Jays’ McDonald not debating demotion

Hey...it’s not like he trumped Mark Belanger’s 1970 Triple Crown loser season....1--36--.218

It is his own fault, he says. Yes, the Jays shunted him aside by signing a veteran shortstop, David Eckstein, and a utility infielder, Marco Scutaro. But the way McDonald sees it, he paved the way for his own demotion.

“I hit .250,” he said. “I mean, this is the big leagues. Things don’t get handed to you. People look and say, ‘He played pretty well, he played good defensively, I like him, he’s a nice guy. But he hit .250.’ “

“A lot of the disappointment lies in myself for not playing better last year, for not hitting for a higher average, being more selective at the plate,” he said yesterday before going 1-for-2 against the Phillies. “I felt like I took care of what I wanted to do defensively, but my offensive capabilities have still got a ways to go. That’s where the disappointment lies.”

He admits he loves playing defence, perhaps to a fault.

“I think I took so much pride in my defence that I allowed my offence to not matter as much, which is the wrong approach,” he said. “I know I’ve carved out my own niche defensively, and I’m going to make sure that doesn’t go anywhere, but I also need to raise up my offence.”