June 24, 2022

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Stubby Clapp didn’t dream of being a major leaguer growing up sliding head first, diving and getting his uniforms dirty.

No, after being bat boy for Team USA in the World Junior championships in Windsor, Clapp (Windsor, Ont.) wanted to wear a uniform which read ‘CANADA’ across his chest.

He fell in love with the concept of representing our country, always followed the Olympics as a kid and could name every 100-metre time of a sprinter, a decathlete, a pole vaulter or someone competing in the javelin. The Olympics were his childhood dream.

The trip to the majors were a side route, once he realized he could actually make a living at playing ball. Clapp became Mr. Prime Minister for Canada on the international stage. And now he’s the first base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kevin Gausman didn’t dream of making the majors or pitching for the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds or your Toronto Blue Jays.

He wanted to make it to the College World Series in Omaha and pitch at Rosenblatt Stadium.

How does someone growing up in Aurora, Col. dream of going to Nebraska?

Well Gausman’s great-great grandfather, John Gausman, of Dorchester, Neb., installed the lights at Rosenblatt. He was one intelligent electrician and one shrewd horse trader.

“He gave them a deal on the price for the lights in exchange for eight tickets behind the third base dugout as long as he was alive,” said the right-hander sitting in the Blue Jays third base dugout at Rogers Centre this month. “All I ever wanted to do was to pitch at Omaha.”

Gausman occupied one of those eight seats with his parents and family to see a power arm like Andrew Miller with the University of North Carolina Gamecocks and Buster Posey with the Florida State Seminoles. As a young buck, Gausman had Posey autograph a ball to him. And last season, Gausman went 14-6 for the Giants pitching mostly to Posey.

Ten years ago this month, Gausman came about as close as one could get to the College World Series without making it. The upstart Stony Brooks Seawolves from Long Island beat Gausman’s LSU Tigers in the third and deciding game of the NCAA Super Regional.

There were four Canadians on the 16th-ranked Stony Brook club which eliminated No. 1 ranked LSU at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.: INF Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.), OF Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ont.), RHP Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ont.) and SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.).

“We don’t get to Omaha without the contributions of Tissenbaum, Peragine, Nivins and Rakkar,” said Stony Brook coach Matt Senk.

* * *

This was not like the Montreal Alouettes media guide in the late 1970s where it read Joe Scannella “grew up in Clifton, NY, dreaming of being head coach of the Montreal Alouettes.”

Clapp dreamed of wearing a CANADA uniform and he wore it plenty of times.

Gausman’s dream was to pitch in Omaha ... he came so close to making it.

* * *

The Stony Brook-LSU series held a special place in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse. Toronto was in Atlanta for a weekend series 10 years ago. Someone mentioned to Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) that there were five Canadians on the Stony Brook roster.

It did not take much to get Lawrie wound up and his teammates enjoyed poking fun at him. Soon Lawrie was hooting and hollering at each Stony Brook hit. And quickly after that the likes of Adam Lind, Rajai Davis, Jeff Mathis, Eric Thames, Mike McCoy, Jesse Chavez, Drew Hutchison, Brett Cecil, Brandon Morrow, Jason Fraser, Casey Janssen, Steve Delabar and others were quickly rooting for LSU.

We never really asked who went to LSU, but it appeared as if they were having fun winding up Lawrie

* * *

Friday, June 8, 2012

Game I

at Baton Rouge La.

(First pitch 11:07 AM)

(Game called on account of rain after 11 innings)

Stony Brook scored twice off LSU freshman Aaron Nola, selected seventh overall in North America in 2014 by the Philadelphia Phillies, in the second inning. LSU came back with a run in the seventh and then JaCoby Jones, future Detroit Tiger, went deep in the ninth to force extras.

Former Ontario Terrier RP Jasvir Rakar (Brampton, Ont.)

The needling was at full volume as the lone Canuck (Lawrie) attempted to hold his own against the horde of LSU backers. The Seawolves scored in the top of the 10th ... LSU evened the score in the bottom half ... Stony Brook scored in the 11th ... LSU tied it up, against Ontario Terrier grad RP Jasvir Rakar (Brampton, Ont.) as he allowed a solo homer in the 11th.

“And then the rains came,” Gausman said. “It had rained most of the game, but it seemed like it mostly rained when we were hitting.”

At Turner Field

The Braves won when Jason Heyward stole third and J.P. Arencibia threw the ball into left field for a 4-3 Atlanta decision in the 10th inning before 42,488 fans. Kyle Drabek started for the Jays and pitched five innings, allowing three runs.

Lawrie led off and was 0-for-3, but drew two walks. Jose Bautista homered off Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy, his 16th. Francisco Cordero, the sixth Toronto arm used, took the loss.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Continuation of Game I

at Baton Rouge La.

(First pitch 10:06 AM)

Gausman said he remembers throwing his bullpen -- to get ready to pitch -- around 9 a.m.

“I was supposed to start Game 2 so they gave me the 12th (of Game 1), hoping I’d have quick one and we could walk it off,” said Gausman.

Gausman threw only 12 pitches -- eight strikes -- to get the victory in relief and bump his record to 12-1.

RF Mason Katz hit a walk-off single in the 12th and things were going according to LSU coach Paul Mainieri’s plan.

Ex-Toronto Mets 2B Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.) had a pair of doubles.

Maxx Tissenbaum, the Toronto Mets former second baseman, had a pair of doubles for Stony Brook, while Ontario Terriers’ grads Tanner Nivens (Kitchener, Ont.) went hitless in three at-bats and Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.) was 0-for-6.

Game II

at Baton Rouge La.

(First pitch 11:04 AM)

Certainly this was not a normal starting assignment for Gausman. He had thrown 12 pitches, rested for more than half an hour and now went out in his home park as the visiting pitcher. (Stony Brook was home team for Game 2.)

Stony Brook didn’t thump Gausman but they did beat the fourth player selected in North America by the Baltimore Orioles five days before in the annual June draft of high school and college players. The trio to go ahead of Gausman were INF Carlos Correa (first to the Houston Astros), OF Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) and C Mike Zunino (Seattle Mariners).

“I gave up a homer in the third to their eighth-place hitter,” recalled Gausman. Then, looking at a print out of the box score added “Wait a sec ... it was the seventh-place hitter ... second home run I gave up to a left-handed hitter all year.”

Stony Brook’s 1B Kevin Courtney hit the solo homer, then in the fifth, Courtney doubled and scored on a single by RF Sal Intagliata, while 3B William Carmona also knocked in a run.

Looking at the box score Gausman said, “I remember the clean-up hitter, (Maxx Tissenbaum),” Gausman said he did not remember how to pitch any of the Canadians from 10 years ago. (Put that in the dumb question file ... E-Elliott).

Tissenbaum was 0-for-3 with a walk while SS Cole Peragine was also 0-for-3. RHP Tyler Johnson allowed three hits and four walks in his complete-game outing.

Gausman allowed three runs on six hits and a walk in seven innings. He fanned six and finished Saturday with a 1-1 record. So the series moved on to a winner-take-all Sunday. Gausman threw 12 pitches in relief and 98 in his start.

Turner Field

Dan Uggla and Andrelton Simmons each went deep off RHP Drew Hutchison in a 5-2 Atlanta win, before 32,819 fans. Bautista homered for the second time in as many games, his 17th.

Tommy Hanson pitched eight innings for his seventh win and Craig Kimbrel picked up his 18th save.

Lawrie led off again and was hitless in four at-bats.

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Game III

at Baton Rouge La.

(First pitch 7:05 PM)

Tissenbaum added two more doubles -- giving him 20 on the season -- and drove in three, while Travis Jankowski, now of the New York Mets, had four hits in a 7-2 win, which sent Stony Brook to Omaha ... and was nicknamed as The Shock the World series.

The most impressive thing I witnessed was the LSU fans standing and applauding both team after the LSU win and after the two LSU victories.

Ontario Terriers grad SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.)

SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.) was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Frankie Vanderka allowed two runs on three hits and four walks for the victory.

“It was tough, we were one of the favorites to go to Omaha, maybe we took our foot off the pedal, I’m not sure,” Gausman said. “But (Stony Brook) ... they were unscathed by our fans all 12,000 of them. They pitched and dominated us.”

LSU managed five homers, two doubles and four singles (seven runs) in 40 innings.

“There was a lot of crying in our dugout when were eliminated ... when it was over, I cried,” Gausman said. “A lot of our guys were from Louisiana and had a dream to play in Omaha. LSU had won in 2009.”

Gausman was an age-eligible draft selection, so he was only at LSU for two years. Baltimore Orioles scouting director Gary Rajisch was at the SEC tournament when Gausman lost to Ole Miss. The right-hander said he thought that O’s general manager Dan Duquette was in Baton Rouge.

Three days before he accepted a $3 million signing bonus from the Baltimore Orioles.

Turner Field

On Sunday, Colby Rasmus and Lawrie homered off Livan Hernandez on the way to a 12-4 win. And a left fielder (?) by the name of Edwin Encarnacion had three hits.

Carlos Villanueva picked up the win in relief of Ricky Romero, who allowed four runs -- three earned -- in four innings.

* * *

They drew 44,651 for the three-game series. In a total of 40 innings, powerhouse LSU led exactly one inning. When the final out was made the loyal Tiger fans stood and cheered their team and Stony Brook. It had been excellent baseball. “It was tip and tuck,” as an old coach used to mumble.

“The fans there appreciate good baseball,” Gausman said, who told of one of the Stony Brook starters leaving after an excellent outing and getting a standing ovation. Sounded like he was describing old Exhibition Stadium.

“I appreciate places with fans like that ... like Busch Stadium in St. Louis ... Oracle Park in San Francisco where I pitched last year. They respect people.”

Growing up in Aurora, Col. as a right-handed high schooler Gausman’s favourite player was an obvious choice ... a right-hander who grew up 25 minutes away.

“Roy Halladay was my idol, Jonathan Papelbon gave me one of Roy’s jersey -- cream colored with an old Phillies’ logo -- but I never was able to get it signed.

“Roy was the only guy from Colorado and not only was he was a major league starter, but he was one of the best ... just an amazing competitor.”

That’s why his name is on the Rogers Centre Level of Excellence for his pitching days with the Jays

* * *

So, Gausman never made the Omaha mound. He has been back. His mother, Jo, just retired after a heroic 45 years as a nurse at Porter Adventist Hospital in Denver. His father Clair was a sixth grade science teacher as well as working as an official in Big 12, Pac 10 and Pac 12 games.

Gausman was always there for the pre-game for the games at Rosenblatt. This was his favorite time to be at the stadium.

“Every team would come in with a lot of energy, everyone was screaming ‘THREE! THREE! THREE!” (when outfielders threw to third),” said Gausman, who rooted for Florida State Seminoles wearing their gold and garnet uniforms, the USC Trojans wearing cardinal and gold, as well as the Nebraska Cornhuskers in scarlet with Alex Gordon and Joba Chamberlain.

Rosenblatt hosted its final CWS game in 2010. Now, Charles Schwab Field is home to the annual event. where Ole Miss eliminated the Oklahoma Sooners as this year’s champion.

“I’ve been to the new park, but it’s not the same, not close,” said Gausman. The new yard does not have his great, great grandfather’s light standards. its atmosphere and smells.

Now Gausman and his wife Taylor, a former LSU cheerleader, have two girls: Sadie, age 2 1/2 and Sutton, 10 months old.

Named after Hall of Famer Don Sutton? As soon as I said the words I knew it was a dumb question.

“Matter of fact yes, I always liked his broadcasts and I was with the Atlanta Braves for parts of two seasons (2018-19),” Gausman said. “Don would sit and tell me how pitching was in his day. I loved it.”

* * *

After winning the America East conference tournament -- beating Maine (twice) and Binghamton; the Coral Gales regional -- knocking off Miami, Missouri State and Central Floirda (twice), they won the Super Regional to get their tickets to Omaha.

The upset sent Stony Brook to the CWS, the first Northeast school to do so since 1986 and the first school from New York to do so since St. John’s in 1980.

Stony Brook lost 9–1 to UCLA and 12–2 to Florida State finishing their season with a 52–15 record.

A junior that magical season, Maxx Tissenbaum (Toronto, Ont.) batted .390 in 65 games with 20 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 51 RBIs with a .972 OPS. In his three years, he played played in 174 games with 50 doubles, five triples, 12 homers, 115 RBIs and a .948 OPS

Drafted in the 11th round by the San Diego Padres, he played with the rookie-class Arizona Padres, class-A Eugene Emeralds and class-A Fort Wayne TinCaps in the Padres system, the Charlotte Stone Crabs A affiliate in the Tampa Bay Rays and the Greensboro Grasshoppers in the Miami Marlins system. In his five-years in the minors, he batted .277 in 327 games with 48 doubles, three triples, 13 homers and a .715 OPS. Then, he moved on to play Indy ball with Quebec for three seasons, batting .309 in 253 games with 53 doubles, a triple, 24 homers, 142 RBIs and an .857 OPS.

Former Ontario Terrier Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ont.)

A junior in 2012, OF Tanner Nivins (Kitchener, Ont.) hit .396 in 62 games with 11 doubles, three triples, two homers, 34 RBIs and a .795 OPS. In his four years at school, he played 226 games, batting .288 with 42 doubles, 12 triples, 14 homers and 144 RBIs. He was not drafted and played 10 games with the Quebec Capitales of the independent Can-Am league.

Freshman SS Cole Peragine (Belle Ewart, Ont.) batted .305 in 66 games with 11 doubles, six triples, 39 RBIs and a ,797 OPS. In his four years of school, he hit .292 with 31 doubles, 14 triples, two homers, 120 RBIs and a .772 OPS. .

And on the mound, RHP Jasvir Rakkar (Brampton, Ont.) was a junior in 2012 going 6-2 with three saves in 20 games -- three starts -- with a 3.68 ERA. He walked 20 and struck out 41 in 51 1/3 innings. In his three seasons, he pitched in 48 games -- four starts -- with an 8-2 record and four saves with a 5.36 ERA. In 90 2/3 innings he walked 45 an fanned 75.

Drafted in the 26th round by the Chicago Cubs, Rakkar pitched for the rookie-class Arizona Cubs, class-A Boise Hawks, class-A Kane County Cougars, class-A Daytona Cubs, triple-A Iowa Cubs, class-A South Bend Cubs and class-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans. In his four seasons in the minors, he went 10-6 with 19 saves and a 3.33 ERA. In 93 games, he walked 37 and fanned 139 in 143 1/3. He pitched one year of Indy ball for the Quebec Capitales, going 10-3 with two saves in 25 games with a 4.99 ERA. He walked 28 and struck out 66 in 101 innings.

* * *

Tissenbaum grew up in the city of Toronto and Rakkar not that far away. Nivens and Peragine know their way around town.

“This is a special city, you can walk five minutes and hear five different languages spoken,” Gausman said. “I always liked coming here as a visiting player.”