Mere days after the big-leaguers broke the seal on the 2004 season, baseball's minor-league players are gearing up to do the same! If this spring resembles previous ones, you can expect a lot of rainouts and snowouts in the north and east over the first month or so of the season; Syracuse lost an entire week of games last April. Here in Ottawa, unused tickets to Lynx games in April and May can be redeemed for other games in July and August. If you've ever been to Lynx Stadium in April, you'll know why.

This is also Opening Day for minor-league coverage at Batter's Box, and I'm delighted to report the addition of three top free agents to our roster. Handling most of our daily farm-system updates, along with occasional features and other information for your enlightenment, will be well-known Bauxites Gerry MacDonald, John Neary and Steve Z. Yours truly will also be chiming in with daily updates once a week, along with player and team commentaries, the monthly Farm System Updates, and a regularly updated Top 40 Prospects list. Batter's Box aims to have the best Blue Jays minor-league coverage anywhere, online or in print, and we'll welcome your feedback and contributions over the course of the season.

The Blue Jays' four full-season farm teams begin their campaigns tonight (Auburn and Pulaski, of course, don't get underway until after the June draft). Here's what to look for:

* The AAA Syracuse Skychiefs begin their season at home against the Rochester Red Wings at 4:00 pm EDT; David Bush gets the Opening Day assignment. Mega-prospect Alexis Rios is gearing up for his first season at Triple-A, a season that many people expect him to finish in Toronto. On the other end of the spectrum, Scott Cassidy starts 2004 on the disabled list, a funny place for guy who's not injured.

* The AA Manchester Fisher Cats play their very first franchise game ever in New Britain today, a game that's available online on the radio. It's a highly unusual 10:35 am start -- 5,000 children will attend on Kids' Day -- so if you're hoping to tune in, hit the radio now! Cameron Reimers gets to be the answer to a future trivia question: who started the very first game in Fisher Cats history? The Cats themselves are eager to get rolling, even as they adjust to their new surroundings.

* The High-A Dunedin Blue Jays will be part of some history of their own, as they start the season in Clearwater against the newly named Threshers (nee Phillies), managed by Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt no less, on the same night that the Tampa Bay Lightning open their NHL playoff campaign at home. Up-and-coming pitcher Josh Banks gets the start for a Dunedin squad that by any definition is loaded with prospects, especially on the pitching staff.

* Finally, the Low-A Charleston Alley-Cats hope to make amends for a poor 2003 season when they begin 2004 at home against the Delmarva Shorebirds -- the same team that nearly threw a perfect game against the Alley-Cats last Opening Day. Charleston has received a powerful talent injection from last year's juggernaut Auburn Doubledays team, but the South Atlantic League is a tough assignment, especially for hitters. Danny Core takes the mound in tonight's opener. (Thanks to Gerry for these links.)

In other minor-league news, Baseball America has a short item about Brandon League's conversion to the bullpen, as well as word of a former Jays farmhand (Mark Comolli) who's being converted to a knuckleballer. The main story, though, is about Giants prospect David Aardsma who, by debuting with San Francisco this week, has officially bumped Henry Aaron to second place in the alphabetical baseball register. It's a time for new beginnings and fresh starts; the 2004 minor-league season is underway.