原文出自官网 03/19/2005 3:40 PM ET Notes: Batista aiming for 50 saves Right-hander preparing for role as team's closer By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Miguel Batista's conversion to the closer's slot is complete. Toronto's ace reliever is already mapping out ambitious goals and ways to accomplish them. The erstwhile starter is aiming for a save total that would set a franchise record, and he's also setting rules on when he'll talk to the media. "We're trying to make sure we get those last three nails every night, just bury them. It's going to be a tough job," said Batista, who wants to get 50 saves. "That's why I'm telling you -- I don't think I'll get a chance to talk every night." The right-hander expects to have a busy season, but history is not on his side. Batista has a grand total of six career saves, and only one Toronto reliever has ever registered 40 in a season. That was Duane Ward, who set the franchise record (45) in 1993. Still, Batista doesn't seem intimidated by the numbers. He's done his own math , and his calculations show that the Blue Jays need a 50-save season to advance to the playoffs. "Our team isn't planning to go out there and compete. We're planning to go out there and beat some people up," Batista said. "We're not looking for a 25- or 30-save guy -- we're looking for a guy to give us 50, at least. That's the one thing that's going to take us to the playoffs. "Ask Mariano Rivera. He knows. Look at Texas with [Francisco] Cordero last year -- he got 43. They almost made it. Seven more and they would've been there." Endurance: The Jays are working hard on the finer points of Batista's relief resume. He earned five saves in last season's stretch run, but he never pitched on back-to-back occasions. He plans on doing that over the next few weeks of the Grapefruit League schedule, and he believes that experience will be invaluable once the season starts. After all, if he's looking for 50 saves, he'll need to perform on a regular basis -- even when he doesn't have his best stuff. "You have to be smart enough to know when your stuff is there and when it's not. When it's not, you've got to change to plan B in a heartbeat, because we need to win," Batista said. "That's what makes a good closer a great closer. When you don't have your stuff, you've still got to give it the same -- change gears and bring something out." Batista has worked on whittling down his seven-pitch arsenal to something a little more manageable. He's changed his philosophy -- instead of trying to make hitters look silly, he wants to get them out on as few pitches as possible. In his latest relief appearance, he struck out two batters and got the third on a second-pitch ground ball. "It's coming along good. We've been working on locating some pitches to get me out early. ... There are some minor things we're still trying to perfect," Batista said. "There are a lot of pitches I haven't used in the last three outings. But those are pitches that I use in the 'pen -- when my fastball's not there, I'm going to need them. "It's more a physical adjustment than it is mentally. I was ready to pitch, no matter what. ... That's most of the concern, to make sure that once Opening Day comes, I'll be ready to throw every night if we have a lead." Homeroom: When Pete Walker took the mound on Friday night, he had someone from his hometown watching his back. John McDonald, Toronto's shortstop, went to the same high school as Walker in East Lyme, Conn. McDonald made two outstanding plays in that game, but only one of them turned into an out. Afterwards, he admitted that it felt pretty special to play behind Walker, who was a high school senior when McDonald was in eighth grade. "I always want to pick up Pete anyway I can. He's the elder statesman back in East Lyme, so anytime I can take care of him, I'm going to do it," said McDonald, who also mentioned Brook Fordyce as a Connecticut role model. "Those guys made it to the big leagues and made somebody like myself think it was possible. "You don't know, back then, how good someone is. There are good high school players all over the place -- it's who can stay with it long enough to get to the big leagues." The defensive standout flashed leather twice in the same inning on Friday night, but he said he learned a profound lesson from Omar Vizquel during his Cleveland tenure. Vizquel, a nine-time Gold Glover, made a big impression on McDonald. "The guys that can make the routine play over and over again are the guys that stay in the big leagues," McDonald said. "You can ask anybody -- making the great plays is a lot of fun, but you can't mess up the routine ball. "I've learned from some very good players and coaches. Omar Vizquel did not miss the routine ball. [The spectacular plays] made him great, but you can be very good and play this game for a long time." Quotable: "When you're a closer, you want little licks here and little licks there. If you can get three pitches to get out of an inning, that's all we want -- just make sure they swing the bat and we go home." -- Batista, succinctly summing up Toronto's late-inning philosophy "You have to be smart enough to know when your stuff is there and when it's not. When it's not, you've got to change to plan B in a heartbeat, because we need to win," Batista said. "That's what makes a good closer a great closer. When you don't have your stuff, you've still got to give it the same -- change gears and bring something out." -- 1.三商虎 2.Toronto Blue Jays 3.La New Bears 4.Florida Marlins 5.Detroit Tigers --

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