Not too hard to figure out

Of all the teams playing in the Florida State League, one might think that a local team -- either the Clearwater Threshers, Dunedin Blue Jays or Tampa Yankees -- would capture Colin's fancy.

Nope, his favorite team -- the Charlotte Stone Crabs -- shows the extent of how deep his loyalties run. As the Advanced-A farm club for the Tampa Bay Rays -- his favorite MLB team, Colin says that's the biggest reason why he's a big fan of the Stone Crabs.

I'm sure, though, that after watching them play six times now is another factor. Given all of the times we've seen them play, it's no wonder that he's running out of items to get signed:

Colin got 15 players, including his favorite Shawn O'Malley, to sign his Stone Crabs alternate cap. Other notable signers included Cody Cipriano, Brian Flores, Emeel Salem and Gregory Sexton.

The only card we got signed during the Stone Crabs' visit to Dunedin came from outfielder Reid Fronk, part of the Florida State League's 2009 Top Prospect set.

We had another set card for Charlotte's Alex Cobb, and had asked him to sign it as he made his way from the dugout to the bullpen. He said he couldn't sign during a game (it never hurts to ask) and that he would after the game.

Given that FSL players routinely go out of their easy to sign, it was disappointing when Cobb didn't honor his statement.

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.