Hi everyone.  Just a quick collection of some notes. 

The Las Vegas Sun has had a trio of nice articles over the past week.  First, they talked to Shaun Marcum about his rehab:

"I'm just trying to stay positive, knowing that hopefully I can get up there and pitch again this year, but if I don't, it's not the end of the world," Marcum said Saturday before the 51s' 8-7 victory over Salt Lake at Cashman Field. "I just have to take the rehab process slowly enough so that I don't have to go through this again next year."

With Marcum's recent back injury, the Jays haven't decided yet whether he'll throw again this season. The minor-league season ends in a few weeks.

The next day, the Sun talked to Travis Snider:

''I'm just getting in there and allowing things to happen,'' said Snider, who was sidelined from early June until July 2 with a lower back injury. ''Since I've come back from the injury, I've worked really hard with hitting coaches in the organization to fix some mechanical errors that I've had. Things just weren't translating based on the pressure I was putting on myself.''

Snider is positively mashing at the plate recently, hitting .447 with 3 home runs, a triple, and 9(!) doubles over his last 10 games, 8 walks, and just 7 strikeouts.

Most recently, the Sun talked to Casey Janssen about his frustrations in attempting to return from labrum surgery, one of the most difficult injuries from which a pitcher can attempt to recover. Janssen has continued to experience unpredictable stiffness and inflammation in his shoulder at times, but has slowly been progressing:

"The body's weird, and I know they always say the first year after a labrum (injury) is the toughest. I've ridden that roller coaster this year."

Casey also mentioned that he has no problem with relieving, as opposed to starting, when he returns. I've always liked him as a starter and I think he has the stuff to be a good one, but if relieving keeps him healthy than that's the way to go.

Baseball America took a look at the best prospects traded during the trade season this year and Zach Stewart, acquired by the Blue Jays, clocks in at number 2, behind just Brett Wallace, who was traded for Matt Holliday. The best of anyone involved in the Cliff Lee trade was Jason Knapp, who came in at #5.

Finally, shortstop prospect Justin Jackson hasn't played in a while, because he himself underwent labrum surgery - on his left (non-throwing) shoulder (h/t Batter's Box and their short interview with Dick Scott). Jackson is expected to be ready to return to action in December, but this is something to keep an eye on as the left shoulder is the more crucial shoulder for a right-handed hitter. I wonder whether this explains any of Jackson's struggles at the plate this season.