New York (81-62) at Toronto (72-71)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre

Today’s lineups:

YANKEES
Johnny Damon, LF
Derek Jeter, SS
Bobby Abreu, RF
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Hideki Matsui, DH
Jorge Posada, C
Jason Giambi, 1B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Melky Cabrera, CF

PITCHING: RHP Phil Hughes (2-3, 5.33 ERA)

BLUE JAYS
Vernon Wells, CF
Russ Adams, 3B
Alex Rios, RF
Frank Thomas, DH
Matt Stairs, LF
Aaron Hill, 2B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Gregg Zaun, C
John McDonald, SS

PITCHING: RHP Shaun Marcum (12-5, 3.74 ERA)

NOTES: 3B Troy Glaus was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam on Tuesday and manager John Gibbons said he could possibly be shut down for the season. … CF Vernon Wells will undergo surgery on his left shoulder to remove a cyst and repair a slight tear in his labrum. Wells said the current plan is to have the operation after the season, but the center fielder said he could potentially have the surgery before the end of the year. … SS John McDonald inked a two-year deal worth $3.8 million for the 2008-09 seasons.

AL WILD CARD RACE
entering Tuesday
1. New York 81-62 (–)
2. Detroit 78-66 (3.5)
3. Seattle 75-67 (5.5)
4. Toronto 72-71 (9)

REALITY CHECK…Since 1995, the runner-up in the AL Wild Card race has finished with an average of 89 victories. The Blue Jays would need to go 18-1 over their final 19 games to reach 90 wins

It was a grand few days off for me, though I didn’t realize the Blue Jays were going to collapse and get tangled up in the steroid scandal in my absence. But, there was a bit of good news on the Toronto front today: shortstop John McDonald has agreed in principle to a two-year contract for the 2008-09 seasons, according to the Toronto Star. Obviously, I’ll be following this up when I wander over to the ol’ Dome today.

My wife and I had a lovely mini-vacation in Boston. We hoofed it along the Freedom Trail, got "America’s Best Burgers" at Mr. Bartley’s steps away from Harvard, and even went whale watching and saw about a dozen humpbacks. The highlight, though — and, if you’re ever in Boston and have a taste for some solid affordable italian food in the North End — was eating at a little place called Giacomo’s. It opened at 5 p.m. and immediately had a line that quickly grew out the door and went down the block. It was spectacular.

Anyway, I’ll be back at the ballpark soon enough. Good to see the comments kept flowing for the most part while I was away.

UPDATE — 1:42 pm It’s official. The Jays just sent out a release, announcing that they have indeed inked Johnny Mac to a two-year, $3.8 million contract. What’re your thoughts on the McDonald signing?

Toronto (70-67) at Boston (83-55)
at 7:05 p.m. ET at Fenway Park

Today’s lineups:

BLUE JAYS
Vernon Wells, CF
Matt Stairs, LF
Alex Rios, RF
Frank Thomas, DH
Troy Glaus, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
John McDonald, SS

PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay (14-6, 3.87 ERA)

RED SOX
Julio Lugo, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Lowell, 3B
J.D. Drew, RF
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF
Jacob Ellsbury, LF

PITCHING: RHP Josh Beckett (16-6, 3.29 ERA)

NOTES: Stairs was in the lineup for the third game in a row. Can you blame manager John Gibbons for keeping LF Reed Johnson on the bench? Stairs has hit 479 over his past 21 games and he went 4-for-4 on Monday. … Toronto activated Brandon League from the DL, purchased the contract of C Sal Fasano and recalled RHP Josh Banks and INF Hector Luna. To make room on the 40-man roster for Fasano, LHP Gus Chacin was moved to the 60-day DL. … League plans on staying in Florida to train this winter instead of heading home to Hawaii. … Gibbons said Banks could make a start or two at the end of the month if the Jays fall out of the race. … Toronto will give an extra day of rest to its starters with the upcoming off-day, rather than skip anyone’s turn.

AL WILD CARD RACE
entering Tuesday
1. New York 76-62 (–)
2. Seattle 74-62 (1)
3. Detroit 73-64 (2.5)
4. Toronto 70-67 (5.5)

REALITY CHECK…Since 1995, the runner-up in the AL Wild Card race has finished with an average of 89 victories. The Blue Jays would need to go 20-5 over their final 25 games to reach 90 wins.

It’s September 1st, which means rosters around baseball expand to 40 players, and oh yeah, college football season!

Read it and weep Wolverine fans:

Michigan State: 1-0
U. of Michigan: 0-1

Oh, the sweet taste of victory for the Spartans and absolute bitter, horrifying, embaressing defeat for Michigan. My Spartans did what they were supposed to do — crush UAB in a 55-18 joke of a game in East Lansing. Meanwhile, in little ol’ Ann Arbor, the No. 5 Wolverines quivered to a 34-32 mindnumbing loss to … Appalachian State?

Blue Jays third base coach Brian Butterfield is a HUGE Michigan fan, and in the wake of having a missed field goal with six seconds left cost his team an opening-week win, well, needless to say he wasn’t in a good mood. I peaked my head into the coaches’ office after the game and said:

"MSU won 55-18. Now there’s a school who knows how to finish off a team it should beat."

Butter responded with, "You better watch it. You’re in the coaches’ room. There’s no telling what I might do."

All in good fun, sure, but just in case, I said, "Tough loss, coach," and made my way quickly out the clubhouse doors. And it was a tough loss. So, my heartfelt sympathies go out to all you Michigan fans, whose national title hopes have been crushed swiftly. Ah, let’s be honest, I’m giddy that the ol’ Wolverines blew it big today.

And I know, I know — I’m talking up Michigan State? I’m well aware that my college ain’t exactly a top-tier program. In fact, I’m the first to admit that I’m gearing up for college basketball season by the time the Spartans are about three games into the Big Ten Schedule. Undoubtedly, UM will likely romp all over the Green Shirts later this year.

So, I’ll rub it in whenever I get the chance!

Congratulations Appalachian State. The Big House was yours for one day.

Seattle (73-59) at Toronto (67-66)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Rogers Centre

Today’s lineups:

MARINERS
Ichiro Suzuki, CF
Jose Vidro, 2B
Jose Guillen, RF
Raul Ibanez, DH
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Ben Broussard, 1B
Kenji Johjima, C
Adam Jones, LF
Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

PITCHING: LHP Jarrod Washburn (9-11, 4.13 ERA)

BLUE JAYS
Vernon Wells, CF
Reed Johnson, LF
Alex Rios, RF
Frank Thomas, DH
Troy Glaus, 3B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Gregg Zaun, C
John McDonald, SS

PITCHING: RHP Shaun Marcum (11-5, 3.62 ERA)

NOTES: When approached by a pack of reporters, Wells discussed his left shoulder injury a little more on Friday. A little more, but not much. The Jays $126 million man offered up plenty of "no comments" and said he had every intention of playing through the rest of the season. Said Wells: "Personally, I have no reason to say anything. I’ve been playing all year. Obviously, it hasn’t been a good year, but I’ve not thought to say anything, because it’s really not something I needed to make a comment about." I guess we should’ve asked how Wells felt about having hitting coach Micket Brantley bring the issue to light earlier this week. … All you Robinzon Diaz fans out there, don’t expect to see the catching prospect up for September callups. Diaz is going to undergo surgery on the hamate in his left hand and is out for 6-8 weeks. … So, as for those September additions? GM J.P. Ricciardi said one player will be added on Saturday and the rest — possibly four or five others, by my estimation — will be up on Tuesday. Looks like OF Adam Lind, possibly C Sal Fasano, and pitchers Josh Banks and Joe Kennedy are likely. Manager John Gibbons said no coaches would be added and the Jays might go with another position player. Hector Luna anyone? We’ll see. … For those of you who haven’t read, LHP Gus Chacin underwent exploratory surgery on his left shoulder and they found a slight tear in his rotator cuff. Said Ricciardi: "Chacin should be ready by Spring Training — ready to pitch and compete for a job."

AL WILD CARD RACE
entering Friday
1. New York 75-59 (–)
2. Seattle 73-59 (1)
3. Detroit 72-62 (3)
4. Minnesota 67-66 (7.5)
5. Toronto 67-66 (7.5)

REALITY CHECK…Since 1995, the runner-up in the AL Wild Card race has finished with an average of 89 victories. The Blue Jays would need to go 23-6 over their final 29 games to reach 90 wins.