The hot stove will warm up some this week.  Both the team owners and general managers hold meetings this week in Milwaukee, I am sure the trade talk will heat up.  I assume major media will be in attendance giving us updates on the latest rumours.

In addition award season starts today with the AL and NL rookies of the year.  JP Arencibia is not expected to win the AL rookie of the year but he might get some votes.

We do also have some Blue Jay news, through Bob Elliott.

Let's start the week off right!  Today's POTD focuses on the Jays last home game of 2011 against the Evil Empire Sunday, September 18.

Brandon Morrow found his form again to blank the Yankees to the tune of eight scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out eight.

Today's POTD features leftover photos from the Angels-Jays series in late September.

Angels catcher Jeff Mathis in right field prior to action September 21 at the Dome.

The Florida Marlins are no more.  The Fish unveiled their new look for the 2012 season as they move into their new ballpark.

Miami Marlins players model the new black, orange, gray and white uniforms they will be wearing next season.  The players in attendance were Hanley Ramirez, Josh Johnson, Ricky Nolasco, Anibal Sanchez, Gaby Sanchez, Logan Morrison, Emilio Bonifacio, former Jay John Buck and Omar Infante.

Today's POTD looks back at the final home game of 2011 for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Los Angeles Angels September 22.

Angels catcher Bobby Wilson gets ready to go to work in the bullpen.

It's the off-season, let's play a game.

"What are the worst professional sports (not necessarily  limited to baseball) uniforms of all time?"

A few opening caveats and nominations ...

Today's POTD deals with the second last home game of the 2011 season for the Blue Jays September 21.

Former Jay Vernon Wells on JaysVision during lineup introductions.

We haven't had a minor league thread in a while, now seems like a good time to get one going.  I received some updates from the instructional league last week and I thought I would share those.  In addition I have a look back at the 2011 season and we will catch up on the AFL.

Last week we found plenty of topics to kick off the first week of the winter, winter being that time of the year when baseball is not played. This week threatens to be a quiet week on the baseball front but who knows? Award season doesn't start until next week so baseball news will have to be generated by the general managers.

Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Forsch passed away Thursday after an aneurysm in his chest. He was 61.

Bob Forsch, who threw two no-hitters with the St. Louis Cardinals, threw out the ceremonial first pitch for Game 7 of the World Series.

According to BlueJays.com, the team has re-acquired right-handed reliever Trystan Magnuson from the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.
 
Vancouver native Trystan Magnuson made his major league debut with the A's in 2011.

Thanks to the inconsistent genius (today is an "up" day) of Mother Goose & Grimm, in case you missed today's funny papers, we have a baseball joke time-stamped approx. 1960 ...

A full list of who hit the market as free agents (Class of '11-'12) is now available (all names shown in a list at the bottom of the page after the jump) .... Every year, we take a look at what kind of roster we might be able to build from the talent on the open market. Let's see how that works out THIS year.

So here's the thought experiment. Let's say you own a major league franchise that has NO players. You can select any 25 of the current free agents (no budget limitations -- they are literaly "free" agents) to fill out your team's roster. Who do you place on your roster from the list of possible candidates? And more importantly, how does that team do when they are dropped into the middle of the 2012 American League East?

One such roster follows. Your criticisms, corrections, and "Hey-Doherty-why-aren't-you-doing-this-for-a-living?" adulation is welcome and invited, of course.

Today's POTD looks back at the Surrey, B.C. native's best day as a hitter in the majors.
 
Adam Loewen on the Jays right field scoreboard during lineup introductions at the Dome September 11.

The consummate pro, a member of one of baseball's royal families, has passed away ... RIP, Matty Alou. 15 years in the big leagues, with six teams, primarily the Giants and Pirates. 1667 games played, 1777 hits for a .307 career batting average. Just 31 career homers, but 10 different seasons in double-digit steals, with a high-water mark of 23 in 1966 -- the same year he, as a Pirate, won the NL batting title, hitting .342. (He finished in the Top 10 in batting average six times in the eight-year span from 1966-73.) Matty had seasons he led the NL in hits (1969), singles (1969-70) amd OF games played (1970). He even pitched two shutout innings for the '65 Giants. He was involved in one of the biggest trades of the 1971-72 off-season, when the Pirates dealt him and George Brunet to the Cardinals for Nellie Briles and Vic Davalillo. He played in three post-seasons, getting to the World Series twice and winning one ring, with the 1972 A's. Matty Alou -- the quintessential entry into the Hall of Pretty Damn Fine Ballplayer. Very few Bauxites will have seen the middle Alou brother play, and frankly, most won't even remember Moises' uncle as a player. But the baseball world is a little sadder, a little poorer today. Rest well, Matty.