Two affiliates fell short in their playoff chases on Friday.  The GCL Jays lost and now need help to make the playoffs on Saturday when they play their final game of the regular season.  Lansing lost and dropped their series against playoff rival West Michigan.  Lansing are three games out of a playoff spot.  Las Vegas and New Hampshire also lost.

Dunedin and Auburn broke out the big bats on their way to wins.  Carlos Perez had three hits and three RBI's and Gustavo Pierre had four hits for Auburn.  Mike McDade and Ryan Schimpf had four hits each, including a home run, for Dunedin.

The affiliates went 5-3 in a night that featured no fewer than 5 fine pitching performances. A team won a crucial game to charge ahead in the standings, while another suffered a potentially season ending loss.

Round 1 to Detroit.

For the eighth year in a row, I am once again asking for hardcore baseball fans to participate in the annual Scouting Report project, in which you evaluate the fielding characteristics of players on your team. If you have a few minutes, please drop by and evaluate your team.
http://www.tangotiger.net/scout/

The first game I've made it to this year - went with my 11 year old daughter.

This is a review of the non-game aspects. Quick thumbnail: the Dome staff has drastically improved, demand for Yankee tickets is high even when the Jays block off sections, the volume of music is far too high, and they need to create more non-drinking sections and put a strong emphasis on it to parents buying tickets.

The top three affiliates combined for eight hits on a 1-4 night on the farm.

The Jays take their third series of the year from the Yankees

I was in Lansing ten days ago for two games.  Here is my scouting report on those games.

Michael Crouse, from beautiful British Columbia, was a 16th round draft choice of the Blue Jays in the 2008 draft.  Before being drafted Michael was a member of the Canadian Youth team.  Michael's father, Ray Crouse, was a professional football player who played in the CFL and the NFL.  Michael hit .337 this year for the GCL Jays before being promoted to Lansing in early August.

The Jays did get the upper hand on the Yankees on the minor league side of things Tuesday night.  That's the biggest highlight of a 3-3 night on the farm that saw two games washed out by rain and another one cut short because of precipitation.

Last night, José Bautista became the first player in the major leagues to hit 40 home runs this season. Here's a card to commemorate your achievement, José!

With the Yankees in town and just under six weeks remaining in the schedule it felt like a good time to catch up with the major league club. Sure, the Blue Jays are out of it, but with 38 games to go here are a few interesting tid bits about the Jays season.

I caught up with Sal Fasano ten days ago in Lansing.  I previously talked with Sal in May.  The Lugnuts are battling for a play-off spot and the team has turned over some players since May.  I talked with Sal mostly about the new guys.

Boy, am I ever running out of Kyle Drabek puns. What does that one even mean? It means Kyle Drabek was great, is what it means. Drabek led the farm to a 2-2 night including a couple of rainouts.

Drew Hutchison has had a very successful 2010 campaign.  Hutchison was selected by the Jays in the 15th round of the 2009 draft out of a Lakeland, Florida high school.  Hutchison did have a college scholarship offer and late in the summer the Jays paid him what he wanted to turn pro, $400,000 according to Baseball America.  Hutchison did not pitch for the Jays in 2009 and started 2010 with Auburn.  Hutchison put up good numbers in Auburn and was named to the NYPL all-star team, but before the all-star game the Jays promoted him to Lansing.

Drew turned 20 years old on Sunday so happy birthday from Batters Box.