McFarland: Thanks, coach! It's National Coaches Week

“You could see it suddenly just click.

Dressed in a one-size-too-big shirt and a helmet that was sinched up a bit too tight, a first-time t-ball player takes their first swing.

And hit the tee.

Undeterred, they set back up and with a little coaching about their feet and “get that back elbow up,” they take another crack at it.

And smack the tee, knocking it over while the ball rolls a few feet away.”

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Whicker: Ex-Jays outfielder Gose now an unlikely Royals reliever

“You get to a certain age and you accept how time speeds up.

We can handle that Keith Tkachuk’s sons won hockey gold medals for the U.S., that Tiger Woods has a son who’s in college, that Carlos Boozer’s kid might be the NBA Rookie of the Year. So it was not startling to see that Anthony Gose was in a Kansas City Royals’ boxscore the other day, which is not unlike being in a witness protection program. How nice to see that the former major league outfielder has a son who has made it. Oops, hold on. That’s actually the old man, still sitting in a hot bullpen for a cold franchise.”

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McFarland: Hallihan’s summer to remember continues with invite to Canadian Futures Showcase

“Nate Hallihan couldn’t ask for a better homegrown baseball icon to have in his corner.

The Fredericton, New Brunswick native arrived at Dawgs Academy in Okotoks just a couple of years ago to grow his game.

Among his coaches was another New Brunswick native in former Major League Baseball slugger Matt Stairs.”

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