Why so little info on the Jays switch in Low A affiliate? Anyone with more than just the announcement of the switch(explanations, details,) please post or provide link. Thanks.

Peter, I'm doing some research on it now and hope to have a post (or even a separate thread) on it a little later today.

http://www.dailymail.com/news/Sports/2004091419/
It looks like Charleston wanted a national league affiliation. COMN

Here are the links I can find concerning the Jays affiliation with the Lansing Lugnuts (thanks to Anthony for letting us know about it):

Lansing Lugnuts Press Release

Lansing State Journal article

We aim to please.

gassed Gus

Nice, Ryan. Incidentally, the Cats had announced Baker as the game 2 starter on Monday. Presumably Rosario will go in game 3. Who will go in Game 4? Banks?

Thanks Mike, I missed that. Either Banks or Arnold. It's nice to have options like that.

Switching affiliates is not uncommon. The Alley Cats haven't exactly had a lot of good teams from the Jays in recent years. Lansing is also slightly closer to Auburn and Pulaski which makes emergency callups a little easier.

I remember catching a minor league game in Lansing probably 6 or 7 years ago. From memory, I thought it was the White Sox but I guess it was the Cubs affiliate back then. It seemed like a very nice facility. I've never seen the old park in Charleston but from what I've heard, Lansing should be a very pleasant upgrade.

Well, there you go -- I'm not fast enough on the trigger. I can add that Lansing appears to be a strong franchise, with solid fan support and savvy owners.

I've never been to the city, but I'd guess it's very much a blue-collar town from the old Steel Belt -– the Lansing Automakers Federal Credit Union sponsors no fewer than 15 Fireworks Nights at the ballpark. And Canadian fans should be happy to hear that Thirsty Thursdays are sponsored by Molson (though whether that beer will still be Canadian by next season is another question). The team is pretty media-savvy -– they’re heavily promoting the fact that USA Today readers voted them as having the best minor-league baseball team name. Seems like a fun, enthusiastic organization.

From what I can gather, the Jays weren’t out-and-out unhappy with Charleston, though some of the team’s official comments have referred obliquely to Lansing’s enthusiastic fanbase -– perhaps a small swipe against the relatively quieter and less populous Charleston crowds. Charleston seems happy with the Brewers as their new affiliate, so at least they’ll have a good team to go into their new ballpark.

In terms of advantages to the Blue Jays -– teams in the Midwest League are apparently more central than in the Sally, so travel distances and costs ought to be greatly reduced. And I understand that many of the major-league clubs in the Midwest League rely as strongly as the Blue Jays do on drafting college talent. Accordingly, the Jays’ Low-A players ought to play more opponents their own size, so to speak, which can only help their development (and reduce criticism that the Jays’ affiliates do so well because of the men-playing-boys factor).

Finally, having a Jays’ minor-league franchise closer to the Canadian border can only be a good thing for Canuck fans close to Michigan. There used to be a very strong Jays fan base in that state, so this move might tap into it and help restore it. Overall, I think it’s a good decision.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/news/040914townsend.html
COMN for a very interesting development from the June 2004 draft. Wade Townsend, Baltimore's first-round choice, has returned to Rice University and is attending classes, which normally would mean the Orioles have lost the chance to sign him. But he has also retained an agent and has formally notified Major League Baseball of that fact. That means Townsend can't play baseball for the Owls this year -- but it seems he doesn't want to. He's working towards his degree and wants to continue negotiating with the Orioles, and on the face of it, there's nothing keeping him from doing just that. No one has ever tried this before, let alone a first-round pick, and now MLB has to figure out what this means.

If MLB decides that Townsend can attend class and still negotiate, that opens up an entirely new field of play in the ongoing chess match between ballclubs and their draft picks, potentially giving players a longer negotiation timetable and hence more leverage. In the worst-case scenario -- MLB decides Townsend has to re-enter the 2005 draft -- well, he gets a year off baseball, maybe saves his arm some wear and tear, and finishes his degree. Pretty savvy, I think, and potentially very intriguing.

I'd be surprised if MLB rules that Townsend can not continue to negotiate with the Orioles. The relevant passage implies that since Townsend is not eligible for the NCAA, he's no longer a college player and is therefore not bound by the rule limiting negotiation to the period before a player goes back to school.

I've never seen the old park in Charleston but from what I've heard, Lansing should be a very pleasant upgrade.

I have. I didn't see a game there but I took a little tour of the park. You're not missing much. Watt Powell Park has seen its better days. I'm surprised by the switch in affiliations only because Charleston is moving to a new park in 2005. It's too bad they're changing nicknames too because I liked the A-Cats logo.

At least Lansing is closer so that'll be worth a stop next season at some point, along with Auburn next season. It does make more sense to have a team in the Midwest League than the South Atlantic. I guess the Brewers are really changing things up with their affiliations, leaving Beloit for Charleston and I think Indianapolis is now the Pirates Triple A team.

Good for Mike Basso. With the 2-3 schedule, he knew that one win on the road would really put his club in the driver's seat, and threw the "book" out the window to take his best shot last night. I'm delighted it paid off, and I don't see why League wouldn't be the Game 4 starter. Tonight, the pressure's all on Altoona. The Cats can have fun out there, knowing they've already seized the advantage.

I really like the move to Lansing, one of the best-run minor-league operations for years. As Jordan said, there are generally more college draftees in the Midwest than the Sally, so that's a plus in terms of comparing players, but the best news is, it's closer to home. As soon as the 2005 schedules come out, I'll be planning a road trip.

I think Indianapolis is now the Pirates Triple A team.

A vast improvement over the 1980s, at least, when the Pirates' top farm club was in Hawaii. Think about the costs of operating the Honolulu-Pittsburgh shuttle for call-ups and demotions all season long. And considering how awful a place Pittsburgh was in the early '80s, players virtually had an incentive to get sent down to the minors. Who (outside of the Pirates' player development personnel working on their tans and their Magnum mustaches) thought that was a good idea?

You're right, Coach. League coming back on 3 days rest, after 2 innings work, should be fine for at least 5 innings. I'd love to see Josh Banks get some playoff work, but that's the "development" rather than the "winning" side talking.

A vast improvement over the 1980s, at least, when the Pirates' top farm club was in Hawaii.

Who (outside of the Pirates' player development personnel working on their tans and their Magnum mustaches) thought that was a good idea?

Probably the same person who designed those striped caps during the "We Are Family" era.

Go Fisher Cats!!!

On the pre-game radio show, Kevin Gray said he got the sense yesterday that the Curve players were overconfident, and the Altoona fans were stunned by the result.

Mike Basso was worried during the long delay last night that Chacin would be affected. He's pretty happy with his club's 15 hits, but not with their situational execution. He mentioned that Dominic Rich loves playing here in front of his family and friends.

It sounds like League will remain in the bullpen, although the answer was a bit vague: "We have the off-day, so we only needed a four-man rotation. Brandon now has a chance to impact two or three games in this series."

Lineups, exactly the same as last night:

Tyrell Godwin lf
Dominic Rich 2b
Aaron Hill ss
John-Ford Griffin dh
John Hattig 3b
Maikel Jova rf
Justin Singleton cf
Paul Chiaffredo c
Mike Snyder 1b

Chris Duffy cf
Mike Moriarty 2b
Nate McLouth rf
Brad Eldred 1b
Tom Evans 3b
Jorge Cortes dh
Ray Sadler lf
Ronny Paulino c
Shaun Skrehot ss

Bummer. Godwin drew a leadoff walk, but Rich hit a frozen-rope line drive that became a double play. Hill was hit by a pitch (shaky beginning for Bullington, who is 5-0 in his last six starts) and JFG, after fouling a few off, fans on a checked swing. Could have been a big inning, but no score.

Duffy was 10-for-18 against the Cats and had a hand in all the Altoona runs last night. He's obviously the catalyst, but not this time -- he lines out to Hill. Moriarty whiffs on three pitches, as Baker, who has played with six different Toronto affiliates including Medicine Hat, St. Catherines and Tennessee, has good command so far. He gets McLouth looking; three up, three down.

Bullington was selected #1 overall by the Pirates, who left B.J. Upton on the board. Maybe someday he'll win a Cy Young, but he's falling behind Double-A hitters tonight. Hattig grounded out to second on a 3-2 pitch, then Jova ripped a 3-1 cripple up the middle for a single, his eighth hit of the playoffs. It went for naught, as Singleton grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Eldred took mighty cuts at two off-speed pitches, hitting nothing but air, then was late on an 89-mph heater. Third K in a row for Baker. The veteran Evans, who made it to Toronto briefly in '97 and '98, singled, then Cortes just missed a 2-run jack, but Jova caught it at the wall and easily doubled off the runner. Bullet #1 dodged; still scoreless.

Chaiffredo (.353 in the playoffs despite three K's yesterday) leads off the third with a standup double. He advances on a "productive" Snyder groundout.

Murph says it must have be "thick air" that kept the Cortes smash in the park, but called the baserunning error "inexplicable, especially in a game of this magnitude." He's right; the run scores easily on a HR or a double, so you go only to about second base just in case there's a miracle catch.

Godwin rolls one down the line that rests on the chalk for an RBI infield single that will look just like a line drive in the box score. Rich hits into a 3-6-1 to snuff the rally.

1-0 Fisher Cats.

The Pee Wee to your Dizzy has arrived, Coach. Or should I say "arroved"? ;)

If you want to take a break, I can step in. If not, I'll hang around and offer mildly entertaining comments every once in a while.

I'm having trouble watching the Jays and listening to this. My old brain, a beta model now in its sixth decade, has an 8-bit operating system and very little RAM, so multitasking is tough.

Sadler led off with a single, then Baker slipped trying to field the sac bunt, but gets the slow Paulino at first and after momentary concern from the announcers, seems to be OK.

Skrehot strikes out swinging at something off-speed, but Duffy, the natural enemy of the Fisher Cat, slaps a 2-out double the opposite way to tie the game. Baker falls behind 3-0 but after strike one, gets Moriarty on a 6-3 groundout.

Cats 1, Curve 1 after three.

It's all yours, Pee Wee.

You learn 'em English, podner, I'll learn 'em baseball.

I never thought I would hear of Mike Moriarty again. He's playing AA ball for Pittsburgh. Wasn't he in 2003 ST with the Jays?

I was about to look at the As Yet Unsponsored Out-Of-Town Scoreboard, but realized that this is the only AA and Jays game going on in the minors...so let's look at the NHL -- oh, right.
Well, the big club is winning.

You learn 'em English, podner, I'll learn 'em baseball.

That's my line! ;)

Inning report coming up.

Top 4th, one out:

Hill made an out somehow.
JFG strikes out for the second time, this time on a 2-2 count - Bullington's 2nd K.
Two curves to Hattig, and the count is 1-1. Fastball, breaking ball, 2-2. Strike three called on the inside corner. That's it.

1-0 for the Cats after half a game. (sort of...4.5 innings)

Bottom 4th:

Chris Baker back out to pitch here with a 1-0 game and series lead.
The 1-0 to McLouth is grounded to Rich, call it a 4-3 putout.
Eldred whacks a ball, but Jova reads it perfectly and there are two outs on three pitches.
Tom Evans, the same guy who looked about 10 years old with the Blue Jays several years ago, lines one to right. A one-hop single.
Cortes flies out on the first pitch. That was five pitches for Baker, to four batters.

I always know it's an easy inning for the pitcher if it's easy for me to type up the summary.

Still 1-0 after four.

Note: Rosario will pitch Game 3, in case you didn't already know.

That's my line! ;)

No, Pee Wee was very articulate. It was Ol' Diz who said "he slud into third" and otherwise mangled the language.

let's look at the NHL -- oh, right

Couldn't post until I wiped the beer off the keyboard.

Woo-hoo!

Top 5th:

Some way cool surfin' music welcomes us back from the Parts Plus commercial, and Bullington starts Jova off with a strike.

- Jova (1-1) fouls one back and it's 0-2. The 1-2 singles between SS and 3B and he now has 5 hits in 7 ABs this series. He is 9 for 23 on the playoffs.
- Singleton the batter. The 1-2 pitch goes past Justin and that's Bullington's 4th K.
There's some reliever working in the 'pen, but I can't find him on the BA Altoona page. Details to follow.
- Chiaffredo misses the first pitch by a few feet: very nice curve from Bullington. Then, he hits it back, deep, and into "Uncle Charlie's grill" in foul territory. Then a swing and a miss. 5 K's for Altoona.
- Snyder lines one down the left field line and he ends up on second. Jova stays at third. Two outs, two on for the hot Ty "Oh My" Godwin.
- Godwin has reached base five straight times, and the feed cuts out on me. I reconnect, but it brings me all the way back to Singleton's AB...somehow. I shall wait for the past to become the present here...
Okay, it's back and the 0-2 is inside, 1-2. Rich on deck. And it's gone! A two out, 3 run homerun here in the top of the fifth. The first Godwin homer since July 30th. The rightfielder never even looked up.
Rich flies out.

4-0 New Hampshire.

I had Dizzy and Pee Wee mixed up. I sincerely apologize, as I would get mad at anyone who confused Tom and Jerry. ;)

Note: These teams have to travel 520 miles tonight, but not by bus. By motorcoach. Mike Murphy says it sounds like something out of Cinderella. Since these teams didn't get off the field until way after midnight last night, I wonder what, exactly, turned back into a pumpkin, or if Prince Charming grew into his man-strength.

That's 4-1, podner.

TGod with a monster 3 run blast to right puts the Fisher Cats up 4-1 in the 5th!!!

I don't get it...the NHL wouldn't be underway anyways...season usually starts mid-October.

But, uh, go Fishercats!

Here we are in the bottom of the fifth in Altoona. Other cities in Pennsylvania with "oo" in them? Allenwood, Moosic, Rockwood, among others...

Baker out to work the fifth with a 4-1 lead. The 4-0 you saw before was a test to see if you were paying attention...
Baker hits Sadler, so leadoff man is on first.
Paulino hits one to Hattig, whose momentum carries him into foul territory. Infield single, no chance for the Guam Bomb.
Skrehot lays down the sac bunt, but Baker throws it away! Sadler scores. Paulino to third. Skrehot with a single and E-1 to second. 4-2, tying run in scoring position.
Basso is out on the mound to calm Baker down. Dan Jackson starts to get loose.
Duffy, at .309/.378/.439 on the season, is batting with nobody out.
Baker's 0-1 pitch is wild, but Chiaffredo keeps it in front of him. Duffy hits the 1-1 to the right side. Rich with the putout, but call it an RBI groundout. 4-3, tying run 90 feet (27.3 metres) away. One out.
Infield in for Moriarty (0-2 today, 2-6 series). 2-2 is in the dirt, but a Jose Cruz-like swing makes it a strikeout. Two outs.
McLouth swings and misses. 0-1. A few fouls, 0-2. A ground ball to Snyder, and one of those tough 3-1 putouts puts the Curve away.

4-3 for NH, after five innings.

I don't get it...the NHL wouldn't be underway anyways...season usually starts mid-October.

Never mind, it wasn't that funny. Making fun of the NHL is too easy anyway. I mean, Nashville?!?!

Even better music greets us from this commercial. AC/DC, my friend.

New pitcher for the Curve, who isn't listed at BA. His name is Tom Gorzelanny and he is 6 foot 2. That's all I know. Oh wait, he was just called up from Hickory.

Hill grounds the 1-1 to his counterpart. The 6-3 makes Hill 0-2 tonight.
JFG has a 1-2 count. Now a 2-2 count. Now a strikeout. That's the hat trick for John-Ford.
Hattig is only 4 for 23 in the postseason. He softly grounds out to shortstop. Looks like he needs to -- I won't even say it here, you all know what I would type anyway.

That was quick. Gorzelanny threw maybe nine pitches.

Still 4-3.

And I spelled Gorzelanny right without first checking the Crawdads' stats page.

Whadda ya think about that? ;)

Bottom 6th:

A towering fly ball by Eldred goes way, way back to Jova at the track.
(Every time I hear Jova, I want to type Rios. Why is that?)
Tom Evans, down on the farm, has two hits tonight. The 0-2 just misses. And I mean it just missed. 2-2 after a breaking ball in the dirt. The full count pitch to Evans is swung on and foul tipped back into the glove. Six Ks for Baker now, I believe.
Cortes, 0-2, lines it through Hill. No error, but it was a hinky play anyway. Runner on, two outs.
The crowd is "nervous" here tonight, informs Mike Murphy.
Baker's 0-2 to Sadler is in the dirt, Chiaffredo's throw short-hops Hill and Cortes in on second. Another 58-foot pitch. 2-2. Baker sounds like he's losing control. Another 58-foot pitch. 3-2. Baker sounds like he's losing control. Noticing a pattern? Houston up in the cowpen. A hard hit ball to second gets through Rich (error) and Cortes races around to score. A bunch of wild pitches and bad defensive plays here tonight and we are tied at 4.
Sadler steals second as Paulino bats. The 2-2 is in the dirt. This is the ghost of Mitch Williams, haunting the Jays by making their AA pitchers throw like him. Never mind, it's a strikeout.

NH 4, ALT 4, end of 6.

The last Blue Jays' affiliate to win a championship was...? Lipman can't find one, going back 8-10 years. Anyone know?

And a reminder to stay tuned to the seventh inning -- NH hits a HR, someone wins a steak and a cruise...or something.

The top of the seventh is delayed as the feed is out again. It's not a little blip either, it's been a few minutes. Longer than usual. I'll update you when we return to Altoona with this tie game.

We're back. The recap from Mike Murphy:

Jova hit a homer! 5-4, New Hampshire.
Singleton struck out.
Chiaffredo got out.
Snyder struck out.

I don't know who won what with Jova' HR, but NH is back on top. Stretch time.

Jova's HR was to deep, deep, LF, by the way.

Bottom 7th:
Brandon League in to pitch the seventh.
Basso: League can impact two or three games out of the bullpen, so he will not start this postseason.

First pitch popup to Hill.
Duffy falls behind 0-2. A sweet curveball mows down the hottest batter in the lineup.
Houston still warming up.
Two outs for Ben Stone from Law & Order. Moriarty swings at the first pitch, ground ball out.

After seven complete, 5-4 NH.

The first caller into WKXL wins a cruise! They weren't on the air when Jova homered, so call in now! ;)

Top 8th:

The 0-2 to Godwin is called strike three.
Rich (0-3 tonight) falls behind 1-2, and a base hit down the left field line. It's a single for Dom.
Aaron Hill (1-3, 7-23 postseason) takes the first pitch for a ball. Hill hammers one to CF, but it's right to Duffy. Two outs.
JFG now batting. He's 0 for 3 with the hat trick. The 1-1 is grounded to shortstop. It's a 6-4 putout, and make it three.

Six outs to go before this series is basically over. 5-4 NH.

League is coming back for the eighth! 2.2 IP last night, pitching his second here tonight.

So much for good music after commercials. Avril Lavigne's Sk8er Boi (or however she spells that) introduces the 8th inning.

Danny Solano is playing second. DeJong and Houston warming in the pen.
21 year old Brandon League's first back to back outing of the season starts with a groundout to Solano. Welcome to the game, Danny.
Five outs to go.
82 mph curveball makes the count 1-1 to Eldred. Then, a pitch off the plate and another hack. 1-2. Yet another pitch out of the zone, and Eldred swings and misses. Good job by League, throwing bad pitches to the hacking Eldred.
Four outs left.
Tom Evans singles, and he's 3-for-4.
Next batter grounds out 4-3.

After 8, 5-4 NH. THREE OUTS LEFT.

Time for the ninth in Altoona, PA.

Gorzelanny still pitching.
Hattig grounds out.
Jova pops out to SS.
Singleton hits the 1-0 pitch and it is...caught at the wall. Shades of Canada vs Cuba there.

Here we go, kiddies. Last call.

Bottom of the ninth.

DeJong's behind 2-0 to Salder, then a ground ball to Hill in the hole. No chance on the play, but I bet Jetes would have had it. ;) Infield single, winning run (gulp?) batting...

Thanks for the great updates.

I'll post now for some good luck after that leadoff infield single. Figure the Curve will hit into my namesake.

When's the next game?

Paulino bunts Sadler over to second. One out, Skrehot stepping in...

Game 3 on Friday, at 6:05.

Great, I'll actually be able to listen to it live.

Rick Adair out to talk to DeJong.
Skrehot takes two balls, then another ball. 3-0 count...automatic strike, 3-1. Called strike two: 79 mph curve. Swing and a miss! Two outs in the ninth!

Chris Duffy is the last chance, and he is 11 for 22 in the postseason. He's the guy Altoona wants up there, and he's the guy I want struck out. That's right, you just saw some Hawk Homerism right there.

Ground ball to first, F-CATS WIN!!

Hooray! Well done, boys. Excellent call, Rob.

It's all over, folks, New Hampshire has won.

Baker the winner, even though W-L records are meaningless. But who cares? A 2-0 lead for the F-Cats now, going home for the next three games.

But only one will be needed. That's right, Altoona. Take that!

I just typed it as fast as I could -- I wanted a better call than that.

Maybe -- "touch the bag, Snyder! You'll never have a bigger "3" putout in your life!"

The only way Altoona can win now is if they sweep 3 in New Hampshire. My money is on the Cats!

I guess this is over now, but man, what a great game. A Ty Godwin homerun. Just...wow.

BA has this comment today:
• Raul Tablado, 3b-ss, Blue Jays. A fourth-round pick in 2001, Tablado has taken longer than he or the organization would have liked to find his power stroke. He found it this year, leading the FSL with a .582 slugging percentage and ranking third in home runs (21) in an injury-interrupted season. He pounds mistakes and has enough athletic ability and power to either make the move to third or to go to second base, but scouts agree he shouldn't be a shortstop.

A comment had to be edited here and I apologize for the inconvenience. If the author has any questions or can provide a source, please email me or another roster member and we will be happy to restore the comment. Thanks.

It will be interesting to see where Tablado ends up next year. How will his suspension be viewed by the BlueJay organization? Will they want to continue his development? I would imagine that he would still be on the suspended list to start the new season, as the season ended less than 15 days after he was added to the suspended list. Although they have not officially released the reason for his suspension, the decision makers in the BlueJay organization know and will have to make a decision about his future development.