It's common knowledge that the Yankees do not use Mariano Rivera in the same way that the Athletics used Rollie Fingers back in the day. Just how different are the ways that closers have been used through the years?

Just a quick thread to help everyone enjoy opening day as Wells & Lind hit home runs to start things off in a good way.

Though the main focus of this site is the Toronto Blue Jays and their farm system, I thought I'd take up a different aspect of what was the original “mandate” of Batter's Box. This was meant to be a home for baseball from a Canadian perspective, and it is worthwhile shining a light on the next crop of ballplayers that will join the likes of Martin, Morneau, Votto and Harden in the big leagues.

Baseball season, kids! That was summer in the air this afternoon! Feel the excitement! Catch the taste!

At long last, the 2010 MLB season is here, with the Yankees and Red Sox kicking things off at 8PM tonight. Over the last few weeks, the roster members have been looking ahead at the coming season with various previews and other miscellany. In case you missed some of them, here they are in convenient list format!

In a recent thread here on Da Box, the self-awarely-named Cynicalguy ranted, "I remember [Richard Griffin] writing a column comparing the Jays all-time team vs the Expos all-time team and commenting that the Expos all-time team was better ... which was laughable."

Let's see if that holds up ...

Guy Spurrier of the National Post kindly invited us to take part in a Blue Jays preview roundtable thing for many of the Blue Jays bloggers, and some of us took him up on it. The article is in today's Post, and can also be viewed online at http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/postedsports/default.aspx (spread over several posts). Go check it out!

Yesterday we probed into very specific Blue Jay questions.  Today we look at the big picture, wins, expectations and attendance.

As many of you have doubtless noticed, our old chum and Bauxite Emeritus Craig Burley posted a piece on the Jays over at The Hardball Times that might be described - well, that can only be described - as a venomous screed:

Now that we have covered all the divisions and the other four teams in the AL East it is time to turn our attention to the home team, the Blue Jays.  Our roundtable of prognosticators have opined on many topics.  Feel free to add your two cents.

Help me, help you, help everyone:

http://www.tangotiger.net/survey/

One week from today is the Jays last pre-season game.  From this point on Cito intends on playing the regulars more and more to get ready for the real games.  Cito also announced that Jason Frasor is his likely closer.

The Jays got off to a fast start in the spring but the results have been rockier recently.  Shaun Marcum celebrated his being named as the opening day starter by giving up nine runs yesterday and Brian Tallet and Marc Rzepczynski have been getting hit around too.  Brandon Morrow, Dustin McGowan, Jesse Carlson, Edwin Encarnacion and Lyle Overbey are battling injuries.

But these games don't count right?

The AL West was the best division in baseball last season with an average of 86 wins per team.  The Angels won the division by ten games for their sixth consecutive win. The last time the Angels did not win the division was 2003 when Oakland won 96 games and Anaheim had a losing record.

As we turn our thoughts to the 2010 edition, let's start setting the context. Yup, it's Data Table time.

The Blue Jays have to replace some starter pitcher innings this season. You probably knew that.