Leading off

Just like here in the Tampa Bay area, there's no pro hockey taking place in Toronto, either. But rather than let that sideline hockey hounds, a handful have turned their attention toward baseball, specifically the Toronto Blue Jays.

Al, Hound Central 4.0's Toronto-based correspondent, files the first Major League Baseball hounding report of Baseball Mondays' 2009 summer campaign, sharing the bounty of his family's visit to a recent "Have a Ball With the Jays" event.

It looks like they had a great time, doesn't it?

This old-school Blue Jays jersey, a design from the team's earliest days in the late 1970s, turned out to be a pretty sweet item.

Signing it were Rod Barajas, #20; Jose Bautista, #23; Shawn Camp, #57; Jesse Carlson, #39; Raul Chavez, #13; Scott Downs, #37; Jason Frasor, #54; Roy Halladay, #32; Brandon League, #22; Jesse Litsch, #51; John McDonald, #6; Dustin McGowan, #29; Bill Murphy, 62; Lyle Overbay, #35; Scott Richmond, #48; Alex Rios, #15; Ricky Romero, #24; B.J. Ryan, #52; Marco Scutaro, #19; Brian Tallet, #56; and Vernon Wells, #10.

Need proof that the Blue Jays' bigger-named players attended the event? How about this photo of pitcher Roy Halladay signing a replica jersey? Works for me.

A better look at Halladay's signature on his replica jersey. Nice placement, between the name and the numbers, too.

Halladay also signed this 8x10. Not a bad haul, eh?

Johnny McDonald, or simply "Johnny Mac" within Blue Jays fandom, is known as a super nice player.

Reports say Alex Rios, on left, solidified his fan-favourite status at the event, staying almost an extra half-hour so people went home happy. The same, I've heard, can't be said for Marco Scutaro. That's Aaron Hill with Rios.

A Lyle Overbay-signed baseball.

A Vernon Wells-signed baseball.

Halladay and Rios signed the brim of this Blue Jays hat

These Blue Jays mini ice-cream-cup helmets were signed by Brandon League, #22; Rod Barajas, #20; Brian Tallet, #56; Vernon Wells, #10; Jesse Carlson, #39; and Raul Chavez, #13. Great idea.