Only a brief Advance Scout report today, as the Jays travel to Minute Maid Park to take on the Astros for the first time in meaningful games.

Notwithstanding the former "Ten-Run Field" moniker of the retractable-roofed stadium, the Astros rely heavily on their starting pitching. True, the 'Stros will throw Clemens and Oswalt at the Jays this weekend, but a middling bullpen and the worst offence in the majors seem to present an opportunity for the Jays to win the series. Expect some pitchers' duels.

On to the Mini-Advance Scout!

Today's photograph is The Dude, Eric Hinske. And it's a little bit weird...

A pair of two home run games, a pair of great starts in Dunedin, and a pair of bullpen losses. Plus some in-person reporting from Buffalo.

The Jays had the day off yesterday, but it has been 2 weeks since the last bullpen report, so it's that time again. No rest for the weary.

Here I sit so patiently
waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
going through all these things twice

As we continue to work our way through a 25-part series outlining all-Hall-of-Names teams for each letter of the alphabet (we'll figure out something to do with "X" later), it only makes perfect sense that we would get around to "A" as the ... 10th letter of the alphabet?

Sure, why start with the first letter? Lead off with the lead-footed Richie Zisk (just about literally, as we did start with the All-Z team) and jump around until landing on "A." Which is where we are now.

Incidentally, did you know that Hank Aaron is no longer the first player listed in the official Baseball Register? ...

The inaugural Batter's Box Group Interview, with baseball historian and sports journalist Alan Schwarz, concluded nearly five minutes ago ... and here's what was said:

Since it's an off day, here's another picture of Nick Johnson for Jonny German. It also features everyone's favourite backup catcher:

A reminder to all Batter's Box readers: our chat with Alan Schwarz, author of The Numbers Game: Baseball's Lifelong Fascination with Statistics, is tonight, June 9, at 7:30 PM Eastern. You can continue to post questions to at the Alan Schwarz chat thread through 8:15 Eastern as the chat is scheduled to end around 8:30.

The easiest way to get to the live chat is to use Batter's Box's own Java applet. It will automatically use your Batter's Box account name -- if you have one and you're logged in, but a Batter's Box account isn't required to chat. Tonight's chat is in a slightly different format than the usual game chat in that it will be moderated by our own Joe Drew. Read on for details.

While J.P's first two first-rounders were in the lineup at Wrigley Field yesterday afternoon, his first two second-rounders were in Syracuse and Akron. And one of them did well, while the other...did not. Those were the only two games last night in a 1-1 evening for the affiliates.

On May 29, Roy Halladay took the mound against the Minnesota Twins in the Rogers Centre. Two hours and eight minutes later, Matt LeCroy swung and missed at Halladay's 99th pitch, completing the two-hit shutout. Halladay's game score that game was 93, the highest game score to date this season. Halladay is also in a tie for second-highest game score this season (with Brad Radke), from his complete-game 3-hit shutout of the Yankees on April 29.

Well, that Halladay didn't show up yesterday. Just like his last game, Roy struggled to shut out his opponent. Unlike in Oakland, though, Roy received no run support from his 7 batters and Huckaby, and he get saddled with the loss.

According to Lee Sinins' ATM Reports (BBRRS: titanium), the Phillies have traded 2B Placido Polanco to the Tigers for RHRP Ugueth Urbina and INF Ramon Martinez.

In a wholly unrelated incident, and as I posted earlier in another thread, Jamey Newberg (BBRRS: diamond) reports that the Rangers have designated their 2005 Opening Day starter, Ryan Drese, for assignment. Late Add: The Dallas Morning News has confirmed this move.

News comes in threes, right? So what's the next transaction to hit the wire? And what do you think of these two?

Noted Baseball Author/Journalist to Highlight
Inaugural Box Live Chat Group Interview

As announced here last week, noted baseball statistician/author/historian Alan Schwarz will be appearing in Toronto shortly to talk about his new book, The Numbers Game: Baseball's Lifelong Fascination with Statistics. Also appearing on the bill with Schwarz will be a journeyman outfielder named Vernon something-or-other.

And as speculated during that announcement, Schwarz will be featured in the first-ever Batter's Box Live Chat group interview, this Thursday at 7:30 PM Eastern time; there is no game Thursday, so we will use the regular IRC channel and process, though it is likely that this chat will be moderated in some way; additional instructions, if necessary, will be posted to the site closer to the time of the actual chat.

To prepare for the group interview, let's use this thread to brainstorm topics and specific questions ... here are some starter points:

You kicked and cried like a bullied child
A grown man of twenty-five
Oh, he said he’d cure your ills
But he didn’t and he never will

My mind dances with the possibilities for a "who's on first" sketch involving someone who doesn't know Mr. Halladay's nickname.

Oh, and for some conspiratorial intrigue, click "More."