Brian Jerololoman is back with the Fisher Cats for a third season.  After a good start in 2008, Jeroloman had a disappointing 2009 season but has started strongly in 2010.  I spoke with Brian in Erie last week to discuss his history with the Fisher Cats.

A 2-2 and night for the North American affiliates thanks to some 8th inning dramatics made for an interesting night. Plus, Brian Jeroloman didn't hit safely but reached base 4 times. How did he do it. All this, and more, in MINOR LEAGUE UPDATE.

I was in Erie last weekend and I caught the saturday and Sunday games against Erie.  I talked with the coaching staff, with scouts and whoever else would talk to me to build up a picture of the Fisher Cats.  and of course I watched both games.  Here is my report.

The Giants invade Toronto for what figures to be a low-scoring series.

Throughout the remainder of the 2010 season, I'm going to update my Top 75 Jays' prospects list once a month. This is the first installment. Draft picks from 2010 will be added as they sign - beginning in July. Suggestions are always welcomed, with a supporting explanation, to help shape the next list.

Kyle Drabek took the loss as New Hampshire lost again to Akron.  Drabek pitched OK but walks, and an error behind him, cost him.  Henderson Alvarez had a rough first inning and was pulled from his start and Dunedin went on to lose.  Las Vegas won, Luis Perez made his first AAA start and was shaky but got the win.  Brad Emaus and Jarrett Hoffpauir were the hitting stars.  Lansing also won, thanks to 13 hits including three each for Kevin Ahrens and Ryan Goins.

Tom Signore is the pitching coach for your New Hampshire Fisher Cats.  This is Signore's second season with New Hampshire having previously worked with the Lansing Lugnuts and the Auburn Doubledays.

In tonight's 6-3 Texas Ranger victory over the Florida Marlins, former Jay farmhand Michael Young became the all-time franchise leader in hits for the Rangers. His new total, currently sitting at 1,748, is one more than that amassed for Texas by future Hall of Fame catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez.

Come to think of it "future Hall of Famer" is a phrase that just might, maybe apply to Young, too, if he keeps it up another five or six years. Young is 33, so that's not impossible to imagine.

Neither Esteban Loiaza nor Darwin Cubillan were available for comment. Congratulations to one of the Great Game's finest!

You'll find all of the wins up top in a 3-2 night for the U.S. affiliates.  The Dominican Jays were 1-0.

Luis Rivera is the new manager of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.  Previously Rivera was a utilty infielder who totalled 2215 major league at-bats over eleven seasons from 1986 - 1998.  Rivera was a coach in the Cleveland Indians minor and major league systems until the end of last season.  I spoke with Rivera last weekend when the Fisher Cats were in Erie.  Here is the transcript of the conversation.

As has so often been the case this year.

Two of the affiliates had the night off, and two took the night off. Also: an in-depth look at the Dunedin roster.

... the season Alex Rios is having in Chicago? Hitting third for the White Sox, he's batting .317 and currently on pace to finish with 36 home runs and 52 steals. The OPS is .951 while the K/BB ratio is a respectable 1.37. Them's MVP-caliber numbers, folks!

The only downside is the lack of RBI production -- his pace is for "just" 85, which is currently third on team, but he is leading the squad in runs scored.

I had no idea. Anyone out there, you know, care?

What a difference a day makes for Adam Loewen.

Ted Lilly, he of the ex-Jay status, has just been pulled from his start for the Cubs against the cross-town interleague rival ChiSox after eight wonderful innings. Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth, looking to be the fourth pitcher (and second ex-Jay) this season to toss a no-no, but leading off the ninth, pinch-hitter Juan Pierre lined a clean single up the middle.

The game, at this writing, is 1-0 Cubs. And it's raining, hard, but they're trying to finish the game ...

And now it's final. Cubs win! Cubs win!