a specific timetable for the closer's return to the big leagues.SS Marco Scutaro leads the majors in walks with 29 and he's third in the majors in runs scored with 31. Batting leadoff, Scutaro's patience is helping fuel the majors' top-scoring offense he has 16 walks to lead off innings. In 2004, Scutaro's first year with Oakland, he had 16 walks in 137 games.BY THE NUMBERS: 204 Blue Jays' run total through 34 games, making them the first team in the majors to the 200-run mark.QUOTE TO NOTE: "We do have to make some decisions. If he continues to pitch like that, there's no reason to take him out of the rotation. He was able to get through the seventh inning and looked like he was still strong. He comes to pitch." Toronto manager Cito Gaston, after Brian Tallet made his second consecutive strong start, beating the A's in Oakland.ROSTER REPORTCF Vernon Wells hit safely in all five games on the Jays' 3-2 West Coast road trip, where they played the Angels and Oakland.DH Adam Lind hit safely in all five games on the Jays' 3-2 West Coast road trip where they played the Angels and Oakland. Lind is on a seven-game hit streak, going 12-for-29 (.414.)SS Marco Scutaro is the lone everyday shortstop in the American League to have not made an error in the field. In 34 games, Scutaro has had 162 chances 51 putouts and 111 assists. Offensively, Scutaro tops all shortstops and leadoff hitters in the American League with 32 runs scored and 29 walks. He also has struck out just 19 times. In his previous seven seasons in the majors, Scutaro has never finished a season with more walks than strikeouts.2B Aaron Hill has not gone hitless in back-to-back games all season and has hit safely in 30-of-34 games. In the 30 games in which he has hit safely, 17 were multi-hit games. MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Casey Janssen (right labrum surgery in March 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. He missed all of last season. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Dunedin on April 27, and he could be back with the Blue Jays in mid-May. LHP Ricky Romero (strained right oblique muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 20. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Dunedin on May 8. LHP B.J. Ryan (left trapezius tightness) went on the 15-day disabled list April 23. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Dunedin on May 7. C Michael Barrett (torn right shoulder muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list April 18. RHP Jesse Litsch (strained right forearm) went on the 15-day disabled list April 14. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Litsch experienced discomfort while throwing on April 25. RHP Dustin McGowan (right shoulder surgery in July 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. Initially, he was expected to be able to contribute by mid-June 2009 at the latest, but it appears that a late-July date is a best-case scenario. RHP Shawn Marcum (Tommy John elbow surgery in September 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 27. Initially, the Blue Jays didn't expect him back until 2010, but more recently he was expected to return by August. ROTATION: RHP Roy Halladay RHP Robert Ray RHP Scott Richmond LHP Brian Tallet LHP Brett Cecil BULLPEN: LHP Scott Downs (closer) RHP Brandon League LHP Jesse Carlson LHP Bill Murphy RHP Jason Frasor RHP Shawn Camp RHP Brian Wolfe CATCHERS: Rod Barajas Raul Chavez INFIELDERS: 1B Lyle Overbay 2B Aaron Hill SS Marco Scutaro 3B Scott Rolen INF John McDonald INF/OF Kevin Millar INF/OF Jose Bautista OUTFIELDERS: LF Travis Snider CF Vernon Wells RF Alex Rios DH Adam Lind