November 6, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly Canadian baseball news and notes: -Given the number of excellent defensive first basemen the Toronto Blue Jays have had over the years (Willie Upshaw, John Olerud, Lyle Overbay and Justin Smoak come to mind), it's surprising that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.) is the... Continue Reading →
Cooperstowners in Canada: Mike Schmidt
November 2, 2022 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 Expos hurlers during his Hall of Fame... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Russell Martin, Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, Ernie Whitt
Canadian Junior National Team members (left to right) Hugh Pinkney, Sam White, Ty Hamilton, Cameron Chee-Aloy and Carson Lumley (background) chat it up with Russell Martin prior to the Toronto Blue Jays game on Canada Day. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays July 3, 2022 By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada -On Canada Day at Rogers Centre, the... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Larry Walker, Joey Votto, Steve Rogers, Scott Diamond
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: -Get well soon to Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) who revealed last Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Walker was scheduled to take part in the All-Star Game festivities in Denver, Colo., but he was forced to... Continue Reading →
Fun Montreal Expos draft facts: Carter, Dawson, Raines, Rogers, Wallach
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada With the 2021 MLB draft set to begin on July 11, I thought it would be fitting to share some draft research I've done on some legendary Montreal Expos players over the years. Gary Carter Carter was selected by the Expos in the third round (53rd overall) of the... Continue Reading →
Former Montreal Expos pitcher Derek Aucoin passes away at 50
By Kevin Glew Cooperstowners in Canada Former Montreal Expos pitcher and Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Derek Aucoin passed away on Saturday night at the age of 50 after a courageous battle with brain cancer. The news of Aucoin's passing was shared by multiple Quebec news outlets on Sunday morning. Aucoin, who became the... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Russell Martin, Jason Bay, Fergie Jenkins, John Upham
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · With the end of 2019 drawing near, it’s important to remember those from the Canadian baseball community that we lost this year. Three Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees passed away in 2019. Longtime big league umpire and Montreal native Jim McKean died on... Continue Reading →
Book Review: Blue Monday: The Expos, the Dodgers and the Home Run that Changed Everything, by Danny Gallagher
“It still hurts.” That’s the response you’ll get from Montreal Expos fans like myself when you mention “Blue Monday” because those sinister words force us to relive the events of Monday, October 19, 1981. It was on that chilly fall day that the Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers played the fifth and deciding game of... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Vladimir Guerrero, John Axford, Jim Adduci, Ryan Goins
My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · For those of us who remember the exciting Montreal Expos teams from the ’80s and ’90s, one of the highlights of the Toronto Blue Jays exhibition games at Olympic Stadium over the past three years has been the Expos legends that have returned and... Continue Reading →
But What Do I Know? . . . Jesen Therrien, Andrew Albers, David Cone, Bob Lemon
Photo Credit: Baseball Quebec (Twitter) My weekly observations and notes about some Canadian baseball stories: · Philadelphia Phillies reliever and Montreal native Jesen Therrien wins our unofficial award for best Canadian nickname on Players Weekend. The back of the 6-foot-2 right-hander’s jersey (see above) says “MTL-NORD” – a tribute to his home city. Unfortunately, it... Continue Reading →