2024 Program 1

THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER

DON’T MISS WHITE SPOT FAMILY FUN SUNDAY

CHAMPIONSHIP PENNANT GIVEAWAY MASCOT PUZZLE GIVEAWAY

FATHER’S DAY TRAVEL MUG GIVEAWAY DRAWSTRING BAG GIVEAWAY

MOTHER’S DAY TRAVEL MUG GIVEAWAY

MASCOT SOCKS GIVEAWAY

FOAM GLOVE GIVEAWAY

HELMET BOWL GIVEAWAY

CAR FLAG GIVEAWAY LUNCH BAG GIVEAWAY PENCIL CASE GIVEAWAY

GATES OPEN AT NOON. FIRST PITCH 1:05

9 GET TO KNOW YOUR CANADIANS FRONT OFFICE STAFF

Meet the team behind our team as we feature those who work around the clock to ensure your best ballpark experience.

14 2024 PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

This is your chance to map out the entire summer using our vibrant and colourful Promo Schedule that shows you every single moment this season. A great tool to plan out the games you absolutely HAVE to see this season.

17 ROAD TO THE SHOW

Climbing through the Blue Jays system.

18 TEAM ROSTERS

22 MEET THE 2024 VANCOUVER CANADIANS

This year’s squad is looking to bring home Northwest League Championship #5! Let’s meet this year’s ‘Boys of Summer’!

30 CANADIANS TO REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES

A list of alumni who have gone to 'The Show'

32 HOW TO SCORE THE BASEBALL GAME

A Scorekeeping 101.

34 THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER

Born in Mississauga, Ont., in 1982, Ashley Stephenson is widely regarded as the best player in Women’s National Team history.

38 BACK TO BABE

On June 13, 1948, photographer Nat Fein captured what may be the most famous photo of Babe Ruth and one that remains iconic to this day.

44 ADRIÁN BELTRÉ’S PASSION FOR THE GAME TURNED AN INJURY INTO A PATH TO COOPERSTOWN

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the career-high 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them.

52 MEET OUR MASCOTS!

The Canadians feature not one, not two, but seven amazing mascots all with their own claim to fame! Take a look at the colourful characters that keeps fans smiling all summer long.

54 KIDS FUN PAGE

Fun kids activities

MARK STEFFENS/FOTOGUY PHOTOGRAPHY

8,000,000+ Kilometers | 500,000+ Passengers Every year | We're going your way

Whatever the event, no matter how large, Universal has the experience and the fleet to make it happen in comfort and style. From customer shuttles, team buses, student transportation, to major conventions and multi-departure tour programs, we do it all.

FRIDAYS Gates Open at Noon. First Pitch 1:05 BUY TICKETS

The Vancouver Canadians Baseball League is looking for your help this season. Your assistance will help more than 300 local children between the ages of 6-11 learn a number of life skills on the diamond including teamwork, fair play and how to develop confidence and pride.

If you would like to make a donation to Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation, please go to www.vancouverfoundation.ca/vancouvercanadians and click on the donate button.

THANK YOU for supporting the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation and Vancouver Canadians Baseball League. Because of your generosity, we can move forward and bring a summer of fun and memories to children from right here in our own neighbourhoods.

FRONT OFFICE STAFF

JAKE KERR

CHAIR OF VANCOUVER CANADIANS BASEBALL

Born and raised in Vancouver, Jake Kerr attended the University of British Columbia before completing his MBA in Economics and Finance at the University of California at Berkeley. A Canadian business icon, Mr. Kerr has been the recipient of the Order of Canada and Order of British Columbia for his remarkable contributions to both our country and province. Taking ownership of the Canadians back in 2007, Mr. Kerr has led the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club to eight (8) franchise attendance records, multiple Larry McPhail Awards for excellence within the Northwest League, and Minor League Baseball’s most coveted accolade - the John H. Johnson President’s Trophy, awarded to MiLB’s most complete franchise.

JEFF MOONEY

CHAIR OF THE VANCOUVER CANADIANS BASEBALL FOUNDATION

In addition to his valuable contributions to the Vancouver Canadians, Jeff Mooney is Chairman Emeritus and a major shareholder of A&W Food Services of Canadians Inc. Today, A&W is a strategy-driven organization that has grown to over 1,000 locations across Canada. A&W has been recognized as one of the 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada for the past 10 consecutive years, and in 2008, it was honoured to become an official member of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Platinum Club.

Mr. Mooney is an alumnus of both the University of Saskatchewan and Harvard University Graduate School of Business. In 2003, Mr. Mooney received Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Medal and three years later was inducted into the Restaurant Hall of Fame(2006). In 2016, Mr. Mooney was inducted into the B.C. Business Laureates Hall of Fame and this year received the Order of Canada

ALLAN BAILEY GENERAL MANAGER

Allan Bailey has been with the Vancouver Canadians since 2007 and was appointed General Manager on September 5th, 2018 after spending the previous seven seasons as the organization's Assistant General Manager.

Allan has led several departments during his tenure with the C's including the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office and its ticket operations as well as his more recent efforts in the Team Operations handling everything from player housing and travel right through to Information Technology (IT).

Born in Victoria, B.C., Allan was raised on the North Shore and up on the Sunshine Coast. Allan completed his education at McGill University while playing five seasons with the McGill Redbirds baseball program. Prior to university, Allan played for the North Shore Twins of the B.C. Premier League.

STEPHANI ELLIS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

2024 is Stephani’s tenth season with the Vancouver Canadians. She was promoted to the role of Assistant General Manager in 2019 and was the recipient of the 2019 Northwest League Female Executive of the Year for her work with the C's.

Stephani has led the Canadians Group Sales, Social Media, and Community platforms during her time out at historic Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

After a standout collegiate softball career at California University of PA where Stephani played for the Vulcans, the Prince of Wales Secondary graduate and former Team BC member began her marketing career with the Canadians.

Stephani works in concert with group leaders who expect the Canadians to provide an excellent ballpark experience with each visit to The Nat. Even with the demands that come with that responsibility alone, Stephani still lends her time to the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation and its fundraising efforts.

WALTER COSMAN

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & MARKETING

With more than 20 years of Sales & Marketing experience here in Vancouver, Walter decided to put those skills to work in the sport he's most passionate about, baseball.

With a B.A. from the University of New Brunswick, Walter has worked with Proctor & Gamble, Molson Canada, Granville Island Brewing and Steamworks Brewing.

With a longstanding corporate partnership with the Canadians prior to his arrival in May of 2019, Walter joined the organization fully aware of the standard that has put the C's among the best in Minor League Baseball.

BRENDA CHMILIAR FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Brenda enters her 16th season at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium and her sixth as Financial Controller for the Canadians. She spent the first 10 of those years with Aramark Food Services in the company's financial division, dividing her time between the ballpark and Rogers Arena. Her knowledge of stadium operations thanks to her time with both Aramark and the Canadians have proven to be invaluable during her tenure.

Brenda is responsible for all aspects of the financial operations and is right at home here at The Nat; much of her childhood was spent on local baseball fields up in Kamloops.

JACOB NAKHLEH MANAGER, TICKET OPERATIONS

Jacob returns for his eighth season with the C’s and his first as Manager, Ticket Operations.

He first joined the club for the 2016 season, when he began his time with the C’s in the Box Office. Jacob was first hired as a member of the game day staff, then promoted to Box Office Assistant before joining the sales team at the conclusion of the 2021 season. After spending the last couple of years working in sales and community relations, Jacob is excited to be back at home in the Box Office.

Prior to joining the C’s in a full-time role, Jacob graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Commerce (Finance).

When Jacob’s away from The Nat, you can find him watching Blue Jays baseball, Seahawks football, or dreaming about ice fishing in Saskatchewan.

ROSEMARY ALBERTS COORDINATOR, MARKETING SERVICES

Rosemary enters her first year with the Canadians as a Marketing Services Coordinator. She recently graduated from the University of British Columbia with her Bachelor of Arts in May 2023 and her Master of Management in December 2023.

Born in Richmond, Rosemary was raised in Victoria, B.C. where she grew up playing volleyball. Her previous work experience includes being the Communications & Administrative Coordinator for Athletics for Kids and a Varsity Game Day Statistician for UBC Athletics. She is excited to help the C’s organization in any way she can.

When Rosemary is not at the Nat, she enjoys her time watching the Canucks, kickboxing, or spending time with family and friends.

CHARLENE YAROSHUK

ACCOUNTING COORDINATOR

Charlene is excited to be entering her sixth season with the Vancouver Canadians as their Accounting Coordinator. In 2020 she graduated from Kwantlen Polytechnic University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting.

Growing up in the Vancouver area she spent most of her free time practicing martial arts and currently has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

TYLER ZICKEL

MANAGER OF BROADCASTING & MEDIA RELATIONS

2024 is Tyler’s fourth with the Canadians, seventh within the Toronto Blue Jays organization and 10th in Minor League Baseball.

Before the C's, Tyler served as the Director of Promotions & Entertainment and Radio Broadcaster for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Over the course of three seasons in Manchester, he oversaw the entire ingame presentation and promotions departments while traveling throughout the Eastern League calling 'Cats games. He has especially fond memories of the 2018 campaign, when he worked alongside current Jays (and former C’s) skipper John Schneider and the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio and Jordan Romano. He began his MiLB career in 2014 as a communications intern for the Advanced-A Lake Elsinore Storm in the California League. He made his professional baseball radio debut with the Storm in 2015 and handled the middle innings of road games for the rest of his tenure. Tyler, his wife Kate and dog Rosie make their offseason home in Portland, OR, where they play copious amounts of pickleball and obsess over the University of Texas Longhorns football season each fall. Born and raised in San Diego, Tyler is a lifelong Padres fan and will always “Keep The Faith.

Proud

to

support

the

AVAILABLE ON THE CONCOURSE AND at THE 3RD BASE CRAFT ZONE

LEVI WEBER HEAD GROUNDSKEEPER

Levi―the 2023 Northwest League Groundskeeper of the Year―is no stranger to this circuit, with prior experience as the Head Groundskeeper for the Spokane Indians at Avista Stadium. His talents have also taken him to the desert, where he was the Field Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Spring Training facility in Arizona.

The Colton, WA native graduated from Washington State University with a Double Major in Turfgrass Management and Vegetable Management and two minors in Horticulture and Agricultural Systems.

In his time away from the ballpark, you can find him on the golf course, weight training or enjoying time with family and friends.

COOPER MISIC CO-ORDINATOR, SALES

Cooper enters his third season with the Canadians and his second season as Coordinator, Sales. He is excited to take on more responsibilities during the 2024 season.

A former Langley Blaze star pitcher who took his talents south of the border to play for both Galveston College and Central Washington University, Cooper graduated from CWU with a degree in Sports Management with a Specialization in Business.

When Cooper’s away from The Nat, you can find him enjoying even more baseball, playing golf, or trying out every new restaurant in town.

DREW HOWSON SALES ASSOCIATE

2024 marks Drew’s third season in the Toronto Blue Jays organization and second full season in Vancouver. This season will be his first in an office role as a Sales Associate.

After graduating St. Clair College with a degree in Sport and Recreation Management and interning with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires, Drew began his career in professional baseball as a member of the Canadians Grounds Crew. He would go on to gain experience with the Toronto Blue Jays Facility Department, assisting with the renovation and clean-up of Rogers Centre before returning to Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.

Drew is a baseball junkie. He played and coached at many levels in his hometown community of Windsor, Ontario, most notably with the Tecumseh Rangers. In his off time, you’ll usually find him hiking, playing his guitar, or cheering on the Detroit Tigers and his beloved Michigan Wolverines. Go Blue!

LIAM GUERRIERO CO-ORDINATOR, SALES

2024 is Liam’s second season with the C’s, and first as a Sales Coordinator. The 24-year old graduated from Brock University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from their four-year program.

A native of Waterloo, Ontario, Liam grew up playing competitive hockey for the Waterloo Wolves. He loves playing and watching hockey, baseball, golf and football. He’s a fan of the Boston Bruins, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Browns and Rory McIlroy.

IZZY DINO SALES ASSOCIATE

Izzy joins the C’s as a Sales Associate for the 2024 season. She recently graduated from Seattle University with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Media Studies.

A native of North Vancouver, Izzy grew up playing competitive softball in both Vancouver and Richmond. She went on to log five NCAA Division I seasons between the University of Hawaii and Seattle University. In her spare time, she coaches youth softball pitchers on the North Shore. Izzy’s hobbies include watching and playing softball, yoga, going to the beach, and travelling to new places.

ZACH MAHAFFY SALES ASSOCIATE

Zachary returns to The Nat for his third season with the Canadians and his first in sales. He spent the previous two seasons as Box Office Assistant for the club.

In April 2023, Zachary graduated with a BBA from the Beedie School of Business at Simon Fraser University, concentrating in Marketing and Strategic Analysis.

A native of Surrey, Zachary played rep hockey with Semiahmoo MHA from U15 to U18, while also playing one season in the Pacific Junior Hockey League with the White Rock Whalers and Port Moody Panthers. During the baseball offseason, Zachary officiates hockey, from U15 all the way up to the Pacific Junior Hockey League. He achieved his Member High Performance certification with Hockey Canada in December 2023.

STADIUM OPERATIONS GROUNDS CREW

BROOKS PRIMO TRAVIS PORTER CAMERON CARELSE

ADAM HAUXWELL

- LOCATED IN THE3RD BASE FOOD COURT PROUDLY SERVING

ROAD TO THE SHOW

The Canadians are a part of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. The C’s are a High A affiliate of the Blue Jays. That means they are in the middle of the Toronto farm system, slightly higher than the Dunedin Blue Jays (Low A) and the Gulf Coast Blue Jays (Rookie). Baseball players work their way up through the organization in hopes of getting to the big leagues. Toronto is in the American League and pulls its talent from these teams.

TORONTO BLUE JAYS (MLB) | TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (416) 341-1000 | BLUEJAYS.COM

JOHN SCHNEIDER MANAGER

MARK BUDZINSKI FIRST BASE COACH

GIL KIM FIELD COORDINATOR

DON MATTINGLY BENCH COACH

PETE WALKER PITCHING COACH

GUILLERMO MARTINEZ HITTING COACH

LUIS RIVERA THIRD BASE COACH HUNTER MENSE ASSISTANT HITTING COACH JEFF WARE ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, BULLPEN

DAVE HUDGENS MAJOR LEAGUE HITTING STRATEGIST

ADAM YUDELMAN MAJOR LEAGUE COACH

ALEX ANDREOPOULOS BULLPEN CATCHER

BUFFALO BISONS (AAA) | BUFFALO, NEW YORK (716) 846-2000 | BISONS.COM

DAVID HOWELL ASSISTANT PITCHING COACH, STRATEGY

LUIS HURTADO BULLPEN CATCHER

BULLPEN COACH ANTHONY GOMEZ

NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS (AA) | MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE (603) 641-2005 | NHFISHERCATS.COM

MANAGER CESAR MARTIN

BENCH COACH JAKE MCGUIGGAN

HITTING COACH MITCH HUCKABAY PITCHING COACH JOEL BONNETT

POSITION COACH

GEORGE CARROL, DELTA CLEARY JR.

BULLPEN COACH

ERIC YARDLEY

VANCOUVER CANADIANS (HIGH A) | VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA (604) 872-5232 | CANADIANSBASEBALL.COM

BRENT LAVALLEE MANAGER

ROB SHIFRIN HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

DEIFERSON BARRETO BENCH COACH

KATIE REYES ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

RYAN WRIGHT HITTING COACH

BAILEY FORST HEAD S&C COACH

AUSTIN BIBENS-DIRKX PITCHING COACH

ZANE HUNT ASST S&C COACH

ALEXIS MAIER DIETITIAN

ASHLEY STEPHENSON POSITION COACH

RAUL PIMENTEL MENTAL COACH

DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS (LOW A) | DUNEDIN, FLORIDA (727) 733-9302 | DUNEDINBLUEJAYS.COM

CARSON PHILLIPS BULLPEN COACH

CRISTIAN CORDOVA TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANT

MANAGER JOSE MAYORGA

BENCH COACH MATT VON ROEMER

HITTING COACH NASH KNIGHT PITCHING COACH CORY RIORDAN

POSITION COACH PETR STRIBRCKY

BULLPEN COACH YOEL HERNANDEZ

MANAGER ANDY FERMIN

GULF COAST BLUE JAYS GULF COAST LEAGUE (ROOKIE) | DUNEDIN, FLORIDA (727) 734-8007

BENCH COACH CHRIS SCHAEFFER

HITTING COACH PAUL ELLIOTT, FRED LANDERS

PITCHING COACH ANTONIO CACERES, ALEX KACHLER

DEVELOPMENT COACH ALEX KACHLER

DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE BLUE JAYS DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE (DSL) | BOCA CHICA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

MANAGER DANNY CANELLAS

BENCH COACH ASHLEY PONCE

HITTING COACH RICARDO NANITA

PITCHING COACH ROBELIN BAUTISTA

BULLPEN COACH RAFAEL MONSION

TOR

BUF – AAA | NH – AA | VAN – A+ | DUN – A | FCL – R

PRONUNCIATIONS: Devereaux – dev-er-row | Leam – Liam | Pardinho – par-DEEN-yo | Naswell – NAZ-well | Anders – AND-ers

Jommer – YOE-murr | Kekai – KAY-kai | Doughty – dough-dee | Kasevich – KASS-uh-vitch | Estiven – es-STEVEN | Wehler – WHALE-er

Dasan – duh-SAWN | Angel – awn-hell | B. Lavallee – luh-VALLEY | Deiferson – DAY-fer-son | Bibens-Dirkx – BIB-ins DURKS | Stephenson – Stevenson

MANAGER: 33 Brent Lavallee

BENCH COACH: 13 Deiferson Barreto

PITCHING COACH: 29 Austin Bibens-Dirkx

HITTING COACH: 12 Ryan Wright

POS. PLAYER COACH: 2 Ashley Stephenson

BULLPEN COACH: XX Carson Phillips

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: Bailey Forst

ASSISTANT S&C: Zane Hunt

ATHLETIC TRAINER: Rob Shifrin

MENTAL COACH: Raul Pimentel

ATHLETIC THERAPIST: Katie Reyes

TECH ASSISTANT: Cristian Cordova

Bold pitcher name = currently projected to be in starting rotation IL = Injured list † = Major League injury rehab ** = Date in 2024 added to Hops roster in current stint with club • With Hops on 2024 Opening Day roster

PRONUNCIATIONS: Christian Cerda (SIR-duh)… Gavin Conticello (kahn-tih-SELL-oh)… Juan Corniel (corn-YELL)… Junior Franco (FRONK-oh)… Spencer Giesting (hard “g,” GEE-sting)… Gerardo Gutierrez (her-ARR-doe goo-tee-AIR-ez)… Gabriel Hernandez (GAY-bree-ul, but he goes by “Gaby,” rhyming with “tabby”)… Haruki Mukohchi (hah-roo-kee moo-COE-chee)… Peñiel Otaño (peen-YELL oh-TAWN-yo)… Manuel Peña (mahn-well PAINyuh)… Andrew Pintar (pin-tar, just as it looks)… Eli Saul (ee-lye sawl)… Wyatt Wendell (win-DELL)… Ricardo Yan (yahn)…

FIELD STAFF

MANAGER: 22 Javier Colina

PITCHING COACH: 18 Gabriel Hernandez

HITTING COACH: 33 Ty Wright

COACH: 7 Mark Reed

TRAINER: Haruki Mukohchi

STRENGTH COACH: Nate Kolb

VIDEO COORDINATOR: Eduardo Escribano

FIRST 1,000 FANS. MUST BE 19+ TO PLAY PRESENTED BY BCLC SCRATCH & WIN

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CanadiansBaseball.com/Contests

BRENT LAVALLEE

33 MANAGER

• Entering his second year as Manager in Vancouver, coming off a 67-62 campaign... Served as a Manager for the first time in 2021 while with the FCL Blue Jays...Played at LSU Shreveport until 2009 and joined their coaching staff as a Graduate Assistant in 2010...Started as a full-time assistant in 2012 and was named the Head Coach in 2016...In three years, his teams produced with an overall record of 126-57 and claimed the last two conference championships.

• The North Delta, British Columbia, native played for LSU for five seaons, including a medical redshirt campaign...Played a total of 200 games and earned 2009 1st Team All-Canada while runner up for Canadian College Baseball Player of the Year.

DEIFERSON BARRETO

BENCH COACH

13

• Moving up to Bench Coach after spending the last two seasons as Position Coach for the DSL Blue Jays...Started his coaching career in 2018 with Advanced-A Dunedin by assisting the coaching staff...In 2019, was assigned as Assistant Pitching Coach at The Toronto Blue Jays Dominican Academy...That July, he transitioned to the infield coach for the J2 signed players...In 2020, served as Infield Coach for the Dominican Academy and was instrumental in assisting the club with the Venezuelan players who were unable to get back home because of the pandemic.

• Signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent in September of 2011....Played as an infielder in the Blue Jays system from 2012-2017, reaching as high as Triple-A Buffalo..

AUSTIN BIBENS-DIRKX

PITCHING COACH

29

• Officially retired in January and is entering his first year in professional baseball as a coach, taking on Bullpen Coach for Vancouver.

• The native of Salem, OR, was selected out of the University of Portland by the Seattle Mariners in the 16th round of the 2006 draft...Eventually reached the Majors for 37 games while with Texas in 2017 and 2018... Has also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League, the Dominican Winter League, the Mexican League, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League.

RYAN WRIGHT 12 HITTING COACH

• Made his Minor League coaching debut in 2021, in his current role, after his debut with Class-A Lansing was cancelled in 2020...Began his coaching career at Capital High School in Boise, ID, from 2015-2016... Was a Graduate Assistant at California State University Northridge in 2016... Joined the organization from Montana State University Billings where he was on staff since 2017... Served as the Hitting Coach & Recruiting Coordinator at MSUB...Has also managed the Spearfish Sasquatch Baseball Club in Spearfish, SD (2018-2019), and the Kelowna Falcons Baseball Club in Kelowna, BC (2019).

• Played collegiately at the University of Utah, Treasure Valley Community College, and Oklahoma City University.

ASHLEY STEPHENSON 2 POSITION COACH

• 2024 is Ashley’s second season with the Blue Jays...Follows Jaime (Vieira)

Lever as the second female coach in the organization...Coached with the Canadian Women’s National Team since 2018, leading to a Bronze medal at the COPABE Women’s Pan-American Championships in 2019, and was the first woman to manage the Women’s National Team when Canada played against USA in Thunder Bay in 2022...Was also the first woman to coach in the Canadian Futures Showcase, hosted by the Blue Jays baseball academy in Ottawa last year...Made history in November as she became the first woman to capture Baseball Canada’s Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award.

• Was an original member of the Women’s National Team in 2004 and played for 15 years...Won four Women’s Baseball World Cup medals (three bronze, one silver), and a silver at the Pan American Games in 2015.

• 2024 Inductee into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

CARSON PHILLIPS 35 BULLPEN COACH

• Joins the Vancouver Canadians for his first season in the organization...Was working at the University of Arizona as a Graduate Assistant Pitching Coach.

• Played at Dixie State University where he completed a Bachelors in Exercise Science... Also attended the University of Arizona.

CONOR

HT: 6-1 WT: 215

B/T: R/R

DOB: 03/17/99

HOMETOWN: Royersford, PA

23 CLUBS: Vancouver

AQUIRED: 9th Rd, ’21, Penn State

RAFAEL OHASHI 32

HT: 6-1 WT: 185

B/T: R/R

DOB: 2010-08-02

HOMETOWN:

PAT

HT: 6-1 WT: 185

B/T: R/R

DOB: 02/18/01

HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA

23 CLUBS: Dunedin

AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 07/26/22

JOHNATHAN

HT: 6-4 WT: 240

B/T: R/R

DOB: 08/11/99

HOMETOWN: Simi Valley, CA

23 CLUBS: Fort Myers (MIN)

AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 02/02/24

HT: 6-0 WT: 200

B/T: R/R

DOB: 06/30/00

HOMETOWN: Leominster, MA

23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver

AQUIRED: 11th, ’22, Connecticut

HT: 6-0 WT: 205

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/15/00

HOMETOWN: Thompson Station, TN

23 CLUBS: Daytona, Dayton (CIN)

AQUIRED: Trade w/CIN, 03/20/24

RYAN JENNINGS 3

HT: 6-0 WT: 190

B/T: R/R

DOB: 06/23/99

HOMETOWN: New Braunfels, TX

23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver

AQUIRED: 4th Rd, ’22, Louisiana Tech

KEVIN

MIRANDA 17

HT: 5-10

WT: 180

B/T: R/R

DOB: 11/14/98

HOMETOWN: Dolega, PAN

23 CLUBS: Dunedin, Vancouver

AQUIRED: INT FA, 08/04/22

JUSTIN KELLY

HT: 6-1 WT: 210

B/T: R/R

DOB: 12/02/98

HOMETOWN: Salt Lake City, UT

23 CLUBS: Vancouver

AQUIRED: ND FA, 07/21/21

JOSH MOLLERUS 40

HT: 6-3 WT: 215

B/T: R/R

DOB: 10/06/99

HOMETOWN: Campbell, CA

23 CLUBS: Dunedin

AQUIRED: 10th, ’23, Oregon

ANDERS TOLHURST 10

HT: 6-4 WT: 190

B/T: R/R

DOB: 09/13/99

HOMETOWN: Santee, CA

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin, Vancouver

AQUIRED: 23rd Rd, ’19, Grossmont

KEKAI RIOS

HT: 5-10 WT: 205

B/T: R/R

DOB: 06/06/97

HOMETOWN: Kaneohe, HI

23 CLUBS: New Hampshire, Vancouver

GEISON URBAEZ 36

HT: 6-1

WT: 185

B/T: R/R

DOB: 07/05/00

HOMETOWN: Cabral, DR

23 CLUBS: DNP

AQUIRED: INT FA, 10/14/20

JEAN ARNAEZ 21

HT: 5-10 WT: 175

B/T: R/R

DOB: 08/22/02

HOMETOWN: Aguadulce, PAN

23 CLUBS: Dunedin

AQUIRED: INT FA, 7/2/19

CHAY YEAGER 20

HT: 5-11 WT: 180

B/T: S/R

DOB: 2009-11-02

HOMETOWN: Fort Wayne, IN

23 CLUBS: FCL, Dunedin

AQUIRED: 12th, ’23, PascoHernando State JC

JOMMER HERNANDEZ 19

HT: WT: 205

B/T: R/R

DOB: 10/20/00

HOMETOWN: Puerto Plata, DR

23 CLUBS: Vancouver

AQUIRED: MiLB FA, 09/08/21

JACKSON HORNUNG 31

HT: WT: 215

B/T: R/R

DOB: 2002-06-01

HOMETOWN: Ashland, MA

23 CLUBS: College, Dunedin

AQUIRED: 16th, ’23, Skidmore

HT: 6-1 WT: 205

B/T: R/R

AQUIRED: Waivers (LAD), 12/7/22 NICK GOODWIN

DOB: 2009-06-01

HOMETOWN:

HOMETOWN: Barlovento, VZ

JADEN RUDD 24

HT: 5-11 WT: 190

B/T: L/L

DOB: 08/16/02

HOMETOWN: Panama City, FL

23 CLUBS: Dunedin AQUIRED: 7th, ’21, Mosley HS (FL)

STEPHANIE

BOVILLE DIETICIAN

ROB SHIFRIN HEAD ATHLETIC TRAINER

KATIE REYES ASSISTANT ATHLETIC TRAINER

BAILEY FORST HEAD STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

ZANE HUNT

ASSISTANT STRENGTH & CONDITIONING COACH

RAUL PIMENTEL MENTAL PERFORMANCE COACH

CRISTIAN

CORDOVA TECH ASSISTANT

GLENN HALL HOME CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

COLE HOWES VISITOR CLUBHOUSE MANAGER

CANADIANS TO REACH THE MAJOR LEAGUES

The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club has welcomed more than 800 players onto its rosters since 2000. That’s a lot of guys all striving to one day reach the bright lights of the Major Leagues. Here is a list of every one of our players who has arrived at the game’s highest stage and play in Major League Baseball.

2003 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Rich Harden P 2001 21-Jul Oakland

Neal Cotts P 2001 12-Aug Chicago (AL)

Mike Wood P 2001 21-Aug Oakland

2004 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Santiago Casilla P 2002 09-Aug Oakland

Nick Swisher OF 2002 03-Sep Oakland

Joe Blanton P 2002 24-Sep Oakland

2005 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Mark Teahen INF 2002 04-Apr Kansas City

Dan Johnson INF 2001 27-May Oakland

Omar Quintanilla INF 2003 31-Jul Colorado

Freddie Bynum INF 2000 30-Aug Oakland

Nelson Cruz OF 2002 17-Sep Milwaukee

2006 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

John Rheinecker P 2001 22-Apr Texas

Andre Either OF 2003 02-May Los Angeles (NL)

Chris Mabeus P 2001 29-May Milwaukee

Kurt Suzuki C 2004 12-Jun Oakland

Jason Windsor P 2004 17-Jul Oakland

Jeremy Brown C 2002 03-Sep Oakland

Mark Kiger INF 2002 13-Oct Oakland

2007 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Travis Buck OF 2005 02-Apr Oakland

Jared Burton P 2002 04-Apr Cincinnati

Danny Putman OF 2004 23-Apr Oakland

Dallas Braden P 2004 24-Apr Oakland

Connor Robertson P 2004 17-May Oakland

Marshal McDougall INF 2000 05-Jun Texas

Kevin Melillo INF 2004 24-Jun Oakland

Bill Murphy P 2002 03-Sep Arizona

2008 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Gregorio Petit INF 2004 18-May Oakland

John Baker C 2002 09-Jul Florida

Jeff Gray P 2005 08-Sep Oakland

2009

POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Andrew Bailey P 2006 06-Apr Oakland

Landon Powell C 2004 11-Apr Oakland

Tommy Everidge INF 2004 28-Jul Oakland

Brad Kilby P 2005 02-Sep Oakland

Jeff Baisley INF 2005 09-Sep Oakland

2010 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

A.J. Griffin P 2010 24-Jun Oakland

Alexi Ogando P 2004 15-Jul Texas

2011 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Justin Sellers INF 2005 12-Aug Los Angeles (NL)

Anthony Recker C 2005 25-Aug Oakland

Corey Brown OF 2007 06-Sep Washington

2012

POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Pedro Figueroa P 2007 21-Apr Oakland

Sean Doolittle P 2007 05-Jun Oakland

Dan Straily P 2009 30-Aug Oakland

2013 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Ian Krol P 2009 05-Jun Washington

Kevin Pillar OF 2011 14-Aug Toronto

Max Stassi C 2009 20-Aug Houston

Michael Choice OF 2010 02-Sep Oakland

2014 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Bo Schultz P 2009 23-Mar Arizona

Marcus Stroman P 2012 04-May Toronto

Aaron Sanchez P 2011 23-Jul Toronto

Dalton Pompey OF 2012 02-Sep Toronto

Daniel Norris P 2012 05-Sep Toronto

2015 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Miguel Castro P 2014 06-Apr Toronto

Roberto Osuna P 2012 08-Apr Toronto

Noah Syndergaard P 2011 12-May New York (NL)

Justin Nicolino P 2011 20-Jun Miami

Dusty Coleman INF 2008 03-Jul Kansas City

David Rollins P 2011 04-Jul Seattle

2016 POS C'S MLB TEAM ALUMNI DEBUT

Andy Burns INF 2011 09-May Toronto

Matt Dermody P 2013 03-Sep Toronto

2017

POS

Dwight Smith Jr. OF 2012 18-May Toronto

Seth Frankoff P 2010 09-Jun Chicago (NL)

Ian Parmley OF 2013 23-Jun Toronto

Franklin Barreto INF 2014 24-Jun Oakland

Taylor Cole P 2012 09-Aug Toronto

Tim Mayza P 2014 15-Aug

Jairo

Carlos

Tim

2018

Ryan Borucki

Zach

Supporting local charities in our community

APRIL 10

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MAY 8

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JUNE 12

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HOW TO SCORE A BASEBALL GAME

Different fans have different methods of keeping a scorecard, and many use their own notations. But here's a simple method: For example, If the hitter grounds out to shortstop, for example, write in "6-3," which shows the shortstop threw him out at first base. If the hitter flies out to left field, write a "7."

If the batter gets a hit, write in the hit according to which base he reached. Each corner of the box represents a base, with the lowerright corner being first.

If he singles, put a "-" in the lower right. If he doubles, write a "=" in the upper right, and so on. For a walk, use "BB" in the lower right. As the runner advances, mark the appropriate symbol in the appropriate corner.

If a runner scores, put a circle at the bottom of the box, and inside the

1ST INNING

1. SINGLED, ADVANCED ON NEXT BATTER'S WALK, TOOK 3RD ON FIELDER'S CHOICE, SCOREO ON NO. 4 BATTER'S DOUBLE

2. WALKED, LATER FORCED OUT, SHORTSTOP TO SECOND BASE

3. REACHED ON FIELDER'S CHOICE, ADVANCED TO 3RD ON NEXT BATTER'S DOUBLE, SCORED ON NO. 5 BATTER'S SINGLE

4. DOUBLED, SCORED ON NO. 5 BATTER'S SINGLE

5. SINGLED, ADVANCED TO 2ND ON NEXT BATTER'S SINGLE, STOLE 3RD BASE, THROWN OUT ON GROUNDER, SHORTSTOP TO CATCHER

6.

7.

Umpires use a number of signals. Some of these are familiar and are associated with the Rules of Baseball, like safe, out, foul, etc. These are a few you are likely to see when scoring a game.

circle put the symbol of the play and/or the player that drove him in. For example, if the No. 5 hitter drives in two runs with a single, mark his single in the bottom right of his box and mark a circle with the number "5" in the boxes of the runners who score (Some people like to use uniform numbers here, so you can tell who did what, even after lineup changes).

At the end of each inning, total the hits and runs for that inning only. At the end of the game you'll be able to add the innings total to get the game score.

BASIC UMPIRE SIGNS FOR THE PLAYERS AND FANS

THE NEWEST CANADIAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER

Born in Mississauga, Ont., in 1982, Ashley Stephenson is widely regarded as the best player in Women’s National Team history. A member of the first Women’s National Team in 2004, she excelled for the squad for 15 seasons and competed in eight World Cups.

She helped lead the national squad to seven medals, including silvers at the WBSC Women’s World Cups in 2008 and 2016 and at the Pan Am Games in 2015. She was also a force on four bronze medal-winning teams at the World Cup (2004, 2006, 2012, 2018). In her final World Cup appearance in 2018, she batted .455 with eight RBIs.

Along the way, Stephenson was named Women’s National Team MVP twice (2005, 2008) and an All-Tournament All-Star at the 2008 World Cup.

In 2011 and 2016, she was the recipient of Baseball Canada’s Jimmy Rattlesnake Award, an honour handed out annually to recognize a national team member who demonstrated “outstanding ability and sportsmanship.” In a testament to how highly Stephenson is regarded, this award was renamed after her in 2018.

After concluding her playing career, Stephenson became a coach and was part of the Women’s National Team staff that led Canada to a bronze medal at the COPABE Women’s Pan-American Championships in 2019.

In August 2022, she was invited to the Blue Jays’ Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Fla., where she served as a guest coach with their Florida Complex League club. Stephenson would make history again that November when she became the first woman to capture Baseball Canada’s Lionel Ruhr Elite Coach of the Year Award.

In 2023, Stephenson was hired as a position coach by the Blue Jays’ High-A Vancouver Canadians. She will return to this role this season.

A highly respected ambassador for baseball nationally and internationally, Stephenson also served as a member of the WBSC Athletes Commission from 2018 to 2022. Last year, she was named a finalist for SABR’s prestigious Dorothy Seymour Mills Lifetime Achievement Award, which is presented annually to a recipient who has demonstrated “sustained involvement in women’s baseball.”

Three years later, she became the first woman to manage the Women’s National Team when she was the dugout boss for their five-game series against the United States in Thunder Bay, Ont. In that same year, Stephenson coached Ontario teams at Baseball Canada’s Women’s Invitational Championships and the 16U Girls Championship prior to becoming the first woman to coach at the Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase.

BACK TO

On June 13, 1948, photographer Nat Fein captured what may be the iconic to this day.

The jersey Babe Ruth wore during his final public appearance is on exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. (Milo Stewart Jr./ National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

TO BABE

the most famous photo of Babe Ruth and one that remains

Shortly after reporting to the Manhattan offices of the New York Herald Tribune on the morning of June 13, 1948, Nat Fein was told he would need to fill in for one of the sports photographers who had phoned in sick. Though Fein’s specialty was human-interest photography, he occasionally shot sporting events for the famous newspaper known as the Trib, so he wasn’t going into the assignment blind. His eye for the evocative figured to come in handy this day because the Yankees were retiring Babe Ruth’s famous No. 3 jersey, and Fein’s editor wanted images that captured what was sure to be an emotional afternoon at Yankee Stadium. The Bambino was dying of throat cancer, so this was likely a requiem for the 53-year-old slugger; his last appearance wearing his famous pinstriped uniform in the quarter-century- old edifice that had become known as “The House That Ruth Built.”

Fein grabbed his trusty 4x5 Graflex Speed Graphic camera and drove to the big ballpark in the Bronx intent, as always, on finding “the best shot I could, the picture that would tell the story.”

He found a picture that told the story, all right. A picture worth much more than a thousand words. “The Babe Bows Out” photo of a frail baseball warrior leaning on his bat in the place of so many of his triumphs wound up being a seminal moment — for Fein and photography. His unique perspective — shooting Ruth from behind, with the stadium as his backdrop — earned him a Pulitzer Prize as well as recognition from Life and Time magazines for creating one of the most influential photographs of the 20th century. Fein’s masterpiece would achieve further prominence and permanence by being showcased at the Smithsonian and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. With camera — rather than bat — in hand, Fein delivered one of the great pinch-hitting performances of all time. And he did so while saving his best shot for last.

One of the things that made Nathaniel “Nat” Fein among the most revered photojournalists of the 20th century was his ability to find perspectives his peers did not. And that would be the case during that gloomy, gray June day in the Bronx 75 years ago. Fein recalled showing up in the clubhouse and watching in sadness as two men helped Ruth put on his uniform and tie his spikes. The Sultan of Swat was so feeble that some wondered if he would even be strong enough to make the trip onto the field. But somehow Ruth mustered the energy to do so, and as he struggled up the visiting dugout steps, he grabbed a bat to use as a cane. The lumber belonged to future Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller and is currently on loan to the Hall of Fame from the Cleveland Guardians.

“It’s interesting that a prop in arguably the most famous photograph in baseball history was a bat from a player who one day would join the Babe in Cooperstown, and a player known for using his arm rather than his bat,’’ said Michael Gibbons, the executive director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore. “Feller didn’t find out about his supporting role in that iconic photo until later because he was out in the bullpen, getting ready to pitch that day.”

Like his fellow photographers, Fein took numerous frontal shots of the Babe, including one of him doffing his cap to the adoring crowd of 49,641 fans after he had stepped onto the field to thunderous applause. Fein then joined his kneeling counterparts along the first base line where current and former Yankees were standing.

“By this point, Nat had everything he needed, but he had one shot left,’’ said filmmaker Frank LoBuono, who wrote and directed a still-to-be-aired documentary titled Nat Fein: A Talent for Living. “He said to himself, ‘I want to do something different. What can I do?’ And this is where Nat’s true genius comes into play.”

Fein decided to break away from the pack and violate the photojournalism commandment of never shooting a subject from behind. He scurried over to the third base side, peered into his view finder and framed the shot that accentuated the Babe’s No. 3, with the massive ballpark as the backdrop.

“The boss told me to go up to Yankee Stadium because that was the day Babe Ruth was retiring and this would be one of the last times to get a shot of the Babe’s No. 3,’’ the late Fein recalled in a 1986 interview with the White Plains (N.Y.) Journal News. “He drilled into me to get that No. 3, so that’s what I did. I took a lot of shots, but there was that one from the back with that No. 3 over those spindly legs.”

He also displayed his genius by violating another photographic tenet of the times by shooting the photo without flash “to give it added dimension.”

In those pre-digital camera days, a photographer didn’t really know what he/she had until they developed the film in the chemical tub of a dark room.

“He thought he might have something really different, something dramatic, but you never know until you see it come to life,’’ said David Nieves, a longtime friend of Fein’s who wrote a book about the stories behind the photographer’s most famous photos and is executor of his estate. “Now, everything with photography is instantaneous. Back then, you discovered what you had in that dark room. There was something magical about the process.”

Fein realized he had something good, but he wouldn’t appreciate just how good until the hours that followed. The photo was used in the sports section in the Trib’s first edition, but the managing editor liked it so much he moved it to a prominent spot, above the fold, on the front page of the newspaper for subsequent editions.

By the next morning, the compelling photo was splashed on front pages of newspapers across America, and it would be reprinted in the Trib and other papers nationwide two months later when Ruth died.

The following spring, the Trib’s photo editor, Dick Crandell, called Fein into the newsroom. When he arrived, he was surprised and worried to see his wife and a bunch of photographers and reporters huddled around his desk. At first, he thought something

bad had happened, perhaps to his young son, because he couldn’t understand why his wife would be there.

Crandell motioned Fein to the middle of the room, put his arm around him and informed him he had won the Pulitzer Prize for outstanding photography. Fein, who thought for sure this was a joke, blurted out, “And you’re full of crap.” Everyone burst out laughing, but, after a few moments, Fein realized this was no prank. He really had won the Pulitzer for his iconic photo of the Babe, making him the first sports photographer to be so honored.

In the hours, days and weeks that followed, Fein couldn’t help but reflect on his remarkable journey. An only child of Jewish immigrants, he grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the Great Depression. His father, Hyman Fein, worked as a touring singer with renowned composer Irving Berlin and wound up abandoning the family, leaving Nat’s mother, Frances, in the lurch. As a single mom, she did her best to make ends meet, working long hours as a seamstress in the garment district. A year after graduating from Brooklyn’s Erasmus Hall High School in 1933, Fein took a job as a copy boy in the Trib photo department for $10.86 a week.

The filing of photographs piqued his interest, and he asked his mother to help him buy a camera. She convinced three people to co-sign a loan so Fein could purchase his own Speed Graphic for $96 — a huge amount of money in those days. Before long, Fein was sneaking into the Trib’s dark room in the wee hours to practice developing his photographs.

A veteran photographer caught him in there late one night and complained to Crandell, who became so angry he almost fired Fein. But a few other photographers came to the copy boy’s defense, convincing Crandell that “the kid had a passion that should be nurtured, not punished.” The photo editor reluctantly agreed, and over time became one of the most influential people in Fein’s illustrious career.

Around 1936, he was hired as a full-time photographer — Fein called it the happiest day of his life — and from that point until the paper folded 30 years later, he established himself as one of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th century. He chronicled the well-known (Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy and Queen Elizabeth were among his subjects) and the unknown, as well as animals, great and small. And he would capture the history and the feel of New York City like few others.

By the time of his death at age 86 in 2000, Fein had taken more than 50,000 photographs and had won more awards than virtually all his contemporaries. But the one shot that continues to stand out is that one of the Babe. Part of its enduring appeal has to do with Ruth, who remains a well-known public figure 75 years after his death. Part of it has to do with the poignant circumstances surrounding the photo. But, as Baseball Hall of Fame senior curator Tom Shieber points out, the most important factor in the lasting nature of the image is the “absolute mastery” of Nat Fein. “Like other photographers that same day, Fein captured images of Ruth facing the camera, his countenance instantly recognizable,’’ said Shieber, who used Fein’s photo and the uniform the Bambino wore that day as the focal point of the Hall’s immensely popular exhibit Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend. “But in ‘The Babe Bows Out,’ Fein embraces Ruth as a solitary figure, standing alone

literally and figuratively. Also, quite literally, Ruth is the focus of the image — everything surrounding him recognizable and yet out of focus.”

Shieber notes that by photographing Ruth from this vantage point, Fein included so much of the Babe’s story: The slugger’s iconic No. 3; the packed stands and distinctive façade of the ballpark where Ruth had made his legend; various pennants from many of his championship teams; and Ruth’s former teammates, as well as Yankees from the 1948 season.

“Even the presence of other photographers to Ruth’s right lends a sense of importance to the scene,’’ Shieber said. “In short, Fein recognized the opportunity presented by this unique angle and took full advantage of it.”

He created a photo, in baseball parlance, of Ruthian proportions. Scott Pitoniak is an author and nationally honored journalist residing in Penfield, N.Y. He has authored or co-authored more than 35 books, including “Remembrances of Swings Past: A Lifetime of Baseball Stories.”

Reprinted with permission from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum receive free admission to the Museum, as well as access to exclusive programs, such as the Voices of the Game Series. Additionally, members receive a subscription to the Hall of Fame's bi-monthly magazine, Memories and Dreams, the annual Hall of Fame yearbook and a 10% discount and free shipping on retail purchases. For information on becoming a member, please visit baseballhall.org/ join or call 607-547-0397.

Adrián Beltre became the fifth native of the Dominican Republic to be elected to the Hall of Fame. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum)

BY MIKE DIGIOVANNA

ADRIÁN BELTRÉ’S PASSION FOR THE GAME TURNED AN INJURY INTO A PATH TO COOPERSTOWN

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the career-high 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them. But for as much discomfort as he felt that year — he often winced when he planted his front foot on a vicious swing — that nagging injury may have helped spur Beltré’s transformation from promising young third baseman to a place in the Hall of Fame.

“Well, [many writers] said that was the reason why [I had such a good year], which I cannot deny,” said Beltré, whose 93.5 career wins above replacement (WAR) ranks third among all big league third basemen behind Mike Schmidt (106.8) and Eddie Mathews (96.0).

“There’s no doubt that I had to be more in control of my swing and understand that I needed to be more focused on the pitcher when I hit, because if I didn’t make contact, it was really painful in my ankle. That was my best year numbers-wise. I can’t tell you for sure that was [the reason], but I believe it had something to do with it.”

The bone spurs in Adrián Beltré’s left ankle were so painful in 2004 that he limped noticeably around the bases on many of the careerhigh 48 home runs he hit for the Los Angeles Dodgers that season. He needed surgery that October to remove them.

But for as much discomfort as he felt that year — he often winced when he planted his front foot on a vicious swing — that nagging injury may have helped spur Beltré’s transformation from promising young third baseman to a place in the Hall of Fame.

“Well, [many writers] said that was the reason why [I had such a good year], which I cannot deny,” said Beltré, whose 93.5 career wins above replacement (WAR) ranks third among all big league third basemen behind Mike Schmidt (106.8) and Eddie Mathews (96.0).

“There’s no doubt that I had to be more in control of my swing and understand that I needed to be more focused on the pitcher when I hit, because if I didn’t make contact, it was really painful in my ankle. That was my best year numbers-wise. I can’t tell you for sure that was [the reason], but I believe it had something to do with it.”

Of his many mannerisms displayed during his 21-year career —his aversion to being touched on the head, the home runs he’d hit off one knee, the flat-footed bullets he’d fire to first base — one that didn’t serve Beltré so well early in his career was the happy-feet shuffle he’d sometimes do in the box.

Beltré was a good-but-not-yet-great player during his first six seasons, when he hit .262 with a .748 OPS and averaged 16 homers and 65 RBI a season from 1998-2003, and former Dodgers teammate Shawn Green thought the excessive movement in the box may have hurt Beltré’s swing.

“He was kind of a wild horse at that point, where he just wanted to run,” Green said of Beltré, who was 25 and in his seventh big league season in 2004. “He was very aggressive offensively and defensively and would sprint to chase down popups that most left fielders would catch.

“That injury to his front foot kind of slowed him down, and that’s when he started to figure things out and realize that he could be patient at the plate. He didn’t jump at the ball as much, and I think the game slowed down quite a bit for him.”

The bone spurs forced Beltré to quiet his lower half in 2004, and the contact he generated grew consistently louder, producing a breakout season in which Beltré hit .334 with a 1.017 OPS, 121 RBI and 104 runs to go with those 48 homers — all career highs — and finished second to Barry Bonds in National League MVP voting.

Beltré went on to play 14 more years with the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers, amassing 3,166 hits, 477 homers and 1,707 RBI, five Gold Glove Awards and four All-Star selections. On Jan. 23, he was elected to the Hall of Fame on his first appearance on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot.

And to think, he might not have reached Cooperstown if not for that bum ankle in 2004.

“It’s like the stars were aligned,” said Green, a Dodgers first baseman and outfielder from 2000-04. “It’s almost the perfect injury for a lot of young players, because that’s the hardest thing for a hitter, to slow your feet down. You get antsy at the plate, you dive into the ball and stride a little too quickly. But that injury just slowed everything down. “He was in his seventh season, so he had the experience. He got off to a fast start and got moved into the heart of the lineup. After a couple of years where people were kind of questioning whether he was going to be that middle-of-the-order guy, it got to the point where everyone

believed in him, and I think that was a big boost.”

Beltré was a teenage prodigy when he signed with the Dodgers for $23,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 1994, but his early career was affected by a contract issue and a botched appendectomy.

The Dodgers broke an MLB rule by signing Beltré before his 16th birthday, and the investigation into the birth certificate snafu resulted in a $50,000 fine and a one-year ban on signing first-year Dominican players.

The team hoped to make amends by awarding Beltré a three-year, $5.05 million contract before 2000, and he responded by hitting .290 with an .835 OPS, 20 homers and 85 RBI.

But Beltré missed the first six weeks of 2001 after undergoing abdominal surgery in March to close a wound in his large intestine, the result of an infection that occurred after he had an emergency appendectomy in the Dominican Republic that January.

Beltré arrived at Spring Training with an IV port in his arm, and he lost more than 30 pounds during the ordeal. He hit only .265 with a .720 OPS, 13 homers and 60 RBI in 126 games that season.

Beltré put up decent numbers in 2002 (21 homers, 75 RBI) and 2003 (23 homers, 80 RBI), but the Dodgers were unable to retain him as a free agent after his monster 2004 season, when he departed for a fiveyear, $64 million deal with the Mariners.

The expansive outfield dimensions of pitcher-friendly Safeco Field did not seem to suit Beltré, but he persevered — fighting off several nagging injuries to hit at least 25 homers and drive in an average of 88 runs from 2006-08. He returned a little more than two weeks after a bad-hop grounder in August 2009 caused a painful groin injury.

“My first thought when I think of Adrián, mostly when he was in Seattle, is that he didn’t miss games,” said infielder Michael Young, who played 13 seasons (2000-12) for the Rangers. “You’d come into Seattle, pick up a newspaper in the clubhouse, and you’d always read that ‘Adrián tweaked a hamstring, Adrián sprained this, Adrián broke that.’

“Then the game would start, and Adrián is hitting cleanup, without fail. That just grabs a player’s attention, that this guy would do anything to help his team win a ballgame.”

Beltré also missed five weeks in 2009 because of surgery to remove bone spurs in his left shoulder and was limited to 111 games that season, batting .265 with a .683 OPS, eight homers and 44 RBI. He signed a one-year, $9 million “pillow contract” with the Red Sox in 2010 and re-established himself as a force, batting .321 with a .919 OPS, 28 homers and 102 RBI and pelting Fenway Park’s Green Monster with many of his league-leading 49 doubles.

“That meant a lot, because I had a tough year (in 2009) with injuries, and I didn’t play well,” Beltré said of his one-year stop in Boston. “I thought what I did the year before wasn’t me, so once I got the offer from the Red Sox, I understood I had a clear chance, if I was healthy, to show what I can do.”

Beltré parlayed that bounce-back season into a six-year, $96 million deal with the Rangers, who had reached the World Series for the first time in franchise history in 2010 but lost to San Francisco in five games.

“He took a really good group and made it even better,” Young said. “We went from a team that was one of the best in the league, that caught fire in October and pushed its way into the World Series, to the dominant team in our league. And Adrián was right in the middle of

the lineup, played great defense and came up big in big spots.”

Beltré was dominant for several years in Texas, batting .308 with an .873 OPS and averaging 28 HRs and 94 RBI from 2011-16. He finished among the top seven MVP vote-getters four times and won three Gold Gloves.

Beltré hit .296 with an .892 OPS, 32 homers and 105 RBI in 2011 to push the Rangers to within one strike of a championship before the St. Louis Cardinals rallied to win Game 6 of the World Series in 11 innings and then took the decisive Game 7.

“That was the toughest day of my life,” Beltré said of Game 6. That Beltré’s Hall of Fame honor came three months after he was on hand to see the Rangers beat Arizona to clinch their first-ever World Series title last fall will make his July 21 induction all the more sweet.

“One reason I went to Texas is I wanted to be a world champion, and I believed the Rangers gave me the best chance,” Beltré said. “We got so close in 2011, and we proved we had the best team until Game 6. It didn’t happen, and I feel like we disappointed a lot of people in Texas. But I felt relieved when they won because we got that monkey off our backs.”

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Beltré was thick for a third baseman, but he had quick feet, soft hands, a strong and accurate arm, and he rivaled Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson’s ability to charge slow rollers and make off-balance throws to first.

Beltré accumulated 200 defensive runs saved in his career, according to FanGraphs, more than any other third baseman in major league history.

“Adrián wasn’t the fastest guy on the field, but he was one of the quickest and most agile,” Young said. “When you talk about everything a third baseman has to do…he had great hands, great body awareness, took perfect angles, moved to his left and right, and came in on the ball as well as anyone.”

And he did it all with a smile that was as infectious as his bat was lethal as Beltré’s fun-loving personality rubbed off on every teammate he played with — especially longtime Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, whom Beltré mentored for a decade.

“Everyone who watched Adrián play baseball could tell he was having fun, but he toed that line perfectly,” Young said. “He had a blast playing the sport he loved, but at the same time, there wasn’t anybody who was more competitive or more intense.”

Beltré is the fifth Dominican-born player to be elected to the Hall of Fame, joining Juan Marichal (1983), Pedro Martínez (2015), Vladimir Guerrero (2018) and David Ortiz (2022). As he toured the Hall of Fame’s Plaque Gallery in January, Beltré lingered for an extra moment at the bronze bust of Marichal, the former Giants star.

“Being a kid from the Dominican, he was the first big name I heard in baseball, the first big leaguer I thought was like a god,” Beltré said of

Marichal. “I remember every kid trying to emulate his big leg kick, his famous leg kick.”

Beltré also paid homage to lifelong mentor Felipe Alou and to Ralph Avila and Pablo Peguero, the scouts who signed him in the Dominican Republic.

“They were the men who gave me the chance to become a baseball player,” Beltré said of Avila and Peguero. “They believed in me, they saw something in me when I was 15 years old that I didn’t believe at the time.”

Mike DiGiovanna covers baseball for the Los Angeles Times.

Reprinted with permission from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and

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CAN’T MAKE IT TO THE NAT?

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BY LINA SETAGHIAN

MEET OUR MASCOTS

The Vancouver Canadians have an army of mascots that are all designed with one common goal – ensure everyone out at historic Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium has fun! From a loveable bear to a trio of sushi that are ready to rock – not to mention a condiment and utensil? The Canadians mascots are truly one of a kind!

BOB BROWN BEAR

Debut: 2007

Occupation: Canadians’ official mascot

Favourite Pastime: Meeting fans, giving high fives and hugs, posing for photos

About BBB: Makes more than 150 local community appearances every year and named after Vancouver’s Mr. Baseball, Bob Brown who dedicated his whole life to the game we love so dearly.

MR. KAPPA MAKI

Debut: 2008

Occupation: Staying cool, Professional Racer

Favourite Pastime: Attending birthday parties, winning races

Make-Up: Few slices of cucumber wrapped in rice and then rolled in a piece of dried seaweed. Sleek and light - Mr. Kappa Maki is always a tough competitor.

CHEF WASABI

Debut: 2008

Occupation: Chef, professional racer

Favourite Pastime: Running, cooking

Make-Up: Whether you buy wasabi in root form or as a green powder, there is one thing that is for sure - Chef Wasabi is one spicy addition to our Sushi Race!

SADAHARU SOY

Debut: 2015

Occupation: Pot Stirrer, Professional Racer

Favourite Pastime: Cooking, meeting fans, running

Make-Up: Known to add a little saltiness to any meal, Sadaharu Soy was named after the legendary baseball slugger Sadaharu Oh who’s legend is global. Sadaharu is both physical and a little trickly during the sushi races!

MS. BC ROLL

Debut: 2008

Occupation: Pageant queen, professional racer

Favourite Pastime: Beating Chef Wasabi in Sushi Races and hanging out at the ballpark

Make-Up: Combination of barbecue BC smoked salmon and fresh cucumber with a little mayonnaise to keep her rollin'.

CHOP N’ STIX

Debut: 2018

Occupation: Hand Tools, Professional Racers

Favourite Pastimes: Helping people, racing

Make-Up: Renewable, reusable and environmentally friendly! Chop & Stix come to the ballpark to keep the peace between the super competitive sushi and sauce. Connected at the top, Chop & Stix have a few challenges to iron out during the race – but they always get an A for effort.

Baseball BC is the recognized governing body for baseball in British Columbia. Through its programs and leadership, Baseball BC in cooperation with its affiliates, suppor ts the development of baseball and aspirations of its members, by offering activities that are non-discriminator y and value-based.

To learn more about playing baseball in your neighbourhood contact Baseball BC

www.baseball.bc.ca

604-586-3310

Baseball BC is proud to present the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Buddies Program, where a youth baseball team gets to take a position on-field for the National Anthems. Reserve your team’s spot by calling the Vancouver Canadians at 604-872-5232.

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