Imagine for a moment that you're Carlos Delgado. You're back from -- what? Yes. Yes, that's right, you are young, handsome, powerful, wealthy and remarkably popular. Okay, stop it now, you're not paying attention. You're back from a lengthy stint on the disabled list, you're raring to go, and who's the guy on the mound facing you? Jamie Moyer, the most infuriating soft-tossing left-hander since Frank Tanana. But while you may think that would be annoying, Carlos is probably wearing his trademark smile right now. Because lifetime against Moyer, he's batting .447 (21-for-47) with six home runs, five doubles and 11 RBIs. It'll be very, very good to see the big slugger back in the lineup tonight.

Take heart, fellow Jays fans: It could always be worse.

Despite being far healthier than the Jays (only Raul Ibanez and the scuffling Rafael Soriano are noteworthy members of the DL), the Mariners come to town with an $81 million payroll (not counting the departed Kaz Sasaki), a popgun offence and a shaky bullpen, just two and a half seasons removed from a 116-win season. Seattle got their hats handed to them in St. Louis, and it's a fragile bunch of Mariners entering tonight's series opener.

This week's Scout features an exuberant Aussie, a beleaguered bullpen, a five-pack of slumping sluggers and a very unusual condition on which John Olerud will accept a trade. Tonight's Moyer-Batista match-up should be a fast-moving pitchers' duel, and some very promising rookie hurlers will be on display in the other two games.

On to the Advance Scout!

Gerry and I arrived in the visitor's clubhouse at 4 p.m. on a beautiful Friday afternoon to find only a smattering of players there. One of the players asked us who we were. After introducing ourselves we told him we wanted to talk about how the ballclub was doing. He thought for a moment and replied that we'd better wait for manager Marty Pevey. When we discovered we were talking to the one and only Stubby Clapp, our eyes lit up.

With nine weeks remaining in the BBFL regular season, absolutely nothing has been decided, but it's nice to have a little more breathing room at the top.

Carlos Delgado looks to be ready. Charleston pitchers delivered a one hitter. Two other Jays teams had last at bat wins and two of the Jays pitching prospects pitched well enough to win, but did not.

Security throw through the wall
Future dreams we have to realize
A thousand sceptic hands
Won't keep us from the things we plan
Unless we're clinging to the things we prize

Back in late March, 79 of us predicted the World Series champs, pennant winners, division winners, award recipients, and every team's place in the standings. With the season half-gone, it's time to see who's wearing the wizard's cap and who's wearing the fool's cap.

This is the June edition of my minor league starting pitchers review. Who is hot, who is cold? Who is getting by on smoke and mirrors?

Both aces won their respective games, and now a 1:30 start to decide the Cup. Toronto would seem to have the edge, with Ted Lilly facing Canadian rookie Shawn Hill. The Jays lead 3-2 going into the finale.

Mom and Dad follow every last word
All that hollering makes me wonder
Does a whispered prayer get heard?

Gomez drove in Hinske twice, and Halladay, Chulk, and Frasor made it hold up as Toronto re-gifted a shutout back to Montreal.

Happy holidays to our American friends.

Two heartbreaking losses, and solid pitching in Dunedin, Charleston and Auburn were the highlights of a 3-4 record on Saturday for the farm affiliates.

The All-Star Game rosters have been announced and, in what is surely a surprise to me, Ted Lilly will be the lone Blue Jays representative on the American League team.

Apparently, being the reigning AL Cy Young award winner doesn't mean much to AL skip Joe Torre.

Halfway through the minor-league season, it's looking like a good-news bad-news year for the Jays' organization. Some prospects have been derailed by injuries and others by poor performance, while others have broken out and some are charging headlong up the organizational ladder. Here's the latest look at the Toronto farm system.

One humiliating loss and a rainout in the Appalachian League was all that kept the Jays’ system from a clean sweep last night. Hmm, where have I heard that before…?

...Will be there by the fire
We’ll sit and talk about Hollywood
And the good things there for hire
Like the Astrodome and the first tepee
Marlon Brando, Pocahontas and me

A bittersweet evening for the Jays, who were shut out by the Expos but offered a glimpse of a promising future as 24-year-old David Bush excelled in his Major League debut.