* Justin Morneau (New Westminster, BC) is making his third appearance in the World Baseball Classic. This year's begins in March. ....  2012 Most Influential Canadians 2012 All-Canadian Team 2012 All-Canadian stats

 

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By Bob Elliott

And then there were six.

Greg Hamilton, director of national teams, was trying to find six starters for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. Due to pitch restrictions two are needed per game.

Added to the provisional roster were right-handers Scott Richmond and Jameson Taillon, plus lefty Mark Hardy Thursday.

Manager Ernie Whitt has Shawn Hill, Chris Leroux, Scott Mathieson to go with starters Richmond, Taillon and Hardy.

Also added was outfielder Rene Tosoni brining the roster to 27, leaving a spot for Joey Votto, who has to pass a physical after being on the disabled list last year.

Taillon was born in The Woodlands, Tex., but is WBC eligible since mon Christie Kormendy was born and raised in the Lawrence Park area, while dad Michael Taillon grew up in St. Andrews West, near Cornwall. He was 9-8 with a 3.55 ERA at class-A Bradenton and double-A Altoona (3-0, 1.59) in the Pirates system.

Richmond was 11-7, with a 5.61 at triple-A Las Vegas after getting the final outs in the Pan-Am gold medal win, Hardy was 3-6 with a 4.71 ERA in 22 games (10 starts) mostly at class-A Lake Elsinore and double-A San Antonio for John Gibbons.

Tosoni hit .224 with four homers and 23 RBIs spending most of the season at double-A New Britain.

 

The 27 players submitted for Canada’s 28-man provisional roster for the third World Baseball Classic in Phoenix this March.

C Russell Martin, Montreal

Yankees G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 133 422 50 89 18 0 21 53 .211 .713

 

* 1B Joey Votto, Etobicoke

Reds G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 111 374 59 126 44 0 14 56 .337 1.041

 

2B Peter Orr, Newmarket

Phillies G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 35 54 6 17 5 1 0 7 .315 .772

Lehigh Valley-AAA 81 302 43 78 13 2 4 33 .258 .668

 

3B Brett Lawrie, Langley, B.C. 

Blue Jays G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 125 494 73 135 26 3 11 48 .273 .729

 

SS Cale Iorg, Toronto

Toledo-AAA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 47 134 9 21 7 1 1 6 .157 .439

 

LF Adam Loewen, Surrey, B.C.

Buffalo-AAA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 59 207 32 47 10 0 8 26 .227 .719

 

CF Tyson Gillies, Langley, B.C.

Reading-AA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 75 298 62 89 14 8 4 24 .299 .809

 

RF Michael Saunders, Victoria, B.C.

Mariners G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 139 507 71 125 31 3 19 57 .247 .738

 

DH Justin Morneau, New Westminster, B.C.

Twins G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 134 505 63 135 26 2 19 77 .267 .773

 

Bench

C Chris Robinson, Dorchester, Ont.

Norfolk-AAA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 52 177 18 41 10 2 0 18 .232 .609

 

INF Taylor Green, Comox, B.C.

Brewers G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 58 103 8 19 7 0 3 14 .184 .605

Nashville-AAA 77 282 24 77 17 0 7 29 .273 .753

 

1B Jimmy Van Ostrand, Richmond, B.C.

Harrisburg-AA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 80 271 37 84 12 0 10 30 .310 .835

 

OF Tim Smith, Toronto

Mississippi-AA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 70 215 32 62 10 1 3 28 .288 .759

 

INF Jonathan Malo, Joliette, Que.

Quebec-IND G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 95 406 80 117 23 3 12 63 .288 .802

 

OF Rene Tosoni, Port Coquitlam, BC

New Britain-AA G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BA OPS

2012 60 223 19 52 10 0 3 11 .233 .615

Rochester-AAA 21 66 7 11 2 0 0 5 .167 .464

 

Starters 

RHP Shawn Hill, Georgetown, Ont.

Jays W-L ERA G GS IP BB SO

2012 1-0 0.00 1 0 3.0 2 0

Laa Vegas-AAA 9-2 4.52 15 15 89.2 22 52

 

RHP Scott Richmond, North Vancouver, B.C.

Blue Jays W-L ERA G GS IP BB SO

2012 0-0 6.00 3 0 3.0 1 2

Las Vegas-AAA 11-7 5.61 27 25 134.2 43 112

 

RHP Chris Leroux, Mississauga

Jays W-L ERA G GS IP BB SO

2012 0-0 5.56 10 0 11.1 2 12

Indianapolis-AAA 4-0 3.11 21 7 63.2 14 56

 

Scott Mathieson, Langley, BC

Yomiuri, Japan W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 2-0 1.71 40 0 10 42.0 11  48

 

RHP Jameson Taillon, The Woodlands, Tex.

Bradenton-A W-L ERA G GS IP BB SO

2012 6-8 3.82 23 23 125.0 37 98

Altoona-AA 3-0 1.59 3 3 17.0 1 18

 

LHP Mark Hardy, Campbell River, B.C.

Lake Elsinore-A W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 2-5 5.62 13 7 0 49.2 9 47

San Antonio-AA 1-1 2.65 6 3 0 17.0 6 17

 

.

Relievers

Trystan Magnuson, Vancouver

Dunedin-A/New Hampshire-AA W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 0-5 3.20 38 0 5 50.2 10 50

 

LHP Andrew Albers, North Battleford, Sask.

New Britain-AA W-L ERA G GS IP BB SO

2012  4-3 3.75 19 17 98.1 12 73

Dustin Molleken, Regina

Colorado Springs-AAA W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 3-0 5.18 40 0 1 48.2 18 36

Nippon Ham, Japan 2-1 3.27 23 0 22.0 8 18

 

Jim Henderson, Calgary

Brewers W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 1-3 3.52 36 0 6 30.2 13 45

 

Phillippe Aumont, Gatineau, Que.

Phillies W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 0-1 3.68 18 0 2 14.2 9 14

Lehigh Valley-AAA 3-1 4.26 41 0 15 44.1 34 59

 

Jesse Crain, Toronto

White Sox W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 2-3 2.44 51 0 0 48.0 23 60

 

John Axford, Port Dover, Ont.

Brewers W-L ERA G GS S IP BB SO

2012 5-8 4.67 75 0 35 69.1 39 93

 

* Denotes Votto needs to pass a physical (knee) for approval to play.

 

Canadians not available to play

RHP Ryan Dempster, Gibsons, BC, Red Sox

LHP Scott Diamond, Guelph, Ont., Twins

LF Jason Bay, Trail, B.C. Mariners

LHP Jeff Francis, North Delta, B.C. Rockies

RHP James Paxton, Ladner, B.C. Mariners

RHP Rich Harden, Victoria, Twins

RHP Kyle Lotzkar, Delta, B.C., Reds

C George Kottaras, Markham, A’s

LHP Erik Bedard, Navan, Ont. Free agent