PITTSBURGH – Its fitting Marcus Stroman is taking Brandon Morrows place on the Blue Jays 40-man roster. A top pitching prospect, one who the ball club is pinning some of its future hopes, takes the spot of a veteran who once was viewed as a future ace but who, to this point, hasnt realized his potential and may never. Stroman threw his first major league pitch on Sunday, facing four Pirates hitters in the eighth inning of a 7-2 win less than 48 hours after Morrow may have thrown his last pitch for Toronto. That is if Morrow requires season-ending surgery on a torn tendon sheath at the base of his right index finger. Stromans just beginning. Morrow is in the final guaranteed year of his contract and if, for a second consecutive year, his season has ended shortly after it started, its hard to believe the cash-conscious Blue Jays would pick up the $10-million club option it holds on Morrow for 2015. The 23-year-old Stroman, whos started at the Double-A and Triple-A levels dating back to last season, will begin his big league career in the bullpen. Its an area in which Toronto needs help. Since the second game of an April 17 doubleheader in Minnesota, Blue Jays relievers have combined to allow 40 earned runs on 55 hits and 33 walks in 48 1/3 innings pitched. The bullpen has blown saves in six of the last 15 games. It was a strange scene for Stroman. He arrived at the PNC Park and almost immediately was whisked into manager John Gibbons office, where the skipper had called a meeting with his struggling relief corps. The rookie was saying all the right things."I honestly think we have one of the best bullpens in baseball between guys like Sergio (Santos), Casey (Janssen), (Brett) Cecil, everyone thats in the pen dominates," said Stroman. "Its just a rough patch theyre going through but I have no doubt in my mind that theyll get through it and get back to where they were last year."Stroman is coming off his most dominant start of his professional career. On Tuesday in Buffalo, pitching against Louisville, he struck out 10 Bats hitters and didnt allow a hit over six innings. During one stretch, Stroman retired 16-straight. In five starts for the Bisons, Stroman has two wins, a 1.69 ERA, a 1.088 WHIP and 36 strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings. The WHIP is even more impressive when you consider Stroman has allowed almost a hit per inning. Hes walked only six, a welcome walks per nine inning percentage for a staff whose 124 bases on balls is second most in the majors. "Fastball command has definitely been a lot better; Ive been keeping the ball down in the zone much better," said Stroman. "The development of my change has been huge and I just feel more comfortable, more settled in. That was my first big-league spring, I feel like I got ahead of myself sometimes, but I feel real comfortable, I feel like Im ready to go out there and pitch well." Stroman found out about his big league call up in an unusual way. The Bisons played an afternoon game on Saturday, which gave Stroman an opportunity to venture with his girlfriend to Niagara Falls for the evening. He thinks he missed a call from Blue Jays farm director Charlie Wilson and when he did check his phone, the first message he picked up was a congratulatory one from his mother. "Shes been saying for a little bit, Oh, Ive got a feeling," said Stroman. "Im like, Mom, relax." Stroman didnt sleep on Saturday night, he was excited, and he was out of bed by five oclock on Sunday morning to meet the car service driving him from Buffalo to Pittsburgh. "No sleep," he said. "But I feel wide awake." Stromans addition to the starting rotation seems like an eventuality but hes not going to dwell on his role. "Im just happy to be here," said Stroman. "Ive had experience in the bullpen, Im not worried about it, I feel like I can come in, thats something Ive done before in the past and thats something Im comfortable with, so its not like its completely new." Cheap Harold Baines Jersey . His brother — Red Lake chiropractor Richard Radford — is en route to Sochi to cheer on his younger brother. "Ive been getting texts from Eric and he just says the atmosphere is amazing, its special,” he said. Cheap White Sox Jerseys . 28 with a Vancouver entry for the first time in 10 years and a novel new collective bargaining agreement. http://www.cheapwhitesoxjerseys.com/?tag...eppinger-jersey... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. Cheap Ron Santo Jersey . -- Ryan Gropp scored in overtime as the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Spokane Chiefs 1-0 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday. Cheap White Sox Jerseys China . Still, Encarnacion felt a sense of relief. He felt a pop just before crumpling to the ground after running out a groundball in the first inning of Saturdays game. It could have been worse. “Its going to take maybe two weeks,” said Encarnacion. “It depends how Im going to be and how Im going to be day after day, feeling better or not.CLEVELAND -- The weather may have done the Cleveland Indians, and outfielder Michael Brantley in particular, a favour. Wednesday nights game against the Los Angeles Angels was postponed by a steady rain that began during batting practice and escalated into heavy thunderstorms in the early evening. The postponement was announced shortly after the 7:05 p.m. scheduled start. No makeup date was announced. The Indians said Wednesday that Brantley, who leads the team with 11 homers and 46 RBIs while batting .323, has been diagnosed with a concussion and will likely be out of the lineup until Saturday. Cleveland cant afford to be without Brantley, who is second in the majors with eight outfield assists, for very long. He sounded encouraged after participating in some activities Wednesday. "Im getting better every day," Brantley said. "I played catch, hit off a tee and got a good workout in. Its all positive." The concussion was diagnosed when Brantley had tests Tuesday at the Cleveland Clinic. He was injured trying to break up a double play sliding into second base Monday. "Michael is doing very well," manager Terry Francona said. "Everything that has been introduced to him, the reaction tests, hes done very well." The team hopes to avoid placing Brantley on the seven-day concussion list. "The doctors, trainers and Michael think that Saturday is realistic," Francona said. "So as opposed to missing seven games, he could maybe miss five games." "I dont want to put a deadline on anything," Brantley said. "My goall is get back out there as fast as possible.dddddddddddd" Brantley was removed from Mondays game and passed an initial concussion test, but was sent to the hospital after experiencing discomfort during his pregame routine Tuesday. The Indians also hope the rainout will cool off the red-hot Mike Trout, who homered twice and had four RBIs in the Angels 9-3 win Tuesday. Francona joked following the game that he would like to see Trout get a day off so the two-time All-Star didnt tire out. Trout is batting .410 with eight homers and 26 RBIs over his last 22 games and has 14 RBIs in his last 13 games against Cleveland. While Trout has been sizzling, designated hitter Raul Ibanez has struggled with a .153 average. Manager Mike Scioscia is sticking with the 42-year-old veteran. "I think Raul hopefully is getting more comfortable in the box. Hes had some good at-bats in this series," Scioscia said. Ibanez is getting playing time because rookie C.J. Cron is also battling a slump and has only played once in the last week. The right-handed hitter is batting .275 this season, but is just 3 for his last 20 with seven strikeouts. Since the teams conclude the series Thursday with a noon start, the decision was made to not play a doubleheader and the game will be made up on a mutual day off. "Its never in anybodys best interest to play a doubleheader," Scioscia said. Both teams will stick with Wednesdays scheduled starters for the series finale. Left-hander C.J. Wilson will pitch for the Angels against right-hander Justin Masterson. 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