Okay, how does the Home Run Derby play out tonight? Tell us who's going to win, and if you're feeling frisky, rank the entrants from 1-8, like I have done here.

For the record, the "voting" about who will win being done on MLB.com has the Jays' own Jose Bautista running second to ... wait for it ... Robinson Cano. (But it's very close -- go vote if you have a moment!)

I personally think the final standings will look approximately like this ...

If it's true that you can never have enough pitching, it's probably also true that you can never have enough money.

Time for a new thread. Change the luck.

Besides there are issues to address.

Ricky Romero had on off-night and the Red Sox are a bad team to have an off night against.  Hopefully JP Arencibia's wrist will be OK.  Jonathan Papelboob does a lot of damage through hitting Jays batsmen, doesn't he?

Forgetting about the game, lets consider some questions:

Do the Jays have a chance?

What does the future hold for JP Arencibia?

You are the GM, where would you upgrade the team?

Do the Pirates have a chance?

Details below.

Yes, yes. We're quite impressed. It is a very cool play, ending the game with an outfielder throwing the tying run out at home plate.

But seeing as how the Blue Jays seem to have decided to experiment with forsaking all manner of outstanding defensive plays by outfielders, at least for the foreseeable future, it's a good thing that there's an even better baseball play.

Now that All-Star rosters have been announced, it's time for the annual griping. No one has incited more All-Star-based griping over the last few years than Derek Jeter, as he is continually voted in despite sometimes being nowhere near deserving, this year in particular.

Of course, performance isn't the only valid basis for selection to the game, and that's a whole other can of worms. I want to focus, though, on one particular argument that is often used to defend selections like Jeter.

Three games against the team with the best record in the major leagues. Who have some pitchers you're probably familiar with....

It wasn't so long ago that four celebrated veteran managers walked off into the sunset, shaking all cares and business from their age and conferring them on younger strengths, so that they, unburdened... okay, enough with the King Lear.

Any excuse for a new thread! Anyway, Eric Thames is back, and Mike McCoy's frequent flier points are becoming truly awesome. Do you wanna go to the moon? Mike can take you...

Yesterday there was a debate raging about how close the Jays are to being a competitive team. Let's examine that question in a little more depth.

Zach Stewart was the headliner on Thursday as he showed why the Jays are excited about his future.  There were no angels on this day, at least not for the bullpen, who conspired to lose the game in the ninth inning.  The Jays were in some ways lucky to get to the ninth inning tied, Jeremy Guthrie had been knocking them down but he injured his back and had to leave the game after five innings.  His replacement, Jim Johnson, was not really ready and what usually happens in these situations is that the pitcher can be hit around.  The Jays did and scored twice but EE snuffed out the rally by hitting into a DP.  That was it until Jon Rauch gave up three ground balls, only one of which was hit hard, in the ninth.

The battle for fourth begins.

Anybody get the license number on that truck?

The arrival of Brett Lawrie....

Today's thread is a Giant Data Table.