Every year you make sure to check out the players an organization sends to the Arizona Fall League. These can be players the team is fast tracking to the Bigs, players changing positions or players needing extra work while rehabbing from injuries. The Blue Jays have seven prospects playing this year with the Salt River Rafters: four pitchers, a catcher, an infielder and an outfielder. The four of most interest are all pitchers - Drew Hutchison, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and John Stillson. Hutchison, coming off of Tommy John surgery, pitched 35.1 innings this past season split among Single, Double and Triple-A. Clearly, the Jays are trying to get him more work to hasten his return to the big club. Hutchison has been pretty sharp making four starts for the Rafters, going 1-0 with a 0.57 ERA and with two walks and 14 strikeouts over 15.2 innings. As good as he looked, when you consider how few innings he pitched this past season, it would still make a lot more sense for Hutchison to spend the bulk, if not the entire coming season, in Double and Triple-A. Aaron Sanchez is two years younger than Hutchison at 21, but is regarded as the Jays top pitching prospect what with the trades of Justin Nicolino to the Miami Marlins and Noah Syndergaard to the New York Mets a year ago. The only real knock so far on Sanchez has been his control. With the Rafters, he has eight walks in 13.1 innings, but otherwise, the numbers look pretty good. In four starts hes 0-1 with 10 strikeouts and a 1.35 ERA. However, it still looks as though hes at least another year away from a shot at the Majors. The other two are puzzlers. After a year starting at Double and Triple-A, 22-year-old Marcus Stroman is only working in relief in the AFL. Hes pitched in seven games, just 7.2 innings and is 0-2 with a 4.70 ERA. Hes struck out six and walked only 3 and opponents have only hit .207 off him. Alex Anthopoulos said towards the end of this season, he might trade some of the Blue Jays bullpen depth, to fill other holes. So, perhaps, Stroman will move into the Jays pen to fill one of the created openings. The fourth pitcher is right-hander John Stillson, who greatly impressed skipper John Gibbons last spring. The 23-year-old right out of Texas A&M went 6-2 at Triple-A Buffalo out of the bullpen with four saves. He struck out 47 and walked 15. Unfortunately, he hasnt pitched well in the AFL. Hes appeared in just three games out of the pen going only two-and-a-third innings and getting hit hard. Stillsons ERA is 23.14 and batters are hitting .438 against him. Yes, there is still Kyle Drabek and the impending return of Brandon Morrow from his injury and the possibility that Ricky Romero has a shocking return to form, but its still pretty clear Alex Anthopoulos is going to have to do most of his searching for pitching help outside the organization in the off-season. Monday at 5:00pm et. is the deadline for teams to make qualifying offers of to their perspective free agents. The Blue Jays are not expected to tender right-hander Josh Johnson who went 2-8 in an injury plagued first campaign with the Jays. The Blue Jays were supposed to have met with their medical people over the weekend to determine if it was worth making Johnson any sort of offer at all, say in the $2-3M range for one season. Interest in Tanaka A reworked Japanese player-posting system havent been put into place yet, but the interest in Masahiro Tanaka continues to skyrocket. The 25-year-old who went 24-0 this season for the Rakuten Golden Eagles, threw 160 pitches in a complete game loss in Game 6 of the Japanese World Series to the Yomiuri Giants. The very next day, though, in Game 7, Tanaka came right back and threw 15 more pitches in the ninth to nail down the victory and give Rakuten its first league title ever. The New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs just a few of the clubs who want to get into the bidding once a new posting system is in place. Bay Area Share? There is a chance that the Oakland Athletics could be playing in the San Francisco Giants ballpark for the next two years. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, unless the As can get a two-year lease agreement in Oakland rather than the six-to-eight-year deal the O.co Coliseum people want, they will be playing out of AT&T Park as soon as this spring. The As want to maintain their flexibility so they can move someplace else if a new facility isnt built in Oakland. A few scheduling details would have to be worked out, since, right now, the As and Giants are both scheduled to play eight games at home on the same days. End of the Astrodome? The fate of the sports first indoor facility, the Houston Astrodome, could well be decided shortly. There is a vote being taken on Tuesday on a $217M bond issue on whether to transform the Astrodome into a convention and exhibition centre. If the nays carry the vote, the Astrodome, which opened in 1965, will be leveled. Gary Trent Jr. Blazers Jersey . And thats about it. After the Salukis 73-65 loss at Murray State on Tuesday night, Hinson called his players "uncoachable," "a bunch of mamas boys" and compared the disciplining of his young team to housebreaking a puppy. Zach Collins Jersey . "I was so nervous," Hadley said Sunday after winning the Puerto Rico Open for his first PGA Tour victory. "I did not eat well last night. http://www.blazersteamofficial.com/Clyde-Drexler-Blazers-Jersey/ . Specifically, thumbs up to the Canadian-based teams in the NHL, or at least most of them. Jusuf Nurkic Jersey . They were expecting him there all along. The Pacers announced Friday night that George has been cleared "to return to normal basketball activity," a decision made three days after he was concussed in Game 2 of the Indiana-Miami series. Bill Walton Jersey . With the team he supported as a child on the verge of reaching the Champions League semifinals for the first time in 19 years, Ba instead scored the goal that knocked them out.COPENHAGEN - They were the two toughest moments in Mathew Dumbas young hockey career. "I really wanted to make this team," a glassy-eyed, 17-year-old Dumba said back in December of 2011 when he was cut by the Canadian national junior team. "It was hard for me to wake up this morning and pack my stuff up. Its emotional, but Ill get through it, but just the experience was great. I had trouble sleeping for sure, I was up every hour and it was just one of those things. Its on your mind constantly. Its tough to go through." One year later he was back in front of the cameras and microphones as one of the final cuts. "I thought I played alright the first two games," an 18-year-old Dumba said then. "I felt I played pretty good the last one. Its tough; its a tough team to make. Im disappointed, but I understand at the same time." A trip to the world junior championship was so close and yet so far. WATCH: Thats Hockey profiles Dumba "Those were my first two times being cut so it was kind of an eye-opener for me, but made me a better player and made me who I am today," said Dumba, who will play a key role on Canadas team this year. "Its tough. Even as a 17-year-old your expectation is to go into camp, play your best and hopefully make the team and thats what I thought I did. Just unfortunate the last two years. Hopefully this years my chance. I have a great opportunity and Im just trying to seize it." "Any time any player goes through that, for two straight years, its always difficult on you and it leaves, maybe, some scars on you," said Brent Sutter, head coach of the Canadian junior squad, who also coached Dumba in Red Deer of the Western Hockey League. MIXED EMOTIONS Dumbas spot on this years Canadian junior team was in jeopardy not because he was on the roster bubble, but because he was in the NHL. The 19-year-old, picked seventh overall by Minnesota in 2012, was struggling to crack the lineup consistently so the Wild loaned him to Hockey Canada. "Even though I felt I should be in the lineup its all based on what the coaches think and what their choices are so as a younger guy Ive just kept with the workouts and the skates and did everything I could to get back in there," said Dumba, who has played 13 games this season, but hasnt suited up since Nov. 23. "Im fortunate enough to have this opportunity and come here and maybe have a lot more minutes than Id have in Minnesota." Dumba is averaging 12:26 of ice time a game with the Wild. "My emotions were a little mixed," he admitted, "you know, you want to be in the NHL and playing every night, but the reality was I wasnt and its awesome to be here and I know Ill have an awesome experience here." "I cant tell you whaat the conversation was that Minnesota had with Matt when they told him they would assign him to the world junior team," said Sutter, "but Id like to think Matt was pretty excited about that and the fact that now, in his third year, he gets that chance.dddddddddddd" Dumba insists the feedback from the Wild has been positive. "They really liked my play and thought I was strong as of late. This was purely based on what they thought was best for me and going out and getting that extra experience." The experience in the NHL so far this season has certainly been beneficial to Dumbas evolution. "The consistency day in and day out," said Dumba when asked what has stood out. "They come to practice every day and guys are on their game. You dont really see a guy have a bad game. At most, he has an OK game and he gets better the next game. Its just that consistency. Thats the biggest thing Ive taken away from being a pro." The Regina native has had an opportunity to watch Ryan Suter, the NHLs ice time leader at 29:37 a game, up close. "I think the other night he may have played 35 minutes or something," Dumba said. "I was checking the box score. Its crazy watching those guys and how they play so many minutes at such an elite level. I think its crazy. I got pretty good role models there." And those role models had a message for Dumba as he departed for the world juniors. "All the Canadian guys said, Bring back the gold, but the Americans had a bit of a different conversation with me," Dumba recalled with a chuckle. Canada will wrap up the round robin with a game against the United States on New Years Eve. HE DESERVES IT Its possible Dumba wouldnt be at this point without the influence of Sutter, who twice led the Canadian juniors to gold in 2005 and 2006. "Hes played a huge role, especially last year," said Dumba. "He really pushed me to the limit and made me more reliable, more responsible in my own zone and all over the ice in terms of understanding the game and being an elite player in all areas of the ice." Asked to describe Sutter in one word, Dumba pauses for a few second, laughs, and says, "intense." "I think we both know each other so he knows what I can bring and I know what he expects so I think everything will got smooth." As for Sutter, the no-nonsense taskmaster allows for a moment of sentimentality when talking about how Dumba will finally get a shot at wearing the Maple Leaf at the world juniors after so much heartache. "He deserves it," said Sutter. "Hes been one of the best defencemen not only in the Western Hockey League, but in our country for the last year. Were leaning on him to be a big part of this team." ' ' '