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DUNEDIN, Florida – Heres what we know when it comes to exactly who will fill out the back of the Blue Jays season-opening starting rotation: We dont know. At the moment, neither do the decision-makers. Dustin McGowan is front-and-centre in this ongoing saga, having thrust himself into the conversation with a dominating three-inning performance against the Phillies on Thursday, just hours after manager John Gibbons appeared to pour cold water on the notion. Heres part of Gibbons conversation with the media from that day: QUESTION: "So it seems like (McGowans) more in the bullpen picture then?" GIBBONS: "Yeah, yeah. Unless he comes out of nowhere and you know." Then, later: QUESTION: "How concerned are you if he went the route and got the innings needed to be a starter, worried about injury with him?" GIBBONS: "Well, me personally, I was concerned about that. Not everybody was, but I was, because thats where hes had his problems. We think hes beyond that kind of stuff. And, I thought he thrived in the bullpen, I thought that was a good role for him. But he had desire to do it, a lot of people had desire to see if he could do it. Myself, personally, I kind of had some reservations." On Saturday, Gibbons clarified his stance, saying hes always left the door open to McGowan beginning the season in the rotation. "Im concerned about his health but I didnt say we had to have him in the bullpen," said Gibbons. "That hadnt been determined yet. Did I officially say he was in the bullpen?" McGowan wants to be a starter. Hes expressed as much on repeated occasions dating back to the end of last season. But the 31-year-old, whose multiple shoulder surgeries have sidetracked a promising career, admits to having his own hesitations. Hes topped out at 47 pitches this spring, the Thursday outing, and plans to throw 65 pitches in a minor league game on Tuesday. "Its going to be tough, I think," said McGowan. "Anytime you increase by 15 to 20 pitches, its more stress and I havent done it in so long Im kind of eager to see how I feel after." As of Saturday morning, McGowan hadnt spoken with Gibbons or pitching coach Pete Walker about whats in store beyond Tuesdays appearance. If McGowan feels good the day after his next start, its believed the plan is to have him throw an 85-pitch outing in a minor league game on Sunday, March 30. "I have to try it to see if I can do it," he said. "I cant just say in my mind, oh I can do it or I cant do it. So well see. "Well have to see after the next one, after 65 how I feel," McGowan continued. "Its possible. It all depends on me." The fact that McGowan is even in the rotation conversation is reflective of a number of things: First, its a testament to the injury-riddled players resolve. McGowan hasnt been a regular starter in the big leagues since 2008. Second, J.A. Happ entered camp with a job in the rotation but three poor outings later (20.25 ERA) and uncertainty about the status of his back has cast a cloud of doubt; Esmil Rogers is better suited to a long relief role; Todd Redmond is a strike thrower who typically struggles after the first time through the oppositions lineup. Third, the failure to sign Ervin Santana, or acquire any major league-caliber pitching help via free agency or trade in the offseason, is forcing the Jays into a less-than-desirable decision. McGowan wont throw a bullpen session before Tuesday in the name of resting up. "Thats one of the things were kind of discussing," he said. "Would it benefit me more to throw one or not to throw one, to have more days in between to rest? I believe well kind of try both at some point to see if I feel better not doing it or if I need a bullpen. Its no big deal though." Regardless of whether hes a starter or a reliever, McGowan is poised to break camp with the Blue Jays for the first time since 2008. Theres still a week to go, though, and McGowans been through enough injuries to know he cant take anything for granted. "Weve still got a little bit to go in spring training so lets not jump ahead here," he said, pretending to knock on wood. Hutchison tosses gem Drew Hutchison pitched seven innings of one-hit, one-walk baseball in a minor league game on Saturday morning. The 23-year-old still hasnt officially secured a job in the starting rotation, although its difficult to believe the impending announcement is anything but a mere formality. "It was good to get stretched out, get 80 pitches and get up-and-down seven times," said Hutchison. "Those were the two most important things out of the outing." Its been a rewarding spring for Hutchison, whose positive results reflect the hard work he put in to rehabbing from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. General manager Alex Anthopoulos pursued pitching help in the offseason, both via trade and free agency, but failed to secure an arm. Hutchison watched from afar, unconcerned about what he couldnt control. "Ive always thought I was a guy that could contribute," said Hutchison. "Regardless of what is being talked about anywhere else, it doesnt change the way I prepare for a season." Janssen on track Casey Janssen, recovering from soreness in the back of his pitching shoulder, threw one inning in a minor league game on Friday. The key is the so-called "bounce back," how a guy feels the morning after his outing. "Good," said Janssen. "Not too bad on the soreness. Those guys were scrappy down there and made me work a little bit. Its good to get a little sore. Its good to get some work in." While Janssen estimated he threw 21 or 22 pitches, the official line given to the media was 17 pitches and 10 strikes. In his one inning, he allowed a hit, walked one and struck out two. "I was kind of more pitching, not necessarily to a Double-A Philly team, it was how I would pitch in the game or knowing in a 2-1 count I might throw an offspeed pitch because thats what I going to have to do in two weeks," said Janssen. "It was just here it is, hit it and see what you can do with it. I was pitching and trying to put sequences together." Janssens shoulder pain was in a different spot – the back of the shoulder where the decelerator muscles are located – than last years post-surgery soreness. The plan is for Janssen to pitch in three spring games before opening day, including two appearances on back to back days. Reyes leaves early Shortstop Jose Reyes left Saturdays 9-4 win over the Tigers before the fourth inning. He experienced tightness in his left hamstring. Asked quickly whether he was concerned, Reyes said he was fine. Camp cuts The Blue Jays reduced their major league camp roster be three on Sunday, optioning OF Kevin Pillar to Triple-A Buffalo and reassigning 1B Dan Johnson and P Aaron Sanchez to minor league camp. Getting buzzed for good cause Todd Redmond will shave his head on March 26, all in the name of a good cause. Hes supporting Cut for Cure, which raises money in the fight against pediatric cancers. "Im going to shave my head to I think a Number One," said Redmond. "Im shooting for a Two just so I can have a little bit of hair on there." The aim is raise $50,000. Former Atlanta Braves great Chipper Jones is also involved. For more information, visit Redmonds Twitter page @redneckred34 or click on the this link. .C. -- The Steve Smith era in Carolina is over. .m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Packers by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — New England 7-4, Green Bay 5-5-1SERIES RECORD — Tied 5-5. http://www.patriotsjerseysauthentic.com ... wl-Jersey/. "Theyve been good against everybody," he said. Carlos Gomez launched a three-run homer and Matt Garza battled into the seventh inning for his first win in four starts to help the Brewers continue their mastery of the Rockies with a 7-4 victory Saturday. .com) - The Los Angeles Kings peppered Ryan Miller with shot after shot. . -- Justin Verlander took a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and won his fourth straight decision, leading Detroit over the Kansas City Royals 9-4 Sunday and extending the Tigers winning streak to a season-high five games.TORONTO - For months, the thought of walking out on his team and fleeing to the U.S. lingered on Maikel Changs mind.The young midfielder talked about it with close friends on Cubas national soccer team and almost tried his luck on a few occasions, only to let fear deter him. But when he saw his chance — the night before a World Cup qualifying match in Toronto in the fall of 2012 — there was no hesitation, he said.He and two teammates, Odisnel Cooper and Heviel Cordoves, grabbed their passports and belongings while the rest of their group settled into their hotel rooms. They then slipped out through the fire escape and bolted down the street to avoid being spotted by their coaches. U.S. officials later confirmed the three had crossed the border in Niagara Falls, Ont.We had to do it if we wanted to play professional soccer. We also had to do it when we were still young, Chang, 23, told The Canadian Press in a phone interview from Charleston, S.C., where he, Cooper and Cordoves play for the Charleston Battery in a lower-tier professional league.We had already played at all levels in the national team and we realized that there was nowhere else to go, he said in Spanish.Dozens of top athletes — including many from Cuba — have defected during international competitions in an effort to escape persecution or to move up to a larger market.Its too early to tell whether the thawing relations between Cuba and the U.S., which will ease travel restrictions and may affect immigration policies, will reduce the incentive for Cuban athletes to defect while playing abroad, experts said as Ontario prepares to welcome thousands of athletes for the Pan Am and Parapan Games this summer.When Canada last hosted the Games in 1999, eight members of the Cuban delegation defected, stirring tensions between the two countries as Cuban officials accused Canadian media of inciting athletes to jump ship. When Winnipeg first staged the Games in 1967, a Cuban boxer defected shortly after winning a gold medal.Two players from the Cuban womens soccer team defected in 2011 after facing off with the Canadian team in Vancouver in an Olympic qualifying match. They crossed into the U.S., where they were reunited with relatives.It is fairly common given that these events bring people from different places in the world...They may be persecuted due to their sexual orientation, due to their political opinion and other grounds, said Jamie Liew, an Ottawa lawyer specializing in immigration and refugee law.In our culture, we view athletes as being quite well off, being compensated for the work thatt they do, who live charmed lives, (but) its very different for people who may come from different countries, she said.ddddddddddddAthletes in certain sports, such as soccer and baseball, can often find better opportunities in North America, said Bruce Kidd, an expert on the history and political economy of Canadian sports at the University of Toronto.But should travel between Cuba and the U.S. become easier in the next few years, they might not need to defect to get their big break, he said.Many Russian athletes defected during the Cold War, when movement in and out of the Eastern Bloc was heavily controlled, Kidd said.Since then, he said, the freeing up of travel has significantly reduced the driver for a lot of this and Russian athletes dont have to defect to have opportunities to train and compete in the United States, Canada and Western Europe.Both Liew and Chang, however, said its unlikely the softening relationship between Havana and Washington will affect athletes decisions at this time.There is still a lot of uncertainty, Liew said. In the last few weeks there has been an increase of Cubans trying to get to the U.S. due to U.S. policy with regards to Cuban refugees. There is a healthy skepticism that anything in the near future will change in Cuba.Chang said he cant predict whether Cuban athletes will try to defect during this summers Pan Am Games, but he doesnt believe the new diplomatic developments will be a factor.Fear, and concerns about leaving relatives behind, are more likely to influence athletes considering defection, he said.I can tell you that all my fellow Cuban players would like to be here to play professional soccer but this is a very difficult decision to make, said Chang, who was barred from returning to Cuba for eight years but talks to his mother daily through email.This is a decision you cannot undo.Athletes seeking to stay in Canada rather than head south of the border will have to go through the same process as any other asylum-seekers, Canadian officials said.Canadas refugee policies are applied consistently regardless of any special event, a spokesman for Citizenship and Immigration Canada said in an email.In the past, there were allegations that Ottawa — or NGOs acting with federal approval — actively encouraged defection, Kidd said, more to embarrass its political rivals than to bolster Canadian teams.More recently, he said, Canada has not gone out of its way to recruit defectors, it has simply considered and supported those who have asked for refugee status._ With files from Marie-Espérance Cerda ' ' '