When did Vernon Wells start using a Sam Bat?  It must've been some time between May 23rd (the last time I photographed the Jays prior to last Sunday's Tigers game) and June 11th.

Today's photograph is of Vernon laying off of a pitch and exhaling that gigantic breath he takes in before he swings:

There was, I'm fairly sure, weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth...

I never realized how much these reports rely on boxscores until I noticed who apparently started for Syracuse yesterday. Then I saw who finished the game for New Hampshire. Needless to say, they were names I didn't expect to see.

I'm taking advantage of this off-day to share some non-Jays photographs with you.  Here are Jim Leyland and Ivan Rodriguez on the mound, chatting while they wait for Joel Zumaya to show up:

Josh Towers has been recalled to start Tuesday's game against Atlanta, after 4 Towers' classic starts in Syracuse. Vinny Chulk was sent down to Syracuse again to make room for Towers. It is easy to understand why Towers has been recalled, but Chulk has pitched very well since returning and his demotion is a mystery. Thanks to Andrewkw for the tip.

If the four-run third didn't do it for me, it was the following sequence when Francisco Rosario had two outs: walk, wild pitch, walk, HBP. It only led to one run, but still...frustration indeed. I knew there was a reason I hated interleague play.

Your Sunday brunch minor league update features A.J. Burnett's 2nd rehab start.

Some of you may recall an odd take on the Hall of Names called Happy New Year's Eve, from this past Dec. 31 (the title should've at least suggested that) in which the lyrics to the traditional new annum carol "Auld Lang Syne" provide a place for dozens of links to "lyrical" ballplayer names at Sean Forman's standard-bearing BaseballReference.com Web site.

It's summer time in Mudville (and on Da Box) and as such, also time to try it again, only with a verse not set to music, and one every baseball fan knows from the time he or she can sit at the TV to root on the Cooneys, Barrows, Flynns and Blakes of the modern game.

That's right, it's time to hearken back to ...

As promised, the American League!

Remember when Josh Phelps was going to be a monster hitter in the middle of the Jays lineup?  These days he's doing his damage as a Mud Hen.

The affiliates were 1-2 with a couple dismal performances from the bats in NH and Syracuse.

Jays lose, to the Marlins. Bummer.

Blue Jays are cunning birds. This is not widely known, or sufficiently appreciated.

(Author's Note: due to an utterly unforeseen and totally unexpected calamity caused by Mozilla Firefox, the following is reluctantly brought to you by... Internet Explorer? Yes, the dog ate my homework.)

The farm affiliates went 2-2 on Thursday night.

Jobu speaks! You listen!

Here's the latest news!

Obviously Reed Johnson has had a good day when his stats trickle along the bottom of the ESPN ticker (as they did Thursday night during the Red Sox - Twins broadcast).  And since I'm a follower, not a leader, today's photograph is of our favourite sparkplug, Reed Johnson: