It doesn't get any easier for the good guys this weekend. Next up are the White Sox, who like the Jays have lost 12 games since the all-star break. Unlike the Jays, they've won four of their last six, and they're only half a game behind Boston.

This week's Scout features the wit and wisdom of Ozzie. Everything else is meaningless, possibly including Sunday's tasty pitching matchup. Live from Waterloo/Toronto...

On to the Advance Scout!

It was a 2-4 evening for the farm affiliates.  Rob Cosby shone.

It's actually hard to settle on a final total of the number of big league ballplayers in MLB history with the initials S.S. -- do we count Sam "Pony" Sager, for instance? (Yes, we do -- and he even actually makes the team!) Okay, then what about Harry "Slim" Sallee? (No, we don't.) How about All-Star John Stanley "Jack" Sanford? (Nope, not him either.)

But that's okay. We still have plenty of options to form a full roster of players whose given first name (regardless of what other name or nickname they actually went by) and last/family name both started with the letter "S," the 19th such double-initial combination we have examined here on Batter's Box. Given all that, it's time to meet ...

There's nothing like breaking your coffee maker to reveal to you just how much you need coffee.

Maybe it's the three days with no coffee, or maybe this road trip has finally crushed my hopes for the season. But regardless of the cause, I have lost most if not all of my enthusiasm over the last week or so.

For your weekend viewing pleasure, here's Reed Johnson laying down a bunt:

That must be what it feels like to be rooting for the opposition when Doc pitches.

Dwight Evans had a long and productive career, but his moment came in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. We'll let Retrosheet take the call:

Syracuse and Pulaski had the day off. The rest...well, let's just say it was a night for mulligans. The farm went 0-4, being outscored 33-21.

Yesterday was Bengie Molina, so it's only fair that today's photo is of Gregg Zaun. Here he is, getting ready for the pitch:

I've been thinking about the New York Yankees and their recent player acquisitions. Yes, I know - it's bad for my digestion or my blood pressure or my choler or something. But this has all gone on far enough. Something has to change.

The affiliates went 5-1 on the night as the Lugnuts were the lone team to lose last night.

A.J. Burnett is Yanked after 4 innings and the Blue Jay season teeters nearer the precipice.

Alright, it's not all that extreme.  It's as extreme as soap or deodorant is these days (and by that I mean In Name Only).  But here's a nice close-up of Big Ben Molina catching a ball; the technical aspects of this one really please me, especially the crisp little bits of dirt flying off of the glove.  Somehow I overlooked this one when I made my original selection of material from the Tigers game that I shot; I'm really glad I went looking for a photo of Bengie Molina and dug this one up:

So what became of the $210 million payroll allocated to 2005-2007?

After their wild and crazy weekend four-gamer at the Rogers Centre, the Yankees and Jays meet up again in the Bronx this week for three. Unlike a week ago, emotions are much different for these teams as it was Toronto's turn to lose a series, and lose it bad. New York went 5-1 (the one was a laugher) while the Jays...did not. New York has pulled away, now with a fairly substantial lead over Toronto.

You already know that the Yankees "traded" for Bobby Abreu and Cory Lidle, but they also got another ex-Phillie to help with the stretch drive. They also feature a sinkerballer, a shortstop having a terrific offensive season, and a bunch of quotes that will make you shake your head.

This introduction serves a dual purpose, as I'm happy to announce the addition of Alex Obal to the Batter's Box Roster! Alex and I will collaborate to bring you all of the Advance Scouts from now through to the end of the season, and most (but not all!) of what you will read here is his original research. So, live from Toronto/Waterloo...

On to the Advance Scout!