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SCOUTING REPORT: The Blue Jays are coming off a successful six-game trip at Texas and Anaheim. They took two of three against each and wrapped it up with two straight victories over the defending champion Angels.
In fact, the Blue Jays have won five of six meetings against Anaheim in the past two weeks.
Still, Toronto remains in fourth place in the East ahead of only the Rays.
Carlos Delgado again is among the league leaders in homers and RBIs, and Frank Catalanotto is among the league leaders in hitting with a .336 average.
Former Ray Cory Lidle has won two straight starts and is 5-2. He is scheduled to pitch against the Rays on Wednesday.
CONNECTIONS: Tanyon Sturtze, who starts for Toronto tonight, was the Rays 2001 MVP. Toronto manager Carlos Tosca grew up in Tampa and coached at King High. He also graduated from USF. His daughter graduated from Florida last week. Lidle pitched for the Rays from 1999-2000. Blue Jays third-base coach Brian Butterfield was an assistant at Eckerd College. Rays bench coach John McLaren worked for the Blue Jays minor-league system for nine years, then spent five years in Toronto as a coach. Rays coach Lee Elia was Toronto's bench coach in 2000.
SEASON SERIES: The Rays took two of three from the Blue Jays at Tropicana Field in April. The Blue Jays, though, lead the all-time series 44-34. The Rays are 12-26 at SkyDome, 3-7 last season.