Canadiansbaseball.com

If you’ve regularly followed the Canadians official homepage this off-season, you’ll have noticed a few changes yesterday, when they switched to the (I would guess) mandatory MILB.com format which will soon house the sites of all MILB teams.  I think it looks great, and am still loving the header at the top of the page.

It’s a cleaner format, and features more on your Canadians.

Also up are the 2009 promotions, which have been one of the most anticipated releases of the ‘09 off-season.

What can you expect?  Well head over to see for yourself but here are the highlights, in our opinion:

 Opening Day Fireworks, Magnet Schedule Giveaway (Season Opener, June 20, Everett)

 A&W Family Fun Sunday & Kids Jersey Giveaway (Sunday June 28, Salem)

 Canada Day ‘Nooner, Workout Towel (Canada Day, Salem)
 Nooner and Nathan’s Food Fest (July 3, Salem)

 12 pack Cooler Bag (July 25, Spokane)
 The Spitball Gang Entertainment (August 5, Yakima)
 Back to School Night (August 14, Tri-City)
 Team Photo Night (September 4, Everett)

 Bobblehead Giveaway (September 6, Everett, Season Finale, Nooner) 
 4 Superstar Series Nights (July 27, August 4th, 12th, 31st)

 

Obviously these are just some of the great nights at The Nat this summer, and according to C’s management, there should be a couple of releases next week regarding who the four Superstars are.  My guesses? The San Diego Chicken and Larry Walker will be two, but my guess is as good as yours. 

C’s single-game tickets will also go on sale next Saturday, May 23rd, at 9:00 AM.  There are three easy ways to secure your tickets to any C’s home game, whether it be in person at the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office, via phone at 604-872-5232 or online at Canadiansbaseball.com. 

UBC Thunderbirds Baseball

While one season approaches in the C’s, another is complete as the UBC T-Birds fell to the hands of host Azusa Pacific today in the NAIA Opening Round of their 5-team Baseball Championships.  

After leading 8-1 after two short innings, they let in 11 unanswered to trail three innings later.  After taking a lead in the 7th, Azusa came back, tying the game.  Now down by the 3, in the bottom of the ninth, Jordan Pandoff had the bases loaded and two out, but lined out to end the game, and more importantly the season.

Considering their ace hasn’t played in weeks (come back this weekend for an interview with him), and their team had completed a few improbable comebacks in the playoffs, this team played amazing and deserve a lot of credit.  There IS always next year boys.

Well done Coach McKaig, hopefully he’ll be back next season as the Birds try for Lewiston.

There are a few draft prospects including ‘Ace’ Mark Hardy, Jon Syrnyk (who I have given the nickname Triple), Ryan Pilgrim and Ben Torrie.

Alumni Report

Starting off with the AAA Sacramento Rivercats, Oakland’s system is playing a lot better lately, and the ‘Cats have a few players who stand out.  

Yung Chi Chen was batting .563, but is now on the DL, while Danny Putnam is 3-7 since his callup from AA Midland.  Aaron Cunningham is swinging .375 since coming back from injury, and Catcher Joel Galarraga is 12-32 since Anthony Recker was demoted due to performance, or lack thereof.  Eric Patterson (.286) and Eric Munson (.293) also have hot sticks.

On the hill, Vin Mazzaro continues to be the ace with an ERA of 3.41 and Jay Marshall has been great in relief, posting a 2.25 ERA in 16 relief appearances.  Sean Gallagher in 2 starts has yet to allow a hit or run, and was promptly promoted due to that.

Brad ‘Killer’ Kilby has allowed two runs in 5.2, and Jeff Gray was called up this week to Oakland after being 1-1 with a pair of saves in 9 games.

The 18-15 Rivercats are playing tonight against Albuquerque.

The quote "Everything’s Bigger in Texas" is applying to the Rockhounds of Midland, as they are 19-14, good enough to lead the Texas League.  

Their offence is lead by Corey Brown, swinging .359 overall and .371 in May.  That is after only three hits in his last five games.  Ahead of that, dating back to May 4th, and ending May 7th, Brown was 9-13 with 3 HR and 5 RBI.  Yikes, no wonder he won Player of the Week.

I bet he makes Sacramento by July.  It’s not just Brown leading the way however, Corey Wimberly is dynamite, hitting .348.  Tommy Everidge and Josh Horton are both around .310 and Everidge has 4 HR.  Archie Gilbert is the best plate discipline guy, striking out only 9 times in 100 at-bats.  Chris Cater has 3 HR and 28 RBI, and Matt Sulentic and Anthony Recker are bouncing around the .270 mark.

Pitching wise, Travis Banwart is 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA through 7 starts, and Mike Benacka is 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in relief.  James Heuser has struggled lately, but maintains a 4.30 ERA, and Sam Demel has allowed only one earned run in 12 innings.

Stockton is still struggling at 11-23, and their two players hitting above .300 have batted just 36 times combined (Yusuf Carter, Christian Vitters).  Todd Johnson is next at .271, Raul Padron .261, and after that no one is above .238.  Matt Smith, Jermaine Mitchell, Mike Richard, David Thomas, Shane Keough, Larry Cobb and Alex Valdez are between .237 and .228.  Dante Love was swinging .205 before retiring last week.  Greg Dowling was just 5-45 before getting released.

Looking at the club I see only five or six good pitchers, who have been consistent.  Jon Hunton is 1-0 with a 1.93 ERA as a reliever, while Justin Friend has two losses and has given up five earned runs in 20.2 on the mound.  Matt Leblanc Poirier has been great since being called up from Extended, with an ERA of 2.16 after a start and bullpen appearance.  Lance Sewell has yet to give up a run in 3 appearances.  Derrick Gordon has also been solid, and Leo Espinal has been perfect after being called up from Kane County.

Out in the midwest, Kane County has the best pitching staff in the farm, arguably, and their hitting is right in that range as well.

Jeremy Barfield (see last post), hit three home-runs in one game Tuesday, after one on Monday, and is now hitting .333 after 13 games including today’s double-header.

Dusty Coleman is still batting above .300 with 5 HR and 26 RBI (tied for team-lead), and Steve Kleen has struggled lately, but still ranks fourth on the team.  Jason Christian also has 26 RBI and an average of .279 and both Carlos Arrieche and Dusty Napoleon are hitting around .270.  Napoleon was 0-15 to start the year, but now has a five-game hitting streak, and 7-game on-base streak, and in his last five games is batting 8-15.

Like I said, their pitching has been unbelievable, with all five starters being excellent.  Shawn Haviland is 3-1 with a 2.31 ERA after 6 starts, while Ben Hornbeck is a remarkable 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA, in 3 starts, and 3 relief appearances, including a perfect game botched by one-hit given up by Scott Deal who threw in relief.  Hornbeck has struck out 37 in 29 innings and holds a WHIP of 0.85.

Pedro Figueroa and Matt Fitts are both improving, and Brett Hunter who never came to Vancouver, is struggling.

Kenny Smalley is 4-1, Scott Deal has an ERA of 2.04 and Mike Hart is 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA.  Kane County is my pick for the team to watch this year.  They can definitely do some damage.