I didn't realize Banks was available, but apparently the Jays had to make room for Shawn Camp, and Banks was subsequently claimed by the Padres.

Apparently Banks was less valuable to the Jays than Tracey Thorpe, Jean Machi, Russ Adams, and Sergio Santos. Not to mention Gus Chacin, Bill Murphy, and Buck Coats.

Brilliant.

TSN is reporting that the Blue Jays have released DH Frank Thomas.

David Purcey, the Jays first round pick in the 2004 draft, has been called up from Triple A Syracuse.  Reliever Brian Wolfe has been placed on the 15-day DL with a right triceps strain. 

Big news, in case the home opener wasn't exciting enough on its own: the Blue Jays just announced that they have signed Alex Rios and Aaron Hill to contract extensions.

Rios will be a Blue Jay through 2014.

Hill's signing was a surprising twist. His contract takes him through 2011, and also contains three club options that could keep him in Toronto until 2014 as well.

Turns out Matt Stairs' hip injury is worse than first thought and he is now out for the season. As a result the Jays signed Barry Bonds as a replacement.

Bonds contract is a one year deal for $5 million, with bonuses of $1 million for every 100 plate appearances he has.

Despite the fact that Reed has had a better spring than Shannon Stewart, Stewart has won the job.

Janssen is going under the knife and is gone for the year.

The Jays have signed former Oriole, Met, Yankee, Mariner, Marlin and Giant reliever Armando "Suitcase" Benitez to a minor league contract as insurance for Casey Janssen coming down with a sore shoulder.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum announced today that Dave Niehaus, the voice of the Seattle Mariners for all 31 seasons of the team's existence, has been named the 2008 recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award, presented annually for major contributions to baseball broadcasting. Niehaus will be honored with the award during Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies on Sunday, July 27, in Cooperstown, N.Y. The news came to Niehaus on his 73rd birthday.

Read the full press release here.

Gregg Zaun gives his explanation, by way of the National Post, on how his name wound up in the Mitchell Report.