Guillermo Quiroz has proven to be a very quick learner for the Blue Jays. (Toronto Blue Jays)
TORONTO -- Check off the box that says anxious. Draw an X through the one that says overwhelmed.
Guillermo Quiroz made his first Major League start on Saturday, slotting in as Toronto's designated hitter. The catching prospect has drawn raves from Toronto's coaching staff, in terms of his work ethic and mental makeup. Mike Barnett, Toronto's hitting coach, said that Quiroz doesn't make him say things twice.
"He's got excellent aptitude. He doesn't look at you and say, 'What are you talking about?' " Barnett said. "He understands completely, and he's able to apply it. It's exciting to see these young guys up here. He's one of the guys we think will be the bright spot of our future."
Guillermo Quiroz / C
Born: 11/29/81
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 200 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
Barnett isn't basing that opinion on two days in September. He worked with Quiroz extensively in Spring Training, honing his swing to the finest degree. The backstop took so well to instruction that the Jays used him as their organizational role model. They took before-and-after video of his batting practice and made it required viewing for their lower-level prospects.
"Last year, that's the thing he did so well," said Barnett. "He was able to drive the ball up the middle and the other way in batting practice. If you do that in batting practice, it's going to carry over to the games."
This year hasn't been what they expected: Quiroz got hit by a pitch and broke the middle finger on his left hand, and the rest of his season has been spent catching up. Barnett said he noticed a few rusty elements in the swing, but he said Quiroz has them ironed out already.
"He was coming off his back side, which was making him hook balls middle-in and be underneath them, kind of dragging his bat through the zone," he said. "Once he got his head back behind on his little gather-back, he was able to stay behind the ball and use his hands better. Now, he's able to hit the ball all over the ballpark."
Quiroz, for his part, said he's happy to be in the big leagues after a trying season. He said he wants to use the time to his best advantage, opening up as many eyes as he can in a short period of time.
"I'll try to do my best out there, and I'll work hard everyday, like I always do," he said. "I'm just going to go out there and play my game. It's going to be great."
Predictably, in keeping with baseball tradition, he found out about his promotion in a roundabout way. Quiroz had to scour every possible news source for news about his pending call up. Finally, his manager called him into the office and had a little fun with him.
"I was hearing a lot of rumors the last couple days, over the Internet and the newspapers here," he said. "I wasn't sure, but I heard [Thursday] night from the manager. You know, our Double-A team made the playoffs. He said they were asking for us down there; they wanted us to play for that team. He was laughing, and we kind of knew what was coming. It was fun."
Quiroz got his first hit in his third at-bat on Saturday, fisting a single to right field.
Pigskins: On the first football Saturday of the baseball season, most of the TVs in Toronto's clubhouse were tuned to a college game. A few players sat on one of the couches, watching Michigan play against Miami of Ohio.
At one point, the latter team was down two touchdowns and driving, prompting a passerby to inquire about Brian Butterfield. Toronto's infield coach is well known for his fanatical devotion to the Wolverines, which made his absence noteworthy.
One play later, a Michigan defensive back picked off a pass and loped up the sideline for an easy touchdown, turning the game back into a rout. A few seconds elapsed, then Butterfield stormed into the room with a football tucked under his arm, dressed from head to toe in Michigan maize and blue.
All in the family: Justin Speier handled Toronto's lineup card on Saturday, bringing it to home plate for the daily exchange with the opponent. The reliever had a good reason for doing a coach's job: His father, Chris Speier, was doing the same thing for Oakland.
The elder Speier serves as the A's bench coach, so this gave him an opportunity to shake hands with his son before the game. The pair joked with the umpires and stood for a couple pictures before turning and walking back to the respective dugouts. There's no word on whether the younger Speier will be grounded for getting crucial outs against Oakland.
Quotable: "When rookies debut, it's a nervous time. They've finally arrived. They're on edge, they're tight and they expect to be tight. That's what's so good about September. You can get all that out of the way, get on the field and hopefully have some success. You never know what happens next year." -- Toronto manager John Gibbons, talking about life as a September callup
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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Guillermo Quiroz / C
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