Rios enjoys view from the top
TORONTO -- Alex Rios doesn't care if he's being bounced around the batting order, as long as he's in it.Rios was back in the leadoff position when the Blue Jays opened their three-game Interleague series with the defending National League champion St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night at the Rogers Centre. He made his second straight start at the top of the order and sixth overall.
"Like I always have said, it doesn't matter where I hit," said Rios. "For me, wherever I hit is fine."
One of the things that manager John Gibbons hasn't been able to find on a consistent basis has been the man at the top of the order. The skipper has plugged five players in the slot, including second baseman Orlando Hudson and left fielder Frank Catalanotto. But Hudson has been struggling at the plate lately, and Gibbons likes Catalanotto in the No. 2 hole.
"We've juggled it a little bit," said Gibbons about the top spot. "We're putting Rios up there and letting him do his thing, and taking advantage of his speed if he gets on."
Rios made his manager look prophetic early in Monday's game, using his speed to leg out a double in the first inning and scoring two batters later on Vernon Wells' sacrifice fly.
Rios has been sliding up and down the batting order all season, and has seen action in every slot except the fourth, fifth and ninth. Still, the random movement doesn't faze the 24-year-old.
"I don't care," he said. "I always take the same approach."
On Sunday, Rios was able to collect one of Toronto's two hits in a 3-0 loss to Houston, which was Toronto's fourth straight setback.
"When you struggle as a team, you have to adjust your lineup accordingly," said Gibbons. "We need to get the guys up top to get on base for the guys in the middle."
Offense lacking fuel: When Toronto was winning six of its first eight games to start the season, the offense was humming along, and the Blue Jays were among the leaders in the American League in many categories, including home runs. But since those magical two weeks, the Blue Jays' bats have come back down to earth. Over the just-concluded 13-game road trip, Toronto was shut out three times and averaged fewer than two runs per game in the nine losses the team was dealt.
Gibbons, though, isn't overly concerned with the lack of consistent production, because he's seen his team battle with the best of them already this season.
"We've done it before," he said. "I've said that we're not a high-powered offense, but if we can manufacture, we can get our share of wins. To this point, we've done that."
Rios agreed, saying that the bats will get back to raking hits sooner rather than later.
"It's just baseball," he said. "It's going to happen somewhere and at some point. It's just a matter of time before we get it back together again. Everything will be fine."
Senior Circuit rules blues: Not only did the Blue Jays say farewell to Houston on Sunday night, they also bid adieu to playing under National League rules. That hasn't gone unnoticed, especially by first baseman Eric Hinske.
"I think we're more comfortable here and playing with American League rules," said Hinske. "Playing in the National League screws up the lineup a little bit."
Hinske should know, as he was left out of the starting lineup a handful of times because of a lack of designated hitter combined with a left-handed pitcher on the mound. Needless to say, the former Rookie of the Year wasn't too pleased with his seat on the bench.
"No designated hitter means one less bat," said Gibbons. "I appreciate [Hinske's] frustration. I know he wants to be out there. He's not a platoon guy, but he has to understand, we have to get other guys in there."
Gibbons noted that things should get back to normal now that the team has seen the last of playing under the different set of rules, and he expects Hinske to be a major cog in the offense as the year rolls along.
"He's one of our main guys," said Gibbons. "We need a big year out of him."
Corey Koskie / 3B
Born: 06/28/73
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs
Bats: L / Throws: R
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Koskie progressing well: The surgically repaired right thumb of third baseman Corey Koskie continues to show improvement, but don't expect him back in Toronto for at least another month and a half.
"He's doing what he's supposed to be doing," said Gibbons. "It's a long process. He wants to be here, but we're looking at August or late July. So it's a ways away."
Koskie injured the thumb on a slide into second base against Minnesota on May 19. His absence has played a major part in Toronto's struggling offense.
"We miss him in there," said Gibbons. "He can put [the ball] in the seats pretty regularly. There's no question we miss him."
Coming up: The Blue Jays will send 22-year-old right-hander Chad Gaudin (1-1, 13.50 ERA) to the hill in the middle game of the three-game set against St. Louis. The Cardinals will counter with former Toronto right-hander Chris Carpenter (8-4, 3.49 ERA).
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
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