BRADENTON, Florida – With Grapefruit League play in full swing, so is the battle for the available starting spot, second base, in the Blue Jays infield. A second infield job, off the bench, is also up for grabs.

Working off the assumption the club will break camp with a seven-man bullpen (it's understood assuming can make a you-know-what out of you and me), the bench will comprise the backup catcher, Danny Valencia, another infielder and a fourth outfielder.

Competition is strong because of the sheer quantity of candidates.

Toronto's options include veterans Maicer Izturis, Ramon Santiago, Steve Tolleson and Munenori Kawasaki. Younger players like Ryan Goins and Devon Travis, acquired from the Tigers in an offseason trade for Anthony Gose, are in the running.

Izturis seems a strong bet to make the team. He's entering the final season of a three-year, $9-million contract and is coming off a freak knee injury suffered last April in Baltimore. Izturis tore the lateral collateral ligament in his left knee while descending dugout stairs and missed, effectively, the entire year. He had a walk and a run scored for two plate appearances in Tuesday's 8-7 loss to the Pirates. Izturis also made a nice defensive play on a groundball to his right, a positive sign considering concern over how a serious knee injury would affect his range.

Given that there's no obvious starter at second base, Izturis seems as likely a candidate as any to win the job. If he does, the early-season watch will be on the middle infield defence. Jose Reyes' range has been in decline. Izturis' will be in doubt. Pitchers like R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle need plays made behind them. Marcus Stroman, too, because he's developed a sinker which has increased the number of groundballs he allows.

If it's not Izturis, it could be 35-year-old Ramon Santiago, although Santiago seems a better candidate for the bench. The 13-year veteran last played for the Reds but spent 10 years in Detroit over two stints with a stop in Seattle in between. A right-handed hitter, Santiago doesn't offer much pop (career .643 OPS versus right-handers; .645 versus left-handers). He would, however, provide versatility as a utility player because he's able to play second, third and shortstop. His 10-plus years of accrued major league service means he's at a point in his career where he's not looking for more; he'd accept his role.

Prospect Devon Travis is on whom you should keep an eye this spring. Considered a pure hitter, an impressive camp could help to pave a quicker path to the big leagues. He's posted strong batting averages and on-base plus slugging (OPS) percentages at each level of the Tigers' system, although he's yet to play higher than Double-A.

"He's got a great swing," said manager John Gibbons. "He's always hit and that's the reports on him. I tell you, you watch his BP and there's something a little different about him than most guys. He's got that good, short, compact swing. He's got a great feel. When he's taking batting practice he's hitting with a purpose. He shoots the ball all over the field; he really works at hitting the hole between first and second. He's a line drive machine; those guys who do that, they usually hit."

Ryan Goins fits nicely as a late-game defensive replacement but because he's established himself as all-glove, no-bat (.531 OPS in 314 major league at-bats) he may already have hit his ceiling. The Blue Jays gave Goins the second base starting job last season and he lost it before the end of April.

Tolleson and Kawasaki won't play as much as the others this spring. "We know what they are," said Gibbons.

Musical Chairs

The Blue Jays took to the field in Bradenton with an outfield of Dalton Pompey in leftfield, Kevin Pillar in centrefield and Ezequiel Carrera in rightfield. By the fifth inning, the three had played each of the outfield positions.

For as long as Michael Saunders is rehabbing his injured left knee, there are two available starting spots in the outfield. Wednesday's starting three are the leading candidates to fill those roles.

Pillar made a brilliant, inning-ending, run-saving, diving catch to rob Brent Morel in the fifth.

Manager John Gibbons is impressed with what he's seen so far.

"Pillar's really a polished outfielder. Pompey's a work in progress, much younger, much more inexperienced guy but he's got everything he needs," said Gibbons. "He's spent a lot of time with the outfield guys working on routes and jumps and things like that.

"The one we think is the best at the time will play centre and the other will go to left," said Gibbons.

Stroman's Spring Debut

Marcus Stroman went 1 2/3 innings in his spring debut, a 4-1 win over the Pirates in Bradenton. He allowed an unearned run on two hits, striking out one, second baseman Neil Walker to start the second inning.

He mixed in all of his pitches and felt his main weapon, the sinker, improved as he went along.

"The first inning I was just cutting it a little bit," said Stroman. "It's just one of those things once you get out there, I mean reps. In the second inning, I had a lot better action; I threw a front door sinker to Walker I was pretty happy with and (it was) a lot better in the second inning for the most part."

Stroman and Buehrle

Marcus Stroman is the brash, young upstart. Mark Buehrle is the grizzled veteran. The latter keeps the former in line.

Buehrle's joked a number of teammates have taken to calling him "dad." Stroman is among them.

"I don't think he's worried about me, he knows I'm always smiling, I'm always flashy," said Stroman. "We're completely two different personalities, you know what I mean? It's good to have him there because he pulls back, he'll say, 'Stro, you're getting out of hand.'"

Age (Buehrle turns 36 later this month, Stroman is 23) is one difference. What are the others?

"He's very, very simple and I'm the complete opposite," said Stroman. "You can tell by the way we dress. I wear tapered pants, he's just normal, I wear flashy shoes, he wears normal shoes. He hunts, I go into the city. It's completely different. But he's the man. I'm more than lucky to have him on my team."