Looking for relief from the middle men

There are no crises at this stage of spring training. But there are concerns.

And when the spring-training visit from a former Munchkin (Mickey Carroll) has made a bigger impact than the pitcher being counted on to set up $47-million closer B.J. Ryan, it's time to at least see the Wizard -- make that the general manager -- and ask if in hindsight he should have given Justin Speier enough money to keep him here.

"Nah," J.P. Ricciardi said, wrinkling his nose. "The trick is to pay those guys before they make the big money."

In some ways, the Toronto Blue Jays would rather middle-relief pitcher Brandon League had a little bit of shoulder trouble. That way, at least, it would simply be a matter of backing him off in the spring and monitoring the right-hander's throwing.

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