Jays lose final game with second stringers after Reyespitches strong start.

Jays v Tampa at Tropicana Field. The final 2011 Spring game.

Chatter: The offline consensus is that Edwin is only here for the 30 days until Lawrie can get the options that Jays want… Showcasing Edwin maybe not a great idea. One blogger is concerned for the health of Aaron from Edwin’s throws to first, that is mean.

Indians game cancelled snow in Ohio, en route east to Toronto tonight but relax, Jays have the roof.

Jayson Nix from Cleveland added to the roster with Carlson moving to 60 day disabled list. No player exchange just cash.

Interesting: Jose Bautista with 9 doubles in the spring tied for 1st. But for my money Anthony Gose is the best stat. 9 stolen bases in the spring tied for 2nd and this kid didn’t start many games coming in later innings and was sent to Minors last week. Would be interesting to see how many at bats he had. Hard to believe he was in high school last year. I hope the Toronto fans will see him in September, he is one exciting young player and future all-star in my book.

Back to today’s matchup:
Toronto: Davis, Escobar, Bautista, Lind, Hill, Rivera in LF, Encarnacion, Molina, Arencibia as DH today. Jo-Jo Reyes pitching. First team sort of, without Travis who injured that back sliding into second yesterday but Jays say they are not too concerned.
Tampa: Upton, Damon, Longoria, Zobrist, Shoppach, Dan Johnson, Elliot Johnson, Jeff Niemann pitching.
Top 1st: Davis gets under this one and pops up behind the plate to Shoppach. He didn’t see where that one went against that crazy roof, Niemann had to guide him. One down for Escobar lines out to Upton in centre. Bautista, here we go, singles to centre. Lind with one on two down. Flies out to Upton.
Bottom 1st: Upton called third strike, one down for Damon. Fly ball to Rivera. Longoria, oh boy, gets hold of this one, no doubt at all, home run to left centre, his fourth of the spring. 1-0 Rays. Zobrist strikes out swinging but first blood to Tampa.

Top 2nd: Hill leading off, goes down swinging this time. Rivera, fly ball to Zobrist in right, Encarnacion, at least no chance for a double play this time, would have been though as he grounds to short. Niemann having no problems with the Jays so far.
Bottom 2nd: Shoppach leading off, fly ball to Davis in centre, one down, Rodriguez, walks, Dan Johnson, there goes Rodriguez and has second stolen, Johnson strikes out, two down. Elliot Johnson strikes out. Four strikeouts for Reyes.

Top 3rd: Molina, fly ball to left, Arencibia strikes out, Davis, walks, Escobar with one on and two down. Hit and run? Escobar singles to short but Davis gets to third on the play. Bautista now with runner at third. That’s the way Jose, singles to left here comes Davis, speed kills. Jays tie it up and still have two on base for Lind. Pinch runner Jonathan Diaz in for Escobar. Loewen in for Bautista, Manager Farrell giving the first team the rest of the game off. Way to go Adam doubles to right, here comes Diaz, here comes Loewen and Jays getting to Niemann here 3-1 Jays. Another pinch runner Cooper for Lind this time. Hill grounds back to Niemann. But Jays break out.
Bottom 3rd: Johnny Mac now in for Hill at second. McCoy in for Davis. Five changes and we haven’t even been through the Rays order yet !! Reid Brignac grounds to McDonald, throw to first for the out. Upton walks. Damon, there goes Upton. Grounds to Cooper at first Upton to third, two down for Longoria. Walks him, Reyes having none of him this time. Zobrist, oh boy double steal here comes Upton both runners safe. We have seen that before with Joe Maddon. BUT the downside is that he has shown his hand for the regular season and that element of surprise has now gone when Upton ever gets to third. 3-2 Jays. Zobrist grounds to Diaz throw to first for the out.

Top 4th: Rivera, fly ball to Damon in left, one down. Encarnacion, (with nobody on base) grounds to short, throw to first. Edwin’s last five at bats have been infield ground outs. Molina, grounds to short. Jays go three up and down.
Bottom 4th: Here’s one change I like, Brett Lawrie now in for Edwin Encarnacion, this is one guy who has earned a place and his time will come this season. Thames now in left. All the starting line-up now gone except for Molina and Arencibia. Shoppach strikes out swinging. Sean Rodriguez, strikes out. Number six for Reyes. Dan Johnson, fly ball to Thames in left.

Top 5th: Kyle Farnsworth now pitching for Niemann. Arencibia, lines out to Sean Rodrguez at second. McCoy first at bat. Grounds to short. Two down for Diaz. Weird play, soft fly to short, but Upton deflects the ball and Jonathan gets to second on the play. Loewen with runner in scoring position, strikes out swinging.
Bottom 5th: Will Ledezma now pitching for Reyes. Nice outing for Reyes. Four innings, six strikeouts but three walks and two runs. Elliot Johnson at bat, well welcome Wil, there she goes, home run to left and this game is all tied up 3-3. Sorry Jo Jo….. Brignac, strikes out looking. Upton, don’t let him get on base Wil. Walks him. Well you only have yourself to blame. Damon with one on, ah ha, pick off, throw to Cooper on to Diaz and Upton is dead meat at second. Damon strikes out. Ledezma recovers but owes Reyes dinner tonight.

Top 6th: Time for Jays hitters to break out here. Adam Russell replaces Farnsworth. Cooper at bat. Singles to right. Nice start. Johnny Mac, bunting ? Not this time, gets hold of one here though high fly ball to left but Damon has it. Nice try Johnny Mac. Thames fly ball to Upton, two down. Lawrie first at bat. Lines out to Sean Rodriguez at second. Cooper left stranded out there.
Bottom 6th: Jon Rauch in for Ledezma. Longoria, this should be interesting matchup. Fly ball to Loewen in right, advantage Rauch. Zobrist, strikes out swinging, two down for Shoppach, singles to left. Sean Rodriguez, fly ball to Thames. Rauch maintains that .000 ERA, very, very nice Spring Jon….

Top 7th: Jake McGee now in for Adam Russell. Molina at bat. Fly ball to Damon in left. Joe Maddon still has his starting line-up out there. Arencibia, full count, grounds to Dan Johnson at first, two down for Mike McCoy. Not this time Mike, strikes out swinging.
Bottom 7th: Rzepczynski now pitching. Budde catching now for Molina. Rays still have all their first team line-up out there, this is now a Jays minor league team facing them. Different approaches by the two managers. Dan Johnson leading off. Strikes out, one down. Elliot Johnson, singles to McCoy in centre, Diaz cannot get it and off his glove. No error given. Brignac, oh boy, sac bunt but Rzepczynski throwing error and both runners safe. Here comes Upton with only one out. No another double steal, will Jays ever learn ???? that should not happen twice in a game. Now sac fly scores, singles to centre here comes both runners. 5-3 Rays. Rzepcyznski you have yourself to blame twice. And you know Upton will be stealing. Hit and run, Damon singles to right Upton to third. Evan Crawford replaces Rzepcyznksi and pinch runner Sam Fuld for Damon at first, Maddon wants more. Longoria (still out there) strikes out swinging, moral victory to Crawford. Zobrist called out on strikes, very nice pitching Evan, Manager Maddon will not like that with only one out and not bringing in Upton from third.

Top 8th: Sonnanstine pitching. Diaz walks, one on Loewen fly ball to Upton in centre, Cooper, nice singles to left, Diaz all the way to third on the play, speed. Two on, one down. Johnny Mac. No no pops up to Longoria at third, two down. Thames strikes out swinging. Not good.
Bottom 8th: Evan Crawford still in there. Shoppach hitting. Fly ball to Loewen. Sean Rodriguez, fly ball to Thames, two down. Dan Johnson, same again fly ball to Thames. Very nice relief here by Crawford.

Top 9th: Last crack for Jays before they head to the airport and north for some although I imagine the first team has already left. Sonnanstine still out there, Brett Lawrie leading off, give them something to think about here Brett. That’s the way, singles to centre. Will he be stealing ? Ryan Budde at bat. Not good, you should have gone Brett as Budde grounds to second on to short over to first. Double play. Arencibia now last shot, lines out to second. Game over. 5-3 Rays.
The good: Jo Jo Reyes. Rauch and Evan Crawford. Lind and Bautista with the rbis. The minor leaguers holding their own against first stringers of Tampa.
Not so good: Rzepczynski, not holding the runners and his error leading to the two go ahead runs.

Jays and Rays win two each this spring but Jays end with better record 16-14 against the 15-14 of Tampa.

Now to Friday and opening day.