The Toronto Farm continues its impressive ways, still holding opportunities for championships in the Northwest League, the Midwest League and the Eastern League.  Without speaking too soon, I have heard some say “nearly a coast to coast domination of Minor League baseball!”

This series is almost a mirror of a week and a half ago, with Guthrie versus Cecil leading things off, after which each team had made one change. Rick VandenHurk replaces Jo-Jo Reyes in the O's rotation and gets Henderson Alvarez. Meanwhile Tommy Hunter will face Dustin McGowan, who replaces Luis Perez, who if I understand things correctly will pick up McGowan after he goes his 5 innings/85 or so pitches. Reyes is being skipped by the O's not for innefficiency, shockingly, but because he just gave birth to his second child. Or I guess his wife did, and he went to be with her. McGowan is in because the team wants him to start so that he has less chance of aggravating his various ligaments and the like, or at least that is the official explanation.

Anyway, let's Advance Scout.

Three affiliates in playoff action. One took the lead, one fell behind, and one will pack up the lockers.

Two games were rained out, while one affiliate won their rubber match in a nailbiter and another was forced into a decisive game 3.

The Dunedin Blue Jays and the Vancouver Canadians had a much better night than the parent club as they picked up their first playoff victories Tuesday.

Darold Knowles is the pitchng coach for the Dunedin Blue Jays.  Last Friday Knowles spoke to me from Dunedin just before the Jays swept a doubleheader from Clearwater to make it to the playoffs.  Knowles last spoke to Da Box in June.

Let's assume Adam Loewen gets into a game this month.

Congratulations to the Pohnpei Papayas, Tools Of Ignorance and Ballpark Frank for winning the regular season crown in their respective BBFL divisions.

The minor league season wrapped up for a few teams on Monday night, though the incredible number of affiliates in the playoffs means the MLUs will continue for at least a few more days.

Sportsnet's Shi Davidi tweets the Blue Jays have called up outfielder Adam Loewen, first baseman David Cooper and pitchers Chad Beck, Kyle Drabek, Danny Farquhar and Strasburg Canada™ - Brad Mills.  This comes after the Jays activated pitcher Dustin McGowan from the 60-day disabled list and recalled infielder Chris Woodward from Las Vegas over the weekend after a wrist injury to shortstop Yunel Escobar.

Surrey, B.C. native Adam Loewen is back in the bigs for the first time since 2008 when he pitched for the Baltimore Orioles.

I caught up with Sal Fasano over the phone on Friday last week as the Fisher Cats were on the vrge of qualifying for the playoffs.  I asked Fasano about some of his players before the season ends.  Fasano last joined us in Da Box in June.

Something I've been wondering about....

The Bluefield Blue Jays (Appalachian League) players saw their 2011 season come to an end after losing 4-1 to Johnson City on Sunday.

No one takes Catcher ERA seriously. This is wise.

I'm going to talk about it anyway.

Blue Jays pitchers with different catchers. The Data Table....