The Jays have the Rays this weekend. The Yankees have the Red Sox. They'll try not to look past each other as Shaun Marcum takes on Phil Hughes today.

The highlights were Las Vegas' plate discipline, a Dunedin shutout and an Auburn explosion with the bats.  The low lights were an extra innings loss and a doubleheader sweep.

A.J. Burnett and Brandon Morrow have been compared quite a few times this season, so last night's match-up was something of a dream come true for all the Comparers out there.

Weather and scheduling meant the farm only played three games last night (plus the DSL). Vegas did its best Blue Jays impression, winning on the strength of a huge inning, and Auburn did its best Edwin Encarnacion impression, losing because of a crapload of errors. Also: now that the deadline is passed and John Buck is still in Toronto, is it time to resurrect the old FREE ARENCIBIA!?

Dewayne Wise gives a textbook example of how to move a runner along in this edition of the POTD!

DeWayne Wise squares up to bunt.

Got all that other stuff out of the way - the trade deadline, the deeply irritating Cleveland team. It's show-time.

Some mighty nice days on the farm as two stud pitchers started and won while a number of top prospects (and former top prospects) swung the big bats.

Ever wonder what it's really like to throw out the first pitch at a Blue Jays home game? Ever wonder what's going through the inevitably petrified mind of those who are fortunate (?) enough to do so?

Well thanks to the blogosphere, the wonderful prose of a genuine Canadian blogger who terms herself the "Yarn Harlot," you can now know the answers to these questions and more. (Props and a shout-out to my significantly better half, Sandye Thompson, for sharing this page with me.)

This memoiric essay features phrases like "There would be no actual baseball people involved. This was the plan," the obligatory "It all seemed to be going so well" preceding the equally obligatory "and that's when it all started to go wrong" ... well, you can (and should) read it for yourself.

Our story stars not only the overwhelmed first-pitching Yarn Harlot, but also the antics of what the Harlot terms "a rather large furry Blue Jay" with a Special Guest Star role by none other than Box favorite Brian Tallet.

Seriously, go read it. And if you, your significant other or anyone else in your life is into, you know, knitting and stuff, point them to the Yarn Harlot. She may not pitch much, but she definitely rocks the blogosphere.

Great pitching and productive hitting won the evening for New Hampshire.  Ditto for Lansing.  Not Ditto for the other outfits on the farm.

With the non-waivers trading deadline having come and gone, here`s a look at some of the traded players in their former uniforms.

The Cubs traded P Ted Lilly and SS Ryan Theriot to the Dodgers for 2B Blake DeWitt and 2 minor leaguers, reports Lee Sinins. What else is going on as the last hours to the deadline pass by?

Both Las Vegas and New Hampshire had bat-around innings,  both teams scored in double figures, both teams won.  Dunedin rode good pitching from Chuck Huggins and a strong game by Yan Gomes to win.  Lansing had to come from behind to get a walk off win, Sean Ochinko and Kevin Nolan led the way with the bats.  Auburn lost another tough game.  The GCL Jays won thanks to Canadians Nick Purdy and Michael Crouse.

The affiliates evidently could not stomach the loss of compadre Brett Wallace, as no one without a "League" in their name could muster a W. Apologies for brevity, but some of us have to get away for the Simcoe Long Weekend. Woooo!

Nobody saw yesterday's trade coming. Anyone want to speculate on who's next?

The Jays have traded Brett Wallace to the Astros for CF Anthony Gose.