Around the horn

JEFF BLAIR

From Saturday's Globe and Mail

March 21, 2008 at 11:29 PM EST

B.J. Ryan is putting a new definition on the phrase day-to-day. Less than 24 hours after the Toronto Blue Jays listed him as doubtful to break camp with the team because of soreness in his left forearm, Ryan threw 30 pitches yesterday morning in a bullpen session at Knology Park in Dunedin, Fla. "He said he felt good — and he said he threw all his pitches, did what he normally would," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said. "He could be on the mound Monday. It's really all based on how he feels." The Blue Jays have been in close contact with Timothy Kremchek, the specialist who performed Tommy John surgery on Ryan's left elbow last season, and are following his lead. Ryan has said the forearm discomfort isn't related to his elbow trouble. … Ricciardi did not accompany the Blue Jays yesterday to Lakeland, Fla., where starter Jesse Litsch yielded home runs to Gary Sheffield and Ivan (Pudge) Rodriguez, but beat the Detroit Tigers 5-3. Litsch struck out five batters in six innings. Instead, Ricciardi went to Clearwater, Fla., to watch Armando Benitez put in an inning of work against the Philadelphia Phillies' minor leaguers. The Blue Jays are still waiting for a work visa for the veteran reliever, but Ricciardi said he was pleased to see Benitez's arm strength has progressed to where he was regularly hitting 93 and 94 miles an hour on the radar gun. … The Blue Jays assigned veteran reliever Lance Carter to their minor-league camp after the game against the Tigers. Toronto would also like catcher Sal Fasano to accept a minor-league assignment, but the veteran is balking. The club won't stand in the way if he pursues a job elsewhere. Rod Barajas, who signed a bargain-basement free-agent deal this spring, has impressed the Blue Jays with his defence and approach at the plate. Some with the team now believe he will get more playing time than was originally planned. Barajas and Reed Johnson each had two hits in yesterday's win over the Tigers.

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