Seals:

The newest Canadian Independent team is housed in Victoria, at Royal Athletic Park, and have a ‘Canadian’ connection on their team, even though the player has never set foot at Nat Bailey as a player.

The Vancouver Canadians have had numerous players continue their baseball careers in Independent Baseball, but 2008 outfielder Mitch LeVier’s older brother Bret is now a Victoria Seal, the second LeVier to play in Canada in as many seasons.

Victoria is 1-3 to start the season, after picking up their first win yesterday in Edmonton.  Now they continue their travel to Calgary, where they’ll battle the Vipers this week.  After a Thursday off-day, their Home Opener takes place this Friday when Ryne Tacker (2008 Canadian) and the Long Beach Armada face-off against the Seals.

Tacker was released this March by Oakland, and makes his return to Canada.

C’s Tickets:

Canadians ticket sales are booming after Saturday’s launch, and according to the Canadians website, ticket sales for Day 1 more than doubled last year’s total.  Remember, great days like Opening Day, Superstar Series, A&W Family Fun Sundays and every other great Nat Bailey game can get sold out, and more than likely, a bunch of those above will.

You can no longer by 4 tickets together for Opening Day, and the best you can get for 3 tickets is in the Reserved Grandstand Row 10.  Get your tickets now, this game will more than likely sellout, as it did in 2007.

Go here to purchase tickets to your favourite Canadians games. 

Rob Fai on Superstar Series:

With the help of Team President Andy Dunn, and GM Andrew Seymour, as well as Media guru Rob Fai, the C’s wound up getting four phenomenal guests for this season’s Superstar Series, and Fai let us know how he felt about this year’s crop.

"Last year, we saw a huge response from our fanbase when it came to our Superstar Series.  So for the C’s it was a no-brainer to try and bring some more stars in.

This year, we have some great story lines that I think all fans can enjoy."

I believe the best night of said series will be Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee, just because of his off-field antics, but you can vote for which night you prefer, at the C’s site.   

Is it Dave ‘Hendu’ Henderson?  How about Cecil Fielder or Bill Buckner (left)?  Do you agree with me about Lee?  Let the C’s know which one is making you the most excited for a great summer of Canadians baseball.

Hornbeck’s flashes of brilliance:

2008 Canadians southpaw Ben Hornbeck has been tearing it up since patrolling the Nat Bailey mound last season, pitching extremely well at Kane County, before pitching maybe the best game of his life on Friday night with Stockton (in his first California League appearance).

After having a so-so year in Vancouver, Ben was promoted to Kane County in their push for the playoffs.  He was 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA after 3 relief appearances with the Cougars, and held Midwest hitters to a .214 average.

This year, after a phenomenal spring (or so I saw), he was converted to a starter, and in 7 games with Kane, was 4-0 with a sparkling 1.24 ERA.  He had 11 more strikeouts than he did innings, and if you add up his hits, earned runs and walks, he still had 13 more K’s.  He held batters to .158 at the dish, and his ground ball to fly ball ratio was 1.32.

On Friday night, he started for the struggling Ports, and after 6 innings, gave up just one hit, one walk (a questionable one at best), and struck out 12.  Yes, 12 batters in what is considered the biggest hitters league in all of professional baseball.  This season he is 5-0 with a 1.06 ERA (8 games), and has given up only 20 hits and 11 walks, while striking out 59 in 42.1 innings.

In one game, he had the same amount of strikeouts as ‘07 Canadian Chad Kerfoot had in 19 innings.

C’s fans, remember having watched him at Nat Bailey, he is destined for great things in baseball.