The affiliates went 2-2 in about the least exciting way possible. Lansing was actually able to play, but apparently didn't get the memo until it was too late.

Arguably the greatest Blue Jay of them all has called it a career.

In the NCAA basketball tournament, whenever an underdog gets down 8 points in a semi-away game and the crowd starts to stir, the commentators always say in ominous tones, "They're into the danger zone now." That's how I feel about today's matchup, with Toronto 5-6 and facing Boston and New York next. The Jays try to avoid an embarrassing sweep in the getaway game as Kyle Drabek takes on Jason Vargas.

It was a .500 night on Junior's Farm.   A strong pitching performance was not fully rewarded but it all worked out in the end and you should have seen the poker men in the form of the third baseman and center fielder of the future.  The winning affiliates put together ninth inning rallies while the other two battled back to tie their contests only to lose, with one game being decided in overtime.  Let's go down to take a look at what happened Tuesday night.

Big Papi thinks so, though let's be honest, he probably has a somewhat biased opinion  ...

So, who DOES belong? And if, for instance, Edgar or Hurt get in over the next few years (the latter almost certainly will; the former may be a hitmust, er litmus test), then does that open the doors retroactively for the Don Baylors of the world?

DH or not DH (to the Hall) ... that is today's question. Bauxites, over to you ...

I stayed up until 2 AM for that?

The farm went 2-2 on Monday night, and one Box favourite reached base five times. Can you guess who???!?! Probably not, because it's definitely not the guy in the title.

The Jays continue their trek through the Wild, Wild West. Tonight they get the reigning Cy Young winner.

Near the end of the last decade of the 20th century, the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, under the calming influence of head coach  (wait, strike “calming, leave it as “under the … influence of”) Mike Ditka, traded their entire  collection of1999 draft picks to the Washington Redskins for the rights to draft  University of Texas running back Ricky Williams.

Big trade, but ultimately … big deal! It’s not like Ricky Facemask was ever traded for/with an entire roster of players. It’s not like Ricky has anything on … Bert Blyleven. That’s right, Rik Aalbert Blyleven, who this summer will at long last (and very deservedly) be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, changed teams via trade five times in his long career, in a series of deals that included, literally, an entire roster – and a pretty good one! – of players, more than two dozen MLB veterans who are now forevermore also to be known as part of a team called (thank you, Chris Berman) ...

A 1-for-3 night for the affiliates doesn't sound that great but three bullpen implosions kept the squads from going 4-0. There were also some impressive hitting performances in low-A and a nice pitching line for a 2010 No. 1 draft pick in high-A.

That was quite a game last night.  From Bob Davidson to Brett Cecil to Yunel Escobar to Travis Snider to Edwin Encarnacion and missed opportunities there was a lot that happened in this game.  And unfortunately the end result was not good. 

The impressive bats on the top part of farm made us proud Saturday.  Las Vegas and New Hampshire were strong at the plate and on the mound.  Dunedin suffers 3rd loss in as many outings.

Winners Las Vegas and New Hampshire had loud lumber with 10 hits while Dunedin managed only 5 and came up the evening’s loser.  Lansing had their second postponement in as many nights due to field conditions (that soggy Michigan permafrost is really something).

Manny Ramirez has "retired."

{{Comment withheld.}}

Hey Batter's Box! To all you devotees of "Baseball from a Canadian Perspective," there's an interesting post today from valued fellow Bauxite Tangotiger on his The Book blog called Lowering the standards to retire numbers so that we can have an excuse for celebration.

More to the point for our site's interests, though, Tom also dips his toe into the question(s) raised by the fact that "the Nationals have retired the Expos numbers." First, can you name the four Expos whose numbers have been retired***? And what do you think of Tom's list of four (especially one) who should be, but who aren't on that list?