Blue Jays fans seem remarkably optimistic about a team that lost more than 90 games last season and then lost its best player to free agency. But a payroll injection, a couple of off-season acquisitions and a new focus on baserunning and defence are prompting some people to think the Jays will resemble a whole new team on the field.

The field that the Jays are actually occupying, however, and the corporate and marketing structure that supports it, are going to be downright unrecognizable in 2005 -- for the better.

Casey Janssen's sterling performance, 7 innings of no-hit ball, in Lansing was the highlight of a 2-2 day for the farm affiliates yesterday.

The Red Sox are coming, the Red Sox are coming ...

According to Sean Forman's BaseballReference.com, nearly 200 players in major league history have borne the nickname "Red," not including guys like Rusty Greer and Rick Sutcliffe, who were each tagged "The Red Baron," nor Doug "Red Rooster" Rader, not to mention the two Reddings, two Redferns, three Redmans, two Redmons, four Redmonds or the various guys with names like Redus and Reder.

But in a break from Hall of Names tradition, this team will only consider nicknames, rather than completely excluding them.

A Notes From Nowhere pinch-hit today, as I did some thinking about HACKING MASS and a couple other things pinging around my head.

Watching MLB.tv while working has to be the greatest thing since air conditioning. Sliced bread? Meh. Given that these days eating bread is akin to being a liberal in the United States, I'll take my AC, thank you. So, yeah. I'm watchin' while workin', and the good tax-payers of Washington are payin' while I'm watchin'.

The Minor League season starts today, and so too does another season of BBRadio. It's an off-day for the big club, which usually means more attention to the farm affiliates. So, who's up to call a few innings?

Remember the old joke about the New Orleans Saints fan who was so disgusted with his team's play that he left two tickets on the dashboard of his car, hoping they'd be stolen? He returned an hour later to find his windshield smashed and four more Saints tickets lying there.

Well, it was a smashed-windshield sort of game yesterday afternoon in Tampa. If there was one game to miss this year, this was it.

You know, this Hall of Names challenge really should have been obvious from the get-go on Opening Day, but better late (at least before the next series starts) than never. It's Jays versus Rays redux ... and it doesn't look like this team of all Jays could hope to take two of three from their Ray counterparts.

Actually, the Jays could be pretty good ...

Theoretically, a team with a 1.000 winning percentage should beat a team with a .000 winning percentage exactly 100% of the time.

In honor of Shea Hillenbrand, 29 random observations from watching last night's ballgame...

Okay, I don't know if Gustavo Chacin and Scott Kazmir faced each other in Manchester or Binghamton in 2004, but they'll do so in St. Petersburg in 2005. You can catch the game on TSN today, as your undefeated world heavyweight champion Toronto Blue Jays play the pitiful, destined-for-162-losses Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

A little break between now and Game 2, so here is some (mostly) non-Jays material to ponder:

Bauxite Kevin Pataky remembers the 2003 divison champion New Haven Ravens well, and has tracked them down for us. Thanks for the pinch-hit, Kevin.

The photo of the week shows us just how close the new season is -- sure, they're already playing ball all over the place, but here in Toronto we have a couple more days until we can see the game up close and personal.

These aren't the same Blue Jays of Opening Days past. Remember last year, when Jason Johnson -- Jason Johnson! -- outpitched Roy Halladay?

Or the Derek Jeter Affair in 2003? These were sad, sad days in the Greater Toronto Area, my loyal and loving readers. Oh, not Jeter getting hurt, the loss. The loss was sad.