With the NWL season coming to a close, the Oakland A’s decided to bring up RHP Mathieu LeBlanc-Poirier to the Vancouver Canadians, making the Quebec native the first Canadian-born player to play for the C’s since Steven Ryder-Carter in 2005.  LeBlanc-Poirier is expected to make his C’s debut later on this homestand, as the Canadians play Josh Vitters and the Boise Hawks.  

(Nat Bailey Stadium – Vancouver, BC) – The Vancouver Canadians are
proud to announce the arrival of two players in time for the opening of
a five game series vs. the Boise Hawks.  Both RHP
Mathieu-Leblanc-Poirier and LHP Brad Hertzler will round out the
Canadians pitching staff.
 
Leblanc-Poirier was a 21st Round selection in this years MLB First-Year
Player Draft selected by the Oakland Athletics.  A native of Montreal,
Quebec, Leblanc-Poirier attended Ahuntsic College and has spent time
with the Academie du Baseball Canada.  LeBlanc-Poirier has spent the
past few weeks with the Arizona Athletics (Rookie) and will be added to
the Canadians Roster effective Friday, August 15th, 2008.
 
Mathieu Leblanc-Poirier    RHP       6’1”         175                         Ahuntsic College
 
Year        Club                       W-L         ERA          IP          H            ER          SO          BB
2008       Arizona (R)            0-1          7.89        21.2        34           19           18           6
 
Hertzler returns to the Vancouver Canadians after beginning this season
in Kane County (A).  A native of Orono, NE, Hertzler debuted in
Vancouver on Wednesday night picking up the victory in a 7-6 come from
behind win over Salem-Keizer.
Hertzler returns as Oakland tries to get the left-hander some
additional innings while providing Vancouver with a much needed
southpaw out of the bullpen.
 
Hertzler, Brad                       LHP        6’1”         195                         Kane County Cougars
 
Year        Club                       W-L         ERA           IP         H            ER          SO          BB
2008       Kane County (A)   2-5          5.26        63.1        70           37           49           13
                Vancouver             1-0          0.00          1.0         1              0              0              3
 
The Vancouver Canadians are now carrying 30 players on the 2008
roster.  16 pitchers, 2 catchers, 6 infielders and 6 outfielders.
 

• NOTE:  Catcher Dante Love left Nat Bailey Stadium
  prior to Thursday’s game after a bat accidentially struck Love in the
  cheek.  No update will be available on Dante’s status until Friday,
  August 15th at 12 noon.

 Hertzler was one of the C’s top pitchers last season, pitching a 5-inning rain-shortened perfect game, and should have an immediate impact.  Mathieu, on the other hand, will more than likely be a target for Vancouver media, seeing as how he’s Canadian-born.

C’s OF JD Pruitt hasn’t played since being hit in the back of the head by a pitch in Tri-City last month, but I would assume he’ll be back by the end of the week.  JD had one of the hottest bats on the team before going down, going 4-6 in his last two games.  Pruitt also had two home-runs at Nat Bailey Stadium, including the king of them all, a Grand Slam.  He’ll be a much appreciated addition back into the lineup when he has fully recovered.

And as for Dante Love, there’s no word on how long he’ll be out of the lineup.  Depending on if he broke his nose or where the bat exactly hit him, it could be two or three weeks.  I’m not a doctor, so I wouldn’t know the exact dates of if you break your nose etc. but any length of time will be hard for the C’s to deal with, having only Julio Rivera to catch.

The Canadians return to action tonight against the Boise Hawks, featuring last year’s top pick by the Chicago Cubs, and brother of former Canadian Christian Vitters, Josh Vitters.  Vancouver sends southpaw Pedro ‘Figgy’ Figueroa out to the mound tonight, on Back-to-school night, before another evening game tomorrow when Mike Hart takes the hill.  Hart has been superb since converting to starting three games ago, and in 11 innings as a starter has struck out 16, and hasn’t given up an earned run.  Opponents are hitting just .143 against him all year.

Sunday afternoon will feature LHP Trey Barham, who in one appearance in a Day Game this year has an ERA of 0.00.  At home, his ERA is 2.00 and opponents are hitting a mere .212.

Monday night will have RHP Shawn Haviland throwing for Vancouver, and the Harvard grad has been one of the top pitchers of the C’s staff.  Haviland’s season ERA is 3.60 and averages almost a strikeout an inning.

And finally to conclude the homestand, RHP Ronny Morla and his array of pitchers will face Vitters’ Hawks on Tuesday Afternoon.  Morla is a ‘Day Game’ pitcher, going 0-1 with an ERA of 3.43 in three starts during the afternoon.