Heartbreak again as the Jays waste a fine start from Shaun Marcum and get swept in a pretty exciting series of baseball. Unless you're a Jays fan, that is.

The streaking Lugnuts were rained out in Lansing but the other clubs went 2-1 on the night and showed some offence, unlike the parent club.

For a while now I've been threatening the other Box writers that I was going to do this, and now I'm going to do this. Every month I'll pick out a different book from the library of Toronto-Blue-Jays-related literature, and write about it. The '...In a Box' concept is totally stolen from Bill James.

To kick things off, here's a book I had never read before.

Although they were ahead for most of the night, I never thought the Jays were going to win that one.

Lansing continued their slugging ways as utility player Raul Barron led the way with four hits.  Dunedin also got into the winning way with fifteen hits.  The two senior teams, Syracuse and New Hampshire, continued to struggle.

What a game.

Dunedin saw 7 perfect innings pitched against them to start the game as the affiliates went 1-3 on the night.

After beating down everyone's favorite perennial underdog team, the Jays look to keep the beat going against Boston's opponents in the Japan series, the Oakland A's. They'll face Chad Gaudin, two rookie lefties and one closer with huge splits.

Off day yesterday. The Jays face off against the A's and Chad Gaudin tonight. Burnett takes the hill for the good guys.

Word is that BJ Ryan and Scott Rolen are right on track for their returns.

Two out of the three farm teams in action used home field advantage to their advantage last night and two out of three major leaguers made encouraging rehab appearances in Dunedin.  Lansing joined Dunedin in the winners circle despite making a whopping five errors.  

I'm really not one of those old fogeys who grumbles that things were way better back in my day. I'm really not. I make a point of not being one of those guys.

Three victories in four games for the affiliates on Sunday with a couple of notable performances thrown in.

Jay Bruce struggled against the Syracuse pitching staff, but the Chiefs still lose in extras. Brandon Magee doesn’t quite have the start he hoped for in his Double-A debut and Lansing destroys Fort Wayne in a blowout win. And some guy called Ryan started for Dunedin, but only lasted an inning.

(Now update to include the second game of Syracuse's double-header, which I missed earlier.)

Whoever's out of hand, I'ma give 'em handles.
Light 'em up, blow 'em out like candles.

Jays win Friday, 6-3. Thomas gets the key hit and subjects us to the 'Hurts So Good' type headlines.