This week's Advance Scout brings the Mariners, a chance to gain ground on the competition, and the start of a long but winnable road trip.

What I want
I want now
and it's a whole lot more
than 'anyhow'

Don’t Spook the Horse: Hammers gain ground.
Pistol Nine and Junior Felix rout rivals.
Garth Iorg eyes upper division while top teams scuffle.

Last time I shot tons of Eric Hinske, right? This time Alex Rios appears to be the guy who outnumbers everyone else in total pictures, though I also have a lot of some guy named Hill.

So even though Friday's picture was of Rios sliding into third, here he is again, smackin' a ball:

I don't know if Casey Janssen is related to David Janssen who played Dr. Richard Kimble on the old "The Fugitive" TV show, but there was no search for a one-armed man yesterday as the two arms of Janssen and Eric Arnold led Dunedin to victory. Syracuse had no offense, New Hampshire pulled one out in the ninth behind a spot start by Jamie Vermilyea, Lansing had the offense but poor pitching. A 2-2 Sunday on the farm.

You know I think this Halladay guy might be a keeper.

I was on the outside when you said
You said you needed me
I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see

If you jumped ship on everybody every time they go bad, you'd never field a team in this league. (John Gibbons, May 28 2005.

Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP Dave Bush to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled RHP Chad Gaudin from Triple-A Syracuse. (May 29, 2005)

I think this move is nuts on a number of levels...(Me, about six hours ago.)

Doc Halladay is masterful as the good guys win it 4-0.

Halladay got the complete game 99 pitch, two hitter getting 10 Ks and giving up no walks. The two hits were a bunt and a dribbler to third that Hillenbrand couldn't get out of his glove.

After struggling through the All-Z and All-Q teams recently, with what was actually a nice break for a Y squad that had 93 former major leaguers including three Hall of Famers to choose from, we now head over to the daunting task of forming a team from the 92 men (and just two Hall of Famers) whose last or family name begins with the letter "V."

I don't want this
remember that
I'll never forget where your at
don't let the days go by

Because not even a speeding car could have picked them off last night. 5 stolen bases for the 'Nuts and a solid spot start for one of my favourite sleepers in New Hampshire. 3 (and a half?) wins for the affiliates.

Okay, we're not exactly sure what happened here -- let's call this the Invisible Game Thread, the Thread that Fell Into the Sixth Dimension, the Thread That Wasn't There, what have you. Anyway. Twins win 4-3, Dave Bush loses again, a ninth-inning comeback falls short, and the Jays have lost a lot of the momentum they gained from the Boston sweep. Thoughts on today's misadventure?

John Sickels is having a Community Mock Draft over at his website. Come join in on the fun.

If you want to get something done right, ask a Mississaugan. It's true for Hazel McCallion and it's true for the Blue Jays' minor-league system, which went 1-2 (with a rainout) last night and owes its lone victory to a powerful ex-Aggie and a teenaged southpaw suburbanite.