Pop. Pop. Fizz. Fizz. The farm affiliates got good pitching out of the pen, and went 3-3 on the evening.

A lot of big (or at least recognizable) names have reportedly cleared waivers.

Even if nothing ultimately comes of it, it's fun to think about who you'd target, what you'd be willing to give up (and, very differently, what the other club might expect you to give up!) ... hey, if it's time to quietly start up the 2005 Post-Season Blue Jay Bandwagon, it's time to think about who could help the most.

Here's a look ...

The Tigers once more proved a resilient and irritating foe, prevailing in 13 innings. On a night when even the Royals might eke out a victory, the Jays managed exactly one hit after the fifth inning.

I might take a train
I might take a plane
But if I have to walk
I'm gonna get there just the same

We've rounded the three-quarter turn, and we can see the finish line up ahead. Still a fair bit of ground to cover, and still some obstacles along the way. Let's see what they are.

What, you think I want to rehash last night's game? Bush was bad, League was worse. There ya go.

So the Skychiefs are visiting David Newhan's favourite city this weekend, and while I don't expect to see Guillermo Quiroz and John-Ford Griffin touring the Florentine Renaissance exhibit at the Natinal Gallery, I also don't expect to attend any of the games in person. Last night's match showed that was probably a good decision on my part.

Well, they hit a couple of homers off Dave Bush. So Brandon League came in and they hit even more homers off him.

Nothing helped. We invoked rock stars and philosophers, and the spirit of everything that has ever troubled Detroit.

It was not to be.

The Fighting Jays head to Detroit to take on a team that themselves have shown considerable fight of late, taking two of three from mighty Boston after sweeping a doubleheader with the Royals. The Jays will have to pitch well to win this series.

Detroit's team, with so-so pitching and lefty-mashing hitting, continues to receive improved support from their realistic, but increasingly impatient, fans. The leap from awful to average sufficed last year; next year, Detroit's finicky fandom won't accept another average squad.

This week's (somewhat brief) Scout features a spate of injuries, a Johnny Mac sighting and a future Hall of Famer who may be wearing out his welcome.

On to the Advance Scout!

All I can tell them is pick a good one and sock it.
-- Babe Ruth

I'm on a camping trip this weekend (and by the time you read this, I'll already be gone), but I'll be listening to the games on my kickass new baseball radio. I'll let you know how it performs (and how it compares to my less-than-durable Grundig FR-200, which has been retired after less than one year), but in the meantime someone needs to be the voice of ridiculous optimism in my place.

Today's photograph: after a hard run to third base, here's Alex Rios taking a breather:

No game report today, but Blue Jay fans are feeling good with their team having won 7 of their last 9 contests, including 2 of 3 in their latest series with the American League West front-running Angels of Anaheim in Los Angeles, South of San Francisco, California, United States of America. The Angels were glad to see the Jays leave town after getting an up-close look at the Fighting Jay spirit, and celebrated by stomping the Boston Red Sox 13 - 4 last night. That left the Jays 6-1/2 back of the first place Sox in the American League East. The New York Yankees occupy second, 2-1/2 games up on the Jays. Toronto is only 4 back of Oakland in the American League Wild Card standings, but have 3 additional teams they must trample in their quest to wrest that Card from the A’s – Minnesota, Cleveland, and those vile Yankees.

Aaron and I made a bet on the progress of catching prospects in 2003. He took Joe Mauer and Jeff Mathis. I took Dioner Navarro and Guillermo Quiroz. We bet on which two would have the most runs created during 2005-2008. 2004 was not kind to me; 2005 has been a little better, but still...

Greeneville, featuring Koby Clemens and Eli Iorg, were defeated by Pulaski. Pulaski's starter Dennis Bigley gave up seven runs, but his ERA went down as all seven runs were unearned. Pulaski scored the winning run in the eighth without registering a hit. David Purcey and Zach Jackson win, and pitch well, while Ricky Romero misses out on the W by only pitching 4.1 innings. Five wins, with only one extra innings loss on the farm last night.

Well, it wasn't supposed to go down that way.
But they burned his brother, you know,
And they left him lying in the driveway.
They let him down with nothin'.
He tried to do his best but he could not.

I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.
-- Willie Mays