I'm posting this game thread early because I'll soon be leaving for Team Coach's baseball game this afternoon. From there it will be over to the well-advertised Will Carroll Pizza Feed.

Though he is but 27 years old, today's starter Dennys Reyes is with his 7th major league team. He's been a reliever most of his career so pitch count should be an issue for him tonight.

Doc has been in a groove, notwithstanding the 11 hits he gave up his last time out. Most of them were bloopers and high choppers. A crazy idea has been bouncing around my head - would it be a good idea to sit Hinske and play Gomez at third and Woodward at short tonight? Interior defence is what Doc needs most, and Gomez' arm is so much better than Hinske's that he might get an out of two that Eric wouldn't.

Syracuse and Dunedin are going through a tough time, both have multiple game losing streaks. Charleston are back on track. New Hampshire are the hottest team, the offense has been on fire since the arrival of Stubby Clapp. And Francisco Rosario is back.

Passes in and out like a scent
But the long face that you see comes from living close
To your fears

What a difference a week makes. With five wins in their last five games, the Jays stand at 13 up, 18 down and are within shouting distance of .500. Making it to that mark by the end of May is now a realistic goal.

Last season the Jays were 13 up and 18 down entering their 32nd game and were in the middle of what would end up a five-game winning streak. Nothing more than a coincidence, I'm certain.

The Jays and Royals have been the two "unluckiest" teams in baseball so far this season. Toronto has a Pythagorean WPCT of .482 (146 runs, 151 allowed) and have won 1.9 games fewer than predicted by the Ancient Greek. Kansas City has suffered even more: their Pythagorean WPCT stands at .393 (27th in the majors); they have fallen 2.4 games short of that.

Brian Anderson, victim of a 2nd inning bludgeoning in Toronto his last time out, will take the mound against "soft-tosser" Pat Hentgen (no offence, Pat). Roy Halladay gets an extra day of rest and starts tomorrow.

After defeating Baird Brain 9-2, my Toronto Walrus remains atop the BBFL Alomar division for another week, with a 4.5 game cushion over the Horse Field Hammers, who were 8-3 winners over the Eastern Shore Birds. Four games farther back, Billie's Bashers are third despite dropping a 6-5 decision to the Springfield Isotopes, then there's a virtual tie for fourth. With a 10-2 rout of the Thunderbirds, the Chatsworth Halos moved up; AGF, whipped 10-2 by Reykjavik Fish Candy, slipped a couple of notches from second. Hannibals Cannibals, after beating Gashouse Gorillas 9-2, are now sixth. The big move of the week was by Red Mosquitos, who stung Jick’s Rays 11-1 to get back to .500 and advance from 17th place up to 12th.

There might be a sweep at Skydome today! Better yet, it might be carried out by the home team! The Blue Jays have rattled off four wins in a row as they continue to emerge from their April snoozefest. But today's assignment might be particularly tough: 2003 Andujar Winner and erstwhile Jays albatross Esteban Loaiza goes for the ChiSox, anxious to avoid a northern brooming; the Jays counter with Justin Miller, The Illustrated Man. Gregg Zaun and Howie Clark get the starts for the Gray Jays in the field. The Toronto forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and a high of 16; might this be the day the dome cracks open?

Phelps sinks Sox with do-over. Batista impressive as Jays win fourth straight game, this time 4-2 over the White Sox.

You know your major league team is doing well when?

They're winning in blowouts, they're winning in come-from-behind fashion --- the main thing is, they're winning. The Blue Jays look like they're starting to come together. The starters have reeled off five good starts in a row, the bullpen's anxiety attacks appear to be easing, the batters are starting to find their groove, and the manager appears to be steadying himself. This could be bad news collectively for a league that was rightly concerned about the Blue Jays' potential coming into the season. The Jays face another lefty today in Scott Schoeneweis, which unfortunately means Dave Berg is in left field today and batting second. On the hill for Toronto is Miguel Batista, the only winless starter left in the rotation and one who is long overdue for a solid seven innings and a victory.

Jays win close encounter with Sox 5-4 with the winning run in the 9th inning for their 3rd win in a row.

Last night I took the folks, visiting from Ohio, to The Ballpark in Arl ... er, excuse, me, as of last night, Ameriquest Field in Arlington. At least we know that whenever the Rangers do decide to "mortgage" the future for a pennant race, they'll have the right sponsor in place.

The Ballpark -- and yes, everyone will continue to call it that -- is a wonderful place. And enough happened in last night's game to make me not sorry at all we opted not to go tonight to watch the reconstructed arm of R.A. Dickey; of course, now Dickey will throw a one-hit shutout or something.

Anyway, here are a few notes and observations ...

Two blowout wins and two extra-inning losses. Compared to two blowout losses and two extra-inning wins, this is good for Pythagoras but bad for the soul.

A repost of what I mentioned earlier. If you can make it, you really ought to come!

On September 27th, 2003, Will Carroll visited with about 50 or so of us a diehard seamheads. We had pizza, we had beverages, we saw Roy Halladay win his 22nd game, and everyone other than Jody Gerut and Brandon Phillips had a terrific time.

Now Mr. Carroll is coming back to Toronto!

In the absence of a Blue Jay game, the minor leagues were the focus last night. A revolving roster of Bauxites provided play by play on yesterday's minor league thread. The Daytona broadcast, through Jordan as scribe, provided a small town perspective on baseball. If any Bauxites are headed to Daytona we have the inside scoop on chicken wings and babes. What more do you need?

Is something everyone should see
Neon lights and the pretty pretty girls
All dressed so scantily