We have a pinch-hit Photo of the Day today -- Brad Newbatt has sent us this lovely panorama of Oldsmobile Park, the home of the Lansing Lugnuts:

REMINDER: SEE NOTED AUTHOR AND RECENT BATTER'S BOX
CHAT GUEST ALAN SCHWARZ IN TORONTO THIS WEEKEND

• Read the transcript of Schwarz's June 9 chat with Batter's Box Interactive Magazine.

Note: recent media reports indicate that Vernon Wells will be with his wife during childbirth this weekend, significantly decreasing the likelihood he will appear as originally scheduled with Schwarz. And who can blame him? That's a man with his priorities in order!

Original story:
The following information is adapted from a press release by the Toronto Learning Annex.

TORONTO -- The Toronto Learning Annex Presents sports journalist Alan Schwarz, joined by Toronto fan favourite Vernon Wells, in a lecture related to Schwarz's book, The Numbers Game: Baseball's Lifelong Fascination with Statistics at the Rogers Centre, June 18 beginning at 12:00 noon ET.

A disappointing 0 – 4 night for Toronto’s affiliates featuring 3 pitching debuts and too many unearned runs.

I said this before, but I really dislike soft-tossing lefties. And thankfully, there's only one more 10:00 start on a Monday this season.

Yesterday's game got me thinking about West Coast road trips, and how the Jays always seem to suffer through the first game. Is this true? Read on to find out.

I'm half-asleep now and so, presumably, were the Blue Jays. I hate soft-tossing lefties, especially ones that take forever to throw the damn ball. 4-3 Mariners, final score.

So, what do all you night owls think? How about that O-Dog?

In choosing which letter of the alphabet to go with for today's Hall of Names entry, I thought to choose the one that would yield the best team overall. Originally, I leaned toward building a "J" team, which we will get to eventually, but finally settled on the "R" squad.

I think we have a winner.

This week's Advance Scout brings the Mariners, a chance to gain ground on the competition, and the start of a long but winnable road trip.

What I want
I want now
and it's a whole lot more
than 'anyhow'

Don’t Spook the Horse: Hammers gain ground.
Pistol Nine and Junior Felix rout rivals.
Garth Iorg eyes upper division while top teams scuffle.

Last time I shot tons of Eric Hinske, right? This time Alex Rios appears to be the guy who outnumbers everyone else in total pictures, though I also have a lot of some guy named Hill.

So even though Friday's picture was of Rios sliding into third, here he is again, smackin' a ball:

I don't know if Casey Janssen is related to David Janssen who played Dr. Richard Kimble on the old "The Fugitive" TV show, but there was no search for a one-armed man yesterday as the two arms of Janssen and Eric Arnold led Dunedin to victory. Syracuse had no offense, New Hampshire pulled one out in the ninth behind a spot start by Jamie Vermilyea, Lansing had the offense but poor pitching. A 2-2 Sunday on the farm.

You know I think this Halladay guy might be a keeper.

I was on the outside when you said
You said you needed me
I was looking at myself
I was blind, I could not see

If you jumped ship on everybody every time they go bad, you'd never field a team in this league. (John Gibbons, May 28 2005.

Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP Dave Bush to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled RHP Chad Gaudin from Triple-A Syracuse. (May 29, 2005)

I think this move is nuts on a number of levels...(Me, about six hours ago.)

Doc Halladay is masterful as the good guys win it 4-0.

Halladay got the complete game 99 pitch, two hitter getting 10 Ks and giving up no walks. The two hits were a bunt and a dribbler to third that Hillenbrand couldn't get out of his glove.