Yesterday's Minor League Update thread contained a discussion on the chances of Ottawa possibly becoming the Triple "A" affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays in 2009.   Late last week, the Ottawa Lynx were featured in a National Post article by Joe O'Connor and to say it doesn't paint a pretty picture is an understatement.

The Jays are in a slump right now and with yesterday being an off-day it gave me the opportunity to think about what I have seen in this team.  With apologies to all those who have done this before me, here are then things I think about the Blue Jays.

In a series of polls that drew more than 1,300 votes, the Batter's Box community projected -- and here's a shock! -- the 2007 World Series title to be won by the Toronto Blue Jays. Oh, those Jays weren't picked to win the AL East, no sir, but the championship? Indeed!

Let's take a look at how it broke down ...

As part of their "Catch Spring Fever" promotion, the Bloor Cinema is showing "Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey" tomorrow (Friday) night at 7 p.m. Bill Lee will be in attendance and take questions after the movie. Brownies not provided.

The 2007 season brings with it, as any baseball season does, the possibility of many milestone numbers being reached. Which are the most likely to be cracked in '07?

Let's take a look ...

Today is the impossibly always-young Roberto Alomar's 39th birthday. He may only be the second-best major league player born on this day (hey, that Hank Aaron fellow was pretty good!) but he is also -- sorry, Orlando Hudson, apologies Damaso Garcia -- the greatest second baseman ever to don the home unis in Toronto.

So let's use this thread to share our favorite Robbie Alomar stories. And yes, if you wish, feel free to tell a tall tale or two, like the time you saw him turn an unassisted quadruple play ...

Commenting in the Sammy Sosa poll, Bauxite ayjackson explained his "other" vote as follows:

"With a year out of baseball, he was likely able to follow a rigorous program of PEDs - like we've never seen before.  He was probably employed as a guinea pig by the world's PED leaders.  He will have almost "bionic" eyesight and romp to All-star and HOF numbers.  However, these numbers will be taken with a grain of salt by the increasingly skeptical baseball fan and writer and no awards will await him at the end of his comeback."

Which got me to thinking.  It's Friday afternoon, and we are deep in the off-season, so what better time for a Box tradition- the collaborative outrageous story.  Bionic eyesight, guinea pig.  Houston, I think we have a start.  I'll carry on with it.

Here's a little winter-time baseball memory exercise for Bauxites. Complete the following thought -- and explain your answer. (For me, this will be easy.)

Baseball Memory: I can't explain it -- he didn't play for my hometown team, he wasn't a Hall of Famer, there's no obvious defense, but when I was a kid, one of my favorite players in all of MLB was ...

And did I mention I moved out
I got my own place off of South
And I've been living hand to mouth
For going on a year by now
And yes I still see El around
It's different but I can't say how
She cut her hair it's back to brown
She's living with her boyfriend now

Yesterday the Seattle Mariners claimed Guillermo Quiroz off waivers. Quiroz will be on the Mariners major league roster as a backup.

Some spring stats.

The Jays lost their spring training game today 16-3, but that's not the news that worries me. What's much more upsetting is the fact that the Boston Red Sox claimed Hee Seop Choi off waivers from the L.A. Dodgers. I'm very surprised that all 20 or so teams before Boston passed on him. Choi is consistently underrated by the media and it seems that impression may be shared by major league front offices. Sure he can't hit lefties, but he has a career .808 OPS versus right-handers. This is the definition of a low-risk, high-reward pickup.

After an off-day yesterday the Jays play the Pirates this evening and now it's time for the players to get ready for the season to start. The Jays have nine games left against major league teams and two against the Syracuse Skychiefs before the regular season starts.

The Red Sox traded a bit of their surplus starting pitching sending Bronson Arroyo to the Reds for OF Wily Mo Pena.

A little last minute, but since Robert Dudek and myself are headed down to Philthy McNasty's to watch the World Baseball Classic on Monday night, we've decided to invite y'all out along with us. The game starts at 9:00.

I'm going to give them a call early-ish Monday afternoon, so if you're thinking of coming either e-mail me at aaron@aaronreynolds.ca or post here in this thread so that I can get some kind of idea of how many people will be there.