Toronto Blue Jays reliever Steve Delabar will not be starting the regular season with the major league club and he's not too excited about it.
 
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, the former all-star sounded off on the move the organization made to option him down to the minors.
 
"I thought I was going to be a big part of this pen to start and it's a shock to me this morning being as I was supposed to throw again today after throwing yesterday, preparing myself for the season and, like I said, being a part of this bullpen," Delabar said. "Obviously I'm not going to be here to start and I'm not happy with the move, niether should I because I've had a pretty good spring so far.
 
"I thought I was going to be a big part of this to begin with."
 
Delabar, who had a breakout season in 2013 and earned a place in the All-Star Game, didn't quite measure up to his career year last season. He had his second-lowest innings total (25.2) and highest ERA (4.91) in his four-year career.
 
The 31-year-old right-hander was optioned twice last season to Triple-A Buffalo. He threw 28 innings in 24 games with the Bisons, posting a 2-0 record and a 2.89 ERA before being sent home in September to begin preparing for the 2015 season.
 
"I went home and re-assessed and got myself ready to come in and be here and help the team and obviously wasn't enough," he said.
 
"I didn't think I would have to be a reserve player or a guy that is going have to come in place for someone that's not getting the job done. I thought I'd be there to get the job done."

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons appreciated the pitcher's emotion, saying he was "glad he's pissed off."

"You are talking about a guy’s career so it’s never easy," Gibbons said. "No one gets enjoyment out of that, but our job is to put the best team together at the time that’s going to help us win the most games. That’s really what it came down to.

"We have some other guys that we think are ahead of them right now."

In seven innings this pre-season, Delabar gave up three runs on seven hits with a 3.86 earned-run average. Two of those hits, including a home run, came in one inning Wednesday in a 5-2 win over Baltimore.

Delabar's demotion leaves 39 players in the Jays' big-league camp.