SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – Baseball Canada’s National Senior rallied to narrowly avoid being upset by a pesky South African team, Tuesday Night at Scottsdale Stadium, hanging on for a wild 11-8 victory in its first-ever World Baseball Classic Game. Three outs away from pulling off the biggest upset of the World Baseball Classic, South Africa and its 17-year-old reliever Jared Elario couldn’t prevent a four-run, ninth inning rally from Canada, who had to look to its bench for a hero. After entering the game late as a defensive replacement, Ryan Radmanovich (Calgary, Alberta) hit a 430-foot triple off the base of the wall in straight-away center to lead-off the ninth inning for Canada. Radmanovich was cashed in by a double to right by Adam Stern (Port Stanley, Ont.) to tie the game. Elario continued to struggle, throwing two wild pitches with Canadians on third base and giving up an RBI double to reserve outfielder Sebastien Boucher (Ottawa, Ont.) to run the final score out to 11-8. “How was that for an emotional roller coaster to start the tournament?” said Canada’s second baseman Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.). “This was probably a good game for us, not only because it was back and forth and we fought back to win the game, but because it lets us realize that anything can happen in a tournament like this.” After taking a 3-0 lead, South Africa came back to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Canada came answered with four runs in the seventh to regain a three-run lead, but with the bases loaded, South African second baseman Paul Bell cleared the bases with a double down the left field line to put South Africa up 9-8 going into the ninth inning. Bell went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, one run, one walk and four RBI. Corey Koskie (Anola, Manitoba) hit a two-run blast to right in the top half of the seventh inning to help Canada take a temporary 7-4 lead. Coskey finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBI, one double and three walks. "Usually, this is still early in Spring Training and you don't play with this intensity," said Koskie. "There was no 75 to 80 percent out there today. It was 100 to 110 percent all the way through. Nobody was leaving anything behind. You saw that with our guys, and their guys.” After a relatively uneventful first four innings where the two teams combined for only three hits, the offences took over and the wheels came off for almost every pitcher that came into the game for both teams. Canada got on the board first with a three-run fifth highlighted by a two-run double to right from Designated hitter Matt Stairs (Fredericton, N.B.). South Africa came back to take the lead going into the sixth thanks in part to a bases clearing double from shortstop Brett Willemburg with the bases loaded. The game featured 16 walks, 8 wild pitches (all by South Africa), three hit batsmen and five errors. There were 47 base runners on the game behind only 27 hits. The game went 3 hours and 38 minutes, giving Canada just over 12 hours to prepare for their second game of the tournament. “We’ve got the win now and what we have to do is go home, get rested and be ready to face the Americans tomorrow,” said Stern. Canada will face the United States in the second match-up of the World Baseball Classic Wednesday at 4 p.m. EST at Chase field in Phoenix, Arizona. Adam Loewen will get the ball for Canada while Dontrelle Willis will start for the Americans.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – 21-year-old Baltimore Orioles prospect Adam Loewen will lead a group of young pitchers into Canada’s second World Baseball match-up against the United States this afternoon. The 6’5”, 225-pound left-hander will start the game on the mound for Canada, who is 1-0 after defeating South Africa Tuesday night in Scottsdale, Arizona. “Adam has a lot of talent coming out of that arm,” said Canadian Manager Ernie Whit of the fourth selection in the 2001 MLB draft. “He’s got tremendous stuff and the Americans have never seen him before, so I’m confident he can go out there and do very well.” Loewen, who led the 2005 Arizona Fall League in ERA (1.67) is Canada’s highest-ever draft pick and is rated No. 2 on Baseball America’s evaluation of the top prospects in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization. He threw two innings, allowing no runs, one hit and two walks during a spring training game for the Orioles in his last outing when he faced the Florida Marlins Thursday, March 3. It’s likely that Loewen won’t be the only young pitcher to throw against the U.S. 26-year-old Chris Begg, 22-year-old Scott Mathieson, and 24-year-old Vince Perkins will all be available after not being used in yesterday’s game against South Africa. Eric Cyr (27), Steve Green (28), Mike Meyers (28) and Aaron Myette (28) are also available. Including the position players, Canada’s World Baseball Classic squad features 10 players aged 25 or under. “I think that helps team chemistry a little bit,” said Mathieson, one of the top pitching prospects in the Philadelphia Phillies’ system. “We all realize that this is a big opportunity for us and we really look to feed off of each other as well as learning from the more experienced guys like Paul Quantrill or Rheal Cormier.” The collection of young players is part of a core group of athletes who have a wealth of international tournament experience, which some consider to be one of Canada’s biggest strengths under the World baseball Classic’s format. The 10 players under the age of 25 combine 42 international tournaments on various Baseball Canada’s National Team programs. Canadian Manager Ernie Whitt said that having such a talented group of young players projects a very good outlook for the future of Canadian baseball. “I think it’s going to bode very well for us because these guys are going to gain a lot of experience at this tournament,” said Whitt. “I think it’s really going to pay dividends for Canadian Baseball. This is a great opportunity for them to come in here and showcase their abilities under the spotlight. They’re going to come out competing against Major League hitters and there are going to be a lot of scouts out there. A lot of opportunities might arise out of this.” Game time is scheduled for 4 p.m. EST at Chase Field in Phoenix. Fans can watch the game live across the country on all Rogers Sportsnet channels. Fans without cable or satellite packages can also follow the game live at www.worldbaseballclassic.com.
POENIX, ARIZONA – Navan Ontario’s Erik Bedard will be handed the ball on the mound for Canada’s first-ever World Baseball Classic match up tonight against South Africa. Bedard’s start was a late decision for Manager Ernie Whitt, who decided to start the Baltimore Orioles’ left-hander in order to have him available more quickly should Canada advance to the second round. Fellow lefty and Orioles’ prospect Adam Loewen, who was originally schedule to play against South Africa will now throw against the United States, Wednesday. “We just felt that if we pitched Bedard first, then his next assignment would likely fall against Japan in the next round, provided we qualify,” said Whitt. “We feel that Japan is a pretty good hitting ball club and that Bedard would match up better against them than Adam Loewen.” Despite the short notice, Whitt is extremely confident that Bedard will bring his A-Game in his first-start ever for a Canadian National Team. “Erik has a lot of experience on the mound and he’s one of the best pitcher’s in the game when he’s healthy,” said Whitt. “And he is healthy right now.” Bedard started the 2005 season 5-1 with a 2.09 ERA before going on the disable list in late may. He finished the season 6-8 with a 4.00 ERA. South Africa is expected to send the well-conditioned Carl Michaels to the mound. Michaels, a 24-year old once in the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League system, threw 13 innings in a 5-4 loss to the second-place Koreans at the 2005 World Cup in the Netherlands. Michaels allowed 12 hits and struck out 12 of the 53 batters he faced in that game. He was charged with only two earned runs but fired a wild pitch that sent the winning run home from third base in the bottom of the 13th inning. Game time is scheduled for 9:05 p.m. EST at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona. Fans can watch the game live on Rogers Sportsnet East, Ontario and Pacific or tape-delayed at 1:00 a.m. EST on Rogers Sportsnet West. For those without cable television packages, the game will also be featured live at www.worldbaseballclassic.com.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – Baseball Canada’s national senior team is heading to the World Baseball Classic with a full head of steam after convincingly beating the Kia Tigers 7-1, Saturday. The Tigers, a professional team from Korea currently training in the United States, put up a fight early thanks to a brilliant performance by starting pitcher Jim Woo Kim, who held the Canadians to no runs and just one hit while striking out four batters, including three major leaguers. However, Kim’s first strikeout victim, Jason Bay, got his revenge on the Tigers in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a deep solo-homerun to left-center field for the first run of the game. Bay’s homerun off of reliever Hee-Girl Kim ignited a Canadian offence which had struggled up to that point. First baseman Justin Morneau followed with a hard-hit single to right and later scored on an errant throw as Hee-Girl Kim attempted to pick him off at the base. Canadian pitchers were efficient against the Korean batters. Starter Jeff Francis threw two scoreless innings to get the ball rolling. Chris Begg then needed only 22 pitches to retire six straight batters to preserve Canada’s 2-0 lead going into the top of the fifth. Vince Perkins and Eric Cyr then combined for three scoreless innings to shut the Tigers down through seven innings. Canada blew the door open in the bottom half of the seventh thanks to a solid team effort, putting together a three run-inning with all the damage being done with two away. Ryan Radmanovich drove hit an RBI single to right field while Peter Orr zipped two-run single up the middle for a 5-0 Canadian lead. Kia led the top of the eighth inning with a pair of pinch-hit doubles by Jae-Hak Shim and Ju-Hyung Kim to cut the lead to 5-1, but would get no closer. The Canadians added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning thanks to a two-run single by Maxim St. Pierre to make it 6-1. Canada’s next test will be its first game of the World Ball Classic, March 7th against South Africa. Game time is schedule for 9 p.m. EST at Scottsdale Stadium.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – Port Hope, Ontario’s Paul Quantrill is only the third pitcher in the history of Canadian baseball (and the first in 25 years) to rank in Canada's top-10 in wins (84), innings pitched (1255.7), strikeouts (725) and saves (21). He has pitched in the Major League Baseball All-Star game and has taken to the mound in several playoff appearances, establishing himself as one of the finest pitchers ever to come out of Canada. A true Canadian workhorse, he has also pitched in more major league games than any other Canadian pitcher - his mark of 841 eclipsing the previous record of 664 games pitched by Hall-of-famer Ferguson Jenkins. However, despite all of the accolades he has received over his 14-year Major League career, Quantrill has never represented Canada in international competition – until now. The 37-year old, who announced his retirement from the majors this week will be making his first appearance on a Canadian national team at the first-ever World Baseball Classic, which begins for Canada March, 7 against South Africa in Scottsdale, Arizona. Contrary to current practice, professional players of any kind were not eligible to play in international competition as Quantrill worked his way up the minor league ranks. For him, the World Baseball Classic came just in time. “I think this will always hold a special place in my heart because there’s nothing you can do in professional baseball that puts you in a position where you’re truly representing your country,” said Quantrill. “I’ve always taken great pride in being loyal to my team and representing my club, but when you’re representing your country and all of the people in Canada, that’s something that’s a world apart.” “I would certainly hope that anybody would want to participate in a tournament like this at some point and usually you would get a chance earlier, but that just didn’t work out for me,” he added. “This is something that I’ve always wanted to do.” One of Team Canada’s strengths is undoubtedly the amount of international experience its players bring to the table – a combined 79 International Baseball Federation sanctioned tournaments. Although Quantrill does not factor into that equation, his experience and leadership will surely be useful on a club which features 10 players who were born in the 1980s. “It’s great because all you can do is pick his brain and learn through a pitcher like him,” said 22-year-old Phillies prospect Scott Mathieson. “He’s been around for a while and he’s got a lot more knowledge than us young guys do so that can only help.”Quantrill, stressed Canadian manager Ernie Whitt, will also lead by example. He’ll be capping off a tremendous career by wearing his heart on his sleeve and the word “Canada” across his chest – a well deserved moment for a true Canadian baseball hero.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – Baseball Canada’s national senior team lost its first tune-up to the World Baseball Classic, today, 9-4 to the Toronto Blue Jays. The match-up, says Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt, was an excellent opportunity to get most of his players into the game and in many instances, try a variety of players at different positions. “I think it’s very important to play as many games as you can before going into a tournament like this,” said Whitt. “First of all you want the players on the team to get a feel for each other and secondly, a lot of these players have not been to spring training yet, so they need these game situations.” “I thought we did very well today,” added Whitt. “We didn’t make any errors and we had some really good at-bats. We didn’t drive in the runs when we had runners in scoring position, which was a little disappointing, but that’s why we have these games.” Having his pitchers face a line-up that has been the talk of the off-season in the American League and having his offensive players face Toronto starter A.J. Burnett gave Whitt’s squad a chance to play against top-notch competition – something that can only help the club as it prepares for its first game at the World Baseball Classic March 7 against South Africa. “There’s no question it was a great test for us today and we’ll use this as a building block as we get ready for the tournament,” said Whitt. “We’re just trying to get the guys as many at-bats as we can and have the pitchers get a good feel for the strike zone. Ultimately, you don’t like to lose, but I’m very pleased with our result today because this is a good building process for us.” Toronto jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first thanks to a double down the first base line by designated hitter Lyle Overbay that scored Aaron Hilll and Shea Hillenbrand. After a quick second inning, the Jays made it 4-0 as Overbay was at it again, smashing a line drive double off the wall in straight-away centre to score Hillenbrand and Troy Glaus. The Blue Jays padded their lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run inning highlighted by an RBI triple by Aaron Hill that took one hop off the warning track and bounced off the wall behind Canadian center fielder Jason Bay. Blue Jays centre fielder Wayne Lydon hit a two-out, two-run homerun over the wall in right field in the bottom of the fifth for a 9-0 Blue Jays lead. Canada got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. After Sebastien Boucher singled to left in his first at bat of the game, Justin Morneau sent him over to third on a double to left field and Adam Stern drove him in on a ground out to the right side. Canada scored a second time in the inning as catcher Pierre Luc Laforest hit a one-out double to right-center to score Morneau from third base to make it 9-2 for the Blue Jays. Kevin Nicholson then drew a full-count walk to load the bases with two out and Peter Orr beat out a slow roller to third base for an RBI infield single to score Laforest to cut the Jays’ lead to 9-3. Orr’s speed not only kept the Canadian rally alive, but also chased pitcher Ben Webber from the game. Coming in from the bullpen, Josh Banks gave up a fly to Canadian second baseman Stubby Clapp. With the wind pushing out to left field, the ball carried all the way to the warning track but was caught to end the threat. With no outs, Canada loaded the bases for a third time in the top half of the eighth inning. However, Canada failed to fully capitalize, scoring one run as Kevin Nicholson sacrificed himself with a ground out to second base to drive in catcher Chris Robinson to make it 9-4. Burnett took the win for the Blue Jays while Canadian starter Mike Meyers was charged with the loss. Canada’s next game is scheduled for Saturday when they’ll face the Kia Tigers, a professional Korean team, at 1:30 p.m. at the Bobby Mattick Training Centre in Dunedin.
DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – Baseball Canada announced, today, that Seattle Mariners prospect Matt Rogelstad will replace injured shortstop Danny Klassen on Team Canada’s World Baseball Classic roster. Klassen, a member of the Canadian National Senior Team which finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, injured his knee Monday, while back peddling for a fly to shallow left field during the Houston Astros’ training Camp in Kissimmee, Florida. This marks the second time in less than a year that an injury has prevented Klassen from joining Team Canada in international competition. Klassen was unable to join Baseball Canada’s 2005 World Cup squad in Holland in September after suffering a wrist injury. Rogelstad, Klassen’s replacement, is a very reliable player both offensively and defensively. In the infield, Rogelstad played errorless baseball for three of his first four professional clubs. At the plate, he's a consistent contact hitter, striking out more than once in only seven games in 2005. In fact, Rogelstad played 90 of 111 games in 2005 without striking out. 2005 was by far his best season to date. Rogelstad started the season with a 13-game hitting streak and went on to set career highs in games, at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, RBI and walks. He finished the campaign by hitting .304 with 133 hits in 111 games. The 6’3, 190-pound Coquitlam, B.C native brings with him a fair amount of experience on the international stage, having played on Canada’s 1999 Junior National Team, as well as having represented Canada at the 2000 World Junior Championships, the 2005 World Cup, and the 2005 CONCEBE Baseball Regional Olympic Qualifier. THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC The World Baseball Classic, a 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will run from March 3* - 20. The inaugural event will feature many of the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories for the first time ever. The 16 teams invited to participate have been divided into four pools of four teams for the first round of play. The four Round 1 pools will be play in a round robin format at venues in Japan (Tokyo Dome - Tokyo), Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium - San Juan) and the United States (Chase Field - Phoenix, Arizona; Scottsdale Stadium - Scottsdale, Arizona; The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex - Orlando, Florida). Round 2 will feature two pools of four teams in a round robin format and is scheduled to be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium) and Anaheim, California (Angel Stadium). The Semi-Finals and Final will be played at PETCO Park in San Diego, California on March 18 and 20, respectively. The World Baseball Classic will feature a bracket-style format with the 16 teams competing in four groups: Pool A - China, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea; Pool B - Canada, Mexico, South Africa and United States; Pool C - Cuba, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico; Pool D - Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy and Venezuela. World Baseball Classic, Inc. is a company created at the direction of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to operate the World Baseball Classic tournament. The tournament, which is sanctioned by the International BAseball Federation (IBAF), is supported by MLB, the MLBPA , Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), their respective players associations and other leagues and players from around the world.
OTTAWA - Baseball Canada has now filled all 30 spots on its World Baseball roster Classic after adding Ottawa outfielder Sébastien Boucher to the Canadian team late Monday. Out of Bethune-Cookman College, Boucher kicked off his professional career in a big way in 2005, quickly moving up from the Single-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers of the Midwest league to the Double-A Inland-Empire 66ers of the California League. A contact hitter, with great speed, Boucher can ignite a team in a hurry. In 2005, Boucher had three hitting streaks of 11 games or more (11, 13, 15) as well as 44 multi-hit games. A seventh round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2004, Boucher also represented Canada at the 2005 World Cup and the 2005 CONCEBE Baseball Regional Olympic Qualifier. THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC The World Baseball Classic, a 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will run from March 3* - 20. The inaugural event will feature many of the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories for the first time ever. The 16 teams invited to participate have been divided into four pools of four teams for the first round of play. The four Round 1 pools will be play in a round robin format at venues in Japan (Tokyo Dome - Tokyo), Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium - San Juan) and the United States (Chase Field - Phoenix, Arizona; Scottsdale Stadium - Scottsdale, Arizona; The Ballpark at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex - Orlando, Florida). Round 2 will feature two pools of four teams in a round robin format and is scheduled to be played in San Juan, Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium) and Anaheim, California (Angel Stadium). The Semi-Finals and Final will be played at PETCO Park in San Diego, California on March 18 and 20, respectively. The World Baseball Classic will feature a bracket-style format with the 16 teams competing in four groups: Pool A - China, Chinese Taipei, Japan and Korea; Pool B - Canada, Mexico, South Africa and United States; Pool C - Cuba, Netherlands, Panama and Puerto Rico; Pool D - Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy and Venezuela. World Baseball Classic, Inc. is a company created at the direction of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) to operate the World Baseball Classic tournament. The tournament, which is sanctioned by the International BAseball Federation (IBAF), is supported by MLB, the MLBPA , Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), their respective players associations and other leagues and players from around the world.
St. Marys, Ontario - Tommy Lasorda's nine-year stint a half century ago when he became the winningest pitcher in the history of the International League's Montreal Royals franchise will earn him induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum on June 24th. Lasorda will be enshrined with three other well-deserving inductees, including fellow southpaw Ron Stead of London, Ontario, who dominated the Intercounty League, Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan native Ron Hayter, a driving force in the development of baseball in Western Canada, and Fredericton, New Brunswick's Larry McLean, who had played the most games in the Major Leagues (862) of any Canadian eligible but not yet elected to the Hall. McLean, who died at 39 years of age in 1921, will be inducted posthumously. There were a total of 55 names on the active ballot, voted on by a 16-member panel geographically spread across Canada. Candidates must receive a minimum of seventy-five percent (12 votes) in order to be inducted. "Besides their outstanding credentials, which speak for themselves, the attractiveness of the class of '06 is that they represent balances we strive for: generational, regional, and a balance between professional and grass roots baseball in Canada," said Hall president & CEO Tom Valcke. The 2006 Induction Ceremony will take place in beautiful St. Marys, Ontario on Saturday, June 24th at 10:00am, with the Hall's 10th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic the day before. Brief biographies on each 2006 inductee are below. A list all inductees (by year) is attached in a virus-free MS Word document, as well as a photograph of each inductee. For more photos, please contact the Hall of Fame (contact information below). Tommy Lasorda is shown in the centre of his photo with Don Hoak on the left and Walt Moryn on the right. A telephone media conference for the three living inductees and the media will occur at 1:00pm EST today, Tuesday, February 28th. Eligible media personnel may call the Hall for further information at (519) 284-1838. Ron Hayter - Born in Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, Hayter lived and played baseball in Northern Saskatchewan and British Columbia before taking charge of Baseball Alberta in 1968. Hayter revived the struggling provincial body, straightening out the finances and tripling the number of registered teams in just three years before stepping down in 1971 after running successfully for Edmonton City Council. As Edmonton's longest serving City Councillor, Hayter has worked tirelessly for the development of playing facilities for amateur sport, especially baseball. In 1993-95, he chaired a special committee which successfully negotiated and supervised the construction of a new Triple A baseball park in Edmonton, now known as Telus Field. Hayter went on to serve Baseball Canada in various capacities, from developing the first distinctively Canadian rulebook to organizing the first national championships. He also represented Canada with the International Baseball Federation for 18 years, sitting on the Legal and Technical Commissions, and receiving the IBAF's President's Award in 1990. He was the founder and Chair, since 1979, of the Edmonton International Baseball Foundation that has organized six international baseball competitions in Edmonton, including the first-ever IBAF World Cup of Women's Baseball in 2004. The EIBF has contributed almost a half million dollars to Baseball Canada, Baseball Alberta, and the IBAF, and has established a scholarship fund, helped finance minor baseball parks, and sponsors clinics to help players and coaches in the province of Alberta. Former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson, inducted into the Hall in 1983, called upon Hayter as an advisor in the formation of Sport Canada. In 1974, Hayter won the coveted Vanier Award as an "Outstanding Young Canadian" and received the Queen's Jubilee Medal in 2004 for outstanding public service. "When I heard the news, I was speechless, and to anyone who knows me, that's highly unusual!" said Hayter from his Edmonton office. "I've been involved in baseball for more than 50 years and none of it was for any personal glory - you do it for love of the game. But being recognized in this way is a very great honour and I thank all the people who have helped me along the way." Tommy Lasorda - Born in Norristown, PA, Lasorda was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers at the age of 20 in 1948 after Philadelphia left him unprotected from the draft. He gained the Dodgers attention when he struck out a record 25 batters in a 15-inning game for Schenectady of the Class C Canadian-American League. Lasorda went on to win 107 games over parts of nine seasons with their top farm club, the Montreal Royals. He pitched for Montreal from 1950-1955, and again from 1958-1960, ranks as the all-time Royals leader in wins, games pitched (251), innings pitched (1,461). He led Montreal to five Governors' Cups (International League Championships) in 1951 through 1954, and in 1958. His best individual season was 1958 when we compiled an 18-6 won-loss record with five shutouts, a string of 31 scoreless innings and a 2.50 ERA, easily winning the International League's Most Valuable Pitcher Award. The longest serving member of the Royals constantly experimented with new pitches to complement his above-average curve ball. Lasorda played with loads of enthusiasm and emotion, delivering pitches with a high leg-kick. He was a battler whose reputation around the league was that he'd send his own grandmother sprawling to the dirt if he were mad enough. Lasorda ended his Royals career in grand fashion. In his final appearance in 1960, struggling against the Buffalo Bisons, he had loaded the bases with nobody out. He turned his back to manager Clay Bryant, who was on the top step of the dugout poised to remove him, gazed into the sky and prayed for something - anything - to get him out of the jam. The next batter hit a line drive that caromed off third baseman George Risley's glove into the mitt of the diving shortstop Jerry Snyder's glove. Snyder flipped it to second and it was relayed to first to nail a pair of stray runners. Lasorda's last pitch with the Royals resulted in a bases loaded triple play! Went on to play and then manage in the Major Leagues, winning nearly 1,600 games with the Dodgers and capturing two World Series in 1981 and 1988. He also Managed Team USA to the Gold Medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. "I'm ecstatic about this wonderful news," said a surprised and elated Lasorda from Vero Beach where he is in Spring Training with the Dodgers. "I cherish the time I had in Montreal, and to be remembered and recognized 50 years later, and by another country's Hall of Fame, is an extraordinary honour. I can't wait to come to St. Marys this summer!" Larry McLean - There was speculation that a "Big Larry" might get into the Hall this year, but the spinsters were referring to Larry Walker in hopes that the Hall would bypass the mandatory three-year waiting period after retirement due to his outstanding career. However, given that Fergie Jenkins was not fast-tracked, the concept did not fly with the Selection Committee. John Bannerman McLean, nicknamed "Big Larry" due to his resemblance to Larry "Nap" Lajoie, was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and had played the most Major league games (862) of any eligible Canadian not yet inducted. Of the 221 Canadians who have played in the Major Leagues, he stands 14th in games played, and is in the top 20 in hits (694), at bats (2,647), doubles (90), triples (26). Standing 6'5", he is reportedly the tallest catcher in Major League history. His Major League career spanned 15 years from 1901-1915, for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Giants. The Bunyanesque player did everything in a big way, including getting into trouble. Mainly due to a lifelong battle with alcohol, McLean's career was punctuated by repeated suspensions, occasional brawls, and periodic scrapes with the law. He played his best baseball with the Reds, for whom he batted over .285 three times. McLean batted .500 in the 1913 World Series. He is in the top three of almost all catching and offensive categories for Canadian Major League catchers, coupled with George Gibson and Jimmy Archer. Baseball historian Lee Allen described McLean as "big and slow, but could hit and throw." Ron Stead - Born in London, Ontario, Ron Stead is the greatest pitcher to play in the heralded Intercounty League as illustrated by his longevity and dominance. Stead ranks first in all-time wins (104), innings pitched (1,365), strikeouts (1,231), games started (151), complete games (116), and shutouts (25). He was a 10-time All-Star and four-time MVP (1960, '63, '65, and '67). Stead led Brantford to five consecutive league championships from 1959 through 1963 plus another in 1965. With Guelph, they won the 1970 championship. His best individual season was 1963, when he compiled a 14-1 won-loss record and a microscopic 0.63 ERA. Stead still holds the single-season Intercounty League record for innings pitched (149 in 1960) and most strikeouts (155 in 1965). Stead was also the starting pitcher for the very first Team Canada ever assembled, in the 1967 Pan Am Games. He turned in a strong five-hit, 10-strikeout performance over seven innings against Mexico. He was also a member of the Ontario team at the 1969 Canada Games in Halifax. The left-hander also pitched in 1957-58 for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League, the team who he had previously served as batboy for 10 years. He also had amassed a 31-31 record over two seasons in the Florida State League with Orlando and Gainsville in 1956-57. "This is truly an honour and a tribute to all amateur players across Canada," said a humbled Stead from his Chatham home. "I loved every minute of my career, and this caps it all." SOURCE: Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Baseball Canada announced, today, the addition of pitcher Vince Perkins to its World Baseball Classic team, leaving only one spot left to be filled on its 30-man roster. The 24-year-old right-hander from Saanichton, B.C. went 7-7 with a 4.03 ERA in 2005 with the AA-New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League. Selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 18th round of the 2000 MLB entry draft, the 6’4”, 225-pound Perkins was recognized by Baseball America, this year, as the Toronto Blue Jays’ No. 10 prospect. A Little League team-mate of the Oakland Athletics’ Rich Harden, Perkins throws an extremely heavy fastball that clocks upwards of 96 MPH and has been described as having one of liveliest arms in the Jays’ system. He has also received high praise for his composure and mental make-up on the mound. Perkins will be making his first-ever appearance with a Canadian national team. Robinson to replace Martin behind the plate University of Illinois standout Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ont.) has been selected to replace catcher Russell Martin on Baseball Canada’s World Baseball Classic team. Martin elected to withdraw from the inaugural tournament in order to better represent himself at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ training camp as he competes for a spot with the major league club. Robinson hit .353 with eight homeruns, 11 doubles and three triples for the Fighting-Illini in 2005. He was just as solid defensively as he led the Big Ten with seven pick-offs and threw-out 40.4 percent of attempted base stealers, earning him All-Big Ten first team honours. A third round draft pick of the Detroit Tigers and the highest Canadian selection in the 2005 MLB entry draft, Robinson has previously represented Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championships, 2003 World Cup Qualifier and 2003 World Cup. 2006 World Baseball Classic Roster The World Baseball Classic The World Baseball Classic, a 16-team tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF), will feature many of the best players in the world competing for their home countries and territories for the first time ever in March 2006. The 16 teams invited to participate in the event have been divided into four pools of four teams for the first round of play. The four Round 1 pools will be played at venues in Japan (Tokyo Dome – Tokyo), Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium – San Juan) and the United States (Chase Field – Phoenix, Arizona; Scottsdale Stadium – Scottsdale, Arizona; Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex – Orlando, Florida). Round 2 will feature two pools of four teams each and will be played in Puerto Rico (Hiram Bithorn Stadium) and the United States (Angel Stadium – Anaheim, California). The Semi-finals and final game will be played at PETCO Park in San Diego, California.The WBC will feature a bracket-style format with the 16 teams competing in four groups: Pool A - China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Korea; Pool B - Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States; Pool C – Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico; Pool D - Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Venezuela.
