... the season Alex Rios is having in Chicago? Hitting third for the White Sox, he's batting .317 and currently on pace to finish with 36 home runs and 52 steals. The OPS is .951 while the K/BB ratio is a respectable 1.37. Them's MVP-caliber numbers, folks!

The only downside is the lack of RBI production -- his pace is for "just" 85, which is currently third on team, but he is leading the squad in runs scored.

I had no idea. Anyone out there, you know, care?

What a difference a day makes for Adam Loewen.

Ted Lilly, he of the ex-Jay status, has just been pulled from his start for the Cubs against the cross-town interleague rival ChiSox after eight wonderful innings. Lilly took a no-hitter into the ninth, looking to be the fourth pitcher (and second ex-Jay) this season to toss a no-no, but leading off the ninth, pinch-hitter Juan Pierre lined a clean single up the middle.

The game, at this writing, is 1-0 Cubs. And it's raining, hard, but they're trying to finish the game ...

And now it's final. Cubs win! Cubs win!

Adam Loewen single-handedly beat up on Erie Saturday.  Loewen was 5-5 with three doubles and a home run leading New Hampshire to an 11-5 win.  Lansing had a come from behind victory with Brad Glenn hitting a home run and stealing home.  Two pitchers coming off injuries started those games, Bobby Bell and Egan Smith.

Las Vegas were blown out 10-1 although JP Arencibia hit his 13th home run.

Las Vegas were losing to Colorado Springs but they scored three runs off Huston Street and four off Juan Rincon to get the win.  New Hampshire had excellent pitching by Ronald Uviedo, BJ LaMura and Tim Collins to shut out Erie.  An Eric Thames home run in the first was all the scoring they needed.  Ryan Tepera pitched seven innings and didn't give up an earned run as Lansing won.  Dunedin are in their all star break.

Bauxite Anders' most recent Minor League Update (Groundouts, Groundouts, Everywhere) leads off with the exploits of Baby Jay hurlers Lance Broadway and Kyle Drabek. Those are two given first names you didn't hear a lot in Major League Baseball's earlier days, a time stuffed with guys named George and Joe and Honus and monikers of that ilk.

Now quick, though, consider that MLB of more recent vintage has featured 20 players with the given first or middle name "Kyle" and another 16 named "Lance" and that's decently even odds, so make your guess ... sure, we can't fill out a full 25-man roster for either, but which name, Lance or Kyle, will fill out a lineup card better?

Let's find out ...

The farm went 4-1 and Lance Broadway and Kyle Drabek's 3/1 GB/FB ratio were the worst of the 4 starters.

Time for some video and pictures of three more Lansing hitters.  Today's subjects are Brad Glenn; AJ Jimenez; and Balbino Fuenmayor.

There was one victory in three games on the farm, as Las Vegas had the day off. Dunedin won a one-run game, while Lansing lost in extra innings on an error. Meanwhile, New Hampshire was shut out by an unlikely source.

Last week it looked like the Jays could give as good as they got against the big boys of the AL East.  The same cannot be said so far this week after another one-sided defeat to the Rays, this time 10-1.

Clayton McCullough is manager of the Dunedin Jays, that is your first place Dunedin Jays.  McCullough was manager of the Lansing Lugnuts in 2008 and 2009.  Recently I spoke with McCullough over the phone from Florida to check on some of his players.

See what happens when the parent club loses 9-0?  It made me forget today was my day for the MLU!  My apologies for the lateness and I will be into the whole brevity thing as a result!  It was a 1-3 night for the North American affiliates and a .500 night in the Dominican.

It is the third and final day of the draft.  Rounds 31 through 50 are today although not every team will continue to pick through round 50.  In general teams will be looking to fill short-season rosters today and maybe pick some players who they will watch between now and August 15th to see if they want to sign them.

Minor league camp for the short season teams starts this weekend with the season starting later next week so there is not much time for the teams to get organized.  With the Jays selecting so many high school players this year some may not sign, some might sign late and the Jays might follow some to see how much money they are worth.  For more on player intentions see down below.

We're all just living in it.

Today the teams will select players in round 2 through 30.  The Jays have two additional picks in the second round and one in the third.  Their first few picks of the day come at 61 (2nd round); 69 (Eliopoulos); 80 (Scutaro); 93 (3rd round); and 113 (Barrett).   Then it is down to every 30th pick.  The timetable is a lot faster on day two, the picks come every thirty seconds or so.

There are still some bigger names left on the board and the Jays can still expect that their in depth scouting has found some gems they can steal in this part of the draft.

The picking starts at noon.