On Monday, B.J. Ryan gets back in the saddle. That's the day the Blue Jays closer, who is recovering from Tommy John ligament transfer surgery, gets back on the mound for the first time since his May 10 operation. "I talked to B.J. a few days ago and I'll be catching him Monday," pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said in his enthusiastic manner yesterday from his home in Arlington, Tex. "B.J. had been throwing long toss from 120 feet, shut down for a month and now is feeling so good that he's ready to start his normal throwing program with a light bullpen. He'll be throwing off the mound. "He's really excited and told me he hasn't had a bad day since he started throwing." It's all good news for the Jays but Arnsberg stressed that the healing process is a slow one and the standard length of recovery from Tommy John surgery is from a year to 18 months. "But it's still a great sign," Arnsberg said of the big lefty, who in 2006 had 38 saves for the Jays in the first year of his five-year contract. "We're going to go slowly with him, piece it together little by little and see how it goes." How it goes is going to be baby steps through spring training. "At spring training we're going to guard him differently that the normal guys," Arnsberg said. "It's going to take him a while before he feels like he did before." "Although B.J. feels he's ahead of schedule we're going to guard him with kid gloves." Ryan isn't the only Jays pitcher who will be reporting to spring training Feb. 15 who is comming off surgery. Left-hander Gustavo Chacin, who is a candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation, was restricted to five starts in 2007 because of shoulder problems. His season ended officialy in August when he had minor shoulder surgery. Arnsberg said all signs point to Chacin being ready to compete for a starting job along with Jesse Litsch and Cassey Janssen. "Although I haven't talked to Gus, I understand there have been no problems," Arnsberg said. "If there had been and ill factors, I would have heard about it." All in all, Arnsberg is looking foward to 2007 after the strides his young pitchers -- Litsch, Shaun Marcum and Dustin McGowan -- made in 2007. "This off-season we didn't have to go out and feel like we had to upgrade and fill out the rotation," Arnsberg said. "It's all about getting healthy and staying healthy." Because of injuries the young guys helped float the boat last year, made strides and it's a matter of taking off where we landed last year." Along with progess come expectations and Arnsberg believes that's a positive thing with his staff. "The way we pitched last year I believe we have a very solid core coming back," he said. "It's expected that they pick up where they left off. I expect it." --

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