Notes From The Nat

You’ve probably heard about the newest thrill of 2007, something called Facebook.  It has baseball players, hockey players, broadcasters etc. and us Canadians seem to have more Facebook accounts than the American neighbours to the south.

So, why should Notes From the Nat not get involved?  We did, and you can check out the Notes From the Nat group here.

If you’re a reader, friend or even an enemy of the blog, feel free to join.  Hopefully through the group we can meet some of our quieter readers, and eventually get into discussions on the C’s and baseball in general.

Notes From the Nat’s working on new work for October, so stay tuned!

In May, the Canadians welcomed Rob Fai as the Media Relations Manager, in addition to being the broadcaster for the club on the Team 1040.  Fai was already known to Vancouver residents because of a sports-related background.

Maybe you heard about him when he was doing Canadians broadcasts on Shaw TV?  Maybe you met him way back in 1994 when he was a hot dog maker at Nat Bailey?  Media Relations guy in 2001 for the C’s?  How about News 1130’s sports guy?  The list is endless, and let’s face it, his background is one that is hard to find these days. 

A former collegiate pitcher in Indiana, Fai who is from Scarborough, moved west to Vancouver where he started a remarkable career outside of playing baseball.  In 1994, as I said, he was making hot dogs in the back.  In the late 90’s he moved up to the broadcast booth to colour commentate on the Canadians while Shaw TV produced the games.  In 2001, with Matt Allegra, Dan Johnson and Rich Harden patrolling Nat Bailey, Rob was the Meda Relations director.  And now, he’s back.  After a summer of Canadians baseball under his belt, fans are applauding his work, because it is one of - if not the - finest broadcasting in the NWL.

He’s thrown a bullpen with Jorge Fabregas, he’s shagged balls with Garrett Anderson, and he’s a friend of Rich Harden.  What more could you need that would convince you he’s baseball-savy?

I spoke with Rob after his final Team 1040 broadcast of the season, to hear his thoughts on a range of subjects.

Let me present, what is, Rob Fai Nation.

Jeremy Knight: You were a college baseball player, and now you’re the broadcaster for a Northwest League team. How do those jobs compare?

Rob Fai: I think the pressure’s the same for both. When you’re a baseball player, of course, you’re always worried about the stats and how you’re doing. That’s the same when you’re a broadcaster. You’re always making sure you know your stats, and making sure you can handle the pressure because with games like tonight in one-run ballgames, you have to make sure the fans at home understand it. The pressure’s a bit different but I think you’re striving for the same thing.

JK: Playing for the Canadian National team, do you wish you could’ve gone pro and maybe played at parks like Nat Bailey?

RF: I did play in ballparks like Nat Bailey. On the East Coast, I played in Olympic Stadium, Skydome, the difference for me not going pro was just timing. Back when I was playing, being a Canadian and getting drafted was a real rarity. The guy I played baseball with, Todd Betts was one of the highest drafted Canadians and he was drafted in the 15th round. Now we’re talking about guys like [Adam] Loewen, Jeff Francis who were drafted in the top 10 overall and that was not the case when I was playing baseball. Do I wish I could’ve gone pro? Of course I do but to play for your country, I think there’s something unique to that.

JK: Canadian baseball players, like you said, are now getting more recognition for their play. A Vancouver native who played for UBC Connor Janes was drafted in the 24th round to Arizona and had a pretty good rookie season, and with guys like Morneau, Bay to populate the sport in Canada, do you think there’s hope for another Canadian team?

RF: Do I think there’s another Canadian team on the way? Probably not but do I think there’s motivation, absolutely. You see kids when they’re dropping names not just guys from their provinces, but are from their own area. Now you’ve got Harden from Victoria, Bay from Trail, kids from the Lower Mainland, Loewen from the Lower Mainland, all those guys are from one neck of the woods. If you’ve played baseball in BC you have someone to lookup to and they have coaches that have gotten them there. That, for me, is one thing that gets forgotten. Yeah, those guys have gone onto play professional baseball but who got them there?

Some of those guys didn’t take the big college route, Jeff Francis played at UBC, Adam Loewen pretty much a young gun, [Ryan] Dempster never went to university but then you look back to who develops them and that to me is as much motivation. Now you can play for the Langley Blaze or the Trail Smokeaters, and you can get into these programs at a young age that can give you a legitimate shot to get looked at by a scout. I never got looked at, I was up in Canada, we didn’t even have a regional scout! That’s really what it comes down to. Will you be seen. Realistically, only if you got into some American tournaments did you get seen. A lot of good talent got passed by.

JK: Growing up who was your favorite MLB team?

RF: Actually, I was a Jays guy. Maybe, I shouldn’t say that. Half Blue Jays, half Minnesota Twins. I was such a big Kirby Puckett fan, I just loved them. The worst-to-first when they were worst in ‘90 and they came back to win the World Series in ‘91, as a kid that was the coolest thing ever. But if you grow up in Toronto, I was a teenager for the ‘92, ‘93 World Series, Jays for life man. Even though I’ve fallen out watching them as much as I did since moving out to Vancouver, I still follow them as much as I can.

JK: You’re in Vancouver as the Canadians broadcaster, and last week I read an article where you said if the Jays ever called you about their play-by-play job you’d seriously consider it - what would you do?

RF: If the Blue Jays came calling? I’d take it in a heartbeat. The only reason is, not because it’s a move up for me, it’s just that I think every kid has a dream of playing for their hometown team. I’m obviously never going to play pro ball, much-less for the Blue Jays, but I think the next best thing is being a broadcaster. You have such an intimate relationship with the players, I mean the things that I’m apart of and understand, it’s almost like I’m a part of the team.

If the Blue Jays came knocking and Jerry Howarth retired, actually Jerry’s a very good friend of mine now, and I sent a lot of tapes to him to see what he thinks. It’s a very remote one-day possibility that my name would be put in the mix just because of the relationship that I’ve built with them.

JK: The Ottawa Lynx just finished their final game in minor league baseball, and next year Vancouver will be the only franchise in Canada. Being apart of that organization, is it something to be proud of after eight or nine Canadian teams were around a few years ago?

RF: I think it’s a little bit bittersweet. I’m proud to be a member of the Vancouver Canadians, regardless of if we’re the only team in Canada, but I think now it’s kind of interesting. Let me put this into perspective for you, everyone else is decling when we’re increasing. Our numbers are up from last year, we just signed a new PDC with the Oakland A’s so there will be baseball here for at least another three years. I think for me, that’s what makes me proud.

We’re an organization on the rise, but I feel so bad for diehard fans in Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary, Hamilton, Welland, all of those cities that have fallen by the wayside. Am I proud? Yeah, but probably not because we’re the last team standing. More so, on what we’re building.

JK: In 2001, when you were the Media Relations manager here, you had the opportunity to be with guys like Neal Cotts, Mike Wood who are now in the Major Leagues. Neal Cotts, won a World Series, and now in 2007 with guys like Corey Brown, Lance Sewell, Sean Doolittle, who will probably make it big someday, how do some of those guys compare from the past and the present on how they play.

RF: That’s a really good question. I think for me the difference was how much wiser I am this time around. In 2001 I was still in my 20’s doing this job, and I was in a little over my head. The one guy that really taught me a lot was Rich Harden. I mean, Neal Cotts was a really quiet guy, Mike Wood if memory serves me correct left before the end of the season so I don’t know if my relationship with him developed the way mine did with Rich.

Me and Rich talk on the phone almost every second week, we talk all the time about what’s going on, what’s new and girlfriends, life and just everything. I think this time around, and you do see some similarites. Almost an eery similarity between Dan Johnson in 2001 and Dan Hamblin from 2007. Not only in the way they play and the position they play but their demeanor it’s unique.

I think some of these guys will become pros, and I’ve learned to slow down and enjoy those conversations. I’ve had them take pictures, I’ve had them do autographs, because these are special moments and the good ones, we’ll never see again here in Vancouver. I think this time around, I’ve learned to appreciate things a bit more.

JK: If memory serves correct, you were one of the colour guys for the Shaw TV broadcasts back when they covered the Canadians, I remember watching those when I was four years old to see myself on TV, and then there’s Kevin Cady and Rob Fai. You’ve seen guys like Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson pitch here, is it nice to know that now they’re enjoying big major league careers?

RF: [Laughs] Boy, you’ve done your homework man. Yeah, I think back then when I was the colour guy I was overwhelmed by how good that team was. You look back at some of the names that were on that team, the two names you just dropped and you have a phenomenal baseball team.

The beauty of my job back then with Shaw, was I got to do the post-game interviews in the clubhouse. So, you’d really get to talk. I remember interviewing Jack McDowell, there’s a guy that won two Cy Young’s and came down here for a stint. But my greatest memory at Nat Bailey Stadium - and I’ll send this in a different direction, this is a story I haven’t really told a lot of people.

Back in 1994, I had just come to Vancouver, like just gotten here. This was before the National Baseball Institute and all that stuff, I needed a summer job. And my first job at Nat Bailey Stadium, 1994, I made hotdogs in the back for the whole season and nobody knows that, because I’ve just never gotten around to it. One day, I had my Team Canada bag with me, and I think the General Manager was Jack O’Halleren back then, and he walked by and noticed the bag.

He went, "You play baseball." I said, "Yeah, I play baseball." And he goes, "You play a pretty high level of baseball". I said, "Well yeah I’m working on it, I’m still young." He told me he was pretty good friends with the Pitching Coach Gary Ruby, so one day he said bring your bag and sure enough he brought me out on the field, and Jorge Fabregas caught for me. I don’t know if he was happy about it, because he had a thousand things to do, and sure enough the guy was true to his word.

And that memory, after I threw the bullpen, Gary said why don’t you just go and shag balls. I turned around and there was Jim Edmonds, Garrett Anderson, Darin Erstad, I couldn’t believe how lucky I was.

And as I look back on that moment, that was what 13 years ago, I was so lucky and when I walk by - now that I have one of the higher-up positions - everytime I walk by a Hot Dog vendor or a Hamburger vendor, I still remember being there and I try to treat them as good as I can because maybe one day they’ll become a broadcaster, you never know. Interesting story, that’s a good question man.

JK: So are you saying you could’ve made a hot dog for Troy Percival?

RF: [Laughs] You know, I think I might have. The first free hot dog I gave away was to Ernie Riles and I don’t know if you remember the name but it was funny. He couldn’t find his wallet, and I don’t know if that was a ploy on his part to try and get a free one, but I remember giving him one saying that anyone who makes it to the show gets a free dog. But yeah, Troy Percival was probably on that list as well.

That was such a great time, I got to love that, and one of the guys I actually got to meet was Chris Pritchett and because he’s the hitting coach I can still pull an interview - VHS tapes - to show him one of my first interviews and how bad I was. And seeing how funny it was, so we laugh about that now.

JK: Are you planning on being back with the team as Media Relations Director next year?

RF: Yeah, I mean this was a job that when I left News 1130, I wanted them to know I wanted it to be a full time deal. If it was just a summer job, I wouldn’t have left because I had a pretty good job and good hours, and everything was good. It was right when the Canucks were getting ready for Training Camp, and they asked me what I was going to do. But I love it here, and Andy Dunn who’s a consultant/master of all tasks has said they’re happy with me so I guess it’s more of a question of if they’ll have me back. Because, I know if they would, I’d love to come back. I’d love to be here, doing it for as long as I can so that when people think of the radio, my name’s the first one to come to them.

JK: Thanks very much.

Or should I say FORMER Vancouver Canadians?

The franchise that was formerly the C’s, back when the current C’s were the Southern Oregon Timberjacks, which bailed on the city when the Parks Board wouldn’t let them upgrade Nat Bailey Stadium, has continued their Yankee-like empire of Pacific Coast League wins, sweeping the New Orleans Zephyrs 3-0 as 2003 Vancouver pitcher Brad Knox took a shutout into the 8th inning on his way to a series clinching victory.

"This is a special team, this is a bunch of guys who deserveeverything," manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "They went through thissummer, we had over 180 transactions, but there’s something specialwith these guys. They came back from being down 2-0 to sweep Salt Lake.We swept a very good New Orleans team. It was a great effort by thewhole squad out there."

The River Cats, who rallied to take three straight from Salt Lake inthe first round, will face the International League champions — Durhamor Richmond — on Tuesday at the Bricktown Showdown in Oklahoma City.

2004 Vancouver Canadians outfielder Nick Blasi has been one of the big reasons the Rivercats have held it together during a tough year. And to paraphrase Kevin Smith’s Clerks, "He wasn’t even supposed to be there this year."

Sacramento, which is 9-0 in championship-clinching games, celebrated inthe infield wearing black PCL Championship T-shirts following thethree-hitter. League president Branch Rickey presented the PCL trophybefore DeFrancesco gave the MVP award to center fielder Nick Blasi, whohit .457 in the playoffs.

"He’s been consistent," DeFrancesco said. "He’s gotten a lot of bighits for us. He’s our leadoff man, our catalyst and he deservessomething at this point."

C’s alumni Gregorio Petit, Kevin Melillo (both ‘04), Brian Stavisky, Brant Colamarino and Jeremy Brown (’02) were also involved in the scoring, in what is the sixth PCL division title for the ‘Cats in their eight years of existence. 14000 fans turned out for the game.

Just think - if some of the local civic fathers (and loudmouth neighbours) had been a little more forward-thinking, we could have been watching our C’s win this game, in our city.

Alas… 

Had a visit from Bud Kerr today, which is always an interesting way to spend a day.

Bud is the Vancouver baseball historian that provided so much of the memorabilia that graced the walls of The Nat over the last few years, and was recently announced as being the man that the Vancouver Canadians will name their upcoming museum after. He’s been to the ballpark most every day there was a game for several decades, including UBC games, and even when the doctor tells him he should be staying home. He’s seen it all. He’s lived it all.

So today he needed something typed up and emailed, and because I live not far from him I volunteered to help. It happened to be a list of former Vancouver ballparks, dating all the way back to 1905, and once we got talking about the various parks, well, let’s just say the conversation went until it physically had to end.

In order to help Bud in his effort to record as many of his memories as he possibly can, I asked if I could put his list online at NFTN; a request he was happy to accept.

So without further delay, here’s a rundown on every Vancouver professional ballpark, from 1905 to 1951, when Capilano Stadium (now Nat Bailey Stadium) opened.

RECREATION PARK:
Recreation Park [seen above] was Vancouver?sfirst professional baseball stadium. It was located at the Southeast corner ofSmithe and Homer Streets, and opened for business May 11^th, 1905. Theland was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway and leased back to city businessmen who then sublet it to the ballclub, but they eventually opted to kick their tenants out and use the land for warehousing.

Teams that played in Recreation Park in the Northwestern League included:

• 1905-07: Vancouver Horse Doctors
• 1908-11: Vancouver Beavers
• 1912: Vancouver Champions

Bob Brown, who would come to be known in Vancouver as Mr Baseball, bought the Vancouver Beavers in 1910, starting his love affair with the game of baseball in this city that didn’t end until he did, some five decades later. Never one to be humble, when the Beavers won the Northwestern League championship in 1911, Brown changed their name to the Champions for the following season. As well as serving as owner, Brown also managed the team, and played shortstop.

He’d bought the struggling team for $500. His profits on the first year were $3500. The year after they won their first championship, he knocked back an offer of $35,000 for the team.

The park also hosted soccer games on occasion, with the arrival in 1910 of the British Columbia Professional Football League, but when the lease was pulled after the 1912 season, Bob Brown paid $500 for the bleachers, and set about clearing trees for the new home for Vancouver baseball.

ATHLETIC PARK:
Athletic Park was located at theNortheast corner of 5^th Ave and Hemlock Street. It opened for business on April 18^th, 1913, after Bob Brown literally cleared trees with his bare hands, a few saws, and a couple of sticks of dynamite. Right field was located on what is now the north side of the 1300 blockof West 6^th Ave on the south shore of False Creek.

On October 18^th, 1934, the Vancouver Senior League played an exhibitiongame against the Babe Ruth All-Stars, who were barnstorming through Canada on their way to Japan. Lou Gehrig reportedly played first base while wearing galoshes and holding an umbrella.

The teams that played in Athletic Parkwere part of the Northwestern League until 1917, and afterwards played in severalleagues, including the International Pacific Coast League, among others. These included:

• 1913: Vancouver Bees
• 1914: Vancouver Beavers
• 1915: Vancouver Champions
• 1916-17: Vancouver Beavers
• Early 1930’s: Vancouver Asahi (Terminal League)
  
• 1939-1951: Vancouver Capilanos
• 1950: University of British Columbia (UBC) Thunderbirds
  

This stadium saw the introduction of night baseball to the region, with Brown forking out $8000 for lights so his club could be the first team west of the Mississippi to play at night. Unfortunately, with its wooden bleachers and the propensity for cigarette butts to light dried peanut shells under the stands, the ballpark burned down twice.

The park was eventually demolished to make way for the Granville St Bridge on-ramp.

CON JONES PARK:
Con Jones Park[seen right] was an entirely wooden stadium located on Renfrew Streetacross from the Pacific National Exhibition grounds (bounded by Renfrew, Oxford, Kaslo and Cambridge Streets). The Main entrance was onthe corner of Oxfordand Kaslo Streets, in what is now an open park.

Con Jones was a big name in Canadian soccer, but the park was intended for lacrosse as well, before budgetary thinking saw the park opened to baseball. It was considered Vancouver’s soccer home for a long time, although the original park was destroyed by a fire on July 29, 1934, as was the habit with wooden structures of the time.

When Con Jones died in 1942, the park was willed to Mrs. Ada Stevenson, who in turn deeded it to the City of Vancouver. Her only demand? That it be renamed for her uncle, John Callister.

Callister Park would be soccer’s home in Van City for more than five decades, before being demolished on the February 4th, 1971.

Teams that played in Con Jones/Callister Park included:

• 1930?s: Vancouver Asahi (Terminal League)
• 1937-1938: Maple Leafs (Western International League)
• 1950?s: Vancouver Firemen (Pacific Coast Soccer League)
• 1966: Vancouver Athletics (United Soccer Assocation)

Most people have forgotten that professional soccer in Vancouver started in Callister Park. In fact, most people have forgotten their was a Callister Park.

VANCOUVER CENTRE PARK:
Thought the opening date is unknown at this time, Vancouver Centre Parkwas located at Broadway and Fir St. The main entrance and Northeast corner ofthe park was where the 1500 block of West Broadway now stands.

The stadiumhoused a women?s softball league, but no hardball.  The ballpark closed in the early 50?s, butnot before quite a few of the women who played there turned out for theAll-American Girls Professional Baseball League during WWII, made famous by the feature film A League Of Their Own.

And then came The Nat… 

Note: The intention is to host this information so that researchers can have easy access to the data and details, so if you happen to spot anything here that isn’t true as you know it, or you have expanded information, please drop us a comment so we can see to it. 

News out of Salem-Keizer has it that Pat Lafferty has announced his retirement from calling sports, after a decade-plus as the Volcanoes play-by-play caller.

Lafferty joined the team upon its inception, after having covered the Portland Trailblazers previously, along with various other prep school, college and pro teams in a career that spans the best part of four decades.

"This team has just completed the two finest seasons in the history of the league and its been a great pleasure to step into the broadcast booth every night and tell their story," Lafferty said.  "Following two consecutive championships–and the end of the Volcanoes’ 11-year association with KYKN–it seems like the right time to leave the stage."

 

"For 11 years, I’ve enjoyed a wonderful association with owners Jerry Walker and Bill Tucker, our managers, players and fans," Lafferty added.  "Those friendships, and the appreciation they’ve shown for the broadcasts, will always be treasured.  It’s also important that the team has as much time as possible to find a replacement and the best time to do that is between the end of the season and December."

In related news, Lafferty’s old boss, known in the theological world as Lucifer, is now taking applications. Applicants will be required to have a college degree, experience in radio, and be prepared to surrender their souls for all eternity. As compensation, their team will never have to lose a great player to promotion, thus ensuring NWL glory. The job is based in Salem Oregon, but Lucifer is prepared to make accommodations for the right candidate.

In other news, the League Of Old Men In Bathrobes, Standing On Their Lawns, Shaking Their Fists At Local Children has announced that they are no longer taking applications for new members, as their last vacant spot has just been filled.

Was just watching the episode titled "Voices Carry" from season 2 of the TV series The 4400, and what should jump out at me?

None other than The Nat, being used as a location for the opening act of the show.

The entire series has been shot in Vancouver, so you’ll often see scenes in and around places like the Art Gallery, Commercial Drive, Steveston Village, The Chan Centre at UBC, the Convocation Mall at SFU and the like, so it stands to reason that when an episode involves a minor league ballplayer who can hear what people are thinking, you’d look to The Nat for a backdrop.

If you’ve ever wondered what the Canadians locker rooms look like (or rather, used to look like), go rent Season Two, Disc One of The 4400 and all will be answered.

Oh, and no, this wasn’t the shoot that ripped up the infield grass several years ago - something the ballpark has still not recovered from. 

Can you think of any other movies or TV shows that have used The Nat as a backdrop? Leave a comment. 

The Oakland Athletics lost to the Seattle Mariners last night, but the actions of a former Vancouver Canadian kept things interesting.

That’s Kurt Suzuki to the left, dropping the shoulder into a rampaging Jose Vidro, denying the big guy at the plate and denying him a run. What’s even more impressive than a rookie catcher nailing a charging rhino at the plate, is that he did it not once, but twice - both times to the same guy.

I have to say that Kurt Suzuki is one of my favourite guys in the system right now. It’s not that he’s the most talented guy around the diamond. It’s that he’s NOT the most talented guy around the diamond, and yet he works so hard, runs out every pop fly, hustles after every bunt, puts his body on the line every time and lives and dies by every pitch thrown, that born talent becomes irrelevant to the fact that he’s turned himself into a damn fine ballplayer.

Compare and contrast to Landon Powell, who was the 1st round draftee and a fellow catcher the year Suzuki was drafted by the A’s. Powell, with talent by the truckload, looked during his time in Vancouver as though, while he was competing with Suzuki for the same job, the position was his to lose.

As the season wore on, it became clear Powell thought it far more important to get home and start spending his bonus than winning ballgames for a short season ballclub. In fact, when the team made the playoffs, Powell almost blatantly dogged it, not looking to extend the season any further than he had to.

And lest anyone think that’s me making broad assumptions, I’ll tell you right here that I heard it from the mouths of other players on his team. What’s worse, Powell wasn’t the only one rolling over for the Boise Hawks that year.  

But Suzuki went the other way. He broke more bats and slammed more helmets than anyone I’ve ever encountered, bar Don Sutton III, who holds the record for most equipment destroyed and curses delivered by a wide margin. If Suzuki struck out, it wasn’t because he was looking for a walk, it was because he was chasing a dinger. If he popped a flyball into the shallow outfield, he’d be at second base before the ball was caught. And if there was a play at the plate, someone was going to be feeling it next morning.

I’m glad Suzuki has made it to The Show, not to mention secured himself a permanent spot in the lineup. It means that it’s still possible to be a walk-on in college and make the majors if you just work hard enough and refuse to be distracted by outside forces. 

RIVERCATS CLOSING IN ON PCL TITLE:
Speaking of ex-Vancouver Canadians, the team that used to BE the Vancouver Canadians, the Sacramento Rivercats, look to have a solid shot at winning the Pacific Coast League, having gone 2-0 up in the series against the New Orleans Zephyrs last night.

The Cats won 3-2 on the back of solid work from 2002 Vancouver Canadians outfield/1B duo Brian Stavisky and Brant Colamarino [seen right]. The former doubled in the latter with the scores tied and two outs in the top of the 9th, leading the Oakland-affiliated AAA club with a tight come from behind victory with 2005 C’s ace Mike Madsen pitching strongly over 6 1/3 innings (2ER, 5H, 1K, 2BB).

What’s great about this win is Colamarino was a last minute addition to the AAA squad, having ended his season with the AA Midland Rockhounds a week earlier, before heading home for a rest.

"It’s just incredible," Sacramento infielder Lou Merloni, who homered in the first inning, said by phone. "This guy was at home eating a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich when (manager) Tony DeFrancesco called him and said, ‘We need you.’ "

The previous night, 2004 C’s outfielder Nick Blasi notched his playoff batting average up to (get this) .519 with three hits and three runs, having helped his team come back from 0-2 down in the earlier playoff round with a grand slam, among other things.

And for those not aware of Blasi’s backstory - he was dying on the vine in high-A ball, having spent two seasons in Kane County and one in Vancouver, when a rash of Oakland injuries saw the A’s send him to AAA ball as an emergency fill-in for a few days.

Since that time, Blasi has been the hardest hitting outfielder in the system - bar none. He takes walks, he slap hits, and the biggest surprise over previous seasons is he’s suddenly become a powerlord.

Blasi for the majors in 2008? Don’t be surprised.

Two former C’s bound for the islands:
In a move that comes as something of a change to Oakland’s organizational thinking, three prospects have been shipped off to Hawaii for a little winter ball. Scout.com reports that Justin Sellers (2005), Jared Lansford and Jermaine Mitchell (2006) have packed their bags and shipped out to the sunny climes for a little fine-tuning.

Meanwhile, the A’s are sending 38 minor leaguers to the instructional league, along with a good chunk of their minor league coaching staff.

Former C’s manager Juan Navarette (2005) will be there, along with former hitting coach Todd Steverson (2004), and 2006 hitting coach and 2004-5 player, Benny ‘The Jet’ Winslow.

On the pitching side, 2007 Canadians attending will be Pedro Figueroa, Justin Friend, Brad Hertzler, Scott Hodsdon, Chad Kerfoot, Leonardo Martinez, Nick Walters, and Brent Lysander. Among the catchers, Dante Love and Julio Rivera get the call, along with infielders Danny Hamblin, Sean Doolittle, Josh Horton and Mike Richard, and outfielders Grant Desme, Shane Keough and Matt Sulentic.

2006 C’s in attendance will include Larry ‘Corny’ Cobb, Mike ‘Fearless’ Affronti, Christian Vitters, and Andrew Bailey.
 

2004 Vancouver Canadians screwball king, Dallas Braden, is pitching the hell out of a start against the Seattle Mariners right now, with his Oakland Athletics leading 4-1 in the top of the 5th.

Braden has been getting worked fairly hard by the opposition in his most recent Major League starts, so it’s good to see him 1) getting another shot at ML bats, and 2) striking guys out with a little run support around him.

Oh, and it’s nice that if you’re in Vancouver, you can see it - NOW - on Sportsnet.

One question that remains a mystery in Oakland circles, however, is what happened to Braden’s screwball?

In short-season ball, it was the scroogy that killed all opponents, with Braden racking up ungodly strikeout numbers, and that continued up the system to AA ball. But once Dallas got injured last year, since coming back the screwball hasn’t been spotted.

Billy Beane was asked about it in an interview he gave to Athletics Nation last week and claimed he had no idea what happened to Braden’s screwball - that it was something to ask the pitching coach, or the pitcher himself, which seems disengenuous at best, evasive at worst.

It?s probably a good question for [pitching coach Curt Young].  I do know that it was a pitch when we first drafted him that was not only a really good pitch but a very unique pitch in today?s game and it is obvious to me that he isn?t throwing it as much.  That might be a question for Dallas as well.  That?s one of the micro-details that I won?t get very involved in. 

However, earlier in the year, Oakland manager Bob Geren was asked a similar question; that is, "whether someone instructed rookie left-hander Dallas Braden not to throw his screwball", and Geren answered with the claim that Braden doesn’t have a screwball at all.

Dallas Braden is a fine young pitcher who has had some success with us this year.  His repertoire of pitches includes a fastball to both sides of the plate, slider, and an outstanding change up that fades and dives away from right handed hitters having the same characteristics as a screwball.

So what’s going on? Who’s telling the truth? Did Braden never actually have a screwball? Or did he have one but has been told not to use it, lest he damage his arm? Or is it being kept in cotton wool until such time as he really needs it? Or was it his call to lose it?

The plot thickens. But the game is on TV, so… bye.

UPDATE: As I was writing, Braden got slow and sloppy, and ended up getting chased with the score 4-3, with two on base. Ruddy Lugo couldn’t keep one of those guys from scoring, so the lead is lost and Braden is benched.

Alas.

MVPs are for bonus babies. All-star spots are for high draft picks.

Butwhat’s left for the guy who turns up early, works his ass off, thenspends the entire game warming up the bullpen, wondering if he’ll getmore than five swings per series?

What do we give to the guy whohas nothing but a dream and way too much time to dream it? What can the80% of guys destined to not get past AA ball, who are there primarilyto catch balls thrown and hit by the other 20%, look toward as theirown private World Series equivalent?

In short, what do the Rudy Rudibaker’s of this world play for?

Answer: The Vancouver Canadians Beer Hawker Player of the Year Award.

I couldn’t tell you who was the C’s MVP this season because,frankly, it just doesn’t matter. Whoever it was will go up the system,hit the cover off the ball, or peel the leather off catchers mitts, orsnap off breaking stuff that guys like Joe Morgan will say "isn’t asgood as it was in my day", but the guys that the InternationalBrotherhood of Minesweepers, Pastry Chefs, and Beerhawkers, Local 666,decide are the Beer Hawker Players of theYear… well, those guys go down in local legend. They live on in ourheartsand souls and stories and admiration.

Take Joe Newby, the 2005 winner of the BHPoY, who was sooutraged at his and other players’ living conditions with a certainhost family, that he took a video camera and filmed them, laterconfronting GM Dan Kilgras with the tape in what would come to be knownas "dogbloodgate". Newby’s fire, his ability to keep throwing the hardcheese with his head held high, even as all around him bootedgroundballs and waved at infield singles and allowed the runs to rackup, and the fact that he left a porno virus on his host family’scomputer, made him a lock on the big prize.

Newby was recentlyreleased by the A’s, but he’ll always have that video tape, and thememory of Kilgras with steam coming out of his ears, cursing like atourettes syndome patient in the midst of a sugar rush. And pop-ups advertising girl-on-goat sex.

The list of previous winners is as follows:

2006: Andre Piper-Jordan       Threw punches; wasn?t JermaineMitchell
2005: Joey Newby                  ?Accidentally? left a pornovirus on host family computer
2004: Myron Leslie                  Because he was the lastplayer they expected to win
2003: Eddie Kim                     Solid player; awardvalidated by chugging from the mini keg he won
2002: John Baker                   Always swung like itmattered; only hit one home run
2001: Casey Meyers               Inspired by legend of ?Three Fingers?Rowan
2000: Joe B. Cerone               Name rhymed with ?My Charona?;had good-looking sisters
1999: Ricky Freeman              Because Frank Menechino couldn?twin everything
1998: Ben Molina                    Name rhymed with ?MyCharona?
1997: Geoff Edsell                  Left heart in San Francisco; left uniform in New Orleans
1996: Orlando Palmeiro          Tried ? and failed ? to hit us with balls from theoutfield

This year, the award went to a player who had us at hello.

No,he didn’t hit too well. And sure, his defense is a work in progress.And yeah, he’s going to be in the group of players who are told byOakland "we’ll see you next year… in all likelihood."

But toC’s fans, he was Benny Winslow with a chest protector. He was thePlayer to be Famed Later. He was the guy we wanted to see succeed, forno other reason than, dammit, he’s earned a little karma with all thatbullpen work. And he has the best baseball name since Rollie Fingers.

And every now and then, when the opposition was feeling goodabout themselves and the fans were checking watches and the hawkerswere going back for a tray refill, Brother Love, the 2006 39th rounderfor Oakland, with nobody on and two outs, would dig in, stare down apitcher, grip the shaft of his bat a little harder, and think "breakingball down the middle."

Zip. Crack. Off the center field wall for a double.

Love’sline at season’s end wasn’t one that’ll have Scott Boras suggesting heswitch agents, but his commitment to the team, the game, and the redand blue, make him the only man who could take home the big award.

He showed us The Love. All hail ‘The Inferno’.

Also honoured, and no less important, is JD Pruitt, 2007 winner of the infrequently given Beerhawker Inspiration Award.

Pruitt’sability to telekinetically attract fastballs to his elbow, back and asswas enough to take his OBP into the stratosphere, shattering the NWLHBP record like a firmly plunked elbow in the process, and giving birthto the blog images that would become known as ‘lolpruitts’.

Thanks for the memories, JD. You played it like you meant it.

Previous winners of the Inspiration Award are as follows:

2006: James Heuser       Because we had to divert upset honeys when he was charting pitches
2001: Dan Johnson         Rested due to inability to play one fine, hung-over afternoon
2000: Freddie Bynum      Committed 29 errors; hit 2 fans
1997: Jerry Thurston       Because we had to convince people he was playing Triple-A
1996:Will Pennyfeather   Knocked a catcher out cold; played ?Count the Fans? with the hawkers

As for how these awards came to be, that story is deserving of its own post… 

Usually, the last game of an NWL season is a somber occasion for C’s fans.

We don’t get a long season, and we don’t get to see the players again, unless they’re slumping or rehabbing sometime down the road, so more than at any other level of ball, the end of a Vancouver Canadians season is not just an end to ball for the next nine months - it’s also an end to friendships, in some cases relationships, it’s the last time fans will see their favourite players, the last time we’ll see staff who move on to other things, the last we’ll hear of the team on the TV and radio… and if you’ve just lost in the playoffs (as the C’s have often), it’s an even harder time.

But this time around, two things changed from years prior to make the end of season 2007 a happy time. 

1. We won the final game of the year. That never happens.

2. See picture above.

After a 4-1 victory to the C’s, Delany Dunn and his betrothed, Lisa Marie, gathered at home plate under a frequently collapsing wedding arbour ("Hey, security guy! Hold this up and try not to stand out behind the bride!"), and vowed to spend the rest of their days together.

It was a light-hearted event that took longer to set up than get through, and bride and groom were beaming wide enough to be noticeable in the cheap seats, a place where a good 300 or so fans could be found long after the game had ended. The possibility of an open bar may have had something to do with that, as the chants of "go wedding, go!" ran long and hard in the lead-up.

Lyndon Little of The Sun has more. 

"Lisa Marie [her parents were both huge Elvis fans] and I were initially planning an ‘08 ceremony," Dunn said. "When my mother took ill we decided to move it up in hopes she could be there. Unfortunately, she passed away. But since we told her we were definitely going to be married on Sept. 5 we decided to stick with that date."

When the Canadians’ management caught word of the impending nuptials they approached Dunn about a park ceremony. With the club’s business connections the team was able to arrange some commercial support for the event, including sponsorship of Watson’s bridal package.

I want to know what part of that bridal package required a sponsorship by a Go-Kart track - but it wasn’t just the wedding at home plate that made this a special day - I witnessed many things that had me smiling, despite an umpiring performance clearly intended to get everyone home early.

The first was the crowd of people who now surround Bud Kerr whenever he’s at a game. It used to be Bud would have a few friends around him, swapping stories, but the guy is a media darling these days. He’s working on a documentary about the team, he’s got a museum in his name in the works, with next year being spoken of as a likely opening date, he’s got artists and archivists and ball fans and, yes, the ladies, crowded around him like he’s the guru of all things ballish. Which, when it comes to ball in this town, he kinda is.

The second was walking up to the window of the broadcast booth and finding not Rob Fai and Mark Lenden of TEAM1040, and not the regular webcaller, and not even HawkerRob, who’d done the call the night before. No, instead, there sat the father/son team of Dancing Hans and Lurch the Audio Intern doing the webcast call.

The third awesome thing of the day was seeing HawkerRob and Dave TheAncient Mariner stepping back out onto the concourse with trays ofGranville Island’s finest, their pennance paid, the crowd quenched, anda certificate for the Beerhawker Player of the Year firmly in hand.More on that in subsequent posts.

But the best thing of the day is something I saw that made my season: A nigh-mulleted drunk dude over in what used to be the smoking section had spent a good part of the day cheering on the team among a group of folks taking long tokes on what you might refer to as ‘BC’s finest’. The guys in the booth had been trying to get the security employees to go de-doobie them for a while, without much luck, but they weren’t doing any harm beyond the obvious breaking of laws. I suspect Julio Rivera might have been getting high just from the breeze, but I digress.

So this mulleted Anthony Kiedis lookalike was hanging about, having a good time, when a hard hit foul tip comes zinging his way. Defying his stoned and drunk state, he zips out a hand and bare-palms it without a flinch, turns to the crowd and raises his arms defiantly with ball in hand, earning a big cheer.

But then comes the good bit… he reaches across the fencing and hands it to a completely random little girl.

Now, that happens all the time at The Nat. In fact, if you don’t give a foul tip to a kid, you’ll pretty much earn the wrath of the faithful and be shunned by the hawkers, but what happened after the game with this guy took it to the next level.

Somehow, Mulletman acquired a bat from a player. This is the holy grail of autograph hunters - you NEVER get a bat. Not ever. I’ve seen literally hundreds of people ask for one, and never have I seen someone get one. Instead, the look they’ll get from the player ranges from a "dude, sorry, not going to happen" to "I can’t believe you’d even be so presumptuous as to even ask".

But this guy got one. And just like the foul tip, when he snagged it, he raised it in the air in celebration, to a big cheer from those around him.

And then he walked over to a guy in a wheelchair, put it on his lap, shook his hand and went about his business.

That’s Nat Bailey Stadium. That’s why I love the place.

Let’s get to the game.

3,284 were on hand for the finale of NWL West 2007, and they weren’t disappointed with what they saw. JD Pruitt opened the game with an infield single to 2nd base before Runway Richard was hit by a pitch to put the C’s in a strong position early. Matt Sulentic and The Pied Piper of Hamblin both struck out (Sulentic looking for a walk, and Hamblin looking for the parking lot), before Greg Desme ripped a rifle shot down the third base line, bringing both runners home. C’s up 2-0.

C’s starter Pedro Figueroa got himself out of a jam nicely in the 3rd, when with men at 1st and 2nd and only one out, he drew the Aquasox hitters into a ground-out fielder’s choice, and then struck out the always threatening Denny Almonte looking.

Matt Sulentic was robbed by a bad umpiring call in the 4th, when he was judged ot have been caught stealing 2nd. Mental replay in my head after a good night’s sleep indicates the ump was high, and the pity of it is that with Richard and Hamblin singling around him, and Desme drawing a walk, if Sulentic hadn’t been told to go (or hadn’t had NWL-standard umps to deal with), he would likely have scored a run.

But whatever.

Figueroa picked up an injury in the bottom of the frame, with what looked like maybe a hammy strain as he stumbled off the field. There was no panic about him, so no drama ensued, and being as it’s the last game of the year, all it really meant was Flyin’ Bryan Collins entered the game early, with a man in scoring position.

A subsequent double to Jeff Dunbar brought the scores back to 2-1 Vancouver, but that would be the closest the Flipperkids would get.

The American Dream, Dusty Napoleon’s "put me in coach, I’m ready to play" routine of late continued in the 4th as he ripped a double down the first base line, and a base hit to The Frashmaker plated him with time to spare. 3-1 C’s.

I decided to move up to the front row, right behind home plate, for the 5th inning, and it proved to be a good idea, albeit one that nearly killed my camera.

Dan Hamblin drilled double to left that, because of my line of sight, I could actually track the spin of it off the bat. It started out hit hard and low, right at the third baseman, but soon began to spiral out of his reach, slamming down on the turf just inside the line and continuing to scurry off towards the C’s bullpen. It was something to see, up so close that you could follow it’s trajectory like you fired it out of a rifle. Hamblin really does hit balls hard - every time.

More fun followed in my front row seat, as a Greg Desme single saw Hamblin not amblin’ as he motored home and Aquasox replacement catcher Blake Ochoa (there’s two names that don’t go together) missed the ball entirely, turning to watch it miss my camera by a handful of inches (as seen left).

Just so you know, no, I didn’t flinch. I was getting the shot - no time for flinching. Oh, and there was no zoom used for that pitcure; That’s how close you are to home plate when you’re watching a ballgame at Nat Bailey Stadium from the front row. In fact, if The Nat were to be built now, it wouldn’t be legal for NWL ball, because home plate is so close to the backstop. It’s only that the ballpark was grandfathered in under old rules that such an anomaly exists, but holy crap, does it make for a great baseball experience.

Anyhow, C’s up 4-1.

From that point on, the Aquasox were making travel plans and the C’s were swapping phone numbers and email addresses to keep in touch through the off-season. Aaron Jenkins, Scott Hodsdon and Leo "you can leave your hat on" Espinal pitched an inning each without threat of a run being scored on them, with Hodsdon striking out the side in the 8th, and the home fans went home for another nine months, tanned, slightly drunk, and with plenty of cut price merchandise in hand.

Thanks for the season, C’s.

September 5, 2007
	Final    1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9      R   H   E   Everett   0   0   0   1    0   0   0   0   0      1   6   1   Vancouver   2   0   0   1   1   0   0   0   X      4   11   0  box | log W: B. Collins (1-1, 6.59); L: E. Paredes (7-6, 3.99); SV: L. Espinal (12) HR: None.

What a night for a C’s fan - I’ve got the TV showing the Oakland Athletics/Anaheim Angels of Rancho Cucamonga game on Sportsnet with the sound down, as I listen to the Vancouver Canadians leading the Everett Aquasox on the C’s webcast.

And what do I find between innings?

Only Andrew Bailey pulling a Brad Davis by no-hitting the opposition into the 7th inning on his Triple-A debut.

Sacramento spotted its new addition to an 8-0 lead in the first inning on the strength of Nick Blasi’s grand slam. Teammates had promised to stake him to a big lead in the first inning Sunday after the River Cats scored seven runs in the first three innings of a 7-0 win.

"A bunch of the guys were coming over and telling me, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll spot you seven in the first,’" the 23-year-old South Jersey native said. "Then near the end of our half of the first, I was leaning against the railing in the dugout when Brian [Stavisky] came up to me and said ‘See, we told you we’d give you a good lead right away.’ After he said that, it definitely helped me calm down some."

The right-hander retired the first 14 batters he faced before giving up a four-pitch walk to Mark Johnson with two outs in the fourth. Bailey maintained the no-hitter until the seventh when he hung a 1-2 curveball to Jamie D’Antona, who ripped a hard single to left.

Good to see 2004 Vancouver Canadian Nick Blasi is still lighting it up in AAA ball, with a grand slam no less. Fellow 2004 C’s outfielder, Danny Putnam, also had a good night, going 2-5 with a pair of doubles, a run scored and an RBI.

And in a spooky eventuality, former Oakland minors prospect Ben Jukich, who threw for the C’s in 2006, also pitched a seven inning shut-out today for his Florida State League team, the Sarasota Reds.

Jukich was traded to Cincinnati earlier in the year, after going 0-0, 3.24 with 2 saves last year in limited action for Van City, as a PTBNL in the Chris Denorfia trade from the Reds.

NOTE: As of the time of writing, the A’s and Angels are tied 2-2 in the 6th, while the C’s lead Everett 3-1 in the same inning. Oorah.