Zen Dayley...

From the department of god does not throw dice, the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue and Baseball Prospectus' PECOTA projections come out within the same 24-hour span. They're both manna to nerdlingers everywhere.

The Beep's forecast for the Jays is an 81-81 record — not bad, but not good, and that presumes a full season of the services of right-handed pitcher Harry Leroy Halladay. The trade Doc speculation, since he is in the penultimate season of his contract, should be revving up sooner rather than later.

The Coles Notes on the PECOTA projections: The Jays are projected to be an also-ran in a division with the Red Sox (98-64), Yankees (97-65) and Tampa Bay Rays (92-70). Meantime, the Cleveland Indians, who are pegged to win the AL Central with 84 victories. It's a familar refrain by now, but it bears repeating, quote The Tao: "Our kingdom for a balanced schedule."

The Oakland Athletics (AL West champion) and Atlanta Braves (NL wild card) are the biggest surprise playoff entrants. Each of those teams, especially the A's, shed a lot of payroll in 2007-08 to get ready for this season.

This, that and the other:

• The blogeteriat has been having a giggle over former No. 1 overall choice Matt Bush, whom the Padres washed their hands of recently. Well, reports are that he has been picked up by the Jays. He had Tommy John surgery and missed all of last season. He's been arrested a couple times. In other words, it's no risk if he doesn't work out (via MLB Trade Rumors).
  
• Some are scoffing at the notion of baseball returning to the Olympics in 2016.
• Speaking of The Tao, yes, we should bury this ill-informed idea that Mark McGwire was a one-dimensional player. Someone on Prime Time Sports claimed Mark McGwire had a lousy on-base percentage. He on-based .394 lifetime.
  
• Retired MLBPA boss Marvin Miller was still right all along.
• Even President Barack Obama has to talk about That One:
  
  

Ironically, the company Braun would never do this

It's a personal rule not to post anything from YouTube that has been viewed more than 50,000 times (unless it's been seen more than a million times). However, when you see viral marketing run this amuk -- cheesy voiceover, ninth-grade sexual innuendos -- "everything's going between their legs!" -- you make an exception. It also has a semi-anonymous ballplayerwho just happens has the same name as one a competing company, and a supermodel.



One friend's reaction -- and he is a redblooded appreciator of blondes, baseball and beer -- was: "Who's Ryan Braun? And who's Marisa Miller?" Idle Seamhead thought: And what happens if the Milwaukee Brewers trade Prince Fielder and move Braun to first base next spring? That commercial will be very dated, as if it didn't already seem like it was out of another decade.

PHILADELPHIA SCHMALTZ, MINNESOTA NICE

The sensitive, progressive sports fan does acknowledges that cheerleading is a sport. Younger females do seem to take to it as an athletic activity, which considering all the issues with inactive kids, should be viewed as somewhat of a positive. So how do you reconcile all that with not being a snivelling, sexist, bitter bastard after seeing this gem put together by the cheerleaders for Arena Football League's Philadelphia Soul?

Meantime, cheers to the Vikings -- all-everything defensive end Jared Allen will be wearing the sacred purple in exchange for a first-rounder and two thirds going to the Kansas City Chiefs.

(The only downside is you can't wear a No. 69 jersey out in public, unless you have really good self-esteem.)

Allen is guaranteed just slightly more money than the Miami Dolphins have committed to pay a left tackle straight out of college, Jake Long, so yes, this is exciting.

Quoth the Daily Norseman, "Well, we're living here in Allen-Town / And we're shutting all the offenses down."