Syracuse pisses one away, New Hampshire does the same and Auburn loses in OT. However, Dunedin and Lansing got the pitching and the W's while the boys from the Gulf Coast ended their year on a winning note, thanks in small part to a rehabbing Brandon League. Total it all up and that gives the affiliates a saw-off at 3-3.

One weekend later, the A's are reeling again.

Thursday night, they marched into Tampa Bay behind a motivated Chad Gaudin and won 12-2. Then the Rays realized it was Raymond the Blue Fuzzy Thing's birthday weekend and decided they'd better get their act in gear. So they immediately turned the tables and massacred the A's three straight times by an aggregate score of 33-9, hanging three beatings on Oakland's top three starters. The A's will look to turn things around at home behind a couple of ex-Jays, both of whom hit their stride as pitchers immediately after leaving Mr Rogers' neighborhood.

The Houston Astros have fired GM Tim Purpura and manager Phil Garner. Filling the shoes of the only manager to lead Houston to a World Series berth will be Cecil "What Took So Long For Me to Get a Shot?" Cooper, one of the heroes of the '82 Harvey's Wallbangers Brew Crew.

Last night's loss to Kelvim Escobar was more than a reminder about the pitcher that management let leave Toronto while the team pursued and eventually signed Miguel Batista. Batista signed for $2 million a year less than Escobar; money which, in hindsight at least, would have been far better spent keeping Escobar in Toronto. Last night's loss also saw Escobar and Francisco Rodriguez not allow a double to Blue Jays batters. Toronto had doubled in the team's previous 32 games, which set a new franchise record. Now that it’s over, let’s take a closer look at a streak which provided some excitement and intrigue for Jays fans during the dog days of an August spent on the outskirts of the playoff race.

The All-Birthday Hall of Names team started off some time back quite narcissistically, as I compiled a team of players with whom I shared a birthday, July 20. Since then, several dozen dates have taken on roster-shaping posts (from me and from others) and of course, I built teams for my own mom (Feb. 17) and dad (Oct. 20). Well, I have two sisters -- neither one a huge baseball fan -- who have birthdays over the next two weeks, and to complete the (nuclear) family tree, we'll see if teams for their birthdays can take root (see, that's a "family tree" joke) as well.

That means today, my #2 sister, Eileen -- the middle child, the golden girl who was high school valedictorian and all that other soul-crushing perfect role model stuff -- but to whom baseball growing up was no more than "Oh, that Davey Concepcion is cute ..." gets an All-August 27 team.

Lansing were outhit 17-8 but still won.  Syracuse too were outhit, and made nine errors in regulation, but managed to force extra innings.  They finished with ten errors and the loss.  New Hampshire and Auburn won big games to keep them in playoff contention, Dunedin lost two but still lead their division.

The minor league season has eight games to go, a little more for Auburn, just one game for the GCL Jays.  If the season ended today four Jays affiliates would be in the playoffs.  The Midwest league has the most generous allocation of playoff spots, eight in total, and Lansing are in the playoffs.  Dunedin and Auburn lead their divisions by 2 and 5 games respectively.  New Hampshire are one game up in the hunt for a playoff berth.

I'd like to add a BBFL winter edition fantasy football league.

There are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are a phenomenon far beyond the range of our poor instruments.

Five wins as the Dunedin Jays game was suspended.  New Hampshire had a big win to keep them in the playoff hunt as Kyle Yates delivered a huge start.  New Hampshire are playing their playoff rival Portland and Ricky Romero couldn't help the team on Friday making Saturdays game even more important.  Yates shut down Portland as the Fisher Cats built a big lead and cruised to the win.  Auburn also won to strengthen their playoff hopes.  Syracuse won in the bottom of the ninth, John Tolisano propelled the GCL Jays to a win and Lansing wins in a team effort.  

Toronto’s affiliates played not one, but two, double-headers last night to give fans an eight-game menu to appease their palate. The teams split both twin billings and Toronto’s other four affiliates went 3-1 on the evening. The multitude of games means there were many outstanding performers yesterday, from Triple-A players hoping to make it back to the big leagues to high-round GCL prospects.

Seems an obvious set of initials has been overlooked in our Hall of Names journeying ... ballplayers with a moniker shortened to "B.S.," a great and powerful pair of letters, initially speaking, which of course, anyone can tell you, stands for ...

This time you get to be a casting director, instead of a manager.

It's a pitcher's week, and Marc Rzepczynski set the tone for the evening with an overpowering performance in Auburn. Adam Lind replied nicely for the hitters in the second game of a rare Chief double-dip sweep. The farm affiliates went 6-2.

So the Jays are nine games out of the wild card. But, liberated from the pressure that accompanies being in serious playoff contention, they still have an opportunity to cause mischief in the AL West race. The Angels' lead over Seattle is down to two games.

Toronto will see an Angels team that has received an infusion of youth since last week. A rejuvenated Ervin Santana, a healthy Howie Kendrick and the much-hyped Brandon Wood are all in the house.

Congratulations to the Austin Senators and the Trembling WIlburys on being the first BBFL teams of the year to clinch playoff spots.