Season Four of the BBFL is underway.

A tough day all around for the Jays organization. The minor league teams went 1-3 on Tuesday.

Roy Halladay will miss his next scheduled start according to Sportsnet with a forearm strain. It is not considered to be serious.

It's the first road trip of the season for the Fighting Jays, as they take a trip to Fenway for three games with the Bostonians. Unlike last year and 2003, there will be no 11:06 AM start, as Toronto is not in town during the Boston Marathon this time. Today's game is at 2:05, though, and with that early start time and a busy day (and week) for yours truly, the Scout is not as full of information this time around.

The Red Sox have started off 5-1 this year, and it looks like the Jays will dodge Curt Schilling just as the Bosox won't face Roy Halladay. Unfortunately for Toronto, they have no real edge in any of the pitching matchups this series -- and as good as some of the Blue Jay hitters might be, there are two guys batting 3-4 in Boston who'll have something to say to the Toronto pitching staff.

On to the Advance Scout!

A three-win night for the Blue Jay farm, featuring homers at all levels. Dig it!

Big sluggers get big money

The chirping of the birds outside the window was the sole incumbrance to my steadfast refusal to acknowledge that it was, in fact, a beautiful day outside. It was a hot July afternoon in 1993 and the conditions for were ideal for a swim at Peltoma Lake, a popular weekending spot for a few dozen families in rural southwestern New Brunswick. My thirteen year old id knew that there were girls outside and, unaware that it would later experience a five year Jordan Bulls-like period of dominance over my ego and superego during the high school/university years, was anxiously imploring me to put on my swim trunks and attempt interaction.

But I could not do it. The reason? The epic Jays/Athletics stratomatic series that my friend and I were playing in the cottage was about to crest in a game seven. Susie on a beach towel never had a chance against Juan Guzman on three days rest. And so it went. These are the choices that we make, and undoubtedly, if you are reading this, you experienced similar instances of budding baseball nerdness interfering with normal adolescent development.

Lansing picked up the only win in the organization Sunday behind Adrian Martin and some early runs.  Ty Taubenheim pitched well in a loss.  Eric Nielsen and Chris Gutierrez each had three hits.

Everyone's on the board. Everyone's got a win, everyone's got a loss. So what lies ahead?

That could have gone better. What has made the biggest impression on me so far?

Well, the new catcher is really slow.

Josh Banks and Jesse Litsch threw pitching gems as the farm affiliates went 2-1 on Saturday.

Today around MLB:

Ted Lilly, Walking Man...undefeated and winless teams remain undefeated and winless...Kenny Rogers, Back Home Again...and it's "Don't Trust Anyone Under 30 Day" at AT&T Park.

The minor league teams went 2-1 and David Smith grabs the first star. Chip Cannon, who else, hit the first minor league home run for the Jays this season.

Some disconnected thoughts on this first Saturday of the season...

After losing 2 of 3 to the Orioles, the D-Rays come into town. They're no longer the pest they once were -- the Bad Blood of Luke Prokopec is gone now, don't you know? -- and they only won one-third of their road games last year, so colour me optimistic about this series.

Scott Kazmir struggled on Monday and Seth McClung needed 84 pitches to get through three innings on Wednesday. Sure, Mark Hendrickson somehow pulled a three-hit shutout out of thin air last night, but the pitching is still not very good on this team. And, honestly, this is the kind of series we won't remember two years from now, but any three-game set with Roy Halladay is worth watching.

On to the Advance Scout!