THE HOMESTAND AHEAD Blue Jays host a quick three game series versus Cleveland before taking a few days to enjoy the 78 th All-Star Break.

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1 TORONTO BLUE JAYS MEDIA NEWSLETTER VOLUME 2007, ISSUE 6 Released July 5, 2007 IN THIS ISSUE.. The Homestand Ahead: Quick series ushers in All-Star Break The Road Trip that Follows: Jays renew Division rivalries Big Hurt Inks Name in Record Books Rios named to 78 th All-Star Team MLB Pitch Hit & Run Competition includes Canadian Flare Next Generation Takes the Field in Record Numbers Flashback Friday Places Call to Bullpen The Minor League Report THE HOMESTAND AHEAD Blue Jays host a quick three game series versus Cleveland before taking a few days to enjoy the 78 th All-Star Break. Friday, July 6 Saturday, July 7 Sunday, July 8 Flashback Friday presented by the FAN590: Mark Eichhorn Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians (7:07 pm, Rogers Sportsnet) Jr. Jays Saturday presented by the Toronto Star Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians (1:07 pm, Rogers Sportsnet) Baseball Ontario Day Pregame giveaway: Commemorative Frank Thomas 500 th Career Home Run card (first 25,000 fans) Viva Italia at Italian Heritage Day Blue Jays vs. Cleveland Indians (1:07 pm, Rogers Sportsnet) >>>>Blue Jays 2007 July Schedule >>>>Blue Jays 2007 Giveaway Schedule >>>>Blue Jays 2007 Ticket Information Centre THE ROAD TRIP THAT FOLLOWS Division race heats up as season s second half starts with match-ups versus rivals Boston and New York. Toronto renews its rivalries with Division foes Boston and New York in post All-Star Break match-ups lasting four games each. The Red Sox have had a target on their backs since the start of the season laying claim to the top spot in the A.L. East Division race. The Jays, however, are inching closer in the standings thanks in part to some stellar pitching and defence to go along with their active bats and base running.

2 Boston and Toronto have faced each other eight times this season and despite holding a 3 5 overall record, Toronto is undefeated when playing at Fenway Park this year. Toronto will travel to New York to face the Yankees from July in three evening and one afternoon games. The Yankees and Blue Jays have met four times this year (their April 27 th game was postponed due to weather) and Toronto owns a 3 1 record in the series. The Numbers: The Blue Jays will travel 1,549 km (or 961 miles) during this road trip. On Call: Mal Romanin, Manager ~ Baseball Information, will be traveling with the team. He can be reached via cell phone and at or mal.romanin@bluejays.com IN THE NEWS BIG HURT INKS NAME IN RECORD BOOK 17 years after launching the first home run of his career, Frank Thomas recorded home run 500 against that same team; the Minnesota Twins. With only half a season complete, his assault on the history books is not yet over. Prior to Friday night s game, a special ceremony will be held to honour Thomas achievement. The first 25,000 fans in attendance for the Blue Jays versus Indians game on Saturday, July 7 will receive a commemorative Frank Thomas 500 th Career Home Run card. The back of the card will feature those pitchers who have fallen victim to the Big Hurt on his assent to this milestone. His is only the 21 st Major League player to reach 500 home runs. The Toronto Blue Jays Ticket Office is now offering a new Frank Thomas 500 Home Run Flex Pack. Great rewards and benefits are included. RIOS NAMED TO 78 TH ALL-STAR TEAM RF ALEX RIOS has been named to the American League All-Star team for the upcoming 2007 All-Star game in San Francisco. Rios, 26, is batting.290 with 17 home runs and 45 RBI. He is among American League leaders in many offensive categories, ranking 4 th in home runs (17), 6 th in runs (61), 4 th in total bases (176) and 5 th in extra-base hits (40). The 17 home runs are the most by any American League right fielder. Rios was also selected to last year s All-Star Game but was unable to play due to illness. This marks his first appearance at the Midsummer Classic. MLB PITCH, HIT & RUN INCLUDES CANADIAN FLARE MLB Pitch, Hit & Run is a free skills competition that provides boys and girls, in four different age groups ranging from 7 to 14 years old, the opportunity to showcase their pitching, hitting and running abilities. This year s program had more than 600,000 participants through more than 3,900 local competitions. Winners of the competitions, representing 16 Major League Baseball Teams, will participate in the National Finals

3 taking place on Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at the MLB All-Star Game in San Francisco. In addition, the finalists will participate as Shaggers during the State Farm Home Run Derby on Monday, July 9, year old Tristan Pompey, from Mississauga, ON, will represent the Toronto Blue Jays at the competition. Pompey is one of four final participants in the 9 10 year old age division; having competed against a pool consisting of 150,000 participants. He and his family will be flown to San Francisco to participate in this unique event and we wish him well as he competes for the title. This is the second year in which the Toronto Blue Jays, and Canada, has been represented in the MLB Pitch, Hit & Run Competition. Members of the media wishing to speak with Tristan about his participation should contact Matt Hilley, with LEJ Sports, at >>>> NEXT GENERATION TAKES THE FIELD IN RECORD NUMBERS Baseball Ontario Day will be celebrated at the ballpark on Saturday, July 7 as the Blue Jays battle the Cleveland Indians. With increased Blue Jays and Rogers commitment to Baseball Ontario and the grassroots programs that provide playing opportunities for many of the communities youngsters, 2007 has been a record year for participant numbers in the five Rogers sponsored divisions. Rogers, and its affiliate companies, is proud to sponsor five divisions of youth baseball through Baseball Ontario. The OMNI Television Rookie Division has more than doubled its participation numbers and now has 3,507 children living their own field of dreams. The Blue Jays Mosquito Division remains red hot in popularity and is closing in on 4,000 youngsters. The Personal TV Peewee Division, The Shopping Channel Bantam Division and the Rogers Wireless Midget Division have all seen growth of more than 20%. To encourage and celebrate the outstanding achievements of players on every Baseball Ontario team, the Blue Jays implemented the A.J. Burnett Amateur Player of the Month Award which recognizes the very best player and teammate at each level. Winners for the month of June will be recognized prior to the game on July 7 and will be profiled in future editions of the Toronto Star. Overall, participation increased 27% from 2006 with 15,047 youngsters taking part. >>>> FLASHBACK FRIDAY PLACES CALL TO BULLPEN Right handed relief pitcher Mark Eichhorn returns to Toronto, the city and team that drafted him in the 2 nd round of the 1979 amateur draft.

4 Eichhorn played for Toronto in 1982 before being sent to the minors for four seasons. When he emerged again on the Major League roster, he wore the Toronto Blue and White from In 1986 he set a Club record for most wins in relief in one season with 14. The 10 game wins he recorded in relief in 1987 also put him fifth on the list. After playing with Atlanta and California from , he rejoined the Blue Jays in time to help capture back-to-back World Series Championship in 1992 and Eichhorn will be signing autographs from 5:45 6:30 p.m. at Gate 6A on Friday, July 6 and will also make an appearance at Johnston Chevrolet Ltd (4121 Kingston Road) on July 7 from 11:00 am - noon. THE MINOR LEAGUE REPORT (through games of 07/01/2007) Syracuse Chiefs (Class AAA) Record: Place in the Standings: 4 th in North, 9.5 GB Notable Performances: Relief pitcher Justin James, who started the season with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, has steadily improved in each of his appearances for the Chiefs since a June 19 th loss versus Richmond. In his last five appearances, James has helped the team to 2 victories and recorded a save in the June 29 game versus Charlotte. During his time in Syracuse, James has posted a 3.00 ERA in 19 game appearances striking out 20 batters in 30 innings pitched and walking only seven. New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Class AA) Record: Place in the Standings: 2 nd in Northern, 6.0 GB Notable Performances: The Fisher Cats have moved into sole possession of second place in the Northern Division thanks in part to a current four game win streak. Of note, C Robinzon Diaz has been selected to represent the World Team in the 2007 XM Satellite Radio Futures All-Star Game to be played at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA on Sunday, July 8; two days before the playing of the 78 th MLB All-Star Game. In 58 games played, Diaz owns a.323 batting average with a team-high 75 hits, including 13 doubles marks the fifth consecutive season Diaz has been named to a mid-season All-Star game. He was an all-star in the Appalachian League (2003), South Atlantic League (2004), and the Florida State League (2005 & 2006). Dunedin Blue Jays (Class A Advanced) Record: 7-4 (second half) Place in the Standings: 2 nd in West, 1.5 GB Notable News: The second half of the Florida State League season has begun and the Dunedin Blue Jays are tied for second place in the West Division just 1.5 games behind Tampa. Dunedin finished the first half of the season in 4 th place with a record. Since starting the second half, the team has posted a 7-4 record thanks in part to a four game winning streak. Lansing Lugnuts (Class A) Record: 5 6 (second half) Place in the Standings: 4 th in Eastern, 4.0 GB

5 Notable Performances: Prior to the conclusion of the first half of the season, five Lansing Lugnuts participated in the 2007 Midwest League All-Star Game held on June 19 at Elfstrom Stadium in Geneva, IL. OF Travis Snider started and played the entire game in right field for the East team. Snider went 0-2 with 3 walks and 2 runs scored. C Matt Liuzza entered the game in the 6 th inning and was 202 with an RBI on a sacrifice fly. INF Sean Shoffit also entered the game in the 6 th inning and went 1-3 with an RBI and run scored. The Lugnuts were also represented by two pitchers; RHP Paul Phillips and RHP Adrian Martin. Phillips closed out the game for the East, pitching a scoreless ninth inning, allowing no hits and striking out two. Martin, unfortunately, was unable to play due to injury. The East Division All-Stars easily defeated the West Division All- Stars 8-2.