Anyway. Come on the National League! Make it easier for the Reds

Apparently in BP he doesn't practise hitting homers at all.

It's a shame he wont take part because the power is definitely there. He hits the ball a long way. He hit one just foul this weekend into the nosebleeds - and at the Rogers Centre they're a bloody long way up.. There's something in the comment about who he plays for but they did extend an invite to Vernon Wells. I think it's more that until this season nobody had heard of him. They want household names in the event, which is a shame for Jose because no way he's going to repeat these HR numbers again. At least he bagged himself a spot on the All Star roster with those numbers. I wonder what odds you'd have got on that pre-season - him and John Buck, hell you could throw Vernon in there as well given his tagline of 'the worst contract in baseball' last season.

I'm inclined to shout for the NL too, given that in all likelihood they'll be facing the Yankees come October.

Sad news coming in that George Steinbrenner has passed away this morning (heart attack). He'd just turned 80 (July 4th). However you feel about the evil empire, it's a sad day for baseball.

RIP The Boss

Back to business tonight and a brand new shortstop to boot. Whether or not the deal will turn out to be a good one for us remains to be seen, but Atlanta are competing this season and adding Gonzo as SS will help them no end with the way he's been producing at the plate. We'll see if a move can bring around what was a very promising talent in Yunel Escobar. He's definitely come to the right place to rediscover his power at the plate, that's for sure. Even if the move doesn't work out, it's not like we're going to make the playoffs this year so losing Gonzalez is hardly going to bite us in the booty.

Our rookie GM is trying to build something in TO and he's trading while his stop gap players stock is very high rather than hanging onto them in the desperate hope that we might make a run. That was never the plan and he has no intention of deviating by the looks of it. He's impressed me immensely so far.

So second half hopes:

be competitive enough to finish above 500
see Hill & Lind turn things around
see our young starters continue to shine
see the back of Brian Tallet (that one really is wishful thinking)
see some of the young prospects have a go once the rosters get extended - in particular catcher JP Arencibia who now has 26 HR at AAA Vegas and who has come on leaps and bounds both offensively and defensively since last year.

So what are your second half hopes?

So second half hopes:

To be involved in the play offs. I'd have settled for a winning record at the start but now we've put ourselves in such a great position and have some big names to come back into our rotation winning the division has to be the aim now. That's all there is. If we achieve that everything else will have fallen into place i.e. progression of our young starters e.g. Bailey, Cueto, Wood, Maloney and even the returning Volquez who is still only in his fifth season and 27.

Second half hopes for the White Sox is to just keep playing like we have for the last month.

I wish the Jays would hury up and trade away some of our Bullpen. Sadly a few scouts were present to witness Kevin Gregg walk the bases loaded and then react angrily when the manager took him out of the game (which super reliever Shawn Camp then went on to save). Two games later Gregg is given another save opp and he blows it. We'll never get rid of him now!!!

Lots of interest in Scott Downs, who has been a bit off this year. Also plenty sniffing around Buck and Bautista, which is to be expected given their power bats this year.

I think we'll trade Buck and Downs (if the offers are reasonable) but have a feeling that Bautista is going to be offered a multi year deal by the Jays come the end of the season.

As for ou new SS - that power drought didn't take long to remedy. 2 HRs in 4 games (one a Grand Slam). So far I'm liking what i see from him. He's got a canon for an arm and looks very agile. He's also bunted his way on base twice already - although I'm sure the manager will soon put a stop to that. We're the Blue Jays, we don't play small ball.

599 for A-Rod