My weekly observations about stories around the baseball world from a Canadian perspective (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports):
– With his struggles at the plate this season, Brett Lawrie definitely isn’t leading the Toronto Blue Jays in OPS (On-base percentage + slugging percentage). He does, however, top the Jays in OAS (Obscenities After Swings). So far, Sportsnet hasn’t found a way to muffle their mikes quick enough after Lawrie’s outbursts.
– The most difficult thing about watching the Jays lose repeatedly to the Yankees this season has been that they’re being dominated by a lineup that includes three ex-Jays – Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Jayson Nix – that Jays fans and the club’s front office couldn’t get out of town quickly enough.
– I always like to stay on top of what has happened to members of the vaunted 1994 Montreal Expos squad that a player strike robbed of a postseason berth. Right-handed reliever Gil Heredia, who posted a 3.46 ERA in 39 games that campaign, is now the pitching coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Class-A Advanced affiliate Visalia Rawhide of the California League.
– In the category of “that figures,” Kelly Johnson owns a .488 slugging percentage, has knocked in 24 runs and has reduced his strikeout frequency dramatically in 38 games with the Tampa Bay Rays this season.
– In my previous blog entry, I wrote about the two games that 2013 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees George Bell and Tim Raines both homered in as teammates with the Chicago White Sox. A couple of days later, I realized that I had slighted their fellow Canadian ball hall inductee Rob Ducey. Ducey and Bell both went deep in the same game as Blue Jays teammates on September 14, 1987 against the Baltimore Orioles at Exhibition Stadium. That was the game that fellow Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Ernie Whitt also clubbed three homers and the Jays set a big league record by belting 10 round-trippers.
– In a discouraging piece of Canadian baseball news that was not widely reported, Victoria, B.C., native Rich Harden’s attempted comeback with the Minnesota Twins isn’t going well, according to Twins beat reporter Rhett Bollinger. The 31-year-old Harden, who missed all of last season following rotator cuff surgery, was shut down after experiencing soreness in his rehab efforts a few weeks ago.
– MLB Trade Rumors is reporting that Canadian citizen and former Jay Mark Teahen asked for and received his release from the Arizona Diamondbacks yesterday. He is now a free agent. Earlier this month, a trade had been worked out that would’ve sent Teahen to the Cincinnati Reds, but that deal was quashed when the Reds had concerns about his physical. Like Harden, Teahen last played in the big leagues in 2011.
– How bad are things for ex-Jay Jon Rauch? After posting a 6.89 ERA in 15-2/3 innings this season, he was designated for assignment by the lowly Miami Marlins last Friday. Rauch’s stock has diminished so much that not even Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos, who’s desperate for relief help and seems to claim everyone on waivers, doesn’t appear to be interested.
– If you haven’t already done so, please “LIKE” the Cooperstowners in Canada Facebook page. I update this page regularly with links to Canadian baseball stories. Thanks again for all your support.
all kinds of news I didn’t know, Thanks kevin
Thanks, Scott. The Jays could do worse than signing Teahen as a depth player in Buffalo.
Hey, Kevin. Don’t forget the Yanks’ Ben Rivera was also a former Jay. One game the other day, four of the first six Yankees batters were ex-Jays. Crazy.
Of course, I meant Ben Francisco.
Thanks for the comment, Eric. Yes, I forgot about Ben Francisco. He hasn’t made quite the impact of Wells or Overbay, but he’s played a lot for the Yankees this year.
From Devon Teeple:
Might be best to send Lawrie down to the minors for a bit. Can’t hurt
Thanks for the comment, Devon. I can’t see that happening, but it might not be a bad idea. Although, his defence continues to be out of this world.
I really appreciate your blog, great news of what going on with Canadians playing/played in MLB. I just picked up Steve Wilson’s 1987 ProCard – Port Charlotte. I would love to find his 1986 Tulsa Drillers Team Issue card. I have a baseball card collection of all Canadian Born MLP. I try to get the players first card ( Minor), their RC and their final card. Only one player has four cards, Jenkins – Hall of Fame. Did leave a space for Larry Walker, should be in the hall.
Thanks for the kind words, Wayne. I’ll keep an eye out for the 1986 Wilson card for you. I’m just curious, what are the four Jenkins cards you have? Does he have a minor league card?
Sorry for taking so long to answer, I’m not a regular on this site. Anyway, The four Jenkins cards I have in my Canadian Players album are : 1966 Topps # 254, 1984 Topps # 483, 2005 UD Classics # 33 and 2001 UD Cooperstown Collection # 13.
I ,m not aware of a Jenkins minor league card. I do have a number of Jenkins cards 1977 and newer. I’m still looking for the 86 Wilson card, they do come up on ebay but generally you have to take the team set.
Thanks for your response, Wayne. As I mentioned earlier, I will definitely keep an eye out for the Wilson card for you. If you’d like to follow the blog, you can subscribe on the home page. Thanks again.