FIXED J.P. Ricciardi had plenty of loonies and toonies in his pocket this winter, but the Jays GM knew his money wasn't enough to entice luxe FAs like Barry Zito or Jason Schmidt north of the border. So, after locking up Vernon Wells, Ricciardi jacked up the team's offense by signing 38-year-old Frank Thomas to a two-year, $18M deal. "By adding Frank, we think we have a true AL East kind of lineup," Ricciardi says. The Jays are counting on the Big Hurt's brain as well as his brawn. Yes, Thomas mashes HRs, but he also takes a lot of pitches and draws walks, which helps drive starters from the mound.

NEEDS FIXING Toronto's frontline SPs and closer make them dangerous, but do they have the back-line depth to hang with the Sox and Yanks? Hello, John Thomson; konichiwa, Tomo Ohka; bienvenido, Víctor Zambrano. Even Josh Towers, 2­10 with an 8.42 ERA last year, got into the act this spring, regaining the command that made him effective in '05. "I¹ve grown up a lot," Towers says. "I know we still need a solid starter to fill the spot." Problem, or opportunity?

MIDSEASON FIX Adam Lind belted a game-winning HR at Yankee Stadium in October. Now the 23-year-old lefty power hitter just needs a hot Triple-A start to win himself a job in left.
-- Buster Olney