The affiliates split a pair of slugfest at the upper levels and came out on the wrong end of a one-run game Monday night.

Today, the farm went 1-3, with the only win being in Buffalo.  Today was highlighted by another strong pitching performance from Casey Lawrence.

Josh Johnson helped the Bisons win, even though they had just four hits, and only one after the first inning. New Hampshire won Fridays suspended game but lost Saturdays contest. Dunedin won handily with Andy Burns contributing three hits. Gustavo Pierre drew his first walk of the season but Lansing had more errors than hits. That combination equals a loss.

Claudio Vargas started for the Bisons and he gave up six runs. Marcus Stroman started for New Hampshire and he gave up six hits and two runs in four innings. Neither of them appear to be ready to step in for the Jays, but what do I know? Scott Copeland had the best start of the night but the bullpen blew his lead. Dustin McGowan pitched two thirds of an inning, with better results than the last time. John Stilson pitched two shutout innings.

The Bisons lost, having never lead, the Fisher Cats were suspended in the fourth inning, while Dunedin blew a two run lead in the ninth.

This is your big debut, it's like a dream come true.

The affiliates were 1-3 on the night. The one win came on the back of a rejuvenated Daniel Norris, whose ten strikeouts over four innings of work was by far his best professional performance. Ryan Schimpf had four hits in a losing effort and Josh Thole went deep for Buffalo. The Lugnuts are on an eight game winning streak.

Tonight Buffalo had the night off, while the rest of the farm managed to go 2-1.  Dunedin faced former Blue Jay Noah Syndergaard for the first time.

While I was in Dunedin I saw parts of six extended spring games. On the first two days there were intra-squad games at the Jays minor league facility. On day 3 the Jays played two games at the Yankee complex in Tampa. While there were six extended spring games played while I was there they were all doubled up.  As I could only watch one game at a time I saw some of all six games. Call it the equivalent of three games seen by me.

Here are my notes on what I saw and remember I only saw a pitcher throw once, it might have been a good day for him or a bad day.

The affiliates went 2-2 Tuesday night. One of the wins came in extra innings and in walk-off fashion.

I was recently in Dunedin to watch four Dunedin Blue Jays games.  Here are my impressions of the players I saw.

The affiliates took three out of four on Monday, one of them in extra innings.

Tonight was the long awaited debut of Jays Pitcher Marcus Stroman, and he did not disappoint in his first outing of the year.  As well, today was a good day for the farm going 4-0.

Control was the story on Saturday. Aaron Sanchez didn't have much, Daniel Norris had a little more. Combined they pitched seven innings. Sean Nolin was excellent, Claudio Vargas was not. Dustin McGowan made his first AAA appearance of the season, Danny Barnes made his first appearance for Dunedin. Both went well.

Kevin Patterson had 6 RBI's for Lansing. Lansing won, as did New Hampshire. The other two teams did not do that well.

Andy Burns hit a solo home run and that was all the Jays needed in a 1-0 win. Kevin Pillar had four hits and scored the winning run in the ninth. Dalton Pompey scored two of Lansing's three runs. The Bisons had only 3 hits and lost.

The Jays made a number of roster moves yesterday. Dustin McGowan was sent to AAA. Dustin Antolin was promoted to AA. Austin Bibens-Dirkx was sent down to Dunedin. Danny Barnes was added to the Dunedin roster. Efrain Nieves was sent to Lansing.

Ricky Romero continued his impressive decline into the annals of baseball trivia, which his team shrugged off (as most of us wish we could) his performance to win 6-4. New Hampshire was blown out, Dunedin lost a low scoring affair, and Lansing topped an Indians’ affiliate. The bookends won tonight.