Batter's Box recently received this press release. Sorry about the formatting; I wanted to get this up as soon as possible.

The Blue Jays have played in Oakland many times, but this will be their first ever visit to San Francisco proper for a baseball game.

With both Miguel Batista and Jason Schmidt pitching well, this figures to be a fairly low-scoring affair. As with any visiting manager, it will be interesting to see what approach Carlos Tosca takes with Barry Bonds.

Don't be fooled by her kind
There's a wind in my sails
Will protect and prevail

Ironically enough, it’s New Hampshire that officially had an Off Day yesterday. Syracuse, Dunedin, and Charleston all played some ball, and combined for 2 runs while giving up 28.

The Jays pay their first visit ever to McCovey Cove and SBC Park, where I had the pleasure of attending a game back in 2002. It's a beautiful place to catch a game and the second-nicest park in the majors. (If you haven't made it to Pittsburgh, you really ought to go.)

Barry Bonds, still ludicrously dangerous at the plate at age 39, leads the Giants into this three-gamer with his club very much alive in the wide-open NL West at one game over .500. Coming off a long road trip, one might think the Giants could be prone to a first-game-back letdown, but the nasty Jason Schmidt gets the ball tonight. Although Miguel Batista will almost certainly have to continue his heroic recent efforts tonight, the Jays have more favourable mound matchups tomorrow and Thursday.

On a more sombre note, Jerry Howarth mentioned in his Batter's Box interview that he was really looking forward to seeing SBC Park in his native Bay Area. I'm sure that he won't enjoy the series quite as much without our friend Tom Cheek able to join him. If you haven't already done so, please add your best wishes to Tom in our dedicated thread.

On to the Advance Scout!

Good morning, this is the Batter's Box Minor-League Update for Monday, June 14. Gerry McDonald is on assignment today and is not available to post his report. This is Kenny Brocklestein delivering Gerry's report for him.

The three Jays farm teams that played yesterday combined for exactly four runs. New Hampshire eked out a win thanks to a strong start from Cam Reimers and some excellent relief pitching.

Wipe away the teardrop from your eye
You're lying safe in bed
It was all a bad dream

An early and abbreviated report this week, as I am about to take my B.C.-bound son to the airport, then there's work to be done. I was surprised this morning to find my slumping Toronto Walrus still in first place, by the narrowest of margins, despite losing 6-5 to Mebion Glyndwr. AGF defeated Horse Field Hammers 6-4 to move within a mere half-game of top spot, and the Moscow Rats, after thumping the Thunderbirds 9-3, are just two games out. Baird Brain made a big move into fourth with a 9-2 rout of the Eastern Shore Birds, who remain in sixth. A dozen teams are over .500 and bunched within 13 games, as we approach the halfway point of the regular season.

The Blue Jays Minor League Cheer Club, unbeknownst to the entire Cheer Club administration, is looking into the possibility of a day trip on Sunday, August 1 to see the Syracuse SkyChiefs take on the Rochester Red Wings.

Of all the games not to be televised, this is probably the worst choice. Arizona lefthander and perfect-game hurler Randy Johnson, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and very arguably the greatest southpaw pitcher of all time, makes what will surely be his final visit to the Skydome today, in a matchup against another red-hot portsider, Ted Lilly. Get to the game or get to your radio and be part of this one. Carlos Tosca has sat every one of his lefty hitters, including the surging Eric Hinske, for this game. The Jays will be in tough, but they can at least say they battled one of the all-time very best on this day. Enjoy.

Two game-winning homers, a fine start for Josh Banks and a Fisher Cat rout were the highlights of a 3-1 Saturday for the Jay farm affiliates.

Halladay returns from the DL leading the Jays to a 15-4 victory over Arizona.

When Rob Neyer agreed to discuss his new book (co-authored with Bill James), The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers A Historical Compendium of Pitching, Pitchers and Pitches, with Batter's Box, the bottom-line question was put forth:

"Is this book-length biography of 'Pitchers, Pitches and Pitching' headed for a Hall of Fame career on the bookshelves of baseball fans, prominently displayed next to James' Abstracts and Neyer's Lineups?"

The one-word answer is ...

… well, maybe. Okay, that's two words. But this book isn't really comparable to previous issues from Neyer or James, so it's a bit like asking if Dennis Eckersley belongs in Cooperstown.

Man, I'm glad I wasn't following this game last night. The bullpen gave up 3 runs in the 9th as the Jays lost to the Snakes 3-2.