Tosca Has Contract Extended by Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jay Manager Carlos Tosca and his coaching staff received contract extensions through the 2004 season on Tuesday.

Tosca took over the Blue Jays after Buck Martinez was fired June 3, and has led the team to a 40-45 record.

“I knew real early that we had the right guy in charge,” General Manager J.P. Ricciardi said. “We are going in the right direction. We’ve said all along that we wanted to change the perception that the Blue Jays were a team that didn’t hustle or play hard.”

Tosca, 48, became third base coach in December after Ricciardi replaced Gord Ash as general manager. Tosca had managed 1,759 games in the minor leagues.

“I’m so appreciative to J.P. because he went against the grain when he hired me,” Tosca said. “It showed a lot of guts on his part to be able to do that.

“I don’t have any professional playing experience and for some reason that’s a hang-up for some people.”

The Blue Jays extended the contracts of pitching coach Gil Patterson, hitting coach Mike Barnett, third base coach Brian Butterfield, first base coach John Gibbons and bullpen coach Bruce Walton.

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New York Yankee closer Mariano Rivera, on the disabled list because of a right shoulder strain, expects to pitch again this season.

“That’s what we’re looking for,” Rivera said after a workout in Tampa, Fla. “I’m always optimistic.”

Rivera is on a program of rest and exercise at the Yankees’ minor league complex.

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San Francisco reacquired infielder Bill Mueller from the Chicago Cubs for minor league pitcher Jeff Verplancke.... Houston sent minor league pitcher Wayne Franklin to Milwaukee as one of the two players to be named in the weekend deal for infielder Mark Loretta.