Toronto Blue Jays prospect Tom Robson never felt the popping sensation associated with a torn ulnar collateral ligament.

Instead, the right-hander — who will have Tommy John surgery in Pensacola, Fla., on Tuesday — experienced a nagging discomfort that simply wouldn't go away.

"I woke up with it one day and it never got better," said Robson, whose surgery will be performed by the renowned Dr. James Andrews. "It had been something that was bothering me for a while, so I knew it wasn't right."

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Jimmy Van Ostrand had a unique view of one of Canada’s most memorable baseball moments.

He was watching it from second base.

After hitting a two-out double down the right-field line to plate Chris Robinson and Tim Smith and give Canada a 2-1 edge over the United States in the gold medal final of the 2011 Pan Am Games in Guadalajara, Mex., the Richmond, B.C., native had to observe from a distance as the Canadian bench erupted with joy.

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Drew Hutchison doesn't have to look far to find a decent pitching role model.

All he has to do is turn his head to the left.

With veteran southpaw Mark Buehrle occupying the locker next to Hutchison's in the Toronto Blue Jays clubhouse, the 23-year-old righty says he's fortunate to be able to learn from one of the best in the game on a daily basis.

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Jamie Romak will always remember his first major league at-bat. After all, he waited 12 years for it.

A veteran minor leaguer in the Los Angeles Dodgers system, Romak was called up from triple-A Albuquerque on Wednesday to take the place of outfielder Carl Crawford — who had sprained his ankle the night before to land on the 15-day disabled list — and made his debut that night in the Dodgers’ 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

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It's amazing what a little hockey tape can do. Just ask Justin Morneau's teammates.

Prior to Canada's infamous World Baseball Classic game against Mexico in March 2013, the New Westminster, B.C., native passed a roll of hockey tape around the locker-room and asked everyone to put a strip of it somewhere on their jerseys.

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Finding success with the knuckleball in the major leagues is rare.

But finding success as a knuckleball pitcher and as a children’s book author at the same time is even more uncommon.

R.A. Dickey is hoping to master both when his new book ‘Knuckleball Ned,’ is released May 1.

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If you listened to John Gibbons' pre-game chat Tuesday, you'd think the Toronto Blue Jays manager was clairvoyant after what unfolded on the field.

Asked about Brett Lawrie, who came into the game hitting .172 with a .182 on-base percentage and .254 slugging percentage. Gibbons said he had a feeling the Langley, B.C., native was about to turn the page on his poor offensive start to the season.

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He’s funny.

He’s lovable.

And he’s back.

After eight games with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Munenori Kawasaki has been called up to rejoin Toronto’s big league club.

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