My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · After consulting with my friends at Alberta Dugout Stories (@ABDugoutStories) and with Alberta baseball expert Ruben Lipszyc, I believe I can safely say that when Calgary native Mike Soroka started against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday that he became the first pitcher born... Continue Reading →
Tag: John Hiller
But What Do I Know? . . . Gary Carter, Larry Walker, John Hiller, James Paxton
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · Forty-nine years ago today, the Montreal Expos defeated Tom Seaver and the eventual World Series champion New York Mets at Shea Stadium 11-10 in their first regular season game. Left-handed reliever Don Shaw was the winning pitcher for the Expos, while fellow southpaw Dan... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Andrew Albers, James Paxton, Scott Diamond, Jose Bautista
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · Left-hander James Paxton (Ladner, B.C.) allowed three runs in 1-1/3 innings in his return to the Seattle Mariners’ rotation on Friday after being out since August 11 with a left pectoral muscle strain. It was a disappointing performance, but with his return and North... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Terry Francona, Brad Mills, Joe Carter
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: The 1982 Topps Montreal Expos Future Stars card (pictured above) showcases Terry Francona and Brad Mills together on their first Topps baseball card. Both played for the Expos’ only playoff team in 1981 and 35 years later, Mills is serving as Francona’s bench coach for... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Russell Martin, Jason Dickson, Vladimir Guerrero
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: Montreal native Russell Martin helped make history on Tuesday when he belted two home runs against the New York Yankees in the Toronto Blue Jays’ 12-6 victory at Yankee Stadium. In that game, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez also clubbed two home runs, marking the first... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Dustin Molleken, Dustin McGowan, Fergie Jenkins
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: After 13 long seasons in the minors, right-hander Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) was called up by the Detroit Tigers on Monday. Unfortunately, he did not pitch in a game before the Tigers shipped him back to triple-A Toledo two days later. A 15th round pick... Continue Reading →
Cooperstowners in Canada: Rod Carew
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Without Rod Carew, Tony Fernandez probably wouldn’t have recorded more hits than any other player in Toronto Blue Jays history. Fernandez, who rapped out 1,583 hits with the Blue Jays, idolized the Panama-born Hall of Famer and modeled his batting stance after him. And if you were lucky enough... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Josh Donaldson, John Hiller, Brett Cecil
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson is on pace to post a 9.2 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) this season. WAR is an all-encompassing statistic that measures the number of wins a player (taking into account their offensive and defensive contributions) adds to their... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Brett Lawrie, Fergie Jenkins, J.P. Arencibia
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • There are those in the Canadian baseball community that believe Brett Lawrie (Langley, B.C.) needed a dose of humility. Well, he got one on Tuesday when he struck out four times on 12 pitches in his second game with the Oakland A’s. In... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Minnie Minoso, Dayan Viciedo, John Hiller
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: • Just 35 days after Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, died, Mr. White Sox has also passed away. Legendary outfielder Minnie Minoso died early Sunday at the age of 90. The trailblazing Cuban, who suited up in major league games in five different decades, played parts... Continue Reading →