December 3, 2023

By Kevin Glew

Cooperstowners in Canada

Some Canadian baseball news and notes from the past week:

-Congratulations to national team alum and former big league outfielder Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) who will become the 12th member of Baseball Canada’s Wall of Excellence in January. Baseball Canada made the announcement on Friday. Saunders will be honoured on January 13 as part of Baseball Canada’s Annual Awards Banquet & Fundraiser. Selected in the 11th round of the 2004 MLB draft by the Seattle Mariners, Saunders made his big league debut with the Mariners in 2009 and proceeded to enjoy a nine-year big-league career that also included stops with the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies. He had his best season with the Blue Jays in 2016 when he belted a career-high 24 home runs and was voted to the MLB All-Star Game. Saunders also suited up for the national team on multiple occasions, including at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics and at the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Phoenix, Ariz., where he went 8-for-11 (.727 batting average) to capture Most Valuable Player honours for his pool.

-Speaking of Saunders, it was nine years ago today that the Blue Jays acquired him from the Mariners in exchange for left-hander J.A. Happ. Happ would post a 4.64 ERA in 21 appearances (20 starts) for the Mariners in 2015 before being dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he went 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 11 starts down the stretch. Following that season, he signed a three-year, $36-million contract to return to the Blue Jays. In the first year of that deal, Happ went 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 195 innings in 32 starts and became just the second left-hander (joining David Wells in 2000) to win 20 games in a season for the Blue Jays.

-It’s awards week for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. On Tuesday, the ball shrine will announce its 2023 Jack Graney Award winner. This award is handed out annually to “a representative of the media who has made a significant contribution to the game of baseball in Canada through their life’s work, or for a singular outstanding achievement.” Born in St. Thomas, Ont., Graney was a scrappy leadoff hitter in the big leagues for Cleveland. His major league resume boasts a number of firsts. When he walked to the plate in a game against the Boston Red Sox on July 11, 1914, he became the first batter to face Babe Ruth. Almost two years later, on June 26, 1916, he was the first major leaguer to bat wearing a number on his uniform. After hanging up his spikes, Graney became the first ex-player to make the transition to the broadcast booth, performing radio play-by-play for Cleveland from 1932 to 1953.  You can read a full list of the past Graney Award winners here.

-On Thursday, the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame will unveil the winner of its 2023 Tip O’Neill Award, which is handed out annually “to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseball’s highest ideals.” There are several excellent candidates this year, including 2022 winner and Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.), Cleveland Guardians slugger Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.), Seattle Mariners reliever Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) and Minnesota Twins rookie infielder Edouard Julien (Quebec City Que.). Woodstock, Ont., native James “Tip” O’Neill was one of Major League Baseball’s first legitimate stars. With the American Association’s St. Louis Browns in 1887, O’Neill set big league records in hits, doubles, slugging percentage and total bases, while compiling a major league record .492 batting average. Walks were counted as hits in 1887, but if O’Neill’s average was calculated by today’s standards, it would be .435, the second highest in big league history to Hugh Duffy who hit .440 in 1894. Here’s a list of past Tip O’Neill Award winners.

-Speaking of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame, they have added a jersey and two hats worn by Arizona Diamondbacks first base coach Dave McKay (See photo below) during the 2023 World Series to their collection. By coaching first base for the D-Backs this year, the Vancouver native became the first Canadian to coach for three different teams in the World Series. McKay was the first base coach for the Oakland A’s when they competed in the Fall Classic for three straight years from 1988 to 1990. He had the same role with the St. Louis Cardinals’ pennant-winning squads in 2004, 2006 and 2011. A 2001 Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, McKay has earned World Series rings with the A’s in 1989 and the Cardinals in 2006 and 2011. Prior to his coaching career, he enjoyed an eight-year playing career as an infielder with the Minnesota Twins, Blue Jays and A’s.

-Glad to see that national team alum and former Detroit Tigers outfielder Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) is playing for Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League this winter. This is his second tenure with the Blue Sox. He also suited up for them in the 2020-21 season. After a strong performance for Canada in the World Baseball Classic in March, Robson, 29, posted a .398 on-base percentage (OBP) in 69 games for the Kansas City Monarchs of the independent American Association in 2023. Selected in the eighth round of the 2016 MLB draft by the Tigers, Robson played parts of six seasons in the Tigers’ organization, including four games in the majors in 2021. After being released by the Tigers in July 2022, the Junior National team alum signed with the Monarchs and batted .288 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 29 games.

-Another Windsor, Ont., native playing in the Australian Baseball League is left-hander Evan Rutckyj. He is pitching for the Melbourne Aces. It’s his second season with the club. Rutckyj gets the award for defensive play of the week for catching a line drive comebacker behind his back and turning a double play (Watch the play above). Chosen by the New York Yankees in the 16th round of the 2010 MLB draft, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound southpaw pitched parts of eight seasons in the Bombers’ organization, rising as high as Double-A. In 140 appearances in the Yankees’ system, Rutckyj posted a 32-25 record and a 4.13 ERA. Since 2017, he has toed the rubber in the independent ranks for the Winnipeg Goldeyes (2017), Ottawa Champions (2018-19) and Quebec Capitales (2021-22). He has also competed for Canada at six international tournaments, including as part of the staff on the 2015 Pan Am Games gold medal-winning squad.

-Please take a moment to remember former Brooklyn Dodgers right-hander and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Billy Harris who was born on this date in 1930. He passed away in 2011. Born in Duguayville, N.B., Harris caught the eye of big league scouts when he led the Dieppe Junior Cardinals to a Maritime championship in 1949 and the Moncton Legionnaires to a senior title the following year. Signed by the Dodgers in 1951, the Canuck hurler notched 18 wins and recorded a 2.19 ERA for Class D Valdosta in his inaugural professional campaign. He topped that the next season, when he won 25 games, tossed 12 shutouts and registered a miniscule 0.83 ERA for the Class B Miami Sun Sox. His success continued in 1953 when he authored a perfect game for the Double-A Mobile Bears. In 1954, he debuted with the Triple-A Montreal Royals. Trapped in the pitching-rich Dodgers system behind legends like Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Don Newcombe, Harris had little opportunity to shine at the major league level. After recording 16 wins with Montreal in 1957, he was called up and made his first – and only – big league start on September 27 of that year. Throwing to the legendary Roy Campanella, Harris held the Phillies to three runs in seven innings but still recorded the loss. Harris returned to the minors in 1958 and for most of 1959, before making his second and final major league appearance with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In all, Harris pitched for 15 professional seasons and amassed 174 wins and 1,373 strikeouts.

-What pitcher earned the first regular season win in Toronto Blue Jays’ history? The answer is right-hander Jerry Johnson, who was credited with the win in the Blue Jays’ 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on April 7, 1977. He was born 80 years ago today. Johnson had already spent parts of nine seasons in the big leagues when the Blue Jays acquired him from the San Diego Padres on February 16, 1977 in exchange for catcher Dave Roberts. In the Blue Jays’ first game, played in the snow at Exhibition Stadium, Johnson relieved starter Bill Singer with one out in the fifth inning with his club leading the White Sox 5-4. Singer had permitted back-to-back singles to Brian Downing and Ralph Garr before Johnson entered and got Alan Bannister to line out to third base and Jorge Orta to ground out to first to preserve the one-run lead. Johnson went on to allow one run in 2 2/3 innings in relief in the Blue Jays’ win. The Blue Jays continued to use Johnson primarily as a middle reliever for the rest of the season. In all, he posted a 4.60 ERA and recorded five saves in 43 appearances, spanning 86 innings. Johnson passed away in 2021.

-Fun Fergie Jenkins Fact for the Week:

-Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for the Canadian baseball fan in your family? You’ll likely find it in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s annual Holiday Silent Auction. There are rare bobbleheads, ticket packages and all sorts of autographed memorabilia up for bids. Here’s a link to the auction.