1. Who is the second-greatest Canadian in MLB history? (Or, if you can make the argument, who surpasses Fergie as #1?)
2. Who is the greatest active Canadian in the major leagues?

Ready? Set? Go, eh?

See how many future major leaguers you can spot in these photos from my minor league archives.  These are not the greatest quality of photos but the winner who figures out who is who will get a highly coveted, limited edition photo of Pedro Florimon Jr.  Runner-up prizes are a photo of Eric Fryer and one of my cats because it's Christmas! 

The Jays have announced that they acquired outfielder Ben Francisco from the Phillies for minor league LOOGY Frank Gailey.  This trade has quite a few questions surrounding it.

Ben Francisco on JaysVision prior to the Canada Day game between the Phillies and Blue Jays at the Dome.

Today's POTD pays tribute to Roberto Alomar and to the first retired number in Blue Jays history - #12.

Another POTD goes to the birds.

Today's POTD takes a look at Albert Pujols in his last season with the St. Louis Cardinals.   The 31 year-old first baseman signed a 10-year deal worth $254-million with the Los Angeles Angels.

This photo was a clue Albert Pujols would split for greener pastures after 2011.  Get it?  :D 

A truly outstanding contemporary sports jounralist, Jonah Keri (who, head's up baseball fans of Canada, apparently is making his next project a book about the Montreal Expos), recently tweeted the following:

If you have a Hall of Fame ballot, these pieces on Tim Raines (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tim-raines-case-for-the-hall-of-fame/) & Jack Morris (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/jack-morris-babblefest-2009/) are worth reading.

The links point to two separate stories written by Friend of Batter's Box Tom Tango, and they are worth the read for anyone who has an opinion about Raines' and/or Morris' HOF candidacy. (Spoiler alert: Tangotiger gives one yea and one nay ....)

As noted in the thread directly below, ESPN is reporting the Los Angeles Angels have signed free-agent first baseman Albert Pujols and left-hander C.J. Wilson.  Pujols is reportedly receiving a 10-year deal worth $250-million while Wilson will get five years and $77.5-million dollars.

A ton of stuff to report.

Albert Pujols is signing with the Angels for 10 years at $25 million + per year.
Evidently the Vernon Wells contract isn't hampering them too much, as they are also reported to be signing CJ  Wilson for 5 years, $75 million.

Miami/Florida continued its busy offseason by signing Mark Buehrle to a 4 year, $58 million deal.

In Toronto news, the Blue Jays DFA'd Brian Jeroloman again in order to make room for Kelly Johnson, who accepted arbitration.
The team also rumored to be involved in negotiations around Gio Gonzalez. (h/t @mlbtr)

The Jays also didn't take or lose anyone in the Rule 5 Draft, though they did select three players in the minor league portion of the draft - Gabriel Jacobo, Hector Alvarez and Javier Avendano

More as it develops.

Sportsnet's Shi Davidi says second baseman Kelly Johnson has accepted arbitration from the Blue Jays.

Kelly Johnson on JaysVision during lineup introductions against the Yankees September 18.  The 29 year-old, acquired from Arizona for second baseman Aaron Hill and shortstop John McDonald in late August, made $5.85-million in 2011.

Today, legendary Cinicinnati Red backstop Johnny Lee Bench is 64 years old. In celebration of this day, here is a challenge I put down to all Bauxites ...

Johnny Bench is the greatest catcher in major league history. In fact, he is the only player at any position where there is no question this is true. For instance, at short you might promote a Wagner, a Ripken, a Banks -- all these and others are defensible nominees. This is true at every position -- except behind the plate. Sure, there are greats -- Berra, Campanella, Piazza, Rodriguez, Hartnett and more. But for the perfect combination of defense (one of the top five defensive catchers of all time), arm strength (perhaps the very best) and bat (a cleanup-type power threat for a team that won five division titles and two World Series in a seven-year span), not to mention intangibles like leadership and charisma ... Bench is, without question, the greatest catcher ever to play the game. (Sorry, Yogi! Especially sorry, Josh Gibson!)

The gauntlet is thrown. Magpie, others? Whatchagot?

The New York Mets signed both John Rauch and Frank Francisco away from the Blue Jays, for $3.5 million/1 year and $12 million/2 years. Rauch and Francisco were both type B free agents that were offered arbitration, so the Blue Jays will receive two compensatory picks in the second round for losing them.

The Jays complete their second trade in a week, shipping out Nestor Molina, the team's 6th best prospect according to, well, us. Molina goes to the south side of Chicago to join the White Sox. In return the Blue Jays reacquire Sergio Santos, who hit .183 for the team in AAA in 2008 before being claimed on waivers by the Twins. He then signed with the White Sox who converted him to a pitcher, a role in which he's been very, very good.

We talked recently about having bauxites register their opinion of a trade so that when the second guessing starts we have a record of opinions at the time of the trade.

Please discuss the specifics of the trade in the dedicated thread, use this one for your opinion, like, dislike, meh?

Three words ....

It's about *&^%$#@!!! time!