Clearly, New Thread is needed.

Well, the post-season is over and now it is time for free agents, trades, arbitration, and non-stop wondering 'could player xyz help the Jays' followed by 'Rogers is too cheap to sign him' talk.

And then there were four. Who to cheer for? The big bad Yankees, the traditional enemy? The new bullies, the Astros, including Roberto Osuna? The sheriffs of playing the game the right way, the Cardinals? Or the ex-Expos, the Nationals?

Is calling us

Playing out the string...

The Jays close out their road schedule this weekend against the division champs.

The Jays head out on the final road trip of the season, having kept their unspoken commitment to losing more than 90 games for the first time in more than 20 years. As a very, very great man once said, "it's too late to stop now."

The Yankees haven't quite clinched the division - technically, they haven't even clinched a post-season berth - but we're in Magic Number territory and there's a pretty good chance they'll make all these things official this weekend.

Well, at least it's not a first place team. It's just the defending champs.

Four games at the Trop? That seldom ends well. At least there probably won't be many witnesses.

Another first place team? Give me a break.

The mighty Houston Astros come to town. I don't know if I've ever before put that combination of words together.

Someone brought the rain.

The Jays make a rare visit to Hollywood and hope to steal a win against the rampaging Dodgers. Tinseltown's finest are 82-44 and are on pace for a 105 win season. They lead the division by 18 games. It's a tough assignment for the baby faced Jays but they haven't been intimidated much recently. Much will depend on Vladdy's availability and now would be a good time for all the pretenders, like Teoscar, Fisher, Drury and McKinney to go an a long tear to end the season on a high note.