Canada’s All-Stars

Tonight begins baseball’s mid-summer classic, the All Star Game and Events.  With the ever popular home run derby taking place tonight, Canadian’s can cheer for BC native Justin Morneau who represents the Twins in the event.

Tomorrow night’s game has a few Canadians in the line-up, although none are starters.  The NL side includes L.A. Dodgers’ catcher Russ Martin and Chicago Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, with Justin Morneau the sole AL player.

Three Canadian players are not a lot, but this is probably a fair representation given the year a lot of Canadian players are having.  Francis and Bay are experiencing off-years, and even though some players like Joey Votto and Matt Stairs are having good years, they’re not all-star caliber.

Phillipe Aumont (Mariner’s #1 draft pick) was the lone Canadian in the futures game.  Although these numbers look a little bleak for Canadians in the game, there’s not only a solid core in the majors right now, but a growing number of prospects making their way through the minor system.  With the growth we’ve seen in the past few years, I think it is safe to expect more in the future.  Maybe we will look back at 2008 as an off year, but of course, it’s not over yet!

Congrats to the Drafted Canadians

This year’s MLB draft was a good one for Canada, and history making as well.  The most notable pick was Brett Lawrie of Langley, BC who became the 4th highest Canadian draft pick of all time, and the highest position player.  Only Adam Loewen, Jeff Francis and Phillipe Aumont have been picked higher than this year’s 16th overall pick.  He is now the property of the Milwaukee Brewers, an organization with a few prominant Canadians in their managerial ranks who probably had some good knowledge of the Canadian.

It would have been interesting to see what would have happened if Lawrie lasted one more pick.  The Toronto Blue Jays picked 17th, and if he had been available he would have been a logical pick for them.

On the second day of the draft (yes, it goes for multiple days! we saw another 31 Canadians drafted.  Here’s the list:

• Andrew Albers; North Battleford, SK (10^th round, 315^th/Padres), LHP
• Brad Furdal; Ancaster, ON. (11^{th round}, 323^rd/Rays), RHP
• David Francis; Mississauga, ON (12^th round, 370^th/Braves), RHP
• Marcel Champagnie; Bolton, ON (15^th round, 469^th/Angels), SS/OF
• Carter Morrison; Langley, BC (16^th round, 479^th/Reds), CF
• Stosh Wawrzasek; Langley, BC (16^th round, 488^th/Brewers), RHP
• Michael Crouse; Port Moody, BC (16^th round, 489^th/Blue Jays), OF
• Nick Bucci; Sarnia, ON (18^th round, 548^th/Brewers), RHP
• Jordan Meaker; Burlington, ON (20^th round, 618^th/Diamondbacks), RHP
• Mathieu Poirier; Montreal, QC (21^st round, 634^th/Athletics), RHP
• Mitch Delaney; LaSalle, ON (21^st round, 650^th/Yankees), 1B
• Carter Bell; Courtenay, BC (22^nd round, 657^th/Giants), INF
• Marcus Knecht; Toronto, ON (23^rd round, 698^th/Brewers), OF
• Michael Gosse; Pitt Meadows, BC (23^rd round, 703^rd/Tigers), 2B
• Lionel Morrill; Edmonton, AB (24^th round, 726^th/Twins), OF
• Brad McElroy; St. Thomas, ON (25^th round, 759^th/Blue Jays), OF
• J.R. Robinson; Burnaby, BC (31^st round, 939^th/Blue Jays), LHP
• Jordan Lennerton; Surrey, BC (33^rd round, 1003^rd/Tigers), 1B
• François Lafreniere; St-Bruno, QC (34^th round, 1017^th/Giants), RHP
• Ruddy Rio-Nunez; Montreal, QC (35^th round, 1066^th/Phillies), OF
• Nick Purdy; Grafton, ON (36^th round, 1075^th/Royals), RHP/OF
• Clay Caufield; Toronto, ON (38^th round, 1160^th/Yankees), RHP
• Nick Fogarty; Richmond Hill, ON (40^th round, 1208^th/Brewers), LHP
• Benson Merritt; Smithville, ON (42^nd round, 1259^th/Reds), RHP
• George Agyapong-Mensah; Mississauga, ON (44^th round, 1329^th/Blue Jays), RF
• Jean-François Ricard; Montreal, QC (44^th round, 1334^th/Mets), LHP
• David Cooper, Edmonton, AB. (44^th round, 1337^th/Diamondbacks), SS
• James Kottaras; Markham, ON (45^th round, 1357^th/Brewers), 2B
• Ashton Florko; Trail, BC (45^th round, 1359^th/Cubs), LHP
• Nathan Linseman; Ariss, ON (45^th round, 1361^st/Tigers), LHP
• Leonardo Ochoa; Longeuil, QC (48^th round, 1428^th/Giants), SS