Posts in Baseball Canada
McFarland: Resilient Lloyd earns national team MVP honour

“If you would have told Matt Lloyd about the trials and tribulations he would see in 2023, he might not have believed you.

Coming off an injury-shortened 2022 season with the Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts, the Dawgs Academy grad was hoping to continue to climb up the Cincinnati Reds’ depth chart.

However, he was released during Spring Training and ended up finding a home with the Sioux City Explorers of the independent American Association.

Instead of getting down on himself, Lloyd put together a great season with the Explorers and was a key member of Canada’s roster at the Pan Am Qualifier in Argentina.”

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Verge: Xavier re-defines bat boy duties: helmets, bats, gold … Part III, Mississauga Tigers

“The ice water drenches 11-year-old bat boy Xavier Maccagno, courtesy of his 18 older brothers.

If there are screams, it’s excitement, and perhaps it’s a bit colder than expected.

Not to go tell mom or dad. He was screaming in excitement, not as an upset sibling sounding the alarm to tell on his older “brothers” that he got water poured on him.

Yes, 18. It was saved for him, with love from Maccagno’s new family, the Mississauga Tigers. Refreshing at first, he said. Then when the wind picks up and the adrenaline wears off, just cold.”

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Verge: Xavier re-defines bat boy duties: helmets, bats, gold … Part II, Mississauga Tigers

“Tigers on three,” a young boy’s voice yells out. “One, two, three, … “TIGERS,” the players scream.

The huddle of Ontarians plus one Albertan at Legacy Dodge Field in Fort McMurray exudes passion, and the Albertan, 10-year-old Xavier Maccagno, is an important contributor to it. He’s loud. He’s got a personality larger than the space from the backstop to the centre field wall.

And he’s there to help the Mississauga Tigers win it all at the Baseball Canada’s 2022 18U Nationals in Fort McMurray.”

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Verge: Xavier re-defines bat boy duties: helmets, bats, gold … Part I, London Badgers

“Excitement swirls around the infield of Shell Place in Fort McMurray, Alta. like the dirt on a windy day.

It’s supposed to be short sleeved, but the maroon jersey, with “BADGERS” across the front in white lettering, is so big on Xavier Maccagno it’s more like three quarter sleeved. Probably because it’s meant for someone triple his age. There’s no time to manufacture another one for the smiley six-year-old, a last minute addition to the London Badgers 18U dugout. It’s game time.”

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Asay, Morneau, Norton among 2024 B.C. Sports HOF inductees

The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 has a decidedly baseball flavor.

Former big league slugger Justin Morneau (New Westminster, B.C.), late Women’s National Team star Amanda Asay (Prince George, B.C.), legendary big league scout Wayne Norton (Port Moody, B.C.) and the 1998 Langley Little League All-Stars were among the 2024 inductees announced on Wednesday.

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