That's what Travis Snider thinks of your small ball

When it comes time to actually take the wrecking ball to the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, someone might consider giving Travis Snider a call.

Snider, who a day earlier was asked to square around and bunt over runners in an 8-4 loss to the Clevelanders, crushed two mammoth blasts into the far reaches of the aging stadium, leading the Jays to an 8-6 victory over the Twins. So the moral of the story, once again, is that small ball sucks.

(Take that, Juan Pierre Fan Club!)

When Snider was asked to give himself up to help move Rod Barajas' big slow butt up 90 feet, we turned to the father-in-law and said that we hoped that this is the last time we had to see nonsense like that. And while we mind don't that Magical Baseball Sage Cito Gaston has decided to take a slow route with Snider and make him earn his Major League bona fides, we're pleased as punch that The Great Big Giant Pasty White Hope^TM has already begun to make the case for a spot further up the lineup and a green light at the plate.

Where's Tomo Ohka these days?
As if the Jays didn't have enough worry over the state of their rotation, Jesse Litsch walked off the mound with "tightness" in his elbow. Given what happened with Shaun Marcum after his bout with elbow tightness last year, we're more than a little worried about what the Jays will have to do if Litsch is going to miss significant time.

It begs the question: Is there anything left out there on the scrap heap of starting pitchers? Because off the top of our head, we can't think of anyone who would do much better than just setting up a tee at home plate.

Also, doesn't this lend a bit of credence to Keith Law's notion that Brad Arnsberg, while being a wizard of a pitching coach, is also murder on young arms?

Around the Minors
The Las Vegas 51s' affiliation with the Blue Jays is off to an inauspicious start, with the Triple-A club going 0-4 out of the gate. If you've got trouble with your blood pressure, we don't suggest looking at the team's pitching stats to start the season, because there are some gaudy ERAs after the first series in the thin air of Colorado Springs. For the first time in Tao of Stieb history, allow us to use the following caveat: "The PCL is a hitters league."

On the plus side, 1B Randy Ruiz drove in eight in the first series, with 14 total bases and an OPS of 1.268, while Voodoo Joe Inglett is rocking a 1.000 OPS.

In New Hampshire, the Fisher Cats are off to a 3-2 start, with Springtime hero Brad Emaus driving in eight to start the season.

In Dunedin, the Advanced-A Jays are 1-3 to start. Diminutive reliever Tim Collins - a prospect discovered by J.P. Ricciardi's dad on the fields of Worcester, Mass., has stood out so far, striking out seven batters in four and a third innings while walking none and giving up a single hit.

Thanks to the Ack
While some in the comments figured that the Ack spent too much time in the comments of the Drunk Jays Fans, we tip our cap to our colleague for coming in and holding the fort in an extra long relief outing over the holidays. Great job Ack...now go and put some ice on those blogging fingers, because we'll need you back soon.

Was there ever any doubt?

Well, yeah. Quite a bit, actually. Heading into the bottom of the 10th, I had basically written a post bemoaning the fact that the Jays were up to their old tricks, stranding runners and letting pitchers off the hook (I'm looking at you, Miguel). I had some venom for Cito too, emptying the bench for pinch runners early and asking Scott Rolen to lay down a sac bunt - which he hadn't done in, oh, four and a half seasons.

But thankfully, Voodoo Joe came through in the clutch. And by coming through, I mean putting a good swing on the ball, at least. If Suzuki (I don't go for this first-name basis garbage), one of the top defensive outfielders in the last decade, makes that play - tricky, but definitely makeable - we're looking at a brutal 4-3 loss and an end to any momentum the team had. Instead, it's 4 wins in a row (and 5 of 6), and a possible catalyst to one of those runs we keep saying the team needs to go on. So here we are.

Brandon League was throwing peas
Our favorite surfer dude pitched a clean 8th, catching Raul Ibanez looking on a particularly nasty 2-seamer. League had filthy stuff and was pounding the strike zone, reminding us of the guy who we thought would be the late-relief set up guy for BJ.

I've been saying to anyone who will listen (which is nobody, to be perfectly honest) that the team was lacking a real shut-down right-hander out of the pen (apologies to Jason Frasor, Shawn Camp, and Brian Wolfe - see what I'm saying?), and League showed tonight that he has the potential to be that arm. Maybe some of that Cito "you're my guy" magic will rub off on him as it so clearly has on Young Adam Lind (2 more hits tonight, and I'm wiping that ugly strikeout on a JJ Putz breaking ball down and away from memory).

Awkward Interactions
If nothing else, the broadcast team at RSN gives us a few of these every game. For the record, I like Jamie Campbell probably more than most, although his standing in my books has taken a big hit this season with his well documented hysterics over walk-off losses.

Tonight's entry comes courtesy of Jamie and the non-confrontational Pat Tabler, who usually gives us the least amount of material to work with:

Discussing Brandon League:
Campbell - "He throws in the high 90's, and we've seen him hit 100 on a few occasions."
Tabler - (awkward pause) "......not this year."

On deck for Saturday
David Purcey (0-1) goes for the Jays in his first start since his recall, facing RA Dickey (2-5) and his big fat knuckler. Interesting matchup here, as I'm not sure what to expect from either guy. Here's hoping Purcey is relaxed and settles in for a quality start, because with Marcum sure to be on a pitch count again Sunday, the 'pen could use a breather. After all, there's Meatloaf at stake.