Although he will have a very busy training camp as a result of changes to the rotation of the Toronto Blue Jays, receiver Danny Jansen struggled to hide his joy to be back on the field after a labor dispute more than three months.
The Jays’ camp officially kicks off Monday in Dunedin, Fla., so nearly every player was there Sunday for physicals. The atmosphere was festive and there were many smiles, a few days after the agreement which made it possible to hold a season this summer.
“It’s great to be in the locker room with the guys! exclaimed Jansen. That’s the best thing about this sport is being together. It’s so refreshing to see everyone.”
S’adapter
But Jansen has other things to do than enjoy the moment. He will work with several new pitchers, including two new starters in Kevin Gausman and Yusei Kikuchi. They join José Berrios, Hyun Jin Ryu and Alek Manoah in the rotation.
Jansen also gave an overview of the work that awaits him in this department. He does not hide that it is up to him to adapt to the gunners to maximize their yields, and not the other way around. Be that as it may, he is ready to do anything to ensure the best possible collaboration.
“I ask first of all what I can do, explained the receiver. What can I do? I like to have a strong presence and offer a target. It’s a lot of watching videos before [le camp] and do whatever I can do on my own. I talk to them: what are their favorite throws, their throws to get out of a difficult situation? What can I do to help get the account back?”
“Then you play a game and you try all of that. That’s when you realize the kind of set-ups you can use to help them.”
Victory
For many observers, the Jays’ decision to invest $36 million in Kikuchi for three seasons is proof of the seriousness of the organization in its desire to win.
The manager Charlie Montoyo, he did not hide his happiness to be able to take advantage of so much depth within his group of pitchers. And among the players, in any case, the objective is clear.
“Everyone has a common goal coming here and that’s victory,” Jansen said.
