My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • I can’t wait to watch the defending champion Canadians take on the United States in the Pan Am Games gold medal baseball game tonight. This is a dream match-up for the Pan Am Games and their TV rights holder, CBC, in a sport that... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Drew Hutchison, Ron Fairly, 1994 Montreal Expos
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Drew Hutchison’s 2015 season is shaping up to be eerily similar to Ricky Romero’s 2012 campaign. Both were Opening Day starters in those respective seasons and both benefitted from strong run support prior to the All-Star break. In 2012, Romero was 8-4 with a... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Josh Donaldson, Jeff Francis, Gene Tenace
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • After the Toronto Blue Jays traded third baseman Brett Lawrie (Langley, B.C.) to the Oakland A’s as part of the package for Josh Donaldson on November 28, almost every Jays fan I encountered said that they wished the club hadn’t traded Lawrie. My standard... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Jim Fanning, Andrew Albers, Joe Carter
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • The official obituary for Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Fanning appeared in Saturday’s London Free Press. The life of the legendary Montreal Expos executive and field manager, who passed away of heart failure on April 25 at the age of 87, will be... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Jim Fanning, Michael Saunders, Jeff Francis
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • When you see tributes to Jim Fanning on Twitter from everyone from former players like Tim Raines and Tim Burke to Liberal leader Justin Trudeau to several members of the Toronto media, you realize just how universally loved and respected “Gentleman Jim” was. Fanning... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Pat Borders, Cal Quantrill, Jim Henderson
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • The Philadelphia Phillies have hired former Toronto Blue Jays catcher Pat Borders to manage the Short-Season Class-A Williamsport Crosscutters for the 2015 season. The 1992 World Series MVP suited up for 17 big league campaigns, including parts of eight (1988 to 1994, 1999) with... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Ernie Banks, Erik Bedard, Scott Diamond
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Ryan Dempster (Gibsons, B.C.) and Fergie Jenkins (Chatham, Ont.), two Canadians who pitched for the bulk of their careers at Wrigley Field, took to Twitter yesterday to pay tribute to Cubs legend Ernie Banks, who passed away on Friday at the age of 83.... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Jeff Francis, Rob Ducey, Jim Adduci
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • As Bob Elliott notes in a great piece for the Canadian Baseball Network, the Toronto Blue Jays could have three Canadians – Russell Martin (catcher, Montreal, Que.), Brett Lawrie (third base, Langley, B.C.) and Dalton Pompey (centre field, Mississauga, Ont.) – in their starting... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Jean-Pierre Roy, Rick Langford, Jeff Francis
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Quebec baseball pioneer Jean-Pierre Roy passed away on Friday at the age of 94 in Margate, Fla. Roy had been suffering from prostate cancer, but his wife, Jeanne Duval Roy, said that he died from complications related to high blood pressure. Born in Montreal... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . George Kottaras, Justin Morneau, Frank Torre
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • When Scarborough, Ont., native George Kottaras replaced Josh Thole in the seventh inning in last Wednesday’s game, he became the second Canadian to catch for the Toronto Blue Jays. The first was Vancouver-born Mike Nickeas who saw action in one game last season. •... Continue Reading →