Jim Fanning is Canadian baseball royalty. The ebullient former Montreal Expos manager, who turned 84 in September, remains active in Canadian baseball circles. With over 60 years in professional baseball as a player, manager, executive, ambassador and most recently a fill-in analyst on Blue Jays’ radio broadcasts, the amiable Fanning, who resides in London, Ont.,... Continue Reading →
Former Expo Charlie Lea dies at 54
Charlie Lea, the only Montreal Expo to toss a no-hitter at Olympic Stadium, died at his home in Collierville, Tenn., on Friday. Reports indicate that the 54-year-old, former all-star died of a massive heart attack. Lea, who had been working as a radio analyst with the Memphis Redbirds (St. Louis Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate), was interviewed... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Edwin Encarnacion, Roberto Alomar, J.P. Ricciardi
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories (Follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): I still feel that Blue Jays fans are too harsh on Edwin Encarnacion, but I have to admit they are very clever. With his two errors at first base in Wednesday’s game, witty Jays supporters have taken to... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Ryan Dempster, Corey Patterson, Gary Carter
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories (Please follow me on Twitter: @kevinglewsports): I’m old enough to remember George Bell patrolling the outfield for the Jays, and circus music played in my head when the ball was hit to Fred Lewis last season, but those two seem like Gold Glove... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Juan Rivera, Goose Gossage, Chuck Tanner
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: Blue Jays fans: The good news about Juan Rivera, acquired in the Vernon Wells deal, is that he hits like George Bell. The bad news is that he also fields like George Bell. In reading Larry Millson’s 1987 book, Ballpark Figures: The... Continue Reading →
The Elite Eight: Members of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Cooperstown
One trivia question that I like to ask my fellow Canadian baseball junkies is, how many players, managers or executives are members of both the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame (CBHFM) and the National Baseball Hall of Fame? With Pat Gillick and Roberto Alomar set to be honoured in Cooperstown this summer, the answer to... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Adam Lind, Fred Lewis, Roberto Alomar, Travis Snider
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: Two words that Adam Lind has grown to dread are high fastball. He just can’t seem to lay off the high heat. I remember reading a story of how Branch Rickey sent a young Duke Snider to the minors and made him stand... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? … Scott Downs, David Purcey, Andre Dawson, Jose Bautista
My weekly opinions, observations and rants about some Canadian baseball stories: If Scott Downs is dealt as he’s expected to be, that means David Purcey becomes the Jays’ go-to southpaw out of the pen. If this is the case, Cito Gaston will have to take the kid gloves off the former first rounder. Sure,... Continue Reading →
Dawson makes it clear he wants to be remembered as a Cub
Andre Dawson’s Hall of Fame induction speech was a moving tribute to his mom and grandmother, and a testament to his love for the game. But The Hawk’s Cooperstown address also made it crystal clear that he wants to be remembered as a Cub, not an Expo. To Expos supporters, this shouldn’t come as a... Continue Reading →
Tim Raines should be next Montreal Expo honoured in Cooperstown
This weekend it will be The Hawk, but in the future, it should be “Rock.” At least, that’s what many Montreal Expos fans – including yours truly – are hoping. As Andre Dawson is enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame tomorrow, the wish is that his good friend, Tim “Rock” Raines will be... Continue Reading →