December 9, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Well, we’ve never been a soccer fan but we did watch Canada in World Cup play.

And the broadcasters were always talking about this player or that player having X number of “international caps.” We looked closer and didn’t see anyone wearing hats.

Seriously, we thought it was time to update our who has contributed the most for Canada on the diamond on the international stage.

We don’t have the total number of games only the number of competitions. Still, the total number of competitions does serve as a fair barometer. Soccer has ‘international caps,’ and for our purposes, we have ‘international comps.’

This is the first time we have updated our totals since July of 2015. And we did so thanks to yeoman work by Adam Morissette (Orleans, Ont.) of Baseball Canada. Even with COVID eliminating some events, there has been movement on our leader board, but LHP Rod Heisler remained in the top spot.

Heisler (Moose Jaw, Sask.) wore a Team Canada uniform to more international competitions than anyone else.

2B Stubby Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) and C Chris Robinson (Dorchester, Ont.) are one appearance behind with 13 apiece.

The first newcomers to our leader board is RHP Scott Richmond (North Vancouver, BC) -- deadlocked for fourth -- with OF Jim Kotkas (Lethbridge, Alta.) with 12 apiece.

Sharing sixth place and making his debut is RHP Chris Leroux (Mississauga, Ont.) with 11. Next, tied for seventh are new faces INF Jonathan Malo (Joliette, Que.) and RHP Dustin Molleken (Regina, Sask.) with 10 apiece in a tie with holdover INF Tom Nelson (Winsor, Ont.).

The only other newcomers are RHP Phillippe Aumont (Gatineau, Que.) with nine, LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) and LHP-OF Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC) with eight each. Aumont could add to his total if he pitches for Canada in the World Baseball Classic next March.

* * *

Richmond was on the 2007 World Cup, 2008 Olympic Qualifier, 2009 WBC, 2011 World Cup, 2011 Pan Am Games, 2015 Pan Am Games, 2015 Premier 12, 2017 WBC, 2019 Pan Am Qualifier, 2019 Pan Am Games, 2019 Premier 12 and 2021 Olympic Qualifier.

Leroux wore red and white at the 2002 U18 World Cup, the 2007 World Cup, 2009 WBC. 2013 WBC, 2015 Pan Am Games, 2015 Premier 12, 2017 WBC, 2019 Pan Am Qualifier, 2019 Pan Am Games, 2019 Premier 12 and the 21 Olympic Qualifier.

Malo’s 10-spot came with the 2009 World Cup, 2010 Pan Am Qualifier, 2011 World Cup, 2011 Pan Am Games, 2012 WBC Qualifier, 2013 WBC, 2017 WBC, 2019 Pan Am Games, 2019 Premier 12 and the 21 Olympic Qualifier.

Dustin Molleken pitched at the 2009 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, 2011 Pan Am Games, 2013 WBC, 2015 Premier 12, 2017 WBC, 2019 Pan Am Qualifier, 2019 Pan Am Games, 2019 Premier 12 and the 2021 Olympic Qualifier

Albers was a contributor at the 2011 World Cup, 2011 Pan Am Games, 2012 WBC Qualifier, 2013 WBC, 2015 Pan Am Games, 2015 Premier 12, 2017 WBC and the 21 Olympic Qualifier.Rod Heisler wore a Canada uniform to more international competitions than anyone else.

Loewen pitched and hit at the 2000 U18 Worls, 2002 U18 Worlds, 2006 WBC, 2009 World Cup, 2010 Pan Am Qualfier, 2012 WBC Qualifier, 2013 WBC and the 2019 Pan Am Qualifier.

* * *

As for Heisler he was 0-1 with a 2.63 ERA in the 1978 World Amateur Series in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna and Rimini Emilia-Romagna, Italy as a 23-year-old. Canada finished with ninth C Mike Teahen (St. Marys, Ont.) , father of Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox and Toronto Blue Jay Mark Teahen, hit .250, two homers and nine RBIs Scott Bailey had a 0.64 ERA but walked 17 in 14 innings.

Heisler pitched in 

_ Two World Amateur Series ... in 1980 in Japan as Canada finished fifth and in 1982 at Souel, South Korea as Canada finished fifth and Heilser earned All-Star honors along with Dong-yol Son of gold-medal winning Korea, who also earned MVP honors. The other Canucks to make the all-star team were C Larry Downes (Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont.) and OF Doug McPhail (Two Hills, Alta.).

_ Two Olympics ... 1984 in Los Angeles where Canada lost 4-3 Nicaragua in 12 innings and South Korea 3-1 before beating Japan 6-4 and the 1988 Olympics in South Korea, lost 7-6 to Australia, beat Team USA, who started by Jim Abbott 8-7 and lost 5-3 to South Korea.

_ Three Pan American Games ... at San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1979, in Caracus, Venz. in 1983 as Tom Nelson IWindsor, Ont.) had 12 hits, the most in the tourney and in Indianapolis in 1987. 

_ Three Intercontinental Cups ... in 1981 in Edmonton where Canada beat Cuba 2-1 as Perry Lychak (Edmonton, Alta.) led the event with a 0.66 ERA, in 1983 at Brussels, Belgium; 1985 in Edmonton as Canada finished fifth and at Havana, Cuba in 1987 as Canada went 4-9 overall, was outscored 121-55 but beat South Korea to finish fifth. Rheal Cormier (Cap-Pele, N.B.) was 3-0 with a 0.57 ERA to tie for the win as the main bright spot.  

_ One Pacific Cup ... in Kindersley, Sask. in 1986. 

_ And finally … the 1988 World Cup in Italy, when the veteran allowed 10 hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Canada matched its best finish, at the time, just missing the playoffs. 2B Greg Roth (Pincher Creek, Alta.) hit .359 with four homers and 10 RBIs, while SS Matt Stairs (Fredericton, NB) batted .362, nine RBIs, 3B Warren Sawkiw (Etobicoke, Ont.) .405, 11 RBIs, 1B Greg Duce (Lethbridge, Alta.) .359 and OF James Kotkas (Lethbridge, Alta.) .357, three triples, 11 RBIs). Frank Humber (Corner Brook, Nfld.) 3-0, 3.60 and Barry Parisotto (Trail, BC) 2-0, 1.10 pitched well. Dave Wainhouse (Scarborough, Ont.) 6.91 ERA lost twice, while Cormier (1-1, 5.71) whiffed 22 in 17 1/3 but also walked 10 and allowed 19 hits.

Most international appearances by Canadian players
(Unofficial)

1. LHP Rod Heisler, Moose Jaw, Sask. 14

2. 2B Stubby Clapp, Windsor, Ont. 13

2. C Chris Robinson, Dorchester, Ont. 13

4. OF Jim Kotkas, Lethbridge, Alta. 12

4. RHP Scott Richmond, North Vancouver, BC 12

6. RHP Chris Leroux, Mississauga, Ont. 11

7. INF Jonathan Malo, Joliette, Que. 10

7. RHP Dustin Molleken, Regina, Sask 10

7. INF Tom Nelson, Windsor, Ont. 10

10. RHP Phillippe Aumont, Gatineau, Que. 9

10. RHP Chris Begg, Uxbridge, Ont. 9

10. C Larry Downes, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont. 9

10. OF Rick Johnston, Peterborough, Ont. 9

10. RHP Mike Ross, Calgary, Alta. 9

10. C Dave Rypien, Calgary, Alta. 9

Doug Simon (Regina, Sask.)

10. OF Doug Simon, Regina, Sask. 9

10. OF Adam Stern, London, Ont. 9

18. LHP Andrew Albers, North Battleford, Sask. 8

18. RHP Fred Cardwell, Red Deer, Alta. 8

18. LHP Rheal Cormier, Cap-Pele, N.B. 8

Former Toronto Blue Jays OF Rob Butler (East York, Ont.)

18. LHP-OF Adam Loewen, Surrey, BC, 8
22. OF  Rob Butler, East York, Ont. 7

22. INF Joe Heeney, Etobicoke, Ont. 7

22. INF Pete Orr, Richmond Hill, Ont. 7

(Bold face indicates players with major-league service time.)