CLEARWATER, Fla. — Just about 1 a.m. here back at the ol’ MLB.com condo in Clearwater and I just got back from seeing a late showing of Semi Pro — the latest Will Ferrell comedy flick. I planned on waiting to see it until it was out on DVD, but after a week’s worth of Wilner’s pathetic begging, I caved and went to see it with him.

I guess I owed him, since earlier this spring he did accompany me to see Vantage Point, which was decent enough until the premise ran dry and the movie turned into every action movie you’ve ever seen (obligatory car chase that smashes through a sidewalk cafe included). Semi Pro was funny enough, but it didn’t live up to Talledega Nights or Blades of Glory. But, really, how many times can you tell the same joke and have it still be hilarious?

By far the best movie I’ve seen this spring is In Bruges, which stars another Farrell — this one of the Colin variety. Now that was a solid comedy, though a dark one. The previews don’t really give you a true indication of the serious nature of the movie, so it took me a little while to get into it. By the end, though, I wished I could’ve hit rewind to watch it a second time.

Anyway, enough about movies. There’s some baseball stuff to get out of the way before I hit the sack. Tomorrow figures to be a longish day, what with us making the trek over to The Mattick to watch B.J. Ryan, Dustin McGowan and Casey Janssen throw in a Minor League game, and then moving to Legends in Tampa to watch the Jays take on the Yanks.

Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said McGowan and Janssen aren’t going against New York for the simple reason that the Yanks host Toronto in the season’s opening series. With each pitcher set to throw four innings, Arnsberg sees no reason why he should give the Yankees’ hitters a chance to get a handful of ABs against each guy. Fair enough. They just need to get work in, so facing New York or a few Minor Leaguers won’t make a difference.

Over in Kissimmee earlier today, catcher Rod Barajas was asked if there was one pitcher who has surprised him so far this spring. Of all the pitchers the catcher has worked with since joining the Jays, Barajas said the one arm that really stands out is McGowan. Here’s what RB had to say:

"I had never seen, and I don’t think I had ever faced, McGowan. I got to catch him his first start and he was nice. He was nice to catch. He’s got that hop on his fastball and he’s got an incredible slider and he worked the changeup that day, too, and had a good changeup. You love seeing young guys with live arms, but who are able to command their pitches. I was pleasantly surprised. He’s a guy who I came into camp and everybody was saying ‘This guy is pretty special,’ and he lived up to it."

As for Ryan, it’ll be his final Minor League outing — barring another round of doctor’s orders — before he shifts to Grapefruit League play. That step would come Friday against the Rays in St. Pete. As for Tuesday, Ryan is allowed to throw up to 25 pitches, if necessary, but he’s been logging around 18 in his previous sim games.

Also had a nice little chat with manager John Gibbons up in Kissimmee today. There’s a small lake (pond, really) that’s right behind the visitor’s clubhouse at Osceola Stadium, and Gibby was telling me how he and a few of his fellow Mets teammates back in the day used to go fishing back there. I didn’t spy any fishing rods in the Jays clubhouse, though.

Goodnight, all.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — So John Parrish is striking guys out left and right, David Eckstein is mashing grand slams and B.J. Ryan is still simulating games after all. Meanwhile, I was hitting up Disney World and knocking off some restaurants off the must-eat list with my wife over the past few days.

Well, Mrs. Bastian is back in Toronto and I’m back following the Jaybirds. Mike Wilner of The Fan590 and I roadtripped it up here to Kissimmee this morning and enjoyed the 11-mile trek down Main Street U.S.A. Man, even as an American, it’s just gross to see so many tacky gift shops, motels and fast food joints line the road to this ballpark.

My favorite — aside from the one motel that offered "Clean Room" — was the pizza/gas station/tatoo palor. Yeah, I’d like a slice of pepperoni, a fillup on No. 2, and how about one of those barbwire tats across my bicep. Sold.

Considering Buck Coats just had a well-barreled ball that looked like a home run turned into a routine fly out to open this game, perhaps I should toss the ol’ lineups on here.

Today’s lineups:

TORONTO (4-7) at HOUSTON (5-8)
at Osceola County Stadium at 1:05 p.m. ET

BLUE JAYS
Buck Coats, CF
Alex Rios, RF
Adam Lind, LF
Marco Scutaro, SS
Rod Barajas, C
Travis Snider, DH
Curtis Thigpen, 1B
Hector Luna, 3B
Russ Adams, 2B

PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay

ASTROS
Hunter Pence, RF
Darin Erstad, CF
Lance Berkman, 1B
Carlos Lee, LF
Miguel Tejada, SS
Geoff Blum, 3B
Ty Wigginton, DH
Mark Loretta, 2B
Brad Ausmus, C

PITCHING: RHP Roy Oswalt

A Rios double, followed by a shot off Lind’s bat that looked like another homer. That wind is really coming in from right field, though, and it wound up being another fly out.

A slight change you might see coming on the blog here is more little news tidbits and updates. Higher ups at MLB.com have decided to change the way we roll news out somewhat, leading to a switch from the traditional notebooks on the team Web sites to more news stories.

As a result, the "Quotable" and "Did you know?" type sections that I’ve done in the past, or the short one-sentence note items that sometimes don’t warrant an entire story, will now have a home here on the blog. That’s pretty much what I’ve done on the blog thus far anyway, so in reality not much will change.

Halladay’s about to start working against the ‘Stros. Manager John Gibbons had this to say about having Doc facing Oswalt today:

"These first four innings, they may go pretty quick."

No doubt.

On deck tomorrow morning, Ryan, Dustin McGowan and Casey Janssen are down to throw in a Minor League game at the Bobby Mattick Training Center. It’s tentatively the last sim game apperance for Ryan, who would then make his first spring appearance on Friday. Gus Chacin is the scheduled starter for the game against the Yanks in Tampa.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — With no disrespect to Brett Favre, the coverage down here on ESPN is a little ridiculous. I understand the man was a legend, and I loved watching him play, but the non-stop coverage has been a little over the top.

Sal Fasano, die-hard Bears fan, didn’t like how all the Favre coverage and NFL free agency coverage pushed baseball to the back end of Sportscenter’s lineup.

"That’s why I don’t watch Sportscenter," Fasano said. "Cartoon Network — that’s where it’s at."

When we weren’t in the clubhouse being smothered with non-stop Favre coverage on the TV, we did talk to some Blue Jays about baseball-related topics. Roy Halladay, who looked like his usual ho-hum dominating self, had some great things to say about new shortstop David Eckstein and third baseman Scott Rolen:

"I’ve heard about what great guys they are and that’s the part that’s still stands out the most to me. So far, they’re better than what I’ve heard, as far as the way they go about their work and do things. You know they’re going to be good players on the field, but to hear what quality teammates they are and have that exceed what youve heard is always a bonus.

"Just the way they work. They come in, they do their job and they’re quiet about it. Eckstein , especially. Just talking pickoffs, he listens and goes with what we do and if he’s got some ideas, afterwards he’ll come up and mention it. But he’s very cautious about overstepping his boundaries and obviously he doesn’t have to be that way.

"But that’s very respectful of the coaches and the guys that have been here and the way we’ve done things here, to come in and kind of keep your motuh shut and then throw your ideas out there when it’s appropriate. To have veteran guys come in and act like that, it’s impressive."

Other notes from today:

• B.J. Ryan threw in a simulated game and is slated to pitch in a Grapefruit League game on Saturday, roughly a week ahead of schedule
• Matt Stairs sprained his ankle earlier this week, but manager John Gibbons hopes to get him back in the lineup on Friday
• Scott Rolen has hit in the No. 2 hole for the past two games, but Gibbons said he won’t hit second during the season
• RHP Jason Frasor threw in a sim game and didn’t throw up, a good step for the reliever, who lost five pounds with a stomach bug this week

OK, I’m away from the team for a few days. Mrs. Bastian is in town for the week and I’m taking some time off to spend time with The Wife. Speaking of the Misses, she’s downstairs waiting for me so we can go get some dinner. With that…

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Phillies have made the short trek here to Knology Park for today’s game, which will pit Toronto ace Roy Halladay against Philadelphia’s Brett Myers. No access to the clubhouse just yet, as of 10 a.m., because Donald Fehr is here holding the annual closed-door meeting with the club.

In the meantime, us scribblers are passing the time in the pressbox. Someone on the Jays’ staff is working hard today, too, because the lineup sheets and rosters were printed already and waiting for us. Good work. Now, about those media guides…

Today’s lineups:

PHILADELPHIA (3-3-1) at TORONTO (2-4-0)
at Knology Park at 1:05 p.m. ET

PHILLIES
Jimmy Rollins, SS
Eric Bruntlett, 3B
Chase Utley, 2B
Ryan Howard, 1B
Jayson Werth, LF
Geoff Jenkins, RF
Wes Helms, DH
So Taguchi, CF
Carlos Ruiz, C

PITCHING: RHP Brett Myers

BLUE JAYS
David Eckstein, SS
Scott Rolen, 3B
Alex Rios, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Frank Thomas, DH
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Reed Johnson, LF
Gregg Zaun, C

PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay

Rolen is in the lineup’s second spot for the second day in a row. Hmmmm, could manager John Gibbons be trying something out? Yesterday, Gibbons said he likes Wells in the three-hole (even though he’s hit fourth two days in a row) and, when asked if that meant Rios would be the No. 2 hitter, Gibbons replied: "It could. I dont know yet, probably. Possibly, you know? Probably, possible, maybe. It could be." Way to give a definitive answer, Gibber.

Taking things in a different direction for a moment, BRETT FAVRE RETIRED!!!!! I’ll believe it wholeheartedly when he isn’t in uniform for next season, but…BRETT FAVRE FREAKIN’ RETIRED!!!! I have tremendoues respect for the man, but Bears fans everywhere are jumping for joy and rejoicing.

MIND BOTTLING: In a discussion that spawned from The Star’s Cathal Kelly’s posting of a Song of the Day on his blog, the fantastic tune "Anarchy in the UK" by the Sex Pistols was brought up. Mike Wilner — a self-proclaimed music afficianado — of The FAN590 said he had never heard of it. After I subsequently pulled the song up on YouTube, Wilner still drew a blank and said, "I’m familiar with the work of the Pistols, but I don’t know this song." To which Kelly replied, "If you don’t know that song, I’m sure you’re NOT familiar with the work of the Pistols." Zing!

DUNEDIN, Fla. — The PA announcer here just came on the intercom and announced: "The game is not officially canceled. We’ll keep you updated when we know more."

Ummm, there’s exactly zero players in sight and there’s precisely nobody in the stands. I think the announcement was for us scribblers who are still here typing away. The game was "called" due to rain in the top of the sixth, after a rain delay in the second that halted play for roughly an hour.

Maybe the Jays want to come out and try to get a hit. In five innings — granted, the regulars were pulled after the delay — Toronto managed no hits or baserunners with a cast of Minor Leaguers. The game was delayed initially when Vernon Wells was up in the second with an 0-1 count.

As we all waited to here if the game was canceled, Wells poked his head out of the clubhouse and saw that the rain was no longer coming down in Noah’s Ark-type sheets. He uttered, "Why?!?!" and ducked back into the lockerroom.

At this point, as one scribe just chimed in, "This game might be called due to a lack of player."

If ballplayers take the field and play a game that no one sees, was it ever really completed?

Wait…new announcement. Game called due to unplayable field conditions. The perfect game is in the books.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — It’s trying to rain here at Knology Park right now — roughly 45 minutes before the first pitch between the Yankees and Blue Jays. Toronto’s Jesse Litsch is scheduled to throw three innings, so he’ll be hoping the showers hold off until the fourth.

Then again, a rainout would let Litsch skip the lineup the Yanks brought. New York didn’t hold back — with the exception of a missing Robinson Cano, who apparently had a dentist appointment. Litsch’s last time out, he got knocked around by Detroit’s regular lineup, sans Gary Sheffield.

Not a whole lot of news from the pregame. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he likes Vernon Wells’ in the third spot of Toronto’s lineup — much like has been the case for the past few years. With that being the case, it’s looking more and more like Alex Rios will be in the two hole.

Another tidbit from pregame was Gibby indicating that right-hander Jason Frasor — the invisible man of the ‘pen often last year — isn’t fighting for a job this spring. As far as Gibbons is concerned, Frasor has nothing to worry about and has a spot in the bullpen reserved. Frasor’s been sick all week and is scheduled to make his first game appearance on Wednesday.

The Idiot of the Game Award goes to the person who was the reason behind this pregame announcement: "If there is someone here who owns a Red Lexus with the liscense plate XXXXX that is parked across the street, your car is running and the doors are locked." With that…

Today’s lineups:

NEW YORK (2-0-1) at TORONTO (2-3-0)
at Knology Park at 1:05 p.m. ET

YANKEES
Johnny Damon, LF
Derek Jeter, SS
Bobby Abreu, DH
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Jason Giambi, 1B
Jorge Posada, C
Shelley Duncan, RF
Melky Cabrera, CF
Bernie Castro, 2B

PITCHING: RHP Phil Hughes, LHP Kei Igawa, and others

BLUE JAYS
David Eckstein, SS
Scott Rolen, 3B
Reed Johnson, RF
Vernon Wells, CF
Frank Thomas, DH
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Shannon Stewart, LF
Gregg Zaun, C

PITCHING: RHP Jesse Litsch, LHP Scott Downs, and others

DUNEDIN, Fla. — So there it was in all it’s glory. A.J. Burnett showed us all his lack of fingernail today, and boy it shined with all that nail polish — coated on after advice from his mom and wife.

Burnett said he’s taking Biotin, which helps strengthen nails and hair, to try to help speed up the growing process. The nail on his index finger, which he lopped off with his car door in November, is too short for a false nail. As recently as yesterday, he was visiting a nail salon to pick up some products.

The problem is that in order to throw his curve, Burnett digs his fingernail in the seams of the baseball. Blue Jays pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said on Sunday that Burnett would probably be able to throw the hook in 10-14 days, but Burnett sounded a little worried it might take longer.

"This is worrying more in the long run than it is right now, because I didn’t even throw curveballs until my third or fourth start last spring anyway. … I’m worried about April and May, if it’s going to be there by then. But I’m putting every nail thing I can on it."

Even nail polish.

Today’s lineups:

CLEVELAND (2-1-1) at TORONTO (1-3-0)
at Knology Park at 1:05 p.m. ET

INDIANS
Josh Barfield, 2B
Jamey Carroll, SS
David Dellucci, LF
Ryan Garko, 1B
Ben Francisco, RF
Andy Marte, DH
Danny Sandoval, 3B
Trevor Crowe, CF
Yamid Haad, C

PITCHING: RHP Fausto Carmona

BLUE JAYS
Shannon Stewart, LF
Marco Scutaro, SS
Alex Rios, RF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Rod Barajas, C
Travis Snider, DH
Buck Coats, CF
Sergio Santos, 3B
Joe Inglett, 2B

PITCHING: RHP Shaun Marcum

Also, I’m growing more and more convinced that I shouldn’t watch any Michigan State Spartans games during the NCAA tourney. Every time I’ve watched my alma mater, they’ve been creamed this year. I don’t watch yesterday, and they blow out Indiana. Way to go, but go figure.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — After his first outing of the spring, A.J. Burnett said "it’ll be a long time" before he starts working in his curveball. Turns out there’s a little more to that than the usual "we’re building him up first" company line.

Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg said that Burnett, shortly before spring began, smashed his right hand in his car door and broke the nail on his index finger. Always something, huh. Anyway, Burnett digs that nail into the seam of the baseball when throwing his curve.

Arnsberg said it’ll be at least 10-14 days before Burnett can start throwing the breaking ball. He even said Burnett’s visited a nail specialist — a manicurist, actually, not a doctor — to see if there was anything he could do. Sans fake nail or real nail, Burnett is limited to throwing fastballs and changeups for now.

On Sunday, Burnett was a tad frustrated after his two-inning outing, in which he gave up two runs on three hits with no strikeouts and one walk. Burnett threw 35 pitches (21 for strikes), and needed 24 tosses to get out of the second inning.

DUNEDIN, Fla. — For those who have been following the mysterious baseball card story over the past couple days, there’s a new development. Late to the party? Recap: On Friday, four cards — one for A.J. Burnett, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Jesse Litsch — showed up above Roy Halladay’s locker, stuck in the nameplate.

Prior to Sunday’s game, the card for Litsch had disappeared. Maybe it’s Casey Janssen’s way of saying that the race for the fifth spot isn’t over just yet. You know it’s slow goings around Jays camp when those cards are occupying much of the pregame banter.

B.J. Ryan did throw another live BP session and subsequently met with Dr. Tim Kremchek. Everything went well and Ryan will probably throw again on Wednesday, either in a sim game or in another live BP session. He won’t be pitching in a Jays spring game until mid March.

Today’s lineups:

CINCINNATI (2-2) at TORONTO (0-3)
at Knology Park at 12:30 p.m. ET

REDS
Jay Bruce, CF
Norris Hopper, LF
Jeff Keppinger, SS
Brandon Phillips, 2B
Edwin Encarncion, 3B
Scott Hatteberg, 1B
Ryan Freel, DH
Chris Dickerson, RF
Paul Bako, C

PITCHING: RHP Bronson Arroyo

BLUE JAYS
David Eckstein, SS
Reed Johnson, LF
Vernon Wells, CF
Frank Thomas, DH
Scott Rolen, 3B
Matt Stairs, RF
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C

PITCHING: RHP A.J. Burnett

Today’s game, and the season-ticket holder BBQ that follows, will be broadcast on CityTV today. At the least, it should be an interesting broadcast. More after the game…

ST. PETERSBURG — Part of me felt extremely lame for doing this, but the man was practically myth at my high school, Thornwood. Prior to Saturday’s game, I went into the Rays’ clubhouse and introduced myself to Cliff Floyd.

He’s one of a few pro ballplayers that my high school has churned out — Steve Trout, Mark Mudler, and in basketball, Eddy Curry — and when I played there, my coach used to always begin his motivational speeches with, "When Clifford was here!…"

Beyond the fact that he’s a legend in the halls of T-Wood, where my favorite framed picture along the Wall of Fame is of his state title-winning team (all short dudes like me with Cliff towering over everyone from the second row), I wanted to say Hey to Floyd because my sister had a locker next to him in school.

She graduated the same year as he did and used to carry all her books around school with her because she could never get to her locker — Cliff was a popular dude. Turns out he did remember her, much to her delight when I called her today, and us fellow South Siders enjoyed a nice brief chat.

The Globe’s Jeff Blair knows Floyd from their days in Montreal and Blair said he was the first reporter to call Floyd after the Expos picked him up with the 14th overall pick in 1991. Legend has it that Floyd launched a homer for Thornwood that traveled over the right-field fence, over the tall football bleachers and on to the 50-yeard line. If he did, that was about 500 feet.

JAYS LOSE, 5-2: Oh yeah, there was a game of Rounders that occured on the grassy lot here at Al Lang Field today, too. Toronto remains winless, but impressive showings for both Dustin McGowan and Casey Janssen.

Play of the game came in the sixth, though, when John Rodriguez singled to right field for the Rays. Ben Zobrist tried to score on the play, but Marco Scutato — playing right — gloved the ball and fired a bullet to catching prospect Robinzon Diaz.

Diaz kept his left leg blocking the plate while stretching for the ball, and then swept around to collide and tag Zobrist for the inning’s final out. My description does it no justice. It was downright sick. The Jays coaches all jogged over to give Diaz his props as he entered the dugout.

With that, I’m heading out. Game tomorrow is on CityTV at 12:30. Tune in for Kathryn Humphrey’s in-depth interviews. "If you woke up and saw that your wife had the beginnings of a moustache, how would you react?" Man, I can’t wait to hear Scott Rolen’s answer…

HEY GLOBE AND STAR: I know I haven’t been around in this world as long as you guys have, but if you ever can’t locate the ballpark (or the freakin’ Gulf of Mexico, for that matter) feel free to give me a ring. Lords knows we can’t have Kelly and MacLeod wandering aimlessly around Florida.