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The Blue Jays have placed Jesse Litsch on the 15-day DL with right shoulder impingement, retroactive to May 19. He'll miss two turns in the rotation. Carlos Villanueva will spot start Monday at Yankee Stadium, and if he makes it through five innings there I will be hugely impressed. And rejoice, for the eight-man bullpen is in remission: Mike McCoy has been called up to take Litsch's place. McCoy should be on the Jays' bench today.
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Adam Lind has been placed on the 15 day DL, retroactive to May 8. He can return on the 23rd. Eric Thames has been summoned from Las Vegas. RHP Robert Ray has been designated for assignment to make room for Thames on the 40 man roster.
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Mel Queen died today at the age of 69. Queen served four years as the Jays pitching coach, from 1996-1999 (and as interim manager for five games), and during that span Toronto pitchers won three consecutive Cy Young Awards. Prior to that he served as the Jays Director of Player Development for 6 seasons. Perhaps most famously, Queen is known as the man who reinvented Roy Halladay’s delivery and helping to turn Halladay into the pitcher he is today.He served last year as senior advisor in the player development system. Queen pitched in the majors for the Reds and Angels between 1964 and 1972.
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Or as the headline on ESPN.com put it ... "Liriano-no."

Poor Edwin Jackson -- eight innings of six-hit ball against the Twins, but one of those hits was a fourth-inning solo homer by the Twins' Jason Kubel, and Jackson's Pale Hose mates tarried nary a single base knock against the mighty (for one night anyway) Twins. (How's that for 1920-era game reporting?) ...

Yes, Francisco Liriano may have walked six Sox, and needed 123 pitches (only 66 of which were strikes) to complete his start, but with it, he authors the first no-hitter ofthe 2011 season.

Discuss this 1-0 "masterpiece" herein ....

(P.S. Offense is down across MLB ... I put the '11 no-hitter over/under at 3.5 ... and I'll take the over! Your thoughts?)

Let the earth hide thee!
Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold;
Thou hast no speculation in those eyes
Which thou dost glare with.


Travis Snider has been optioned to AAA Vegas. He'll be joined by Chris Woodward, who has been outrighted to the 51s. Room is thus created on the active roster for CF Rajai Davis and 1B David Cooper.
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Brett Cecil has been optioned to AAA, per THE GREGOR. Chris Woodward will take his place (really?)

Update: Now with explanation.
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The twittersphere is abuzz with the news that Frank Francisco has been activated and Jesse Litsch has been sent down to Las Vegas.  It appears that the preservation of a potential asset in Jo-Jo Reyes is taking precedent over putting the best team on the field today.
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The first real practice game is played today, after two intra-squad games on Thursday and Friday.  Brett Cecil takes the mound against the Tigers in a agme that is on the Fan in Toronto and might be available elsewhere on the Canadian network.  In a B game this morning the Jays beat Philadelphia 8-1 behind Scott Richmond, Chad Jenkins and Deck McGuire.
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Jose Bautista signed a $65 million contract today but the biggest news of the day for him was his elevation to the Batter's Box Banner.  Ricky Romero joins him in a tribute to the club leaders of the hitters and the pitchers.

We hope you enjoy it.

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Well, it's not official yet, but it seems pretty close - the Blue Jays are going to sign Jose Bautista to a 5 year deal worth $65 million, with a team option for 2016 worth $13 million. There's a press conference at 5 PM.


(Photo courtesty #2JB)
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