Today is Jackie Robinson Day throughout MLB, marking the 64th anniversary of the day baseball's color barrier was broken.

A tip of the Box's cap to Jackie R., not the greatest player in the game's history (though certainly a  great), but  almost inarguably the most important.

MLB is encouraging everyone to visit IAM42.com to watch video tributes from current players and legends as we honor Robinson's barrier-busting legacy.

You are invited to post your tributes to, and  for our  veterans, memories of the great man here,  as well.

Lansing won a squeaker, New Hampshire did too.  Las Vegas went down despite 10 hits, scoring only once.  Dunedin Jays managed 6 hits, but were shut out.

My buddy Eddie Michels in Dunedin, who reports for a number of news services, says that Outfielder Scott Podsednik is recovering from his bout with Plantar Facialis, a painful foot malady.  

There were a few story lines around yesterday's win that I could have featured in the headline.  I went with the Jays win despite the "future of the franchise" riding the pine.  Adam Lind; Aaron Hill and Travis Snider have all been struggling and John Farrell elected to give them some down time.  I could have gone with how the West Coast trip has been the ruin of many a young teams dream but I didn't.  These west coast trips are tough and a 2-4 record shows that.  There is also a redemption angle, after blowing a lead on Monday the Jays capitalize on Seattle blowing a lead yesterday.  Chris Ray, really, in a one run game? 

It was (more than) 20 years ago today ....

(That Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play? No, no, different tune ...)

Two decades plus one year ago, Cal Ripken Jr. started a streak. Not The Streak, mind you -- that was already underway -- but  in April, 1990, Iron Cal began an unprecedented 95-game streak in which he was Errorless Cal. Another  streak,  for  consecutive totalerrorless chances (431) by a shortstop., ran parallell, so it was no fluke.

Bet you didn't know that. Which leads to two related Question(s) of the Day ...

The affiliates went 2-2 in about the least exciting way possible. Lansing was actually able to play, but apparently didn't get the memo until it was too late.

Arguably the greatest Blue Jay of them all has called it a career.

In the NCAA basketball tournament, whenever an underdog gets down 8 points in a semi-away game and the crowd starts to stir, the commentators always say in ominous tones, "They're into the danger zone now." That's how I feel about today's matchup, with Toronto 5-6 and facing Boston and New York next. The Jays try to avoid an embarrassing sweep in the getaway game as Kyle Drabek takes on Jason Vargas.

It was a .500 night on Junior's Farm.   A strong pitching performance was not fully rewarded but it all worked out in the end and you should have seen the poker men in the form of the third baseman and center fielder of the future.  The winning affiliates put together ninth inning rallies while the other two battled back to tie their contests only to lose, with one game being decided in overtime.  Let's go down to take a look at what happened Tuesday night.

Big Papi thinks so, though let's be honest, he probably has a somewhat biased opinion  ...

So, who DOES belong? And if, for instance, Edgar or Hurt get in over the next few years (the latter almost certainly will; the former may be a hitmust, er litmus test), then does that open the doors retroactively for the Don Baylors of the world?

DH or not DH (to the Hall) ... that is today's question. Bauxites, over to you ...

I stayed up until 2 AM for that?

The farm went 2-2 on Monday night, and one Box favourite reached base five times. Can you guess who???!?! Probably not, because it's definitely not the guy in the title.

The Jays continue their trek through the Wild, Wild West. Tonight they get the reigning Cy Young winner.

Near the end of the last decade of the 20th century, the NFL’s New Orleans Saints, under the calming influence of head coach  (wait, strike “calming, leave it as “under the … influence of”) Mike Ditka, traded their entire  collection of1999 draft picks to the Washington Redskins for the rights to draft  University of Texas running back Ricky Williams.

Big trade, but ultimately … big deal! It’s not like Ricky Facemask was ever traded for/with an entire roster of players. It’s not like Ricky has anything on … Bert Blyleven. That’s right, Rik Aalbert Blyleven, who this summer will at long last (and very deservedly) be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, changed teams via trade five times in his long career, in a series of deals that included, literally, an entire roster – and a pretty good one! – of players, more than two dozen MLB veterans who are now forevermore also to be known as part of a team called (thank you, Chris Berman) ...

A 1-for-3 night for the affiliates doesn't sound that great but three bullpen implosions kept the squads from going 4-0. There were also some impressive hitting performances in low-A and a nice pitching line for a 2010 No. 1 draft pick in high-A.