For Batter's Box readers Of A Certain Age, it's time to feel old ... today is Alfredo Griffin's 50th birthday. AG is one of 61 men born on Oct.6 who have played in the major leagues -- and while none have yet made the Hall of Fame -- oh, who am I kidding, none are ever getting there; the best of the lot is Ruben Sierra, a Hall of Fame talent who never quite sustained a Cooperstown career. But there is a "yet" worth mentioning -- or at least, that is ...

Once again, we check in with the ancient sage!

The Pittsburgh Pirates have led off the post-season axe brigade by firing manager Jim Tracy, who took the squad to a 68-94 mark this year, not precisely a quantum leap from the '06 67-95 slate.

C'mon, Jim! Bucco management clearly provided you with 71-win talent!

So, start your bidding, Bauxites -- who's next? And who should (or who will) replace Tracy?

Evaluating prospects is an uncertain pastime. Players are hindered by injuries, some obvious, some hidden to the fans and some hidden from the organization. Position players can often show little until they mature, sometimes around age 21. Pitchers can be helped by a new pitch or better mechanics that improve their control. In 2007 Brian Wolfe pitched well in the bullpen for the Jays even though he was not rated as a top 30 prospect by Batters Box or Baseball America.

In that spirit here are some players to watch who just missed our top 30 list. There is very little reason to differentiate between the bottom half of Blue Jay prospects this year. An argument could be made for any of these players to be in the top 30.

On Tuesday we delivered #30-#21, and yesterday #20-#11. Now, we are proud to present our selections as the top 10 Blue Jay prospects for 2007. Youth will be served.

Yesterday, we took a closer look at our #30-#21 prospects. Today, it is #20-#11. In past years, the more highly rated prospects were higher up in the system. Not so this year, as recent drafts take up more than their share of the prized slots. As you shall see.

We continue a Batter's Box tradition with our annual top 30 Blue Jay top prospect list. It is a combined effort of Thomas Ayers, Mike Green, Pistol, Gerry McDonald and Niall O'Donohoe. Today, we look at numbers 30-21.

In preparation for the top 30 prospect series which will begin tomorrow, it is helpful to have a sense of the league standards and park factors for each of the affiliates- Syracuse in the International League, New Hampshire in the Eastern League, Dunedin in the Florida State League, Lansing in the Midwest League, Auburn in the New York Penn League and the GCL Jays in the Gulf Coast League.

Back in March, I asked all of you to foresee which teams would improve by 10 games in 2006, and which would decline by 10 games.

There has been a lot of debate about high pitch counts for starters and injury. I thought that it might be useful to step back and look at performance.

Wednesday's 8-5 Jay victory "clinched" at least a .500 season for the squad, which, even after last night's 8-5 loss to the Orioles, is now 81-78 heading into the final series with the Devil Rays.

Only five teams in all of baseball have a better home record than the Toronto 47-31 Rogers Centre mark, but two of them, those pesky Sox and Yanks, are also in the AL East.

Incidentally, the only other 81-78 club in the majors right now is that darling of the National League Central, the Milwaukee Brewers. Perspective alert -- it's all about the competition.

Anyway, is 81 worth, if not celebrating, at least recognizing?

Recent discussion in the Holy Cow! Look at These Numbers thread suggested the possibility of an All-Jewish All-Star team -- or what we call in these here parts, a Hall of Names roster.

And with guys like Sandy Koufax, Al Rosen, Lip Pike, youngster Ryan Braun and former Jay All-Star Shawn Green among those available to populate the lineup, it might turn out to be a fine ballclub ... a club that Mike Green has suggested we call "The Seed of Abraham," but for which a truer baseball name might be "The Milwaukee Hebrewers" ... Okay, maybe as a home city, Milwaukee doesn't so much work there. But we'll do our best in putting together a team we will grit our teeth to call ...

So I'm watching tonight's game, and they decide to have a poll on the most memorable moment of the exercise in frustration that has been the Blue Jays 2007 season. And I went... HUH?

John Lott in the National Post today reports that Mickey Brantley has been told by the Jays that he will not be back.  Lott and Brantley point out that if the Jays say that injuries are the reason for their shortfall this year then how can they hold him accountable.

The reality is probably that the players need a new voice to listen to.  It will be interesting to see if the replacement coach is a potential replacement manager.

The Jays announced their R. Howard Webster Award winners, for the top players at each levels of the minors yesterday.