Okay, it's not exactly "breaking news," but every once in awhile, something nice about Batter's Box is randomly discovered somewhere on the Web, and every once in a while of those aforementioned every once in a whiles, the PR guy in me can't stand not saying something.

According to the self-decsribed "general purpose search engine" FindAnISP.com, Batter's Box is the #49 Sports Web site on the Internet.

Paul Beeston gained a degree of baseball immortality when he famously (or infamously, depending on your point of view) said: "Under Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, I can turn a $4 million profit into a $2 million loss, and I can get every accounting firm in the country to agree with me."

Which is to say, and the MLBPA would certainly agree, we oughtn't put a lot of faith in major-league baseball's financial statements. That said, here are some interesting figures from the current online edition of Forbes magazine.

Roster member Craig B is going to be talking on Dave Weekley's show tonight before the Reds-Cards game on 580 WCHS-AM in Charleston, West Virginia. If you're within transmitter range, don't miss it - I'll be on the air around 7:30.

Blue Jays fans seem remarkably optimistic about a team that lost more than 90 games last season and then lost its best player to free agency. But a payroll injection, a couple of off-season acquisitions and a new focus on baserunning and defence are prompting some people to think the Jays will resemble a whole new team on the field.

The field that the Jays are actually occupying, however, and the corporate and marketing structure that supports it, are going to be downright unrecognizable in 2005 -- for the better.

Since the Jays are opening the season on the road, it seems like a perfect opportunity to take over a bar and watch baseball on TV. And so, the first Beer Club of the 2005 baseball season is upon us!

On this most gloomy of Sundays in Toronto, some good news is always welcome. And that there is a Canadian angle to both stories is a bonus.

The final cuts have been made and the roster for your Opening Day 2005 Blue Jays is set. The big decisions for the last day were: Greg Myers is the second catcher; Kerry Ligtenberg is cut; and Justin Miller will be sent to AAA if he clears waivers.

Dave Bidini, author of Baseballissimo wanted me to pass this along to you. Baseballissimo is easily the best baseball-related book I read all of last year, so I encourage you to go out and get a copy if you haven't already.

Batter's Box reader Max Parkinson gave us the heads on a deal that sends Aaron Wideman to the Jays in exchange for the Nationals being allowed to send former Jay and Rule 5 draftpick Ty Godwin to the minor leagues. This trade has been confirmed by TSN.ca.

Gil Hodges and Ron Santo were the leading vote-getters in yesterday's Veterans' Committee election, but fell 10% shy of the 75% required for admission.