Courtesy of ESPN’s Darren Rovell, a letter between Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and former recruit Michael Jordan (who ended up playing for rival North Carolina, of course) shows just how different it used to be. Krzyzewski was among those who missed out on the prized recruit in just his first year on Tobacco Road, and he sent Jordan a letter when he heard of the news.

“You are a fine young man, and you should make an immediate impact on whatever you choose,” Krzyzewski writes.

While many coaches continue to send letters to recruits or thank them after they pick another team, it’s still interesting to see the exchange in 1980, before what would become a legendary college and pro career for young “Mike.”

Check out the letter below.

Coach K's letter to Michael Jordan after learning he wouldn't be coming to Duke say.ly/fuI57Nd

—
darren rovell (@darrenrovell) February 07, 2013

After being drafted by the Celtics, he told the media he’s been "the best defender on every team I played on since first grade," and the 44 steals he recorded during his only collegiate season at Texas speak for themselves. He was relentless at times, averaging over two steals per game during December.

Folks like ESPN’s Chad Ford have lauded Bradley’s quickness and ability to slash to the basket, but aspects of his game on the offensive side of the ball — particularly his shooting – have drawn heat.

Sound like anyone you know?

The combo guard’s unpolished game identifies closely with the man ahead of him on the depth chart, Rajon Rondo. Celtics fans should relish the fact that Bradley will be able to take pointers from a star who’s also developed with the aid of elder teammates.

Rondo knows the drill. The Big Three have their fingerprints all over the well-rounded player he’s become. Now it’s his turn to show a rookie the ropes.

It all starts with fine-tuning the game Bradley already plays. Though there never was a question Rondo could pressure the perimeter, scouts wondered aloud whether he had the size to handle NBA screens. Rondo answered the doubters with hustle, and that’s where the lesson should begin when mentoring a young player.

Fresh off Bradley’s first paycheck, Rondo’s sure to hash out a reality check in the C’s first practice — a model for how to bring intensity to the NBA game.

A lesson in passing the basketball is next.

According to NBAdraft.net, "When [Bradley] puts the ball on the floor, it's almost a guarantee that he is looking for his own offense, as he lacks the vision, play-making ability and awareness to find his teammates for a better scoring opportunity."

Rondo averaged just 4.8 assists per game as a senior at the University of Kentucky. But he never lacked vision, and his 9.8 assists per game in 2010 prove that a change in approach can unlock additional dimensions of a player’s game.

Bradley dropped a minuscule 2.1 dimes per game in 2010. Whether he needs a change in approach — or simply time to mature — he’s due for an evolution to shed the ambiguity in his game.

The first step toward becoming an offensive player is to embrace an assertive style of basketball. Bradley was described before the draft by Bleacher Report as "passive on offense." Rondo has witnessed firsthand how to instill confidence in teammates. If the Big Three hadn’t embraced a Rondo-led effort in 2010, the C’s would have fallen far short of the NBA Finals.

With Rondo whispering in his ear, Bradley will have an established veteran’s support at every sharp turn. That kind of foundation is more important to a player’s development than advice. Without a solid base, wisdom would go in one ear and out the other.

But like in any relationship, a superiority complex will only breed contempt. By that logic, their shared deficiencies shooting the basketball will serve as an equalizer. Who wouldn’t bond over the hundreds of basketballs cycled back and forth to improve a mid-range jumper? 

Yes, it appears to be a perfect fit. But don’t tell these two. As two players who pride themselves on lockdown defense, they’ll be stuck in each other’s faces at practice.

The Patriots’ 36th overall pick in 2006 didn’t fulfill his potential in Tom Brady’s wide-open offense, but he is looking to use his tools to beat the team that traded up 16 picks to draft him.

According to ESPN.com, Jackson is in Orchard Park, N.Y., embroiled in a dogfight for one of the Bills’ five spots at wide receiver.

But first he’ll have to prove himself. The Patriots claimed a lack of motivation stunted his rehab from a torn ACL sustained in the 2006 AFC championship game. Jackson isn’t so sure they were telling the full story.

"When I got hurt, I fell back," Jackson told ESPN. "I tore my ACL. I hurt my hamstring. Then they brought Randy Moss and Wes Welker and Donte Stallworth and all those guys in. I was put on the back burner. I'm just trying to make up for lost time now."

If Jackson makes the Bills, he’ll have a chance to exact revenge twice a year on the club that cut him loose.

He has the ambition to do just that. Jackson didn’t enter Bills camp yearning for a spot on special teams. He’s itching for a prominent role on a team in transition.

"The wide receiver position is open," Jackson said. "I can come in here and get a starting spot, No. 2 or No. 3 spot. I got a lot of opportunity here ahead of me."

Jackson has shown he has the chops to deliver on his promise. He caught 88 balls for 900 yards and nine touchdowns during his junior — and final — season at the University of Florida.

The Bills just hope his numbers on paper translate to numbers on the playing field.

"Our goal is to survive and have a good points night," Edwards said. "Daytona is always big, but racing under the lights on the Fourth of July weekend is just awesome. There would be nothing bigger than putting the No. 60 Copart Ford Mustang in Victory Lane."

The Roush Fenway team will be testing out the New Ford Mustang for the first time, but crew chief Drew Blickensderfer is confident that Edwards will be able to settle into his new ride.

"We will have to work hard during practice to get the car to handle well in the draft since it is a new car for us," Blickensderfer said. "Carl is really good at adapting to new cars and conditions so it should be a good weekend."

Despite a second-place finish at Daytona in February and last week’s finish at New Hampshire, Edwards is not letting the close goals get to him. Instead, he’s focused on consistency.

"As always, we need to stay out of the 'big one' and find drafting partners in order to finish well," he said.

But this All-Star season, the Red Sox have no players slotted to start in the Midsummer Classic in Anaheim. Of course, the polls don’t close until Thursday at 11:59 p.m. — but barring a dramatic spike in votes — most Red Sox are likely to stand pat a few spots outside the starting grid.

Don’t read too much into it. Resist fixating on the top of the charts, and much can be learned about Theo Epstein’s 2010 club, as well as the All-Star voting process in general.

Adrian Beltre is in fourth

Two things are clear.

1.  Beltre was a hell of a pickup.

2.  Rangers fans got to the ballot box early and often.

Beltre — who is batting .340 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs – has put up numbers worthy of a first or second spot at the hot corner. His fourth-place ranking shows people have at least noticed, and his impact is affirmed by the company he keeps in the top four: Evan Longoria, Alex Rodriguez and Michael Young.

Young has turned in a solid season with 11 homers and 51 RBIs, but his .316 batting average — and his ability to hunt down slow rollers — pale in comparison to Beltre.

Perhaps the best explanation is that Young is a Ranger. Ian Kinsler ranks third at second base, Elvis Andrus ranks second at shortstop, Vladimir Guerrero is the leading DH, Taylor Teagarden ranks fourth at catcher, Josh Hamilton is the second outfielder and the oft-injured Nelson Cruz is the fourth outfielder.

Now the Rangers have been impressive en route to a first-place standing in the AL West, but there are a few questionable selections in there.

You can’t vote on pitching

Epstein banked on pitching and defense heading into 2010. In large part, that’s what this poll reveals. Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz – nine and 10 game winners, respectively – each sport numbers worthy of starting the game.

Jason Bay and Manny Ramirez are on the outside looking in

Yes, it’s true. The two players Theo turned loose languish in eighth and tenth place, respectively, in the National League ballot. The former Red Sox sluggers — who have combined for 12 homers — are clearly undeserving of a starting spot. But it speaks volumes that the fans have noticed this and voted accordingly.

While the slow-starting Chase Utley – 11 homers and 36 RBIs – leads the National League in total votes, fans have looked past the reputations of the ex-Fenway stars, ratifying Epstein’s decision to let them go.

Under the radar

With a former MVP (Dustin Pedroia) and the top-producing catcher in the American League (Victor Martinez) bypassed by fans, the Red Sox may be forming a chip on their shoulder just in time for a second-half outburst.

Also overlooked has been Marco Scutaro. After a slow start, Scutaro has turned it around to the tune of a .312 average with two homers and 15 RBIs in June. Meanwhile, his OBP has been strong throughout — standing at .353 on the season. This puts him leagues ahead of guys like J.J. Hardy and Jason Bartlett, whose batting averages have lingered in the low .200s yet rank No. 3 and No. 4 among American League shortstops.

Boston fans are hoping these Red Sox come out of the gate fuming after the All-Star break in time for a tear.

Tuesday, he faces off with his mates in a round of 16 match against Japan. But before he found his name in lights, Valdez struggled to survive on the streets of San Joaquin, Yahoo reports.

"I would put on all my clothes to keep warm at night and curl up the best I could," Valdez told Yahoo.
Now Valdez makes over $1 million playing for Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga. He certainly doesn’t take soccer for granted.

"Everything I have in life … I owe to football," he said. "That I can live somewhere nice and provide for my family, that is football. That I don’t have to sleep outside or under some concrete. That I don’t have to be cold or hungry or worried about the most basic things."

Despite the United States’ early exit from the World Cup, Donovan’s three-goal effort in the tournament did not go unnoticed. Yahoo reports that Manchester City of the English Premier League sent scouts to all four of Donovan’s World Cup games, and they did not leave disappointed.

This bodes well for Donovan’s wallet. Manchester City — owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates — has vowed to splurge on big-name free agents this offseason, in an effort to erase its reputation as the "other Manchester club."

Sheikh Mansour’s group of investors has put $250 million into the team since purchasing it in 2008.

Donovan’s price tag has been estimated at $12 million in transfer fees.

The spirit of the tournament has permeated through South Africa so widely that many South African parents have bestowed Cup-themed names on their newborns.

Among the football-flavored names are Fifa, Soccer City and Bafana, to name a few.

"The day will be such an unforgettable one for us not forgetting the little bundles who were born on this historic day,"  a South African hospital nurse named Rosina Letlao told the Christian Science Monitor, on the opening day of the World Cup.

Long lost in our spring training consciousness, Josh Reddick is back with the big club to step in for the ailing J.D. Drew. Sox fans would welcome a reminder of his exploits in Fort Myers, where he batted .390 with seven doubles, a home run and nine RBIs.

Even a modest contribution would do wonders in enhancing the Boston outfield, especially with the prospect that Drew’s strained left hamstring may linger for longer than originally expected. Not to mention the fact that Drew had carried the load for an outfield that usually stacked the back of the lineup anyway.

But Reddick struggled to find a rhythm through two separate major league stints in late April and early June. He’s managed just a .176 BA on the season with two RBIs, shoved to the back of an outfield rotation chalk full of aging players. He’s only registered four plate appearances in a single game.

Reddick certainly got a lot of reps this spring. His 59 at-bats this spring were the fourth most of any Red Sox player. When given time to settle in, Reddick has shown he can duplicate the numbers that put him on the map this spring.

Yet at Triple-A Pawtucket, Reddick has failed to ratify this logic, hitting just .222 in 216 at bats. Not that it should be any cause for concern. At just 23 years of age — a 17th-round pick in 2006 — Reddick has time for a little seasoning. However his peers in the under-25 club – the likes of Jason Heyward, Jay Bruce and Mike Stanton – are proof that there’s no better place to learn than on the major league level.

Reddick can plaster a fastball, there’s no question about it. He’ll need to work on refining the fundamentals of his approach at the plate though. Before his most recent call-up he struck out 43 times, drawing only 16 walks – numbers that reveal his occasional inability to lock in on off-speed pitches.

Consistent starts in the shadow of patient hitters like Kevin Youkilis, one of the most patient hitters in the game today, may be a better recipe for development than constant exposure to the occasional bad habits of his Triple-A mates.

It sure was the case in Fort Myers.

On Friday at Nationals Park, he stood strong in the face of 40,000 fans. Or perhaps better put, sat strong?

On hand to watch Stephen Strasburg make his third career start, Obama refused to budge as the rest of the stadium participated in "The Wave."

The president elected to remain seated while the wave passed by, a move that could bolster his approval rating among diehard sports traditionalists.

While the president declined to partake, his oldest daughter Malia seemed more than happy to pick up the slack.

One photographer snapped a picture of the president, who looked to be less-than-thrilled to be engulfed by flailing arms, Power Line reports.

Five games into the season though, 46 players listed on Cape League rosters have yet to report for their summer assignments. And they couldn’t be happier.

Hailing from the eight finalists in the College World Series — University of Florida, Arizona State University, Florida State University, Oklahoma University, University of California-Los Angeles, Texas Christian University, University of South Carolina and Clemson University — these players are in Omaha, Neb. duking it out for a National Championship before heading to the Cape.

While the remaining players have settled in on each of the league’s eight teams, the complexion of the competition for the Arnold Mycock trophy will change considerably once the CWS ends.

Of the remaining CWS teams, Florida (11), Arizona State (10) and Oklahoma (10) will send the most players to the Cape League.

On the Cape League front, Orleans (2-3) is mired in fourth place in the Eastern Division. But hope lies on the horizon with four Arizona State players on the way — who won their first 24 games of the season — still playing. Infielder Riccio Torrez leads the Sun Devils at the plate with a .399 batting average, while infielder Drew Maggi went deep in the Super Regional final to lead Arizona State past Arkansas University, 7-5.

ASU's Jordan Swagerty (Wareham) — a right-handed pitcher who can also catch– logged the final 4.1 innings of the series finale with Arkansas, allowing just one run and tallying seven strikeouts.  Swagerty was picked 75th overall in the 2010 draft by the Cardinals and is one of just a few drafted players who will compete in the league.

The Cotuit Kettleers — who sport the league’s worst record at 1-4 — hope to find salvation in Clemson’s leading hitter, infielder Brad Miller. Miller leads the Tigers with a .369 batting average.

Arizona State’s Deven Marrero will join Miller on the Kettleers, fresh off a heroic moment in the CWS. His walk-off single against Arkansas won first game of Super Regional, 7-6.

While short-stacked teams will receive much-needed aid, the rich will also get richer.

Brewster (5-2) will welcome six CWS players to the eastern end of the Cape when the tournament in Omaha plays itself out.

As the CWS players trickle back East from Omaha, the picture will become clearer of which little town on the Cape will be the favorite to earn bragging rights this summer.

“I just told him to try to dump it on 18 fairways and 18 greens and there’s no way he can lose,” Harmon told ESPN Radio before the round.

Johnson did just the opposite — posting an 82 — and tying Gil Morgan’s 1992 effort for the worst by a frontrunner on Sunday at the Open.

The dismal tone of Johnson’s Sunday was set early when he registered a triple bogey and double bogey on the second and third holes and was 5-over for the day through three.

Johnson’s second-hole tee-shot landed square in the center of the fairway, but he struggled to find the green and took seven shots to move on.

On the third hole, Johnson’s tee-shot flew astray. After failing to locate the ball within five minutes, Johnson was forced back to the tee for another try.

After that, it seemed Johnson’s fate was sealed.

"Judy, somebody needs to give Dustin Johnson a hug," ESPN Radio’s Sean McDonough said to Judy Rankin on the fifth hole.

The man who walked on the course leading the tournament at 6-under left it at 5-over in a tie for eighth — five shots back of winner Graeme McDowell.

Although the 25 year old just nabbed his PGA Tour Card with a 14th place-tie in 2007 qualifying school, he was in many ways the least likely candidate for a collapse. He finished 2009 ranked 15th on the money list and has earned two of his three career wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am.

At 6-foot-4, 190 lbs, Johnson loped comfortably around Pebble Beach through Saturday as if it was his home course, walloping the ball off the tee leading to birdie and eagle opportunities.

But on Sunday, looks of confidence were replaced by those of angst as he plummeted down the leaderboard.

Maybe the real story of Johnson’s collapse was of those who couldn’t capitalize on his errors: Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson.

As the established trio struggled to shoot a combined 8-over themselves, it came as a harsh reminder of how difficult it is to tame Pebble Beach on Sunday.

Despite the Sunday setback, Johnson, the young bomber will surely be back for more.

The Eau Claire, Wis., native will return to the Badger State for this week’s Nationwide series Bucyrus 200 at Road America.

"I am really looking forward to racing in front of my hometown crowd," he said.

Home cooking has treated Menard well in the past. He captured his first career Busch Series win on June 24, 2006, at the Milwaukee Mile.

But unlike America’s Legendary Oval, Road America is true to its name, featuring the winding turns and limited continuity of a road track.

This is the inaugural event for the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Road America, but Roush Fenway has taken steps to prepare itself.

"We’ve been out testing this car at Road America and most recently at Road Atlanta," crew chief Matt Puccia said. "We are very confident that we will have a fast car, and with Paul’s experience, we are going to be running up front this weekend."

If an Olympic gold medal, the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy weren’t enough, the Blackhawks’ star forward will be featured on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 2011, Yahoo Sports reports.

It’s tough to believe the honor will harbor any sort of “Madden jinx” — at least not after his dynamic 2010.

The 22-year-old center finished the playoffs with seven goals and 22 assists for 29 points, after tallying 25 goals and 43 assists in the regular season.

A draft of the cover can be seen on Operationsports.com.

After unfounded rumors began circulating that she was pregnant, the wife of Lakers star Lamar Odom decided to find out for herself, Peacefmonline.com reports.

“I’m so nuts that I went out and got a pregnancy test!” Khloe told The Bert Show. “I was like, What if they know something that I don’t? That’s how confused I got. I was like, I don’t wanna lie, so let me figure this out.”

Any Celtics fans in Los Angeles will have ample fodder for Odom at the free-throw line.

Kansas University chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little is doing just that, as the Big 12 threatens to dissolve and leave Kansas in the dust.

With the University of Nebraska and University of Missouri leaning toward the Big 10 — and the University of Oklahoma and University of Texas conversing with the Pac 10 — Gray-Little has pled for the schools to stay for the sake of her program, ESPN.com reports.

She’s spoken with Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman, and plans on speaking with Missouri chancellor Brady J. Deaton, but has received no definitive response.

"There are some universities that survive and thrive without a large athletic program," Gray-Little told ESPN.com. "I hope we don't have to test that out."

Kansas and Kansas State University would need to scramble for a new home if the Big 12 disintegrates. Likely, that home wouldn’t be in a BCS Conference, meaning it would be a huge hit to all aspects of Kansas’ athletic program — funding and recruiting included.

The Jayhawks have already found a friend in their Sunflower State brethren.

"That's been our commitment and our plan, to the extent that it's possible, that we would work together, that we would intend to be in the same conference and have the opportunity to play one another and continue a great tradition of rivalry,” Gray-Little said.

Who says rivals have to hate each other?

“My first Cup start was there, and to go up to the Detroit area and race in front of all the folks who work so hard at Ford and support us every week is pretty special,” Edwards said. “There is a lot of pride on the line to do well up there.”

Edwards has graced victory lane 16 times since that first run in Michigan at the GFS Market Place 400. But he’s yet to nab a win in 2010.

It would be fitting for Edwards to buck the monkey from his back at a track he’s used to resurrect his career in the past.

“I broke a 52-race winless streak there in 2007 so this would be a good time to do that as well,” he said.

Edwards has managed a ninth-place position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings, even without a signature win.

To climb further up the standings, Edwards will keep his foot firmly on the pedal to participate in the wide-open racing promoted by the drafting patterns at Michigan.

"Michigan is a fun race track,” said crew chief Bob Osborne. “It is fairly smooth and has a low banking angle, so we can be very aggressive with our setup.”

Edwards isn’t the only member of Roush Fenway who has a special place in his heart for the speedway. Jack Roush himself grew up a few hours south in Manchester, Ohio, and made his name at Ford.

“I know to win there this weekend would mean a lot to Jack too, since his hometown is just up the road,” Osborne said.

Daunte Culpepper is a perfect fit for the Lions. The Sacramento Lions, that is.

The three-time Pro Bowler signed a contract Monday to rejoin former coach Dennis Green — who guided a young Culpepper to the NFC championship — in the United Football League.

A UFL championship wouldn’t quench the former Viking’s desire for an elusive Super Bowl, but time away from the rigid pace of pro-style football will be good for a gunslinger like Culpepper.

Take Kurt Warner, Doug Flutie, Trent Green and Warren Moon. All of them were signal-callers who were rejected from the NFL, and then made it back and aired it out.

Green, Warner and Moon are part of an exclusive group of 10 NFL quarterbacks who have thrown for over 4,000 yards three times in their career. None of them tallied 4,000 yards before their time outside the NFL, and only Warner pulled it off before age 30.

But how does running roughshod over the shortened fields (XFL, AFL) and shrunken defenses of an alternate league equate to improvement?

Warner and company gained a feel for the offense — and built confidence — in a quicker game where the emphasis was on pushing the envelope rather than avoiding mistakes. He clicked, and developed a style of play that suited his skill set.

Quick release. Good vision. The greatest show on turf.

Culpepper must have snuck a peak at the blueprint.

Not only is Green on board as the Lions’ coach, Culpepper’s former head coach at the University of Central Florida — Mike Kruczek — is the offensive coordinator.

After a scathing three years with the Detroit Lions and Oakland Raiders, Culpepper could use some home cooking.

“I am also excited to be reunited with my college coach Mike Kruczek as the offensive coordinator,” Culpepper told Our Sports Central. “I am expecting to have a lot of fun running a wide-open offense and being a part of the United Football League. California, here I come!”

Culpepper will have difficult time matching the fun of his rookie season in Minnesota — 3,937 yards, 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions — when Green’s three-receiver offense called for routine bombs downfield. In 2004, the same scheme produced a career year, as Culpepper threw for 4,717, 39 TDs and just 11 picks.

The men who molded Culpepper to his peak will have ample time to work with him at the high school stadium the Lions call their practice field.

And they may just win a championship while they’re at it.

Will a kid’s arm stay healthy? Will he develop his pitches? Will the ball fly off a slice of timber the same way it rockets off metal? These questions can take years to resolve themselves — sometimes they never do.

Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has to be pleased with the answers he’s received since taking the helm.

But who has been Epstein’s best pick?

Jonathon Papelbon was the Red Sox’ fourth-round pick in 2003 out of Mississippi State University. After jetting to the big leagues in just two years, Papelbon flirted with converting back to a starter. But 164 saves later, it’s clear that staying the closer was the right decision.

Dustin Pedroia was the Red Sox’ second-round pick in 2004 out of Arizona State University. After struggling to get acclimated late in 2006 and early on in 2007, Pedroia stepped in as a cornerstone on the team that won the 2007 World Series. He took home Rookie of the Year in 2007 and MVP honors in 2008 and has emerged into a superstar in the league.

Jacoby Ellsbury was the Red Sox’ first-round pick in 2005 out of Oregon State University. The speedster was a catalyst on the 2007 club, and has embraced his role as a sparkplug at the top of the order, leading the league in steals in 2008 and 2009.

Clay Buchholz was the Red Sox’ supplemental round pick in 2005 out of Angelina Junior College in Texas. He threw a no-hitter in 2007 but was sent down to the minors after a disappointing 2008, and concerns about his makeup bubbled back to the surface. With a 6-1 record to close out his 2009 season and eight wins already in 2010, it looks like those worries can be put to bed.

Daniel Bard was the Red Sox’ first-round pick in 2006 out of the University of North Carolina. The strikeout machine is primed for a future as a big league closer and has a 2.95 ERA in 77 appearances since his debut last June.

Who has been Epstein’s best selection in the MLB draft?

Share your thoughts below. The best comments will be read on NESN's Red Sox GameDay Live or Red Sox Final.

June 6: How many Red Sox should make the AL All-Star team

After dealing ace Roy Halladay to the Phillies in the offseason, the Jays were expected to flounder near the bottom of the American League East in 2010. Losing Halladay — who already has eight wins — was supposed to cost the Blue Jays games. Beyond ERA, strikeouts and innings, the club had lost its stopper, the pitcher everyone knew could step in and put a losing skid to a sudden halt.

But Toronto has found peace of mind in the home run. At 33-25, the Blue Jays are two games better than they were on June 6, 2009. The reason? A major league-leading 97 home runs.

The unlikely sources of this power surge may be the most intriguing aspect of this club. Depending on their outlook, this is either the most exciting or unsettling element for Blue Jays fans.

It’s no surprise Vernon Wells has 15 homers. The three-time Gold Glove winner has tallied seasons of 33 and 32 homers in the past. It’s 29-year-old journeyman Jose Bautista who has awed the Blue Jay faithful with his breakout performance of 18 homers, already the most he’s totaled in his seven-year career.

Bautista would appear to have a better chance of staying hot than Alex Gonzalez. The shortstop — known for flashing the leather — has 12 homers thus far. Considering Gonzalez has failed to reach double figures six times since his rookie year, he’s the obvious candidate to drop off.

But don’t count the Blue Jays out yet. Though on the surface the offense looks to have nowhere to go but down, Toronto’s two most prolific performers from 2009 have slumped.

Aaron Hill and Adam Lind — who in 2009 hit 36 and 35 bombs, respectively — are each hitting below their weight. Hill has struggled with a hamstring injury and is batting .186 with eight homers and 19 RBIs, while Lind sits at a .210 clip with eight homers and 30 RBIs.

Hitting in the two slots directly ahead of Wells and Bautista in the Blue Jays order, Hill and Lind don’t need to hit it out of the park. They just need to set the table.

If they can raise their averages, the Blue Jays’ rotation will get run support that Halladay would envy.