Back in the spring of 2006, I prevailed upon Liam, my bright and handsome son and heir, to contribute a Season Preview. His initial subject was the 2006 Detroit Tigers, who had gone 71-91 the year before. They promptly improved by 25 games and went to the World Series. Where they lost.

One year later, Liam examined the Colorado Rockies, who had gone 76-86 in 2006, finishing fourth. They improved by 14 games, and went to the World Series. Where they lost.

In 2008, Liam fixed his pre-season scrutiny on a good team, the Philadelphia Phillies. In 2007, the Phillies had won 89 games and lost the first round of the playoffs. They improved by just three games in 2008, but not only did they go the World Series - they won the damn thing.

As you can imagine, I've been trying to get Liam to do a Blue Jays preview ever since. And at last, at long last... he's bringing the mojo home.

Take it away, Liam. Make us proud...

The Minnesota Twins are the first club to visit the Dome in 2011.  According to the Jays press notes, this is the fourth time these clubs have met on Opening Day.  The Jays hold a 2-1 edge and the home team has won each time.  The Jays also opened their home schedule in 2002 against Minnesota and emerged victorious.   Toronto has won 28 out of 40 against Minnesota since 2006.

Jose Molina finishes crossing the plate after hitting his first home run as a Blue Jay against the Twins July 8.

Twitter - it's a thing. In fact, a big thing. Let's check in on the state of Toronto baseball on Twitter

Every site has a predict-the-division-winners-and-playoffs challenge (including this one).

Here's our annual step off the beaten path to get your predicitions regarding 2011 individual award winners.

Bedazzle your friends! Shock the world! Accumulate points and win an as-yet-unnamed prize! (A cuttlefish? A Batter's Box No-Prize? A song written in your honor? What could it be?)

Just cut and paste my predictions, below, into your reply, change the names to reflect your predictions (warning: mine will be way wrong, they always are) and impress us all with your wisdom, daring, cunning and knowledge! (Entries accepted through April 15.)

We've looked at the team's hitting and pitching and defense the last two days. Today we give our overall impressions of what the Jays will be like in 2011.

We decided to dip into the Batter's Box budget and design a collectible to rival Jose Bautista Bobblehead Day April 3.

Yesterday was hitters, today it's pitching and defense. Tomorrow? You'll have to wait and see (I predict it's our annual concession stand preview, but I've been wrong before.)

No matter what anyone else does, Seattle Mariner rookie Tom Wilhelmsen should run away with AL Comeback Player of the Year.

What? A rookie can't win that award! Yeah, that's probably true, but it shouldn't detract from your enjoyment of this classic story from former Torontonian Geoff Baker for the Seattle Times.

Do you really know baseball? Think you can out-Vegas Vegas? Throw your predictions down below and maybe you, too, could join the ranks of past winners Jdog and electric carrot. Try to get them in before Friday so you don't have any additional info, but I'm putting this up kinda late so I might still accept them after the deadline.

My trip to spring training is done and now that I am back at home I thought I would try and summarize what I have seen and add to my scouting reports on some players.

I also have more video to share of Aaron Sanchez and Deck McGuire.

With the season kicking off in a few days, let's ask and answer a few questions about how the Jays offense will perform in 2011.

According to Gregor Chisolm, the Jays have announced Edwin Encarnacion as the opening day starter at third base. Jose Bautista is back to Right Field, and Juan Rivera will DH, at least to start the year.

Update: Also, almost immediately invalidating my headline, the Jays have acquired Jayson Nix from the Indians for cash considerations. Corey Patterson to the DL. Nix is terrible, but plays/has played 2nd, 3rd and corner outfield. 

I've written the Yankees preview for Batter's Box every year since 2005, the first year we started doing team/dkvision previews here on Canada's Baseball Leader. And every year, I pick them to win the division and usually to win the World Series.

And why not? Every year since 1993, except for an aberrant third place disappointment in 2008, the Pinstriped Wonders have finished either first or second, and have made the playoffs every year but '08 since 1995. In that relatively short time,  they've appeared in seven World Series and have won six titles. (Pretty good, even by NYY standards!) So why should this year be any different?

Why? Because, unlike past years, the Yankee pitching suu-uuucks. Cliff Lee signing with the Phillies might prove to hurt the Yankees more than the Rangers, and could ultimately decide the fate of three 2010 playoff teams -- the Yanks, Rangers and Phils -- in the coming season.

It hurts me to write this. And I hope I am wrong -- way wrong. But to start with the big news, to avoid burying the lead, let's be up front with it ... the 2011 Yankees are a team that looks like it could well finish ...

Last year the Red Sox endured a multitude of injuries and won 89 games anyway. Now, one should be careful when predicting a bounce-back after an injury-plagued year, because the thing about injuries is that they come back, but the nature of the 2010 Sox' specific ailments is such that I don't expect much recurrence. And by adding a couple of superstars to an already potent and now-healthy line-up, the Sox have assembled an absolutely fantastic team.

Here's a potentially fun discussion point based on a Web factoid. According to today's update from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ...

Today's Date in Baseball History: March 28, 1976 - Media sources report a potential blockbuster between the Mets and Dodgers involving two future Hall of Famers. The deal would send Tom Seaver to LA in exchange for Don Sutton. Mets fans respond negatively and perhaps influence the deal. The trade is called off and Seaver will remain in New York until 1977 when he is sent to Cincinnati.

Oddly, I have no recollection of this rumor from the time -- then again, I was only nine! Sutton (155 wins at the time, 169 more yet to come) for Seaver (178 wins at the time, 132 more yet to come)? It would have made the earlier-in-the-decade "$100,000 Bobby Swap" (Bonds for Murcer) pale in comparison!

So, given that, what are the biggest trades -- that never happened -- that you remember hearing about?

For me, it's easy ...