Minnesota Takes Notice of New Look Jays.

Kyle Drabek just finished his first start of the year and is line to pick up the first major league win of his promising career. A single, which due to a misplay by Snider in LF allowed the runner Span to reach second, was the first and only hit the Blue Jays right-handed pitcher gave up. Drabek pitched 7 strong innings while giving up 1 earned run and striking out 7 batters.

The Minnesota Twins have already taken notice of the running game the Jays hope to utilize throughout the year as throughout today's game they were checking runners at first and seemed nervous awaiting double steals, hit and runs and other National League oriented plays. With runners on base Minnesota pitcher Francisco Liriano seemed erratic and unable to keep his composure throwing his well-known tight slider into the dirt on several occasions.

Farrell made fans a little nervous with the projected line-up today but considering how the game played out Farrell looks like a genius. Mike McCoy started the day playing CF mainly due to Rajai Davis and a sore ankle, but Farrell decidedly start Nix at third, Molina behind the plate and sat Travis Snider. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Molina always catches Drabek as the mentoring and confidence Molina brings behind the plate will be a great way to monitor and develop Drabek throughout the year. Newcomer Jayson Nix was slotted to bat 6th and play third and did not disappoint. Nix has good career numbers against Liriano and it showed in the bottom of the fourth when Nix drilled a no-doubter into the LF seats, reestablishing the Blue Jays one-run lead. Farrell's final decision to sit Snider against a tough lefty in Liriano makes complete sense. We have bench players who need to get into the game and there is not need to hurt Snider's progress. Snider is still learning the art of hitting tough lefties but has no problem hitting Slowey. Hist first home-run of his career came against Slowey and when he pinch hit for Rivera in the bottom of the 5th Snider tagged a first pitch change-up from Slowey into the RF corner scoring both Lind & E5.

I'm not sure if Farrell has a DeLorean hiding somewhere in the SkyDome but boy did he look like he could predict the future today. Subbing in Nix and pinch hitting for Rivera both turned out to be game defining moments. Farrell and the rest of the new-look Blue Jays have yet to disappoint. Keep rolling boys.

G.