Matt Stairs of Fredericton, N.B. surpassed Terry Puhl of Melville, Saskatchewan, moving into second spot on the Major League games played list amongst Canadians. Stairs, the first baseman/outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays, played in his 1,532nd game in a 4-3 Blue Jays win over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. “I never thought I'd make it to the major leagues. To become the second Canadian in games played… it's an honour,” says Stairs in an interview with the Canadian Press. Stairs is only surpassed by Larry Walker of Maple Ridge, B.C. who has played in 1,988 career Major League games. The former 1988 Olympic team member and 2006 World Baseball Classic team member is currently in his 15th Major League season and has played for 10 clubs; Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays. Along with his games played total, he has thus far 239 home runs, 810 RBI and 1,221 hits with a .268 average in his career.
OTTAWA - Baseball Canada has announced the Junior National Team’s roster and schedule for the annual Fall Instructional League Camp, which will take place from October 4-14 at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Florida. The 30-man roster features 13 returning players who competed at the America’s World Junior Qualifying tournament in Ixtapa, Mexico last August, including Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C. who was featured at the 2007 Cape Cod High School Classic, a showcase for high school prospects, and is a top prospect for the 2008 MLB First Year Player Draft. The Junior National Team will take on Major League affiliated teams of the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, as well as Seminole Community College which is based out of Sanford, Florida. For the complete roster and schedule, go to the National Teams link and click on Junior National Team on our website.
The Regina Red Sox of the Western Major Baseball League (WMBL), Canada's Premier Wood bat Summer Collegiate League, are looking for a head coach for the 2008 season (May 25 - August 15). Interested candidates must posses a minimum of 5 years experience coaching baseball at the collegiate, minor pro or elite amateur level and have solid connections to be able to recruit Division 1 calibre players. Qualified candidates should email their expression of interest to Team President, Gary Brotzel at gbrotzel@sasktel.net prior to October 31. For more information on the WMBL visit www.wmbl.ca.
Cary, NC - Canada started day 3 of the International Women’s Baseball Series with only one win shy of winning the tournament. After an early loss to the Americans, Canada came back strong by defeating Japan 6-2 to win this first edition of this series in preparation for the 2008 World Cup. In the first game of the day, the Americans scored five runs in the 6th inning and won the game by the score of 6-2. Autumn Mills (London, ON) got the loss for Canada. Martine Nadeau (Québec, QC) started the game for Canada working five innings, allowing only 2 hits while striking out five. Team Canada took the lead in the 3rd inning with RBI’s from Amanda Asay (Prince George, BC) and Samantha Magalas (Burlington, ON). In the last game of the tournament, Canada scored three runs in the third inning in a 6-2 win over Japan. Marie-Josée Tremblay (St-Honoré, QC) was credited for the win coming in relief for Melissa Armstrong (Saskatoon, SK) in the 5th inning. Vanessa Riopel (Repentigny, QC) earned her first save wearing the Canada uniform. Karine Gagné (Granby, QC) with 3 for 3 and 1 RBI was the leader offensively for Canada while Amanda Asay (Prince George, BC) and Stéphanie Savoie (La Pocatière, QC) also produced runs for the national team. “We came here with the idea of trying different things in preparation for 2008 and I am very pleased with what I saw. We showed once again that our team can compete with the best in the world” said Manager André Lachance at the conclusion of the event. Team USA finishes in second place with a 3-3 record while Japan finishes 3rd with a 2-4 record.
Cary, NC – Baseball Canada Women’s National Team had quite a day today at the International Women Series in North Carolina with consecutive wins against Japan and USA. In the afternoon game, Canada took advantage of a 6 runs 3rd inning before ending the game with a 7-2 win against Japan. Kate Psota (Burlington, ON) picked up the win throwing 5 solid innings allowing 2 runs while striking out 4. In her debut with Team Canada, Sarah Burgess (Halifax, NS) threw 2 scoreless innings. At the plate, Nicole Luchanski (Edmonton, AB) and Samantha Magalas (Burlington, ON) with 2 RBI each were the most productive hitters for Canada. Karine Gagné (Granby, QC) ended up the day with 2 base hits. Later in the day, Team Canada offered an outstanding performance coming back from a 2-0 deficit in the 6th inning with a dramatic 3-2 win against Team USA. Melissa Armstrong (Saskatoon, SK) picked up the win coming in relief in the 6th inning. In her first start wearing the maple leaf jersey, Vanessa Riopel (Repentigny, QC) mastered the Americans in 5 innings allowing the 2 runs on only 4 hits. Team USA took the lead in the 5th inning before Team Canada tied it up in the 6th on a clutch single from Marie-Josée Tremblay (St-Honoré, QC) scoring Geneviève Beauchamp and Kate Psota pinch running for Samantha Magalas. Canada scored the winning run in the 7th on a base hit to center field from Ashley Stephenson scoring Karine Gagné from second base. Canada now has a 3-1 record with Japan at 2-2 and USA at 1-3. Canada will play USA at 9am tomorrow before concluding the series against Japan at 4pm.
The Junior National Team committed seven errors and also left 15 runners on base against the United States in a 6-2 loss in a seven inning bronze medal game at the America’s World Junior Qualifier. The seven errors overshadowed a solid performance by starting pitcher Ryan Kennedy of Calgary, Alberta. He allowed all six run to score, but only one run was earned in four and 2/3 innings pitched. He also only gave up three hits and four walks with three strikeouts. Danny Britton-Foster of Ladysmith, B.C. came on in relief and threw two and 1/3 innings, allowing only two hits with three strikeouts. “I thought we pitched well and we competed for most of the game. Obviously we needed to tighten things up defensively which hurt us today, but we competed and with some of the young guys we brought here that was the most encouraging thing,” says JNT Head Coach Greg Hamilton. Offensively, the Canadians scored their first run in the first inning when James Kottaras of Markham, Ontario scored on the RBI single from Leslie Williams of Scarborough, Ontario. In the fourth inning, Carter Bell of Courtenay, B.C. came in to score the second run for the Juniors when Chad Stang of Surrey, B.C. drew an RBI walk. After the game, the aforementioned Carter Bell and Chad Stang were both awarded the Top Shortstop Award and the Top Outfielder Award respectively. “It wasn’t really expected. I just go out there and play my game everyday and help the team win, but it’s a plus,” says Bell of his Top Shortstop Award. “It’s an honour to be recognized with some great players of the Pan-American region and to be recognized as an All-Star in the tournament,” says Stang of his Award. In the gold medal game, Cuba beat Mexico by a score of 7-0 to claim the gold medal. By virtue of competing in the medal games, Cuba, Mexico, U.S.A. and Canada as the host country have all qualified for the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship in Edmonton.
Cary, NC – Baseball Canada Women’s National Team started the International Women’s Baseball Series with a loss and a win today at USA Baseball Complex in Cary, North Carolina. In the morning game, Canada lost 2-0 against Team Japan. Autumn Mills (London, ON) got the loss for Canada despite a solid performance on the mound working for 5 complete innings allowing only 4 hits. Martine Nadeau (Québec, QC) pitched the last inning for Canada without allowing anything. Offensively, Geneviève Beauchamp (St-Jérôme, QC) had a hot bat with 2 of the 4 canadian hits. The only two points of the game came in the first inning when Risa Nakashima hit a double scoring Funabiki and Lshida. In the afternoon game, Team Canada came back strong beating defending champions Team USA by the score of 5-0. Marie-Josée Tremblay (St-Honoré, QC) picked up the win allowing only 4 hits and 4 strike outs in 4 solid innings. Melissa Armstrong (Saskatoon, SK) came in relief and dominated the Americans. All five runs were scored in the 1st inning. Samantha Magalas (Burlington, ON) with 2 for 3 was the best hitter for Canada. Amanda Asay (Prince Goerge, BC), Geneviève Beauchamp, Stéphanie Savoie (La Pocatière, QC) and Patricia Landry (St-Étienne-des-Grès, QC) produced the other canadian runs. Canada will be back on the field tomorrow at 2pm against Japan before facing Team USA at 6pm.
The medal presentations will have to wait as rain washed out all games today at the America’s World Junior Qualifier, including the bronze medal game between the Junior National Team and the United States. The game has been rescheduled to Sunday, September 2. If the rain persists and no games can be played then all medal games will be cancelled by virtue of the fact that all four teams who will be competing for medals, by making it to this point they have all qualified for the World Junior Baseball Championship in 2008 in Edmonton.
The Junior National Team held a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth, but Mexico were able to score a pair of runs and take a 5-4 win in the semi-finals of the America’s World Junior Qualifier. This was a highly contested match-up between both teams that was played in torrential conditions as rain fell threw most of the game, making the field slippery and muddy. The Canadians took a 2-0 lead to in this game with a run in the fourth inning and one in the sixth inning. Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C. scored both runs on RBIs from Leslie Williams of Scarborough, Ontario and Chad Stang of Surrey, B.C. The Junior team pitchers held the Mexicans to no-hit thru seven innings. Phillippe Aumont of Gatineau, Québec started the game and threw three perfect innings, registering five strikeouts in his outing. Colin Buckborough of Niagara Falls followed by throwing four no-hit innings before plunking Ramon Navarrete and walking Adan Velazquez in the eighth inning. He left the game with both runners on one out to Stosh Wawrzasek of Langley, B.C. The Mexicans were able to capitalize on an error and two base hits to score three runs in the eighth to take a 3-2 lead. The Canadians retook the lead in the top of the ninth when Michael Crouse of Port Moody, B.C., who reached on a single, came in to score on a bases loaded single from Brett Lawrie. Carter Bell of Courtenay, B.C., who reached on a walk, came around to score on a wild pitch. The Juniors now held a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. But that lead would not last long as the rainy conditions contributed to four walks by Canadian pitchers and which scored the tying run and a wild pitch allowed the winning run to score. Now the Junior National Team msut get ready to face the United States for the bronze medal on Saturday, September 1. The U.S. fell to Cuba in the other semi-final by a score of 3-2.
The Bahamas were no match for the Junior National Team who cruised to a 11-0 win in five innings in their final round-robin game of the America’s World Junior Qualifier. The Canadians scored one in the first inning, six in the second inning, three in the third inning and one in the fourth inning to mercy the Bahamas. \Chad Stang of Surrey, B.C. led the offence going 2-for-3 with three RBI, a double and a walk. Carter Bell of Courtenay, B.C. was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Jeff Hunt of Cambridge, Ontario scored twice and drew three walks and was also hit by a pitch. All nine players in the lineup reached base at least once in this game. On the mound, Nick Fogarty of Thornhill, Ontario held the Bahamas to one hit in his four innings of work. He would punch out nine while giving up one walk to earn the win. Danny Britton-Foster of Ladysmith, B.C. threw a perfect fifth inning to close things out. Two of the three outs were via strikeout. The Junior National Team is now heading to the semi-finals where they will face the host Mexico on Friday, August 31 at 3 pm at Ixtapa Stadium. The other semi-final sees the United States take on Cuba, also on August 31. The winners will square off for the gold medal while the other two teams will face each other for the bronze on Saturday, September 1.
