Langdon: Call him Howie (Hall of Fame bound) Birnie
“Howard Birnie’s induction into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame next month is believed to be the first such honour for a snack bar attendant.
Known as Howie to his many diamond friends and associates, Birnie has spent innumerable hours over almost countless years serving cold drinks, doling out penny and nickel candy and making change in the small, red-brick snack bar sandwiched between the first base grandstand and the bottom of a high hill at Talbot Park, home of the Leaside Baseball Association (LBA) in east end Toronto.
He spent a similar amount of time dragging and watering the infield, pounding the sand around the mound and home plate, anchoring the bases and chalking the foul lines at the venerable sandlot often called “The Shrine” by some in the Toronto baseball community.”
Read More
Metro Atlantic Conference's best: Cameron, Groves, Kozar
Three Canadians were recognized on the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) 2024 All-MAAC Teams, voted on by the league’s 11 head coaches.
Read More
McFarland: Cascades claim CCBC crown
“Thirteen has become a lucky number for the University of Fraser Valley Cascades in their quest for Canadian College Baseball conference supremacy.
On the way to their first title in 2019, they lost their first game of the final tournament before running the table which ended with a 13-hit performance and a 13-2 win over the Okanagan College Coyotes.”
Read More
Wright goes deep to help Titans past Valley Cats in home opener
North Vancouver native Taylor Wright’s first home run of the season helped the Ottawa Titans to a 7-6 win over the Tri-City ValleyCats on Tuesday at Ottawa Stadium.
Read More
Langevin named SBC Pitcher of the Year
ABC alum LP Langevin (Quebec, Que.) posted a 6-1 record for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns this season and has been named the SBC Pitcher of the Year.
Read More
Griffs' Carlin Dick among 13 Canucks on Metro Atlantic academics
A total of 158 student-athletes were named to the 2023 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) All-Academic Team, including 13 Canadians.
Read More
Juniors lose finale in Dominican to Cubs DSL club
The Junior National Team fell just short of a comeback as they dropped the last game of the Dominican Pro Academy Camp 6-5 against the Chicago Cubs DSL.
Read More
McFarland: Melville's Houston has no problem in first college season
“What do you do when a former Major League Baseball player tells you to check out a young high school prospect?
Moose Jaw Miller Express coach Eric Marriott did what any sensible human would do: listen.
In this case, it was Marriott’s pitching coach and former Detroit Tigers hurler Dustin Molleken who was singing the praises of Nathan Houston.
The Melville teenager signed on with the Miller Express as an affiliate player in 2023, and Marriott says he fit right in.”
Read More
Grand Canyon's Tyler Wilson WAC Player of Year
Grand Canyon OF Tyler Wilson, who is the son of former major league LHP Steve Wilson (Victoria, BC), has been named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Player of the Year .
Read More
Juniors tie and lose in Dominican doubleheader
On Monday, the Junior National Team had a tie and a win in their Victoria Day doubleheader that was part of their Dominican Pro Academy Camp.
Read More
Elliott: Cameron sets Niagara career saves record
Fieldhouse Pirates alum Zach Cameron (Hamilton, Ont.), a fifth-year senior at Niagara University, recently broke the school’s career saves record. Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott caught up with him in Buffalo.
Read More
BMOC Week XVII: Bushey, Crowell, Gollert, Gomm, Marsh
Canadian Baseball Network writer Matt Betts summarizes the top performances by Canadians in the U.S. college ranks from the past week in his latest “Big Man On Campus (BMOC)” column.
Read More
Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Week: Kaleb Waller
Moose Jaw Canucks alum Kaleb Waller (Drinkwater, Sask.) has been named Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Week after he tossed a complete game shutout for Kankakee Community College in a must-win playoff game against Madison College.
Read More
McFarland: Oudie-Senger looking forward to third summer with hometown Regina Red Sox
“Zander Oudie-Senger will never say “no” to signing an autograph for a young fan around Currie Field.
After all, it wasn’t that long ago that the Regina Red Sox pitcher was a kid with a Sharpie and a baseball in hand, hoping to get his favourite players to do the same.
Not only was he a regular to games with his Nana, but Oudie-Senger’s family also billeted several players over the years.
“Each player that came into our house felt like an older brother,” he told Saskatchewan Dugout Stories. “All of those guys have shed light into our family and I couldn’t be more grateful for each of them.”
Now entering his third season with the hometown team, the 21-year-old will be a veteran presence on a team looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2023.”
Read More
Dodgers beat Juniors 5-3
The Junior National Team fell 5-3 to Los Angeles Dodgers DSL as part of their Pro academy Domincan tour on Saturday.
Read More
BWDIK: Morneau, Naylor, Paxton, Quantrill, Soroka, Toro
Canadian Baseball Network editor Kevin Glew’s weekly “But What Do I Know?” column discusses James Paxton, Cal Quantrill, Michael Soroka, Justin Morneau and Abraham Toro.
Read More
Shushkewich, CBN Minor League POW: Charles LeBlanc
ABC alum Charles Leblanc (Laval, Que.) has been named the Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week after a strong week with the Los Angeles Angels’ triple-A Salt Lake Bees.
Read More
Betts: Tan, Najmaie, Rose, Riopelle, Patterson have standout weeks for Terriers
Terriers players were making an impact all over the field from May 6 to 12. Canadian Baseball Network writer Matt Betts summarizes some of the top performances.
Read More
Juniors lose 4-3 to Padres
The Junior National Team lost 4-3 to the San Diego Padres DSL as part of their Dominican pro academy tour on Friday.
Read More
Mark Whicker: Ohtani thriving at plate with Dodgers, but should he pitch again?
“Like most players who leave Anaheim, Shohei Ohtani has thrived.
Thriving is not something that’s automatic after you’ve already won two MVP awards, because the threshold of thriving is already at 30,000 feet. Yet Ohtani, as a Dodger, is hitting .364 with a .676 slugging percentage, a 1.108 OPS, a 211 OPS-plus (compared with the league average), 12 home runs, 16 doubles, and 63 hits, as of Wednesday night. The averages are all career highs, and the batting average is 60 points better than his previous high, set last season in his farewell to Orange County.”
Read More
