4
MINNEAPOLIS — Royce Clayton won't be a distraction, despite obviously falling out of favour.
Instead, he shrugs and says simply, "I've taken situations into my own hands before." And the 37-year-old Toronto Blue Jays shortstop added, "I have the mental strength and the capacity to do it again."
There were signs yesterday that the Blue Jays' 2007 season may have finally reached some kind of equilibrium, heading into a 10-game trip.
Not so much the .500 record — these things are temporary — as the sight of Lyle Overbay (fractured right hand) walking around holding a bat and taking ground balls at first base, getting ready to resume batting practice within a week, and the sound of A.J. Burnett popping fastballs into the catcher's mitt during a seamless bullpen session, which was enough for manager John Gibbons to say Burnett's sore shoulder was good enough for him to come off the 15-day disabled list and pitch on Thursday.
Related Information
- Colorado Rockies
- Toronto Blue Jays
- A.J. Burnett
- Royce Clayton
- Aaron Hill
- Reed Johnson
- John McDonald
- Lyle Overbay
- Omar Vizquel
Reed Johnson (herniated disk) is said to be just one week away from beginning an injury-rehabilitation option.
As for the shortstop position? The position that has been unsettled since the early days of general manager J.P. Ricciardi's reign? It remains a puzzle.
There are times when the Blue Jays' brass must wonder at the fact that their shortstop of the future still might be the guy who is in the process of making a niche for himself at second base, Aaron Hill. For now, it's John McDonald or bust.
And that's something for which Clayton never bargained when he signed a one-year, $1.5-million (U.S.) free-agent contract. Asked whether he thought he would be the everyday shortstop, Clayton said, "I think everybody in the clubhouse thought that."
Clayton spoke to Gibbons and Ricciardi on Sunday afternoon before the series finale against the Colorado Rockies. That was his fifth game in a row on the bench. Last night, the streak went to six games.
"He [McDonald] is playing well for us, offensively and defensively," Gibbons said, shrugging.
McDonald is hitting .357 (15-for-42) over his past 16 games. Clayton has had 29 at-bats this month, getting six hits. Both have one home run and nine runs batted in, but McDonald's average, .295, was 36 points higher.
Clayton went into the season ranked second among active shortstops in games, innings, total chances, putouts and double plays, trailing Omar Vizquel in those categories. The Blue Jays are his 10th major-league club, a record for shortstops.
Asked about the nature of his conversation with Gibbons and Ricciardi, Clayton smiled and said: "It was a little bit more of a talk about clarification of my role, and what options there might be. J.P. said, 'Be ready, and in the meantime, just enjoy it.'
"You look back and ask yourself what happened and ask, 'What did I do?' I think it's that for my whole playing career. I've been used to coming and getting my rhythm. You're going to struggle in this game, whether it's April, May, June or August. If you're not allowed to go through that, you're not going to get into the rhythm you need to be in to play well."
Clayton has heard the whispers that his range has diminished. He admitted he was "a little too pull-conscious" early in the season, but is otherwise dismissive of the notion.
"People don't understand the position," Clayton said. "It's a lot of what I call in sync. Once you get to know the pitchers on your staff and the hitters in the league, you'll be in the right place at the right time. A lot of it's that you have to be in the right place at the right time.
"So I don't think my range is diminished. Until you get your rhythm, you're not going to be in the right place at the right time. To me, the mental part of the position is worth half a step.
"I replaced the best shortstop who ever played the game," Clayton said, referring to the St. Louis Cardinals' Ozzie Smith. "That's all I need to say. Obviously, I'm not some guy who never accomplished anything."
Ricciardi said yesterday that once the Blue Jays' lineup is intact, the shortstop position, which has become the ninth spot in the order, will be one where the premium is put on defence. What that means for Clayton, he was unwilling to say.
