DUNEDIN, Florida - Kevin Pillar and Ryan Goins made their respective major league debuts nine days apart last August and with just days until spring training play gets underway, the two late-season Toronto Blue Jays call ups find themselves in different situations vis-à-vis the 2014 squad. Mario Hezonja Blazers Jersey . Goins is the early favourite to win the starting job at second base. Pillar is an outsider to secure a role off the bench, which becomes an even more difficult spot to win if the number of back up jobs is reduced by one. That happens if the Blue Jays decide to start the season with an eight man bullpen. Praised last week by general manager Alex Anthopoulos as the best defensive second baseman the club has had since Orlando Hudson and as "gold glove caliber," Goins hopes an offensive adjustment he made in mid-September helps to round out his game. Goins moved his hands down in his batting stance. Then, during an offseason visit to new hitting coach Kevin Seitzer in Kansas City, Goins went one step further, starting his hands closer to his body. "I have more time to see the ball," he said. "My timing is a little different than having so much movement, having to get going so much earlier, so now its a little better to see the ball and hopefully it will lead to better plate discipline, hitting the ball harder and more consistent." A safe bet to be the nine-hole hitter if he makes the team, Goins is eager to improve upon the .609 OPS he posted in 121 plate appearances over 34 games with the Blue Jays last season. His .679 OPS in 111 Triple-A games last season feeds into the all defense-not much offense narrative but Anthopoulos is more concerned with run prevention this season after watching his infield struggle with injuries and range last year. "He needs to be able to hold is own (offensively,)" said manager John Gibbons. Seitzer, during his first scrum with the Toronto media in January, said he saw Goins as a potential .275-.280 hitter. Their Kansas City rendezvous had already happened so Seitzer was speaking as someone whod watched Goins up close. "I see myself as a hitter," said Goins. "I think I can put together productive at-bats for a season and help the team win. Whatever they need me to do. If its situational hitting, hit and runs, bunting guys over. Whatever is called upon me, wherever Im hitting in the lineup, is what Im going to go out there and do everyday." Pillar, who made his debut on August 14 and went 0-17 before getting his first big league hit at Yankee Stadium, struggled to a .206/.250/.333 line over 110 plate appearances. He got away from his strength as an offensive player, an up-the-middle approach, becoming pull happy and unable to lay off down-and-away breaking pitches. Not one to mope, Pillar went home to Southern California and went to work. "I went home, took about two weeks off in the offseason and Ive been hitting three to four hours everyday just trying to get back," said Pillar. "People say, Why dont you just go back to what you did? Once its gone its gone. Like a lot of things in life, once you forget how to do it or how you felt in the box youve got to recreate that feeling." Pillar insists he isnt exaggerating his three-to-four hours a day hitting routine. His only break wasnt a break. He went to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic and had 66 at-bats, his attempt to get back in his groove. Lawrie thrilled for Team Canada Brett Lawrie, the lone Blue Jay whos Canadian born and raised, was happy to lord Canadas Olympic hockey gold medals over his teammates. After all, Lawrie is badly outnumbered in the clubhouse. "When youre the underdog youve got to keep quiet because theres too many of them," said Lawrie. "I just waited for my turn and then obviously I got my opportunities." Lawrie did his best to keep an eye on Sundays win, working around media responsibilities and warm up Sunday morning at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Kawasaki follow up One day after predicting Canada would beat Sweden 2-1 in the mens hockey gold medal game, Munenori Kawasaki was pleased with himself. "I say Canada win," Kawasaki said. When reminded he didnt pick the correct score, Kawasaki issued a pseudo apology: "My bad. Im no good." Kawasaki didnt watch the game. Jaylen Hoard Blazers Jersey . Torres tells Spanish daily AS "in football you never know where you will be inside one month. Im going to work hard, thats all you can do with this last part of the season so important. Gary Trent Jr. Jersey . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. https://www.blazerslockerroom.com/Wade-Baldwin-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - Cincinnati Reds pitcher Mat Latos had an arthroscopic procedure performed on his right elbow last week, the teams official site reported Wednesday.Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Jarome Iginla led a Colorado scoring blitz with a pair of goals as the surging Avalanche delivered a 5-2 victory over the Ottawa Senators at Pepsi Center. Iginlas big night was aided by markers from Brad Stuart, Erik Johnson and Daniel Briere, as well as another tremendous performance from Semyon Varlamov, in Colorados fourth win in five games. Coming off a spectacular 54-save effort in Tuesdays shutout of Chicago, Varlamov was busy again in turning aside 36-of-38 Ottawa shots. Were starting to build some confidence, Iginla said. That Chicago game was a big game and it carried over tonight. Craig Anderson didnt come close to matching Varlamovs level of play, allowing three goals on just nine chances before being pulled for Robin Lehner just past the midway mark of the second period. It was not Andys fault, Senators forward Mika Zibanejad remarked. Weve got to do better with blocking shots and we did not do that (tonight). Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan had the Ottawa goals in the Senators third straight loss. Colorado recorded only seven first-period shots, but connected on two of them to support another clean frame from the razor-sharp Varlamov. Iginla began the scoring by ripping a quick shot from the right circle past a screened Anderson 8:20 into the contest. Stuart made it a 2-0 lead with 2:40 left in the stanza on the veteran defensemans first goal of the season, a long one-timer that got by Anderson with traffic in front of the Ottawa net. Stones successful attempt off a beautiiful no-look give from Erik Karlsson with just over three minutes elapsed in the second period gave the Senators some life, but the momentum was brief. Hassan Whiteside Blazers Jersey. Just 53 seconds after Stones goal, Johnson restored Colorados two-goal margin by landing a long drive with Iginla stationed right in Andersons line of sight. Varlamov made the 3-1 lead stand into the intermission with 13 more stops in the second. Hes a good goalie and youve got to keep more focus with him, said Zibanejad of Varlamov. Youve got to be better in the shooting lane. Iginlas second of the night, a power-play tally just 23 seconds into the third that came off a nice centering feed from Alex Tanguay, started a scoring flurry during the early stages of the final period. Ryan turned a bad giveaway from Johnson into his 12th goal of the season with 1:05 gone in the session. The Avalanche answered just 1:35 later, however, when Tyson Barries cross-ice pass to Briere resulted in a 5-2 Colorado advantage. Game Notes Tanguay recorded two assists to reach 800 career points ... Varlamovs 54 saves on Tuesday were the most in a road shutout in NHL history, breaking the mark that Anderson held with a 53-save effort for Florida against the Islanders on March 2, 2008 ... Ottawa went 0-for-4 on the power play and hasnt scored in 29 chances with a man advantage over its last eight games ... Colorado had won seven straight in the series prior to the Sens 5-3 win in Ottawa on Oct. 16. ' ' '