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When Alex Anthopoulos went out after last season and systematically filled some drastic holes in the bullpen it was hailed by many as another savvy move by the young Toronto Blue Jays general manager.



Some 20 blown saves later, the struggles of the Blue Jays relievers this season has done nothing to alter the GM's view that the last thing he needs to do is spend a wad of money to lure a big-time proven closer to town.



"We're reluctant to do long-term deals with relievers just because it's the most volatile area in the game," Anthopoulos said on Friday before the Blue Jays played the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre.



Volatile would be one way to describe this year's bullpen fraternity.



Inconsistent would be another.



The 20 blown saves in 47 save opportunities this season heading into Friday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre represent the second highest total in the American League this season.



Toronto's 57-per-cent save success rate is tied with the Baltimore Orioles for dead last in the A.L.



"It's been a frustrating one for all involved," Toronto manager John Farrell conceded earlier in the week about the performance of his bullpen this season.



As inconsistent as the Toronto bullpen has been, it still has a ways to go to challenge the franchise record for most blown saves in a season which is 29, set back in 2002.



The Blue Jays ranked fourth in the A.L. in total saves in 2010 with 45 – 37 of them consumed by Kevin Gregg who departed the team at the end of the season through free agency along with Scott Downs, another dependable bullpen arm.Despite the off-season acquisitions of veteran relievers Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch and Octavio Dotel (since dispatched to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the Colby Rasmus deal) the Blue Jays have combined for just 27 saves, the A.L.'s third lowest total.Rauch, who is currently on the 15-day disabled list recovering from an appendectomy, leads the team with five blown saves. Francisco has four, while the recently departed Marc Rzepczynski had three.



Rauch and Francisco are tied for the team lead with 11 saves each with Francisco seemingly more comfortable in the closer's role of late, not having allowed a run in his last 11 appearances heading into Friday's contest.



The Blue Jays will argue that, despite all the blown saves, the numbers aren't quite as bad as they seem.



Any time a reliever comes into a game and blows a lead for another pitcher that would qualify for a win, that pitcher is credited for a blown save.



It doesn't always have to occur in the ninth inning and a team can accrue more than one blown save in a game and still emerge a winner.



This season for the Blue Jays, their 20 blown saves have come in 17 games. Toronto's record in those games is 6-11. While the majority of Toronto's blown saves have occurred in the ninth inning (9), six have occurred in the eighth and three in the seventh.



Farrell says the biggest issue with his bullpen this year has been its propensity to surrender the home run.



Toronto relievers have been nicked for 42 round-trippers this season over 396.1 innings, which works out to a home run every 9.4 at-bats. Anthopoulos is not certain that any major surgery is required in the off-season to try to repair what ails his bullpen. Casey Janssen is enjoying another solid season as is Shawn Camp. And the addition of former starter Jesse Litsch, who has allowed just seven hits while striking out 17 in 15.1-innings pitched, has been a revelation.



"We have a lot of depth in terms of young arms in the organization," he said. "How all that's going to play out we're not sure."



"We'll examine it as we do all parts of the team and look to formulate a plan in the off-season."





IRATE BAUTISTA TOSSED



While his teammates appeared content to go quietly into the night, the same couldn't be said for Jose Bautista Friday night at Rogers Centre.



As the Tampa Bay Rays were in the process of laying a 6-1 thumping on the Blue Jays, the major league's home run leader wasn't around for the finish, getting ejected in the sixth inning by home plate umpire Bill Welke following a tantrum.



After striking out for the third time leading off the inning, Bautista stalked back into the dugout where he proceeded to vent his frustrations on the wall with his bat.



Bautista then shouted a few choice words out towards Welke, who didn't waste any time ejecting the right fielder from the game.



Bautista's response was to hurl his bat, batting helmet, arm pad and water bottle out onto the field before he made his departure.



LONGORIA HOMERS TWICE



The Rays (71-59) were led by two home runs off the bat of third baseman Even Longoria off Henderson Alvarez, the rookie pitcher who was making his fourth start for the Blue Jays (66-65) and is still in search of his first win.



Desmond Jennings and John Jaso also hit home runs for Tampa.



Brett Lawrie provided about the only spark for the Blue Jays with the rookie belting home run No. 5 in the second inning off James Shields.



The Blue Jays have now lost three of their last four.

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