SHORT BLUE JAYS BLOG

It's getaway day for the Jays -- play in Boston, fly home to face the Angels -- and there's no hockey to be played tonight. It all makes for a very short blog.

For once (well, it's happened before, but not often), Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star and I agree on something: Alex Rios should be leading off for the Jays.

Rios isn't a conventional leadoff hitter -- he's tall (6-foot-5) and doesn't walk much, but he's a .323 career hitter when batting first. Until Russ Adams comes around (maybe that game-winning double will perform wonders), Rios is the best man for the job. Call him the compromise candidate, I guess.

Plus, with Rios' speed, the Jays can hit-and-run more, whichever member of the left-field platoon is batting second, be it lefty Frank Catalanatto or righty Reed Johnson.

Of course, if Rios plays every day, where does that leave Eric Hinske, who was originally slotted in as his platoon mate? As well as everyday DH (and other positions where necessary) Shea Hillenbrand is hitting these days, Hinske has more value as a utilityman, since he can play first or third base in addition to right field.

Hillenbrand and Rios put together don't make Hinske expendable. Throw in Johnson, as long as he's spared from facing tough right-handers, and Hinske, the one-time AL Rookie of the Year, is the odd man out.

Thing is, the Jays have to keep playing him a couple times a week if they're going to get anything in value (namely, a pitcher) between now and the July 31 trade deadline.

Bottom line, after the way the Jays won last night on a cold evening at Fenway -- fighting through time and again to beat a playoff-hardened team -- there's reason to be optimistic. Toronto has managed to go 14-12 thus far despite having a 5.51 team earned-run average, which is bound to get better, since it can't get much worse.