THE CANADIAN PRESS
TORONTO — All smiles after throwing seven outstanding innings in a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, A.J. Burnett was even happier to hear that the 110 pitches he threw weren’t his last in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform.
"It definitely makes me happy," Burnett replied after being told that general manager J.P. Ricciardi responded to queries about Thursday’s trade deadline by saying the fireballing right-hander "isn’t going anywhere."
"I’ve really been trying not to pay attention to it a lot, I realize my name has been thrown out there for a while, but I’ve been focused on this team," added Burnett. "For him to make that statement, I can take a deep breath and really take a look at my next start as opposed to wondering what’s going on."
Ricciardi and the rest of the Blue Jays (54-52) are thinking big after climbing to within 7 1-2 games of the AL East leading Rays (61-44) and 6 1-2 games of the wild card-leading Red Sox (61-46).
Hopes for a late charge up the standings still hover somewhere between longshot and pipe-dream, but the opportunity to become a legitimate player is at hand with the Rays in town and 15 more games with them and fellow division rivals Boston and New York next month.
"I don’t want to say never, but someone would really have to blow our socks off now," Ricciardi said of dealing Burnett. "Why would we trade him? We’ve worked too hard to get to this point to break up our team in August.
"If we have a good series here we’re right back in this thing. Now we just have to go out and do it."
The Blue Jays took a key first step by picking up their seventh victory in nine games. Burnett (12-9) matched his career-high in wins by making a two-run shot in the fifth from Matt Stairs of Fredericton stand up.
Back-to-back triples by Brad Wilkerson and Joe Inglett in the eighth added an insurance run against James Shields (9-7), who was backed only by an unearned run in the third. Akinori Iwamura scored when first baseman Lyle Overbay bobbled Carlos Pena’s RBI groundout, preventing a throw home.
Scott Downs tossed a perfect eighth and B.J. Ryan nailed things down in the ninth for his 20th save before a crowd of 23,476.
"We’ve got to play like we want it," said Burnett. "We got some big hits tonight, guys didn’t give up, dude (Shields) threw a hell of a game out there tonight but we kept plugging away. We should take it that way, it’s very important right now."
Burnett, in the third season of a US$55-million, five-year deal, has been the subject of trade speculation all season because of the opt-out clause in his contract he can exercise in the fall to become a free agent.
Should he leave via that route, as is widely expected, the Blue Jays would receive two draft picks as compensation.
The Blue Jays have held talks with a few teams about him, notably the Philadelphia Phillies, but they haven’t progressed to any sort of advanced stage. The Phillies did scout all of the Jays’ farm teams last week, suggesting they might have been looking for a prospect to come over with Burnett in a potential deal, but to this point there has been no indication they’re willing to meet the asking price of two premium prospects.
Teams have called on a handful of other players, too, but they’ve been mostly tire-kicking inquiries. Nothing is imminent, although the Blue Jays aren’t necessary just selling, as Ricciardi also suggested he might look to buy under the right circumstances.
Whatever happens, Burnett continued to show his worth against the Rays, allowing six hits and four walks over seven innings while striking out 10.
"I’ve kind of felt deep down in that this is where I’m going to stay," said Burnett. "I’ve got a good relationship with everyone here and I’ve kind of felt that way, that I wouldn’t go anywhere and maybe that’s a big reason I’m pitching the way I’m pitching."
He won for the fourth time in five starts — the only loss a 2-1 decision at Tampa Bay July 18 — resembling the No. 2 complement to ace Roy Halladay the team envisioned when he signed the big deal.
That type of pitching has become especially important with Dustin McGowan’s lost for the season and Shaun Marcum struggling to regain his form after returning from elbow soreness.
"I’m happy to hear that," manager Cito Gaston said of Ricciardi’s comments. "I would be real happy if (Burnett) was in spring training with us, too. That’s his choice."
Rookie David Purcey and 28-year-old Scott Richmond of North Vancouver, B.C., brought up from triple-A Syracuse on Monday to start Wednesday versus Tampa Bay, round out a rotation that is suddenly much thinner than it used to be.
Richmond, who was to have pitched for Canada at the Olympics, will get an extended look, an opportunity created when reliever Brian Tallet stubbed a toe in his apartment over the weekend and broke it. He’ll be out two weeks.
NOTES: 2B Aaron Hill (post-concussion syndrome) is likely done for the season after being transferred to the 60-day DL to make room for Richmond on the 40-man roster. … LHP John Parrish, bumped from the start Wednesday to make room for Richmond, will pitch out the bullpen for now. … Blue Jays prospect Brett Cecil was promoted to triple-A Syracuse on Monday, after going 6-2 with a 2.55 ERA in 18 starts for double-A New Hampshire, striking out 87 batters while walking just 23. … Eric Hinske was again booed by fans whenever his name was mentioned. One heckler serenaded him with the bizarre, "Hey Hinske, go back to Russia." … The Rays designated reliever Gary Glover for assignment.
