And a happy Canada Day to you, too!
Time to select our seventh annual Team Canada lineup. When we began, this was a mythical team, like the original pitching staff for March's World Baseball Classic.
Everyone will show for this team since participation is mandatory because of a decree by national treasure, Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, who throws today's first pitch.
We have a few candidates to choose from: 18 Canadians on major league rosters; 109 in the minors or in foreign lands; 34 in independent leagues and 706 collegians south of the border. Our lineup (stats before last night's games):
- Leading off will be Montreal catcher Russell Martin (.247 batting average, one homer and 21 runs batted in) of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Batting second is Kansas City Royals third baseman Mark Teahen (.281, nine, 28) whose roots go back to St. Marys, Ont.
- In the No. 3 hole is Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau (.309, 17, 61), the former American League MVP award winner from New Westminster, B.C.
- Hitting cleanup is centre fielder Jason Bay (.277, 19, 69) of the Boston Red Sox. The Trail, B.C., resident becomes a dual citizen when he gets his U.S. passport tomorrow.
- Etobicoke's Joey Votto (.351, nine, 37) of the Cincinnati Reds will DH.
- Hitting sixth comes the tip of the next talent wave in right fielder Mike Saunders (.303, 10, 26 at triple-A Tacoma) from Victoria, B.C., and the Seattle Mariners.
- Next is Scott Thorman (.300, 13, 30 at triple-A Omaha) from the Royals. The Cambridge resident switched from first base to left field when he changed organizations and hit 12 homers in his first 37 games.
- Batting eighth is Newmarket second baseman Peter Orr (.236, five, 23 at triple-A Syracuse), a Washington Nationals farmhand.
- And hitting ninth is Toronto-born Cale Iorg (.221, six, 21 at double-A Erie) of the Detroit Tigers and the son of ex-Blue Jay Garth Iorg.
Manager Ernie Whitt will give the ball to Seattle's Erik Bedard (5-2 won-loss record, 2.47 earned run average) of Navan, Ont., in the opener.
The rest of the rotation will be back-to-back Chicago Cubs starters Ryan Dempster (4-5, 4.09) of Gibsons, B.C., and Victoria's Rich Harden (4-4, 4.95), Vancouver's Scott Richmond (6-4, 3.68) of the Jays and finally Jeff Francis from North Delta, B.C., of the Colorado Rockies.
In the bullpen will be Georgetown's Shawn Hill (1-1, 5.25) of the San Diego Padres; Toronto-born Jesse Crain (2-3. 8.15), the setup man for the Twins and the St. Louis Cardinals' Blake Hawksworth (0-0, 4.70, 5-4, 3.92 at triple-A Memphis) of North Vancouver.
Other arms will be Mississauga's Chris Leroux (3-2, 3.67 at double-A Jacksonville), who has pitched in two games with the Florida Marlins; Seattle's Phillippa Aumont (2-2 3.03, with 13 saves combined at double-A West Tennessee and class-A High Desert) of Gatineau, Que.; Thorold's David Davidson (0-1, 3.00 at triple-A Indianapolis, triple-A New Orleans), who also pitched one game with the Marlins and Vancouver's R.J. Swindle (2-1 0.79 at triple-A Nashville) of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Backup catchers will be Markham's George Kottaras (.227, zero, eight) of the Red Sox and Luke Carlin (.287, four, 23 at triple-A Reno) of Aylmer, Que., who was in two games with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Also on the bench will be pinch hitter Matt Stairs (.296, three 12) from Fredericton and the Philadelphia Phillies; infielder Jonathan Malo of Laval, Que. (.310, one, 10 at double-A Binghamton) from the New York Mets; outfielders Nick Weglarz (.257, 12, 55 at double-A Akron) of Stevens-ville, Ont., and the Cleveland Indians; and Rene Tosoni (.275, nine, 45 at double-A New Britain) from Coquitlam, B.C. and the Twins.
Now this team ought to be able to beat Italy.
BOB.ELLIOTT@SUNMEDIA.CA
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HOW THEY STACK UP
2009 Canada Day lineup
- 1. C Russell Martin; 2. 3B Mark Teahen; 3. 1B Justin Morneau; 4. CF Jason Bay; 5. DH Joey Votto; 6. RF Mike Saunders; 7. LF Scott Thorman; 8. 2B Peter Orr; 9. SS Cale Iorg.
- Rotation: LHP Erik Bedard; RHP Ryan Dempster, RHP Rich Harden; RHP Scott Richmond, LHP Jeff Francis.
Original 2003 Canada Day lineup
- 1. CF Bay; 2. LF Aaron Guiel; 3. 3B Corey Koskie; 4. RF Larry Walker; 5. DH Matt Stairs; 6. 1B Morneau; 7. SS Danny Klassen; 8. C Pete Laforest; 9. 2B Stubby Clapp.
- Rotation: RHP Chris Reitsma; RHP Dempster; RHP Harden; RHP Steve Green; LHP Bedard.
