The Blue Jays are striking out 8.8 times per game, 1.5 times more than team next in line... which happens to be TB, the highest scoring team in the league.

Toronto is leading the league in  homeruns and stolen base percentage and is second in doubles... but its 4.27 R/G is below the league average of 4.46.

The team's slash line is 225/296/426. John Buck's career slash line is 233/296/403.

April -- the silly season? The crazy months? (Any Spider Robinson fans out there?)

Kelly Johnson's comeback is surprising but one can come up with some ad hoc reasoning, he's healthy, in a hitter's park, and perhaps a tweak in mechanics (he looked different from when I last saw him on TBS when I tuned into see what was up with him on the inter-vision.

I'm open to being shown to be wrong, but as Buck's performance has shown tonight, it is easy for things to flip in April and quickly...

Well, Buck's slash line just got a bit better after tonight!

I wonder if someone pointed out the site to him, and he got all fired up with all the John Buck hate that was being dished out...

Apropos of nothing, Marco Scutaro could have stolen home easily yesterday against the Jays. I don't know how visible this was on television, but in the 6th(?) inning there were two outs an runners on the corners with JD Drew up. Scutaro was on third and Cecil was pitching. The Jays decided to play the David Ortiz shift against Drew, so Johnny Mac, playing third, was positioned at shortstop, ie 25 feet away from third base. Scutaro got about a third of the way down the line, and realized that no one was holding him after about the second pitch of the at bat. The at bat didn't go more than about 5 pitches and Scutaro never did it, but he literally could have walked home. With 2 outs and a lefty pitching it was the ideal situation; I'm surprised he didn't get there, it would have been really exciting.

I'm scratching my head at how much Fred Lewis reminds me of Fred McGriff. Not their games, of course - just the way they look. At first I figured I was just imagining it because of the name. But Lewis' batting stance also reminds me a great deal of the young McGriff, and facially he also reminds me of McGriff (sans that little mustache that Big Fred favoured.)

The major difference is that McGriff (6-3, 200) looked much taller than Lewis (6-2, 200). McGriff was one of those guys who looked at least 6-5, and Lewis is one of those guys (like Lloyd Moseby) who doesn't look as tall as he actually is. I can't explain these things!

I'm scratching my head at how much Fred Lewis reminds me of Fred McGriff

I noticed that too. It's their posture. While the rest of us go through life slumped over, they both have perfect upright posture.

I was not aware that Buck slugged .511 v. RHP last season, in 139 at bats.

I'm sure many did know that, but I found it remarkable.

Question:

I have a pretty old looking Blue Jay jacket, made from shiny blue material. The jacket has 'Bell Cellular' stitched on the left breast.

Can anyone tell me whether this jacket was a promotional give away, or is it what the team wore?

I was born in 11/1983, so I don't have much first hand knowledge from when this jacket would have been in use.

Same old Texas Rangers this year ... 10-12 without their best player (injured Ian Kinsler), managing just to be 19th in MLB in batting average and 22nd in home runs while cruising to above-average 12th in ERA.

Pitching, pitching, pitching in Arlington, Texas. It has always been thus!