Ricky Tiedemann in the mix for rotation spot to start Jays season

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DUNEDIN — There are enough indicators for Ricky Tiedemann to know when his progressively elite stuff is playing at peak.

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There is velocity of course, with a fastball that has clicked up to 98 mph this spring. There is wicked action on his breaking ball, which leaves seasoned veterans shaking there heads. And there is filling up the zone with all of his pitches, action that puts a smile on the faces of his coaches.

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Those smiles had more beam on them on Thursday night as Tiedemann made his final start of the spring and was so strong that he may have played his way onto the roster to start the season.

Manager John Schneider acknowledging on Friday that Tiedemann is a possibility to break camp with the team and open the season in the rotation.

“When you’re trying to put the best team out there for the time being or for the long term … I think (Thursday) night was a great performance by him and he turned the corner a little bit,” Schneider said. “So yeah, he’s in the mix.

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“His stuff is usually there but there was a little more attitude about him. There was a little more ‘I’m going to go out there and execute.’ He went out there with intent and it definitely showed.”

High on the list of significant gauges for the Blue Jays left hander is the reaction his stuff garners from opposing hitters. “Filthy” and “nasty” and words we shouldn’t repeat are part of the hitters’ lexicon following a humbling Tiedemann strikeout.

“It is fun to see that look,” the 21-year-old stud starter in waiting said. “You could see it sometimes in the way the batters are trying to guess the pitch that’s coming and it’s not going their way.

“I think if I can keep doing that to the best hitters I’ll be in good hands. Hopefully if I can stay in the zone, it will work out.”

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Schneider noticed it as well.

“That’s the reaction you’re hoping for when you’re sitting in our dugout with him on the mound,” Schneider said.

Tiedemann struck out five in his first three scoreless, hitless innings against the Pirates before allowing a home run and a walk in the fourth to end his evening. As much as he feels ready, Tiedemann doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself.

“I try not to think too much about it,” Tiedemann said when asked how he approaches the anticipation of making his big league debut. “It’s staying healthy and going out every outing and throwing strikes. I think that’s what (management and coaches) want to see.

“I think if I’m in the zone my stuff plays well enough that they’re going to need it at some point. Hopefully if I can keep doing that I can get the shot.”

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If Tiedemann sounds confident, it’s because for one, he certainly is and for another, it’s well earned.

It also helps that Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah may not be ready for the start of the season.

And it has been clear for a while now that he is a fit in the Jays big league plans despite his youth and inexperience. Injuries slowed that train some last season as the California native was limited to 62 innings of game action.

Sure, it’s a challenge but on the list of much to like about Tiedemann’s work thus far, is the way opposing hitters react to him, particularly after a strikeout.

“I think for me it’s about being in the zone from the get-go,” Tiedemann said. “I think if I can do that and have these elite hitters on their toes from the very beginning of the at bat and not let them pick me apart … getting ahead early is huge for me.”

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Overall, Tiedemann is pleased with his body of work. In that final spring outing against the Pirates, he threw 50 pitches with his vaunted fastball-slider mix proving to be a vexing task for those he faced. In his three spring starts, Tiedemann pitched 6.2 innings with eight strikeouts and a 5.40 ERA.

“It was just a ramping up type of thing for me and just being ready for the season,” Tiedemann said. “It’s a long year and just being ready for when they call is something I need to focus on.”

And now that call may come sooner than most anticipated.

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