TORONTO – It didnt happen right away, this positive working relationship between centerfielder Colby Rasmus and hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. Omar Vizquel Jersey . It wasnt that the two men were at odds. Its just, sometimes, these things take time. Its especially true with a guy like Rasmus. Hes taken all kinds of advice through the years on how to be a better hitter and how to be a better player and sometimes too much information rattles around in his brain. "Weve crossed some humps for sure," said Rasmus. "Just getting to know each other better; him getting to know me a little better." It was a conversation in Kansas City that proved the turning point. Rasmus was scuffling, his batting average hovering around the so-called Mendoza Line (.200). Hed been trying things his way. Noticeable details, like how he would hold his hands out over the plate when he came set in his batting stance. There were less noticeable things, like his approach to particular pitchers, which also needed tweaking. Seitzer approached Rasmus. The coach asked his 27-year-old pupil to do it his way for one week. The hands came in a bit, the bat rested still on Rasmus shoulders to launch a more even swing through the strike zone and the results were immediate. Entering Sundays play, Rasmus had at least one hit in each of the nine games hed played in May. He was tied with Jose Bautista for the team lead with nine home runs. "I was probably more surprised than what he was that he was able to do it so quick and he did it immediately," said Seitzer. "It was amazing how he just went from a straight pull guy to having a willingness to go back through the middle of the field." For his entire career, Rasmus has been considered a dead pull hitter. Seitzer, with whom manager John Gibbons became familiar when the two served on Trey Hillmans coaching staff in Kansas City, was brought in to change the Blue Jays all-or-nothing offensive approach. The hitters would use all fields under his tutelage and get away from their pull-happiness. Seitzer would like to clarify. "I said, I dont care where the ball goes. What I care about is your approach," said Seitzer. "The quicker your hands, the better your swing, the more balls youre going to catch early and youre going to pull them but its the approach that allows for better recognition and the ability to repeat your swing path to where youve got a chance on balls that are cutting and sinking and the change of speeds." The hitting coach also plays the role of part-time psychologist. Different guys need different types of help. Rasmus doesnt need the proverbial kick in the rear. His issue never been work ethic; if anything, hes often worked too hard to the point of physical and mental fatigue. "Keep it light," said Rasmus of what he needs from Seitzer. "I guess make the game less than what it really is and I think hes learned that about me, that I dont need a lot of poking and prodding to give me a lot of energy out there because I like to compete, I like to play, I like to do good and I think hes starting to learn that about me. Hes been just kind of cutting up with me and trying to keep it light and we laugh. I think if Im laughing, its a good thing." Rasmus slash line had climbed to .234/.279/.516 before Sundays action. The on-base plus slugging is closing in on .800, moving toward the numbers of his two best seasons (.859 in 2010; .840 in 2013). His career on-base percentage of .315 suggests that statistic will improve as games pass by. The strikeout rate remains high, almost 33 per cent after Sunday, but Seitzer thinks Rasmus will end up cutting down on the whiffs with his new approach. "I feel like hes putting balls in play and fouling off more pitches that he would have swung through the first part of the season," said Seitzer. "Thats an encouraging sign for me." Rasmus admits to being too pumped up after hitting a grand slam in Pittsburgh. Hes still finding an even keel, having to remind himself that each at-bat isnt life and death. Seitzer has met a student hes better learning to understand as time rolls on. "I think Colbys very quiet, hes a very private person and what Ive learned about him is hes probably one of the most genuinely nice, kind, sincere, honest people that Ive ever been around," said Seitzer. "I told him he has an absolutely beautiful heart inside and I can see it. I see it everyday even when hes got a scowl on his face because hes either in his zone or a little frustrated." JANSSEN RETURNS The Blue Jays activated closer Casey Janssen from the disabled list in time for Sunday afternoons game with the Angels. Janssen strained his left oblique muscle on March 28 in Montreal. He felt a tweak during a warm up pitch, thought nothing of it and threw a scoreless inning against the New York Mets. He made three appearances for Double-A New Hampshire on a rehab assignment that began on Monday and concluded on Saturday. "In my last outing I told myself I was going to step on it a little bit more and get some more velocity and I did that," said Janssen. "Not that velocity is anything really but I know that the difference between throwing in a Double-A game and a big league game youre going to go through those adrenaline rushes where youre going to throw harder based on actual adrenaline and I wanted my arm to withstand it." Torontos bullpen entered play on Sunday with the fourth-worst ERA in baseball (4.77). Its 62 walks rank third-most in baseball. The Jays are hoping Janssens return settles down the relief corps as pitchers resume roles to which theyre more accustomed. "We had a nice bullpen last year," said Janssen. "We were able to pass the baton pretty well in the certain inning that they had and if we can back to that and start putting up some zeroes I think that would help everybody." "I just think it brings a bit of a comfort down there for those guys having Casey back," said pitching coach Pete Walker. "Obviously our staff, knowing that hes down there and hes a viable option to close out a game, it does put guys back into their more proper roles. Trying to mix and match and close out the ninth without him has been difficult." To make room for Janssen on the active roster, infielder Chris Getz was designated for assignment. ROGERS ALTERS DELIVERY Esmil Rogers, whos struggled early this season, looked noticeably different during his two-inning appearance in Saturdays game. He dropped to a three-quarters arm slot. Rogers went six up, six down. "He made a little bit of an adjustment the day before," said pitching coach Pete Walker. "Were trying to find a little more deception. Hes an over-the-top guy and maybe the hitters have a good view of the baseball. We just altered just a hair and he seems comfortable with it and he had a good outing (on Saturday)." Its been a tough year for Rogers. Hes allowed a staff-high five home runs in just 18 1/3 innings pitched and of late has been used by manager John Gibbons only in low-leverage situations. Andrew Miller Jersey . The team of Lars Nelson, Daniel Richardsson, Johan Olsson, and anchor Marcus Hellner cruised to victory in the 4x10 km event, winning in a time of one hour, 28 minutes, and 42. Jose Ramirez Jersey . "I just think what it does for everybody in life is real simple," said Babcock early on Friday afternoon. "You dont give in. You just keep on keeping on. Is it going to go your way every time? No. But you choose your attitude and how you perform and how hard you dig in." Nearly four years to the day of the 2010 gold medal match in Vancouver, his team dug in with its best effort of these Olympics, snuffing out the high-powered Americans for another opportunity at gold. http://www.indiansteamproshop.com/Indians-Brandon-Guyer-Kids-Jersey/ . 98 jersey in a game yet, and already its a big seller.When youre in Toronto, what are some of the things you like to do? I know you like to bike around Toronto.For sure, my first time in Toronto was in 1997 when I was in high school. The thing I remember about 1997 was all the underground tunnels we got to go through. The next time I got to go Toronto was 2006. I enjoy riding bikes, the rental bikes, I think it used to be called bike share it used to be known as Dixie for a number of years. Ive also spent time up there in Yorkville for the film festival. Ive been to Kensington Market. I enjoy walking up and down Queen a ton; I enjoy the boutiques and shopping and also some of the sneaker sports west of Spadina. I just enjoy being around the city; I think its one of the great cities certainly in North America and in the world.Sticking on the topic of shoes, you have a shoe vault?I do, I have a shoe vault in my house just a concrete room. We put a vault there on it just to top off the look.How many sneakers do you have? Whats your favorite pair?I have around 400 sneakers. Most of them are Jordans, I got some of my Air Jordans when I was in high school and my first pair were black and white patent leather concord 11s which came out in 1996 and I still have those in the original box. I have my original Air Jordan 4s from 1989 that I kept, but those are obviously falling apart and crumbling. Ive also collected a number of pairs that I like since than as well.Sticking with Canada, youre a big fan of Avril Lavigne, no?Yeah I am. Great Royals win & perfect concert to top off the night! Be good @brian_littrell @skulleeroz & @kevinrichardson #BSB pic.twitter.com/jRnAhwohfr — Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) June 8, 2014I really enjoy her music. Shes one of those artists, one of four people, that Ill actually go to the store and buy their record. The four are Avril Lavigne, I really enjoy The Backstreet Boys, I really like Justin Timberlake and Justin Bieber. Ill go buy all of their music, the hard copies. Avril is one of those artists I can listen to all of her songs on all of her albums, and I have them all. Her voice is unique and I really enjoy her music.Whats your go-to Avril song?I like all of the albums, they are all different, so the most recent album Avril Lavigne my favorite song by far on that one is Falling Fast.Its a slow song, one of those ballad type songs that I really like when she has those. Going back toGoodbye Lullaby, I really like the song I Love You.When you get a chance to listen to the songs, she has so many great records that every album I appreciate all of them.Shes been getting a lot of flack for the Hello Kitty song, critics have been calling it racially insensitive, what are your thoughts on it?I didnt take it that way [laughs], and ironically Im half Japanese. I didnt take it offensively. One thing I do know about her is that whenever she goes over to Asia and she performs shes over there in front of huge sell out crowds and arenas, I know that shes really appreciative of her fans over there. I dont know how exactly how you would take it, but when I first heard it, it seemed like she was writing it for her fans overseas. Its a catchy song.Whats your go to Bieber song?Oh man, all of them, theres not a bad song on any of the albums. Before games Ill usually pop in All Around The World, As Long as You Love Me or Boyfriend on occasion. Actually, one of my favorite songs hes done is the one hes recorded with Chris Brown. Obviously hes had his struggles outside of music, but in terms of just the music, I definitely think hes come up with some of his best songs on his latest albums.So what about The Backstreet Boys, is that a band you grew up with and its just stuck with you through the years?When The Backstreet Boys had just become popular in the U.S, they were already popular in Europe prior to their arrival here in North America, they had just come out with As Long As You Love Me, right as I was graduating high school in 1997. That song was catchy and they released a few more singles when I was in college and I got to here it a bunch. Than I moved to Spain, and over there I heard a bunch more of their music, and around that time thats when Millenium came out and although I wasnt in the U.S., I heard and saw a lot about them and they released more albums that I enjoyed. I was intrigued by them and watching them be interviewed and talk, they just seemed like a good group of guys.. Trevor Bauer Jersey. .Do you ever take any flack from your teammates regarding your music taste?Oh yeah, all the time [laughs]. I appreciate the fact I can listen to the music I like with my kids and listen in front of anybody and although they may not like it, you cant really be offended by it. Where as a lot of the music my teammates like is music that you wouldnt probably play anywhere outside of a clubhouse or in your headphones because it can get a little bit rough.Whos got the worst music taste on the team?For sure [Royals outfielder] Jarrod Dyson. I cant even listen to their songs, whenever their songs come on I tell them "That was my favorite song, please play it again," and they actually take me seriously and replay it and its like the worst song Ive ever heard.You had some words for Fifty Cent after that pitch, what did you think of it? @50cent Ummm, 50? Clearly that pitching lesson did absolutely NOTHING for you tonight! Time to regroup haha. pic.twitter.com/q5oejhPGEZ — Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) May 28, 2014Well, it was terrible, really bad. You just take for granted that someone can put a ball in their hand, be it a baseball, softball or any type of ball, and that they should be able to throw it somewhat straight. Mechanically, they may look funny, they may have a funny arm motion or whatnot, but it just seems it would be relatively simple or elementary to be able to throw it straight. So to see how that came off of his hand, the trajectory towards the camera man, it was just really funny. It was so bad I was wondering if he was just joking or if he wanted to make it funny, because if it was just to be funny it was really good. If it wasnt than it was pretty bad.What pitching advice would you give him?Practice, you need to practice [laughs]. If thats what you got youve got practice a bit more.If you werent playing baseball what would you be doing?Id like to design shoes. Thats what I always wanted to do. Im not real artistic but Id like to think that if someone else could help me or I could tell them yes or no on what things I like. I always planned on working for Nike, which was kind of my childhood dream. Whether its an actual shoe design or just retail or advertising, its something Im passionate about and I would love to dedicate time and thought towards a job involving sneakers and the growth of a brand I really appreciate.What would a Jeremy Guthrie sneaker look like?Hm.. Im not totally sure. It would probably have patent leather, thats one of my favorite materials that they put on any of the shoes. I just recently learned that Nike has this big book with hundreds and hundreds of different materials that you can put on different shoes, and I never knew that. You get kind of used to seeing the same ones over and over, whether its a safari print, patent leather or flywire which weve seen more recently on shoes. So Im not totally sure what the shoe would look like but Id certainly mix in some of the different materials that youre not accustomed to seeing as often.What would someone be surprised to know about you?They would be surprised to know that in fifth grade I was Oregon State chess champion and that in sixth grade my four-man team competed in the national tournament in Westchester County, New York, where we placed eighth out of more than 300 elementary six grade and younger chess teams.Changing topics a bit, are you a big movie guy?Im relatively diverse, my favorite movie, which will probably make you laugh its kind of like my favorite music its a little bit different, is probably Serendipity with Kate Beckinsale, John Cusak and Jeremy Piven.I love the story of it, I love the humor and I dont mind seeing Kate Beckinsale in the movie either. I also like A Few Good Men, Back to the Future and The Social Network, the latter I was fascinated with the storyline and how they tell it, and I thought it was so well done, Justin Timberlake and the other actors were amazing in it. I really like Iron Man, I dont really care for the sequels, but the first one if probably the best action hero movie in my opinion.What other sports are you a big fan of?I love basketball, I played it growing up and I also love American football. I cheered for the Los Angeles Rams in Football, and the Chicago Bulls in basketball.Jeremy also shared some of his favorite pictures hes taken when hes been in the Toronto area. 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