Jays thinking big in Dunedin

DUNEDIN, Fla. - There is always an abundance of optimism, hope, and a sense of renewal during spring training and all three are flowing freely at camp for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Pitchers and catchers checked in Monday ahead of their physicals Tuesday, joined by a strong majority of the position players, who aren't due in camp until later this week.

Many had already been around for days, if not weeks, and things pick up with the first official workout for those on the mound and behind the plate Wednesday. The full squad is due to gather by Saturday, when preparation for the 2012 season really gets going.

"It's been an outstanding week leading up to the start of spring training, today we've got 35 guys that have reported early," manager John Farrell told reporters after a brief on-field session with his players. "They're eager to get to work.

"All have done a great job in committing to their off-season program, guys have come in in very good shape, and it's an exciting time for sure."

Typical spring feel-good stuff aside, this camp will be an interesting one for the Blue Jays after a winter of angst and hand-wringing among its fan base over the club's relative inactivity on the free agent market.

While fans pined for Prince Fielder and other big names, general manager Alex Anthopoulos rebuilt the bullpen and tinkered with the bench, but was unable to meet the stated goals of adding a mid-to-front of the rotation starter and a bat for the lineup.

That doesn't necessarily herald disaster, as this edition of the Blue Jays won't be spending 767 plate appearances on the likes of Corey Patterson, Juan Rivera and Jayson Nix, while the starting rotation should have better to offer than 20 starts by Jo-Jo Reyes plus four more from Brad Mills.

How much of a bump the team gets through the continued development of its big-league players and internal reinforcements from the minors will go a long way in determining whether last year's 81-81 finish can be improved upon.

"The one thing you have to look at is the changes we made at the trade deadline a year ago, and not to say that replaces free agency, but we turned over nearly 50 per cent of last year's opening day roster with young athletic players," said Farrell. "We made every effort to add to the rotation, to add to a bat that for one reason or another didn't culminate in the signing of a player, but that's not to say that between now and as we get to the trading deadline, other changes couldn't take place. …

"I think most importantly it's an optimistic group, we're excited about the start of it, and we feel like we have the ability to contend. That's not to get too far ahead of ourselves, that's a true belief of what we have in uniform today."

Within the landscape of an uncertain American League East, who knows?

The defending champion New York Yankees bolstered their rotation with the additions of Michael Pineda and Hiroki Kuroda over the winter, and Monday's pick up of Raul Ibanez - a move made possible by the dumping of A.J. Burnett on Pittsburgh Pirates last weekend - gives them another weapon. But with an aging core and questionable commodities in starters Freddy Garcia and Phil Hughes, they won't be automatic to repeat.

The wild-card champion Tampa Bay Rays, despite a touch-and-go offence, remain a force to be reckoned with thanks to their outstanding young pitching, while the Boston Red Sox are deeply talented but hard to read after last year's turmoil-laced flameout and with combustible manager Bobby Valentine now at the helm.

If the Blue Jays can better a 21-33 mark against their three key rivals during 2011, perhaps they can make it a four-horse race.

"We feel pretty good about our chances," said slugger Jose Bautista. "We had to endure a lot of things last year, injuries, people not playing up to their capabilities and some inconsistency from the pitching side and we still managed to finish the year at .500 in this tough division.

"We're hoping for some good health in our lineup and I think we're going to be all right. We don't have to worry about the guys who we missed out on, we just have to worry about the guys we have here. I think we're a very capable group."

Of course capability is one thing, execution when it counts is another. That time is still about 6½ weeks away, giving the Blue Jays a chance to think big, and to ready themselves to make it happen.

Note: Is Jose Bautista getting respect? That's the question that was put to the star slugger in light of his recent revelation that he's been tested for performance-enhancing substances 16 times over the past two years, and his third-place finish in MVP voting. "To me it's not about respect or not getting those MVP awards or the tests," he replied. "I don't really care (about the tests), I don't think I'm being singled out or anybody's picking on me. I feel pretty good about the two Hank Aaron Awards (as the best hitter in the AL) that I've won."

Shi Davidi is the MLB Insider for sportsnet.ca. Come back to read his insight and opinion regularly.