For those of you who don't know, Jays closer Miguel Batista has been writing a column this year for ESPN's Spanish-language website, ESPN Deportes.

Well they say I should approach you
With caution
But not to let you be aware of my fear
Never know what you'll find

It was an All-Brian afternoon for Auburn, as the farm affiliates split their 6 games, with the higher level clubs on the losing end and the junior teams winning.

Dustin McGowan showed us all why everyone is excited about him, as he fanned six and held Texas to one run in his major league debut. Jason Frasor came in and instantly gave up the lead. The Jays bats were done for the day after the second man hit in the first inning. Adams reached base four times, Koskie three times, and the rest of the team.... just three times (Wells HBP, Hinske BB, Hudson single.)

I ain't what I used to be, but who the hell is?
-- Dizzy Dean

Gotta run, my government's collapsing. This morning's minor-league update is another rapdily assembled all-poetry edition, but in the interests of diversity, we've expanded beyond the basic haiku into a bunch of other cliched formats, including one limerick, three spoken-words, and a little Ogden Nashery.

Dave Purcey's Double-A premiere was underwhelming, and Adam Lind exploded on a 3-3 night for the farm system.

It was Korean Night at the Rogers Centre, and Chan Ho Park was even scheduled to pitch. So what does Texas do? They trade him to San Diego an hour before the game starts.

Then they send John "Way-Back" Wasdin to the mound, and Wasdin and Doug Brocail completely shut down the Toronto offense. The hitters, one assumes, must have been really, really tired, although Buck Showalter had no sympathy whatsoever:

We got to our hotel room at 4 a.m. two days in a row. I don't want to hear about 18 innings when they are at home and get to sleep in their own bed.

Toronto welcomes the homer-happy Rangers for the first time this season. The Jays are simultaneously high and tired after their 18-inning victory and sweep over the West-leading Angels. Meanwhile, the Rangers took three of four in Baltimore, almost mitigating a disastrous four-game sweep at home by Oakland. The Rangers appreciate the Jays for their efforts, but they will try to douse Toronto’s giddiness over the weekend. The team that sweeps this series can reclaim vital ground in the race for the wildcard or division lead.

On to the Advance Scout!

What a performance last night against the Angels! Here's Pete Walker:

You gotta be careful with your body. Your body is like a bar of soap. The more you use it, the more it wears down.
-- Dick Allen

In other words, don't expect to see Gregg Zaun catching tonight...

It wasn't a carnival or a bridge game in Syracuse, as the Chiefs restored order against the Indians. The farm affiliates went 4-3.

My interesting life has led me to watch this game backwards: I heard the eighth and ninth innings on the radio, watched the game on TV from the tenth onwards, and now (now being Thursday night just past midnight) I'm watching a recording of the first nine innings that I missed. And I'm really tired, so here's an unranked, randomly ordered list of people who were all out of bubble gum so they had to do that other thing they came to do:

Could the Blue Jays complete a sweep of the visiting Anaheim Angels (I refuse to call them anything but that) this evening? Dave Bush thinks so, and since he's getting the ball tonight, well, that's a good thing. John Lackey, who's quietly putting up some eye-popping strikeout numbers this year, counters for Anaheim.

FINALLY! Jays win in 18 innnings 2-1.

There’s an intricate etiquette that applies to the ferry from Toronto Island Airport to the mainland, and this guy didn’t get it. Even though I was in the last row of the puddle-jumper that landed at the airport late yesterday afternoon, I had no luggage and I was an old hand at this. I strode past the other passengers – you mosey, you lose – and ended up fourth in the makeshift lineup that waits at the entrance for the ferry to return to the island.

It's unbelievable how much you don't know about the game you've been playing all your life.
-- Mickey Mantle