Pete Walker is the pitching coach for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.  Walker pitched for the Blue Jays from 2002 through 2006, primarily in relief.  The Jays had claimed Walker on waivers from the New York Mets.  A couple of years ago one of Walker's daughter's had a a form of bone cancer in her leg at a young age.  Walker told me that the doctors initially recommended amputation but they eventually found a doctor who removed part of the leg bone and inserted an artifical bone that can extend as the child grows.  Eventually, when she is fully grown, the girl will need another operation to remove this artificial bone and replace it with a permanent one.  Walker hopes to raise awareness of this soon through a website. 

With the Pirates in town for the first time since 2003, here are some shots of the Bucs from May 2010 with a dash of Cub and a pinch of former Blue Jay in the POTD recipe.

Lastings Milledge (not on the left) and the Pirate Parrot (opposite of right) bump together in mid-air.  Milledge is now in the Chicago White Sox organization.

We all love AA around here, right? Okay, maybe not all of us love him enough to write a tribute song. But some of us do. Hope you enjoy!

And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck.

The Jays finish their 10 game road trip tonight in Dee-troit, a 6.05 start, making up for an earlier rain out. The Jays then get 6 at home (Pirates, Halladay's) and 7 on the road (Red Sox, Cleveland's) before the All-Star Break. Let's ruminate.

Can you name all four players in these filtered photos?

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.

Pitching prospects dominated on a night that saw the affiliates go 3-3.

Sal Fasano is in his second year as a manager.  His first year, last season, was in Lansing, this year he has moved up to AA New Hampshire.  I talked with Fasano last week in Erie.

Lansing and Bluefield had different results in their 10-inning affairs. New Hampshire won, while Dunedin lost. Vancouver was victorious in a high-scoring affair, while Las Vegas lost a blowout.

Some bright flashes on offence, but some heavy K action from the mound (except for Las Vegas) put the night in the win column for Toronto’s farm club teams.  Drabek stumbled mightily in a short-lived appearance.

Las Vegas lost a squeaker in the late innings in a game that received top billing on MILB.com thanks to Brett Cecil squaring off against the Reno Aces. The rest of the affiliates went 2-4.

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...

There were two off-days, one scheduled and one not, and an extra game from yesterday. Meanwhile Dunedin wrapped up the first half of their season, and Griffin Murphy dazzled in his pro debut.

I spent last weekend in Erie, Pa. to see the Fisher Cats win two of three games from the Erie Seawolves.  This thread covers my observations from the games.  Over the next week I will follow up with interviews of Sal Fasano, pitching coach Pete Walker, hitting coach Justin Mashore, pitcher Chad Jenkins and first baseman Mike McDade.

Yahoo!  Sports encapsulates it this way:

The good news: A Marine lieutenant colonel finally figured out a way for the St. Louis Cardinals to defeat Roy Halladay.

The bad: It involves actually shooting and killing the Philadelphia Phillies ace pitcher with a 68-ton battle tank.

Seriously, go read the story linked above, then come back here and share your thoughts. Bonus points to the Bauxite respondent who can find the most creative way to say "disgusting" and "idiotic."