Oh great. The Royals.

If the Jays were a couple of games closer to the teams they're (theoretically) chasing, I would be psyched for this one. Christmas in August. Finally a break from the schedule maker. But now that the Jays need a miracle instead of a mere .700 run, this has all the trappings of one of those mid-September series at home against another eliminated team, and it's not even September yet.

At least you'll get to read about KC ace Luke H. from Tennessee and his dreaded one-seamer, Ryan Shealy getting his chance to shine, a 31-year-old rookie Disciple of Gagne and a guy who can jump over a car if you follow us...

On to the Advance Scout!

...but there was no confusion about it, as the farm affiliates went 5-1 behind some superb pitching and a couple of late rallies.  Turnabout is fair play.

Today's photo features Gregg Zaun leaping up from behind the plate to throw out a base stealer at second:

That didn't quite go according to plan.

Continuing yesterday's theme, today's photo features another collision.  In this picture, Payton has just crashed into Hill's legs to disrupt Hill's double-play throw to first -- the two of them are tangled on the ground, watching first base to see the outcome of the throw:

The farm affiliates were swept, courtesy of some lackluster offensive performances and a couple of bullpen collapses. The silver lining for minor league watchers is the upcoming playoffs.

Congratulations to former Jay Carlos Delgado, who hit his 400th career home run yesterday. I may be missing someone, but I believe only four men who have ever played with the Jays for any amount of time have reached that particular milestone -- Fred McGriff (493), Dave Winfield (465), Jose Canseco (462) and now Delgado. Joe Carter hit 396.

Though four of those five men have earned a place in Blue Jay lore -- one of them partly for being traded for one of the others -- is it safe to assume that Delgado will be the first Jay (of any length of service) to reach the once-magical 500 mark? How many will he end up with? Will he wear a Jay or "NYM" into Cooperstown? And are any other former Jays on the radar to reach the 400 and then 500 milestones?

The calm after the storm sees the Jays top the A’s in unremarkable fashion.

Kyle Ginley had another dominant performance out of the pen last night. The Jays 17th round pick this year out of St Petersburg JC has had a strong year in Pulaski.

New Hampshire was the only affiliate to win on a 1-4 night in the minors.

Updated with a bonus widescreen desktop.

Fresh from Tuesday night's game, here's Gregg Zaun smashing into Jason Kendall at the plate:

As noted in the recent Dear Johns Hall of Names, entry, in building the historical Baseball's Hall of Names, we've put together more than 200 teams, though only 10 (now 11) of the 25 Most Common Male Names in the U.S. (would like to know of a Canadian equivalent free online somewhere?) have been covered. In making up for lost time, we now proceed to the third-most common given/first name in The Birthplace of Baseball, and maybe the greatest bullpen yet put together in Hall of Names lore ... that's right, it's time to meet ...

3 wins in 5 tries for the Toronto farm.

It’s the fourth annual fielding survey.  Jays fans are always near the top in turnout, and that's in no small part to readers from this site.   Who else except a Jays fan could have told the world about Orlando Hudson last year?

Please take a few moments, and participate once more! 
http://www.tangotiger.net/scouting/

When it rains, it pours.

On the off chance that people want to rehash this old history (gee, why would that happen?), let's have the facts in place.