Kevin Glew’s Canadian Baseball History Blog
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • On Thursday, Josh Donaldson became the third Toronto Blue Jays player to be named the American League MVP, joining George Bell, who won the honour in 1987 and Carlos Delgado in 2003. Oh wait. Sorry. Delgado finished second in 2003 to Alex Rodriguez in... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Believe it or not, after Blue Jays centre fielder Kevin Pillar made an ill-advised dive for a line drive hit by Billy Burns in the eighth inning in Thursday’s game against Oakland that turned what should’ve been a single into a triple, there were... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Right-hander Marco Estrada will get the start for the Toronto Blue Jays today on his 32nd birthday. His birthday present: he gets to pitch against 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander. For the record, this will be Estrada’s first big league... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Adding intrigue to 24-year-old lefty Matt Boyd’s start with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday is that he’s reportedly the type of prospect that the Philadelphia Phillies covet in a deal for closer Jonathan Papelbon. Boyd, who allowed four runs in 6-2/3 innings in... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • ESPN’s Darren Wolfson reports that free agent left-hander Scott Diamond (Guelph, Ont.) threw for the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. With Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly and Alex Colome sidelined with injuries and ailments and Matt Moore still recuperating from Tommy John surgery, the Rays... Continue Reading →
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported on Friday that the Pittsburgh Pirates intend to extend a $15.3-million qualifying offer to free agent Russell Martin. Coming off one of his finest big league seasons, the Canadian catcher reportedly declined a multi-year offer by Pirates during... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Whitey Herzog called Bruce Sutter the "Sandy Koufax of relievers," and on September 8, 1977, the Montreal Expos certainly felt the same way. Armed with his overpowering split-finger fastball, the bearded right-hander entered the game at Wrigley Field in the eighth inning with the Cubs and Expos deadlocked in... Continue Reading →
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Longtime Montreal Expos fans won't be surprised to learn that Mike Schmidt belted his first major league home run against their beloved club. To many of them, it seemed like the Phillies star never stopped hitting home runs off of Expos hurlers during his Hall of Fame career. With... Continue Reading →
If only Canadian baseball fans could turn their clocks back 30 years. That was my initial reaction when a fellow baseball aficionado handed me a copy of the July 11, 1983 edition of Maclean's magazine (cover pictured above) last week. With 2005 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Dave Stieb and Steve Rogers (who are... Continue Reading →
Being inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame proved to be a good omen for Gary Carter and Andre Dawson. After being honoured at the St. Marys, Ont.-based ball shrine, both of the former Montreal Expos stars were later enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Their longtime teammate, Tim Raines,... Continue Reading →
