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Elliott: 2015 Most Influential Canadians in Baseball

By: Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

As a memorable 2015 drew to a close it was easy to decide the most influential Canadian in baseball.

Sure, about as easy as initially knowing what was going when Russell Martin’s threw to the mound ticked Shin-Soo Choo’s bat allowing Rougned Odor to score the lead run from third in the seventh inning.

Plate ump Dale Scott waved Odor back to third, the umps huddled and Odor was allowed to score.

Josh Donaldson’s Twitter handle is @BringerOfRain20, but Scott’s call resulted in @BringerOfBeerBudLite, Beers rained down from 500 level landing in the 100 level of the Rogers Centre.

Who tops our ninth annual 101 most influential Canucks in baseball?

First baseman Joey Votto, who finished third in the National League MVP race? Votto has won the MVP before.

His close pal Peter Orr, who scored the game winner in extras to give Canada gold in the Pan Am Games? Canada was the defending gold medallist.

Paul Beeston who steered the Jays back to post-season play? Beeston has been down that road before.

Edward Rogers, who hired the new president Mark Shapiro which set off a change reaction front office? Rogers tried to hire a pres last January too.

Could it be general manager Alex Anthopoulos from Montreal, who led the Blue Jays from the wilderness to post-season excitement?

As a Jays broadcaster mentions after the odd home run: “Yes sir!”

On with the top 101 …

1. Alex Anthopoulos, former Jays GM (4).
 

In the TV show ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ a complete home renovation was done by designers, electricians and carpenters while the family in need went off on a trip.
Playing the role of Ty Pennington in July was Anthopoulos for the family in need, his family, the Blue Jays.

He re-made 1/5th of his roster in 89 hours and then it was time to yell “Move that bus!” The Jays rolled on to win their first American League East Division title since 1993.

Anthopoulos added Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins at 10:30 PM Monday July 28. At 3 AM Thursday the Jays acquired David Price and Friday Mark Lowe and Ben Revere before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

He also became the first GM in 43 years to trade for a player to take the MVP when Donaldson won in November. Chicago White Sox GM Stuart Holcomb sent Tommy John to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Dick Allen, who went on to win the MVP.

Anthopoulos, who turned down a $40,000 job offer from Fidelity Investments in Toronto to take a non-paying position to sorting fan mail for the Montreal Expos in 2000, didn’t see working for Shapiro as a good fit. Now he's off to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

2. Edward Rogers, deputy chairman, Rogers Communications (1).

Rogers received help from the commissioner’s office finding Shapiro after chasing Dan Duquette and Kenny Williams last January. The company was willing to deal three former first round draft picks (Jeff Hoffman, Max Pentecost and Mitch Nay) for a guy wearing a suit (Duquette), according to reports out of Baltimore.

Has Shapiro been treated unfairly since he arrived? Probably.

Shapiro is like the free-agent slugger showered in cash, who hits the all-star break with three home runs. Is the contract the slugger’s fault or the team’s?

It is not Shapiro’s fault he was given total authority to be president and GM while Anthopoulos was moving to a job akin to assistant GM? Rogers made Shapiro a five-year offer. He accepted.

The line of defence from One Mount Pleasant -- or OMP as they say -- has been talks with Shapiro began in July before hiring him Aug, 31. Why interview ex Tiger boss Dave Dombrowksi on Aug. 13 if they had settled on Shapiro a month earlier.

Rogers could not have foreseen a 41-16 finish which resulted in clinching at Camden in Baltimore. Yet, once it happened ... sell outs, coast-to-coast fevor, influx of cash, coming back against the Texas Rangers, baseball becoming fashionable ... Shapiro and Rogers Communications should have done everything to keep Anthopoulos on board.

A two-year offer was not a good starting point. 

Rogers did offer a five-year deal the final few days bringing to mind the way the Jays bungled Chris Carpenter’s signing in 2002.

3. Joey Votto, Reds first baseman (33).

Etobicoke’s own had one of his best years as he narrowly missed leading the league in on-base average (a fifth time), losing to Bryce Harper (.460 to .459). Votto made a run at Harper despite being 72 points behind at the all-star break. Putting together a 48-game streak of reaching base (via a hit or walk) between Aug. 11 and Oct. 2, he had an OBA of .528. Votto failed to reach base on Oct. 3 and fell short of the title. 

Votto had 175 votes of the 420 available to earn an MVP award share of 0.41667, according to North Bay stats guru Neil Munro bringing his career total to a 2.10625 share (the equivalent of a little better than two unanimous awards). 

Votto’s league-leading 143 walks and 319 times reaching are new highs for all Canadian-born players and for Cincinnati players. Bobby Smyth’s prized pupil ranks 14h on the all-time major league list of career OBA leaders (at .423), topping Hall of Famers Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mays and Stan Musial. He leads active players in career OBA (Miguel Cabrera is second, 24 points behind him).

4. Paul Beeston, former president, Jays (5).

It is nice to read that now the Blue Jays front office now finally has structure. We thought with Beeston and Gillick running off 11 consecutive winning seasons, including five trips to post-season play and World Series wins in 1992-93, they had little idea ... all those hours pushing the wrong elevator button and getting no where.

Or same for this year when the park was sold out and the Jays were drawing larger TV audiences than the New York Yankees.

We did not know there was a hole in the concrete near the money room where $50 bils were blowing away in the wind.

We remember seeing Don McDougall in 1993. As the head honcho at Labatt’s, lawyer Herb Solway and then Metro chairman Paul Godfrey brought the expansion franchise to Toronto in 1976. 

McDougall told us “when we started we were told we needed Americans to run a ball team. There was a great satisfaction being in Atlanta last year seeing Paul Beeston, Peter Hardy, Peter Widdrington, Gord Ash, Howard Starkman ... Canadians one and all, all there at the start and all celebrating.”  

Now, Beeston and Anthopoulos, two Canadians are gone. 

Rogers replaced them with Shapiro and Ross Atkins, two Americans.

Shapiro is on a five-year deal, Atkins a four-year and the guy coming off the post-season trip initially received what amounted to a two-year offer.

5. Peter Orr, Team Canada third baseman (-)

It was the most exciting game seen by the least amount of fans. There were 5,489 fans at President’s Choice field in Ajax. When Canada won the 2011 Pan Ams in Lagos de Moreno, Mex, there was zero TV coverage. Same for CBC’s coverage from faraway Ajax. Rights had been sold to Cuba and either CBC or the Pan Am committee was not buying. There was live streaming on your laptop for the gold medal game. 

Canada fell behind by two in extras when Orr singled in a run. With one out and runners on first and second, lefty David Huff decided on his own to try a back-door pick off of Orr.
Huff threw the ball into foul ground, third base coach Stubby Clapp waved Skylar Stomsmoe home to tie the game as Orr slid head first into third. Except right fielder Brian Bogusevic’s throw went past third. Orr looked for Clapp and couldn’t find him. 

So off he went with typical Canadian international bravado. Orr has speed, yet the ball beat him as he sailed through the air like Bobby Orr. It looked like he was out ... until Orr’s head first slide dislodged the ball from catcher Tom Murphy.

GOLD FOR CANADA!

6. Russell Martin, Jays catcher (3).

Martin was responsible for two of the best snapshot moments of 2015 during the Cincinnati Reds-Jays pre-season series at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. His father also named Russell played Oh Canada on his sax and the catcher, standing down the right field line, broke down. He was hugged by Jonathan Diaz.

The next day manager John Gibbons sent out the father to the mound to make a surprise catching change.

Beeston and Anthopoulos outbid the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago Cubs because of Martin’s track record (as a rookie with the Dodgers they earned the NL wild-card berth, reached post-season in 2008-09, joined the Yankees in 2011 and won the AL East, signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 as the Bucs had their first winning record since 1992 and now the Jays.... advancing for the first time since 1993).

Martin earned all-star honors, set a personal high with 22 homers and threw out 44% of base-stealers. 

7. Joel Wolfe, agent, Wasserman Group (6).

In the years we have compiled this list of apples, oranges and pomegranates we’ve had complaints “hope it goes to 200 next year so I make it,” we’ve heard people walk by with one saying “hello No. 74,” while the other responded “hi, 63” in reference to this list.

Yet Wolfe had the best reaction at the winter meetings. Walking through the Cascades in Nashville he called me over, asked me to pose for a picture. With No. 1 written in my note book and an arrow pointed to Wolfe the picture was taken. Obviously to send to a rival. 

Wolfe, who has a summer home in Ayer’s Cliff, Que., attended Bishop’s University and UCLA while maintaining his Canadian citizenship, negiotiated a six-year $75 million deal for Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. He landed one-year deal for $10 million Hisashi Iwakuma as well as representing Nolan Arenado, Chase Utley and Giancarlo Stanton.

8. Farhan Zaidi, Dodgers GM (7).

Do the Dodgers have too many chefs in the executive level kitchen? Former Tampa Bay Rays GM Andrew Friedman is president of baseball ops, former Arizona and San Diego GM Josh Byrnes is VP of baseball ops and former Oakland A’s assistant GM Zaidi has the GM title. Results have been spotty.

Mark Whicker of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote that Friedman “is fast becoming the most polarizing sports executive in town” and “the problem is that the moves aren’t integrated, that nothing really indicates an obvious plan. Or, maybe, there are too many plans.”

The Dodgers lost out keeping Zack Greinke, signed Iwakuma and then the doctors did not like his physical. All moves have not been made yet, Scott Kazmir and Kenta Maeda have been added.

9. Don Cherry, Hockey Night in Canada (-).

Josh Donaldson might have made the AL all-star team at third when voters finished voting. They certainly were given a nudge by Kingston’s own. 

On June 14, Donaldson trailed Mike Moustakas of the Royals by 1.6 million votes in balloting at third. Cherry began a ‘Vote Donaldson’ campaign. Donaldson moved into a 1.4 million vote lead becoming the first to surpass 11 million votes. And Cherry threw a strike with the ceremonial first pitch on Canada Day. 

10. Larry Walker, Hall of Fame candidate (11).

Toronto’s resident Hall of Famer Robbie Alomar lobbied for Walker on coast to coast tours, saying “voters don’t show him the respect he deserves. When I broke in Walker was a complete player. He doesn’t get the recognition he should. Walker was a great right fielder, with a big arm. He stole 30 bases and people seldom mention how he won two batting titles and an MVP.” 

Walker was named on 11.8% of the ballots in 2015, but climbed up to 15.5% this month. Walker made his debut with 20.3% of the vote in 2011, then 22.9%, 21.6% and in 2014 fell to 10.2% as Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas appeared for the first time

11. Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada (10).

The director of national teams put together two senior teams involving players not on 40-man rosters and four different junior team rosters. He was a coach on Ernie Whitt’s senior team which won gold in Ajax going 7-1 and 5-0 before losing in the quarter finals in the Premier 12 in Taiwan. Up 3-1 in the eighth the Canucks made errors leading to three unearned runs and a loss to Mexico. In all, 12 wins in 14 games.

He coached the juniors selecting four different rosters, capped by the team which went 4-5 in Osaka, Japan despite missing five drafted players. Canada is ranked No. 7 in the world and might climb a notch.

12. Doug Melvin, former GM, Brewers (9).

He had to fire his manager Ron Roenicke a month in and the end of the Melvin reign in Milwaukee came Aug. 11, after 13 seasons as the Brewers GM and before that he ran the Texas Rangers from 1994–2001, reaching post season three times.

The Brewers won at least 90 games twice, and reached the playoffs in 2008 and 2011, losing Game 6 of the NLCS to the Cardinals. Would have been an excellent choice to preside over 1 Blue Jays Way.

13. Pat Gillick, Phillies senior advisor (8).

Gillick served as interim president of the Phillies taking over for Dave Montgomery and then served as point man as the Phillies hired former Orioles GM Andy MacPhail this summer.

The Hall of Famer’s autograph sells to collectors and he had made appearances at card shows. He sends all monies to Dennis Gilbert’s Professional Scouts Foundation, raising roughly $70,000 since his induction. A Canadian citizen he now lives in Michigan.

He served on the 16-member Hall of Fame-appointed Pre-Integration era ballot in December, with Hall of Fame members Bert Blyleven, Bobby Cox, and Phil Niekro; executives Chuck Armstrong, Bill DeWitt, Gary Hughes and Tal Smith and media members Steve Hirdt, Peter Morris, Jack O’Connell, Claire Smith, Tim Sullivan, T.R. Sullivan, Gary Thorne and Tim Wendel.

14. Walt Burrows, Canadian director, MLB Scouting Bureau (17).

At the winter meetings in Nashville standing talking to Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Allan Simpson a scout came up with another man.

“I want you to meet two guys who know everything there is to know about baseball in Canada ...” the first said.

Before Simpson or I could respond, the other said “you can’t fool me, Walt Burrows knows the most about baseball in Canada.” The speaker was Chicago White Sox scouting director Doug Laumann. Brentwood Bay, B.C., native Burrows evaluates Canucks from coast to coast, 30 of which were drafted in June. 

15. Bob McCown, host, Prime Time Sports (13).

There are reasons that calls on the first hour of McCown’s show remain 80-85% baseball despite the fact that the Maple Leafs and the Raptors are now in season. Besides the Jays their own selves, the reasons are guests (Beeston, Anthopoulos, etc.) and McCown his own self. No one is tougher on the Rogers suits than McCown.

Some of clothes he wears from Korry’s Clothiers to Gentlemen must have velcro lining.

16. Stephen Brooks, CFO, Blue Jays (14). 

The Jays drew 2,794,891 million in 2015 (an average of 34,504, eighth best in the majors) compared to 2,375,525 (29,327, 17th best) in 2014. Brooks was there over seeing the log jams at each gate, which was a long way from the State of the Union when he was booed for the new ticket printing plan.

The Prince George, B.C. native maintains a witty twitter account. Question: Have you bought your “Bautista Bat Flip” ugly Christmas sweater yet?” Answer “My general coolness deficiency would not be helped if I introduced the ugly Christmas sweater into the wardrobe.”

17. Jerry Howarth, broadcaster, Jays (16).

The Etobicoke resident became a Canadian citizen in April of 1994 and by our count, has worked more than 5,025 regular-season games since he began filling in for Hall of Famer Early Wynn in 1981. The late Tom Cheek worked 4,306 consecutive games. 

Howarth usually plays down the middle of the fairway but he took on Jose Reyes in June telling The Fan: “Shortstop is such a critical position ... now it’s the weakest position the Jays have. It’s very clear who can play and who can’t.” The Jays took off at the end of July when Reyes was dealt for Troy Tulowitzki.

18. Fergie Jenkins, Hall of Famer (18). 

The Chatham, Ont. raised Jenkins was first of a kind: only man with 3,000 or more strikeouts while allowing fewer than 1,000 walks. The right-hander pitched 19 seasons for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox. striking out 3,192, while walking 997. Hall of Famers Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux had similar numbers, as did Curt Schilling.

Oh there was something else that made Jenkins special: he’s the first and only Canadian elected to Cooperstown, thanks to six consecutive 20-win seasons. It’s a reason he’s in demand whether in Arizona, St. Marys, upstate New York or his home town.

19. Dan Shulman, broadcaster, ESPN, Sportsnet, TSN (12).

The voice of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball Shulman shared the booth last year with John Kruk and Jessica Mendoza, who replaced Curt Schilling. Through the Jays glory run last year he was a regular on TSN.

Next year, however, they are putting the band back together ... about 30 gigs at a time as Schulman will moonlight from ESPN teaming up with Buck Martinez when Pat Tabler has holidays. Sports Illustrated’s play-by-play man of the decade coached the minor midget Thornhill Reds, reaching the provincials with his son Ben. Luis Rivera is expected to remain at third when Shulman is not in the booth.

20. John Ircandia, managing director, Okotoks Dawgs (22).

Again the Dawgs drew more than the year before, holding steady in the attendance college summer loop standings. They drew 70,027, an average of 2,918 per game (compared to 65,012 in 2014) to finish fourth amongs 154 summer league teams ranked by by Baseball Digest. The Madison Mallards (6,358), Elmira Pioneers (3,377) and La Crosse Loggers (3,054) averaged more. 

Again the Dawgs were without a Western Major League title in 2016. This year Seamen Stadium, the best facility in the country, adds a new HD video board. 

21. Jeffrey Royer, general partner, Arizona Diamondbacks (21).

His Diamondbacks were the surprise winners for Greinke, who signed a six-year $206.5 million deal. The Toronto resident committed $160 million US over a 10-year span to own roughly 30% of the Diamondbacks, which ranked 24th in baseball according to Forbes (team value $840 million), with $211 revenue and an operating loss of $2.2 million.

A corporate director of Shaw Communications cable Royer had a good month as Shaw purchased WIND Mobile, started by Canadian Baseball Network co-owner Mike O’Connor of Peterborough. 

22. Arlene Anderson, CEO Sam Bat (20).

Anderson and her husband’s maple baseball bat company operation moved in Carleton Place had its best sales year yet. In roads were made into the Los Angeles Angels clubhouse adding David Freese, CJ Cron, Kole Calhoun and Matt Joyce as clients.

Sam Bat’s new web site launched Cyber Monday, is part of Sony’s 2016 MLB the Show when video game players get the chance to select their bats. Sam Bat signed with MKE Sports and Entertainment in Milwaukee, a 54-team facility from Little League on up.

Sam Bat had 185 clients including Ryan Braun, Miguel Cabrera, Dustin Pedroia, Dexter Fowler, Melky Cabrera, Avisail Garcia, Lonnie Chisenhall, Jason Kipnis, Carlos Gonzalez, Yoenis Cespedes, Alcidies Escobar, Andre Ethier, Jimmy Rollins, Aramis Ramirez, Adam Lind, Carlos Ruiz, Chase Utley, Robinson Cano, Matt Holliday and Troy Tulowitzki. 

23. Andrew Tinnish, assistant GM, Jays (27).

Tinnish’s time as scouting director had an impact: Aaron Sanchez (first round, 2010) who started and worked as a set-up man, Dalton Pompey (16th, 2010) the opening day centre fielder, was demoted and finished strong, Daniel Norris (second round, 2011), who made five starts, Kevin Pillar (32nd, 2011), who played like a gold glove winner, developing into a hitter and Marcus Stroman (first round, 2012), who bounced back from a torn ACL on a hurried schedule were all his.

Norris was dealt in the David Price deal. Along with analyists Joe Sheehan and Jason Pare, Tinnish pushed for free agent Justin Smoak, drafted Sean Nolin included in the Donaldson deal. Tinnish was point man on salary arbitration when the Jays won against Donaldson and a reason there were six Canucks at Buffalo.

24. Jim Stevenson, area scout, Astros (35).

The former Leaside coach scouted and signed lefty Dallas Keuchel as a seventh rounder in 2009 from the Arkansas Razorbacks ($150,000 bonus). Two years ago Stevenson compared him to young Mark Buehrle or Kenny Rogers. Keuchel won the AL Cy Young award.

Back when he was scouting the Brewers in 2005 he drafted Jake Arrieta from Weatherford College in the 26th round. Arrieta didn’t sign, attended TCU and won the NL Cy Young. Stevenson won the annual Jim Ridley away from the Canadian Baseball Network as scout of the year -- the first American based scout to win since Dick Groch in 2003.

25. Jeff Mallett, part owner, San Francisco Giants (15).

It was a down year for Mallett: he won’t get a new World Series ring come opening day. However, the Giants won in 2010, 2012, 2014 it is an even year ... . Plus they have added.

A North Vancouver resident he owns part of the Giants and AT&T Park. Along with Steve Nash they own the Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Derby County Football.

26. Stubby Clapp, coach, Baseball Canada, New Hampshire (80).

When Dalton Pompey got his groove back he credited heart-to-hearts with Clapp at double-A New Hampshire. The Windsor native and Pompey had worked closely together in 2014 at class-A Dunedin.

His highlight came coaching Canada after Puerto Rico coach Carlos Baerga planted a red, white and blue Puerto Rico flag on a short stick in the front of the mound before the first pitch. Clapp walked out, snapped the stick in half, put the flag in his pocket and glared into the Puerto Rico duguout. The Canucks scored three in the first on the way to a 7-1 “not in my country” win.

27. Wayne Norton, scout, Mariners (30).

The next Canucks star on the horizon? Outfielder Tyler O’Neill, who hit 32 homers for the class-A Bakersfield Blaze to earn Mariners minor league player of the year.

The Port Moody, B.C., scout who covers Canada and Europe had three of his players listed on Baseball America’s top prospect list and make the M’s in 2013 Victoria’s Mike Saunders, Dutch outfielder Greg Halman and Italy’s Alex Liddi. He has James Paxton with the M’s.

28. Maury Gostfrand, agent. (19).

Another Expos fan -- he grew up Chomedey area of Montreal before moving to North Miami Beach, has a star stable with his Vision Sports Group.

He has assembled the best from the booth — 59 announcers from every sport — led by the league leader in information Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Gostfrand represents Hall of Famer Don Sutton, John Kruk, Ryan Dempster, Tom Verducci, Kevin Millar, Dave Campbell, Mark Mulder and Jon (Boog) Sciambi.

29. Fred Wray, agent (25).

The former Canadian National Team right-hander from Calgary represents the likes of Garrett Richards, Logan Morrison, Matt Shoemaker, Charlie Furbush, Evan Marshall and Jason Castro.
Wray works for Mark Pieper’s Relativity Sports. Pieper secured a $2 million US bonus for Gareth Morgan in 2014 and in June $2.25 Million for Josh Naylor, $1.9747 for Mike Soroka and $450,000 for Demi Orimoloye.

30. George Cope, CEO, Bell Canada (23)

What does the city of Montreal need to get a ball club? It needs someone with more money than Warren Cromartie, whose heart is in the right place. There are high rollers in town and what’s better than a communications war? Could Bell Canada buy the Expos to gain programming after losing the NHL rights to Rogers? 

Bell has the dough to build a stadium and it has been reported Stephen Bronfman, son of Charles Bronfman, Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Acquisition, and Dollarama CEO Larry Rossy have been studying plans to bring a team to Montreal. But all remains quiet. 

31. Rob Thomson, bench coach, Yankees (29).

A native of Corunna, Ont. and an off-season resident of Stratford, Thomson is in his 27th season with the Yankees.

He has now been in Pin Stripes longer than Derek Jeter -- both were signed by scout Dick (The Legend) Groch. He now has won five World Series rings, one more than George (Twinketoes) Selkirk, who 1936-39 and 1941. Thomson won his first four as minor-league field co-ordinator when he ran spring training for Joe Torre and again as a coach for Joe Girardi in 2009.

32. Mike McRae, coach, Canisius (36).

Now in his 13th-year with the Griffs, McRae opens 2016 as the defending Metro Atlantic champs. Canisius has 291 victories since 2008 under the three-time MAAC coach of the year
In his lineup next spring are Iannick Remmillard of Valleyfield, Que., Liam Wilson, of Ayr, Ont., Windsor’s Jake Lumley, Brampton’s Zachary Sloan, Tecumseh’s Josh Shepley, Cyrus Senior of Kirkland, Que., J.P. Stevenson of Hunter River, PEI, Oakville’s Blake Weston, Bolton’s Nick Capitano and Calgary’s Jared Kennedy,

33. Chris Mears pitching crosschecker, Red Sox (54).

Mears scouted Boston’s No. 1 pick outfielder Andrew Benintendi, seventh overall pick of the Arkansas Razorbacks, who received a $3.59 million bonus. After being an amateur scout from 2008-15, the Ottawa native was promoted by new boss Dave Dombrowksi as a pitching cross checker ... comparing the right-hander in northern California to the right-hander in southern Florida. A few other teams have this same role.

Mears pitched for Dombrowski’s Tigers in 2003 after being drafted by the Mariners in 1996 when he played at Leaside and then Victoria. 

34. Ray Carter, president Baseball Canada (41).

The outgoing pres has a Don Cherry-sized heart with a Maple Leaf inscribed on his cheek. Not that he’s big on the coast, but the locals call a Tsawwassen-Langley highway Carter crossing. It is either named after him or he was one of the engineers who designed it for RKTG Associates.

Greg Hamilton accelerated the Junior National Team, Jim Baba handled political issues, Andre Lachance runs baseball ops and the women’s team, Kelsey McIntosh co-ordinates coaching programs and Adam Morissette gets the word out from coast-to-coast. President Carter hired them all. His term expires next June. Who takes over Jason Dickson of Chatham, N.B. or Mississauga’s David Huctwith/

35. Gord Ash, VP baseball project, Brewers (26).

Ash will do a little of everything under the new regime: assist with spring training facility prep, minor league site inspections including the Dominican, assist with minor league player development contracts and represent the club at the June draft. 

He will organize the annual medical symposium and liaise with the medical staff. The Brewers won Martin-Monohan award for the second straight year and third time in 10 years for best medical staff in the majors. 

36. Rick Brace, president, Rogers Media (-).

Brace was hired in July after Keith Pelley bolted for the fairways of the European Golf Tour. While Brace was only on the job half the year, he was involved in hiring Shapiro along with Guy Laurence and Edward Rogers.

Brace heads up Rogers’ entire media arm, a $1.8-billion business that includes the City and Omni TV networks, radio and more than 50 publishing titles. Brace had worked for Bell and CBC Sports before moving to TSN. NHL commish Gary Bettman wanted experience due to the new deal.

37. Dave McKay, coach, Diamondbacks (52).

Working with the Diamondbacks’ base running guru and first base coach, Paul Goldschmidt improved as a base stealer. A student of the game especially when it comes to details like a pitcher’s tendancies throwing to first, the former Jays infielder from Vancouver passed on tips to Goldschmidt rather than just saying “turn left.”

The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder does not have lightening speed, yet the average distance of his leads, according to StatCast, is 11.73 feet, 13th largest. Six of his steals came without a throw as he went 21-for-26 on the bases. He had nine steals in 2014. 

38. Dr. Jason Smith, Blue Jays physician (28).

Besides millionaires at the Rogers Centre, Dr. Smith has time for anyone from the grade 11 student or the junior in college heading into his draft year with an injury. He’s the Doc Jays players seek with their injuries — major or minor. 

Smith trained with Dr. James Andrews seven years and has performed Tommy John elbow surgery. The Calgary native went to Princeton, was a fourth-round draft of the Flames in 1993 and played 1996-97 for Saint John in the AHL before concussions shortened his career. 
He’s part of the Jays medical team with Drs. John Theodoropoulos, Irv Feferman, Noah Forman, Allan Gross, Steven Mirabello, Glenn Copeland, James Fischer, Pat Graham, Mark Scappaticci and Mike Prebeg. 

39. Joe Siddall, Jays broadcaster (46). 

Siddall grew up a Tigers fan, played for the Tigers, played two seasons at triple-A Toledo and threw batting practice for the Tigers. He jumped into the Jays broadcast booth teaming with Jerry Howarth. They sounded like they were in their second decade together. 

Siddall had the pleasure of watching his son Brett turn pro with the Oakland A’s, when he was drafted from Canisius in the 13th round by Oakland scout Matt Higginson. 

40. Roger Rai, Rogers Sportsnet (-).

Rai was heavily involved in the search for the next Jays president. Both searches. He called former Dodgers GM Ned Colletti to ask him if he was interested. He called at least one super agent to ask for suggestions as to who the next pres should be.

Rai and Edward Rogers are pals from their university days.

41. Jonah Keri, writer, ESPN.com (42).

It was a down year for Keri, the Ben Zobrist of writers -- that is the writing machine did not pound out another must-read book. All he did in 2015 was write for ESPN and Grantland. He’s also written baseball for The Wall Street Journal, FanGraphs, GQ, The Huffington Post, The New York Times, Bloomberg Sports, Baseball Prospectus, Investor’s Business Daily, Sports Illustrated and FiveThirtyEight, 


A Montrealer, his latest book — “Up, Up, and Away: The Kid, the Hawk, Rock, Vladi, Pedro, le Grand Orange, Youppi!, the Crazy Business of Baseball, and the Ill-fated but Unforgettable Montreal Expos” was the No. 1 best-selling non-fiction book in Canada and a New York Times sports best seller. 

42 Justin Morneau first baseman (2).

The feel-good tale of 2014 was Morneau returning from post-concussion symptoms. This year everyone’s favorite Canuck had a neck injury and a concussion followed is looking to win the comeback player of the year honors in 2016.

Injuries limited him to 49 games with the Rockies, 22 in September. New Westminster, B.C.’s own, hit .310 with three homers, 15 RBIs and an .821 OPS. He has said in the past he want to play when baseball returns to the 2020 Olympics.

43. Jake Kerr, co-owner Vancouver Canadians (34).

The Canadians drew drew a record-setting 215,535 in 37 home dates at Nat Bailey Stadium for an average of 5,825 in 2015 to lead the Northwest loop. Vancouver averaged 4,870 in 2014 finishing behind Spokane and 4,843 in 2013 sitting behind Spokane. 

The C’s missed post-season for the first time since 2009 after five straight appearances, four trips to the championship and three titles (2011-2013). The Vancouver born Kerr co-owns the team with Jeff Mooney from Regina of A&W

44. Ron Tostenson, national crosschecker, Cubs (39).

Totenson was involved along with ex-Jays scouting director Tim Wilken in selecting Whitby’s Ryan Kellogg in the fifth round. Kellogg went 28-6 for Arizona State in three seasons. Only Steve Carter (42-12, 3.74, Coastal Carolina) and Shane Davis (35-12, 4.18, Canisius) had more wins since 2000 and they needed four years.

The former Jays scout from Kelowna, B.C. played a role in drafting Kyle Schwarber, given a $3.125 million bonus and hit 16 homers in 232 at-bats with the Cubs after hitting 34 in 519 at-bats in the minors. Ethan Elias, of Entwhistle, Alta. a 22nd rounder by the Cubs in 2011 went 11-6, 3.27 at class-A Kane County in the Diamondbacks system.

45. Dan Bleiwas, coach, Ontario Blue Jays (56).

The organization was formed in 1995 -- as one team -- by Gene Bartolozzi, then Gary Wilson and Bill Byckowski took over. A few years later Bleiwas took the reins. For a second straight June a Jays player was selected the first day of the draft (both Gareth Morgan and Josh Naylor received bonus of $2 million or more).

Nine of the 30 players drafted were Jays or grads: Owen Spiwak, Michael Foster, JD Williams, Isaac Anesty, Darren Shred, Phil Diedrick, Daniel Pinero, Joey Hawkins and Naylor. In all, 43 players from two 18U teams headed to school in the fall. Next season he will operate 14 teams from 12U-to-18U encompassing 228 players as his organization moves into a new 53,000 square foot building in Mississauga.

46. Denis Coderre, mayor, Montreal (48).

The good mayor of Montreal goes about things in a mannerly, polite fashion. Born in Joliette, Que., he is not all-ahead full like Jim Balsillie who attempted to secure an NHL team to Hamilton.

Montreal’s 44th Mayor -- with the help of evenko -- will bring a third spring series to Olympic Stadium. This year it will be the Red Sox and the Jays.

He met with commissioner Rob Manfred and wrote all 30 clubs expressing the city’s desire to re-gain a franchise. Paul Beeston has helped and Corderre says I’ll “build a statue for Beeston if he helps get a team.”

47. Shiraz Rehman, assistant GM, Cubs (30).

Back in 1999 Rehman watched the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves to win the Series when he graduated from McGill. This year his Cubs were spraying at Wrigley Field after eliminating the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a starting infielder for four years and captain of the Redbirds for two.

How many Canadian college captains move on to the majors? Born on the West Island and raised in New York, Rehman provides statistical information to support trade and player evaluation, as well as overseeing salary arbitration and managing research.  

48. Jamie Lehman, scout, Jays (37).

The Jays Canadian scout drafted and signed three players in June: Toronto’s Connor Panas from Canisius, Mississauga’s Owen Spiwak from Odessa College and Chicago State’s Mattingly Romanin from Burlington.

And Lehman’s 16th rounder Dalton Pompey will have a shot this spring at making the Jays opening-day roster. 

49. Jacques Doucet, broadcaster (44).

This fall was a big deal for some broadcasters as the Blue Jays became Canada’s team from coast to coast. 

Yet, it was old hat for Doucet, Montreal Expos French-language broadcaster from 1972-2004. The veteran who was inducted into the Quebec Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, won the Jack Graney award the next year was working TVA games. This was Year 1 of the renewal of a six-year deal as Russell Martin’s every move was detailed. 

50. Murray Cook, scout, Tigers (40).

One March day at St. Petersburg we saw Cook minutes before the Canadian Junior National Team played Puerto Rico. Cook was there to see Josh Naylor, Demi Orimoloye and Mike Soroka. He made the rounds shaking hands with fellow scouts.

It was a scorching day and Cook left after one inning. Or so we thought. Three hours later we headed down the left field line and there was Cook in a lawn chair. Under the shade of a tree. A veteran move. He had not missed a pitch another reason the Sackville, N.B., is in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys.
 
51. Tyler O’Neill Mariners prospect (-).

The slugging outfielder was voted Seattle’s minor league player of the year. He was compared to Brett Lawrie as a high schooler. He was a third round draft by Wayne Norton, whereas the Brewers took Lawrie in the first.

He has more pop than any Canadian in recent memory: with 32 homers in 106 games (missing more than two weeks play helping Canada win gold at the Pan Ams) at class-A Bakersfield at age 20. At the same age, Lawrie hit eight at double-A Huntsville after hitting 12 the year before. Scott Thorman hit 16 at class-A Macon and Joey Votto had 19 split between class-A Dayton and class-A Potomac.

52. Allan Simpson, Perfect Game Scouting Service (43).

Simpson is responsible for fans switching focus to the June draft. First by founding Baseball America and then writing for Perfect Game USA. Still a consultant with PG, he has returned to his roots authoring a book that BA is publishing.

With the draft 50 years old who better than to write the history of the draft than Simpson. Elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame the Kelowna, B.C. native took over for the late Randy Echlin heading the Hall of Fame selection committee. 

53. Geoff Molson, owner, Montreal Canadiens (31).

Molson deserves a lot of credit for bringing baseball to town ... if only for a weekend. The Habs entertainment arm, evenko, will bring brought the Red Sox and the Jays to Montreal.

Simon Arsenault and Jacques Aubé made it a success, along with Howard Starkman, for a second-straight year as 96,545 fans showed. If a white knight emerges to build a ball park Molson will have to be part of the team photo.

54. Charlie Wilson director, minor league operations, Blue Jays (55).

Wilson does a good job moving players around, especially in late July when the Jays were making moves, especially left-handers leading to a tweet from lefty John Anderson, at double-A New Hampshire “Would any left-hander still with the organization, please retweet this?”

It is a celebration when Wilson comes to down whether it is Buffalo, Manchester, N.H., Dunedin, Lansing, Bluefield or Vancouver. He is loved by each minor league outpost. Yet, he never worked for the Indians, so who knows what the future holds?

55. Brett Lawrie, White Sox (24).

Keep those No. 13 Lawrie jerseys. He will be back at the Rogers Centre April 25-27. There is no truth to talk that the A’s dealt Lawrie to the White Sox so he wouldn’t remind them of the Donaldson deal.

In a career-high 602 plate appearances in 2015, Lawrie hit .260 with a career-low .706 OPS. He had a career high 16 home runs and 60 RBIs for Oakland. He had 18 clanks at third base, but will move to second for the White Sox.

56, Adnan Virk, ESPN (47).

Virk is as fast around the desk hosting Baseball Tonight as Troy Tulowitzki around the base. He earned Sportscaster of the Year by Anokhi Vibe Magazine in 2008 and Favorite Media Personality by the Masala, Mehndi, Masti Organization.

After playing hoops at Ernestown Secondary School, outside Kingston, he attended Ryerson, worked for 12 years in Toronto (The Score, Raptors TV, Leafs TV, Gol TV) before heading to Bristol, Conn. He lets viewers know he’s from Canada. 

57. Peter Morris, historian (53).

His mother Ruth received an appointment to the Order of Canada as an advocate for justice reform. Twice Morris has won the Seymour Medal and was honored as one of the first nine winners of SABR’s Henry Chadwick award in 2010. 

He is a sleuth researching players even finding his namesake P. Morris, who played one game for the 1884 Washington Nationals. Author of five books he served on the 16-member Hall of Fame Pre-Integration era ballot in December, along with Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven, Bobby Cox, Pat Gillick and Phil Niekro; execus Chuck Armstrong, Bill DeWitt, Gary Hughes and Tal Smith and media members Steve Hirdt, Jack O’Connell, Claire Smith, Tim Sullivan, T.R. Sullivan, Gary Thorne and Tim Wendel. 

58. Bill Byckowski, scout, Cincinnati Reds (96).

Byckowski filled his hat and then some drafting five high schoolers in June: Oakville’s Miles Gordon in the fourth round from the Great Lake Canadians, Brampton’s JD Williams (17th, Ontario Blue Jays), Guelph’s Isaac Anesty (18th, Ontario Blue Jays), Brampton’s Darren Shred (22nd, Ontario Blue Jays), North Vancouver’s Will McAffer (32nd, North Shore Twins). The first four signed although none were allowed to play for the Canadian Junior National Team at the Worlds.

Shred caught his whole career but Byckowski projects him as a pitcher, as he did with Chris Leroux in 2002. Former Jays scouting director Chris Buckley promoted Byckowski to the position of cross checker a few years back.

59. Josh Naylor Miami Marlins (66).

Given the third highest bonus for a Canadian at $2.25 million behind only Jameson Taillon ($6.5 Million, Pirates, 2010), and Adam Loewen ($3.2 Million, Orioles, 2002) a lot of Canadian players look up to Naylor.

When did his father Chris Naylor know how good his son was? When Josh was around 12 and Ontario Blue Jays coach Sean Travers told Chris: “Your son is going to play in the big leagues.” Younger brother Noah won the same OBA player of the year award Josh did. Josh hit .327 with one homer for the Gulf Coast Marlins (Chipper Jones had one homer too and batted .229 in the same league) and was Canada’s best at the World Juniors (earned all tourney honors, led in homers).

60. Scott Moore, president, Rogers broadcasting, NHL Properties (51).

You can thank Moore for adding Hazel Mae to Jays broadcasts down the stretch. Or sending make-up into the left field corner Gregg Zaun and Jamie (“No make up please”) Campbell. Rogers broadcasts 162 Blue Jays games on Sportsnet or Sportsnet One and does an excellent job. 

Writers like Shi Davidi, Ben Nicholson-Smith, Michael Grange, Elliotte Friedman (no relation) and Mike Cormack have been hired for Sportsnet’s platforms.

61. Chris Reitsma, pitching coach, Canadian Junior National Team (-).

Reitsma was the teacher and Mike Soroka the pupil, as Blair Kubicek was the teacher and Reitsma the student in 1996.

When scouts would fly in for solo workouts Kubicek would give Reitsma the cap of the scout’s team to wear. Did it work? “He was throwing in the mid-90s in the snow when I saw him,” said Boston scout Gary Rajsich, who drafted him. 

Soroka also pitched for coach Jim Lawson’s PBF Redbirds and was taken 28th over-all by the Braves recdiving a $1.975 million bonus. Reitsma also helped scout for the Orioles this summer and was in the O’s war room during the draft. 

62. Doug Mathieson, Langley Blaze (57).

This year’s phenom Tyler O’Neill followed in Brett Lawrie’s footsteps playing for Mathieson and Jamie Bodolay with the Langley Blaze. Mathieson predicted big things for O’Neill at the Canada Cup in London in 2012. He was right as a year later O’Neill was the top high school draft.

Former Blaze Devon Stewart was drafted and signed with the Indians. Mathieson scouts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

63. Dr. Marc Philippon, hip specialist (50).

A Hamilton native and McMaster grad, Dr. Philippon is a man you need if your hip requires a surgery. He is a partner at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Col. and operated on the likes of Carlos Delgado, Alex Rodriguez and Luis Castillo.

He also treated Milos Raonic. Mario Lemieux, Greg Norman, Kurt Warner, Ed Reed, Sue Bird and Peter Jacobsen, as well as a consultant to NFL, NBA and other pro teams.

64. Alex Agostino, scout, Phillies (58).

The Phillies were third when it came to having the most Canadians in their system -- the Blue Jays were runaway leaders with 16, followed by the Cubs with eight -- with seven. Agostino is a reason why. Montreal’s Jesen Dygestile-Therrien, 5-0, 1.43 with five saves at class-A Clearwater Thresters and class-A Lakewood, is his sign.

Other Canucks who pitched in the Phillies system Adam Loewen, of Surrey, B.C., Mississauga’s Chris Leroux, Colin Kleven, of Kamloops, B.C., Victoria’s Nick Pivetta, Ethan Stewart of Campbell River, B.C. and Edmonton’s Steven Inch.

65. Tom Tango, statistical consultant, Cubs (68)

The Montrealer does statistical analysis to evaluate for the Cubs and has worked for the Jays in the past. He uses a nom de plume rather than his real name and is known as TangoTiger on-line.

Along with Jonah Keri and others he created a site to enhance Tim Raines Hall of Fame chances and co-authored The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball.
 
66. Terry McKaig, coach, UBC (73).

In his final game coaching UBC, the T-Birds lost 2-1 to Northwestern Ohio in the Santa Clarita bracket of the NAIA championship opening round. McKaig ran the program for 18 years going 548-353-1. He now becomes director of UBC Baseball with Chris Pritchett takes over.

UBC went 39-19 (third-best in school history) in 2015 winning its fifth NAIA West championship in seven years as Conor Lillis-White and Alex Webb were drafted. This June Curtis Taylor and Webb are expected to be selected among Canadians after Stanford’s Cal Quantrill.

67. Jim Baba, director general, Baseball Canada (57).

Baba was the technical director at what used to be a farmer’s field near the Audley Rec Centre. Against Puerto Rico, Canada’s Ernie Whitt protested because the new pitcher was not on the lineup card.

Baba explained to Whitt that international rules state a player does not have to be on a lineup card (why fly half way round the world and a mistake by a coach costs someone playing time?). Game on. Tyson Gillies hit a home run off the new lefty.

And with the help of Denny Berni he coached the Prairies to a win over Ontario in the Tournament 12.

68. Adam Loewen, Surrey, B.C. Diamondbacks (-).

Loewen made it to the majors before injuring his elbow in 2008, took up hitting making it back with the Jays in 2011 and in 2014 unable to find a job as a hitter took up pitching, making it back to the majors in 2015 with the Phillies. 

He had 12 straight scoreless outings before being promoted from triple-A LeHigh Valley to the Phillies and six of his final seven outings at double-A Reading were scoreless. He was 2-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 40 games combined walking 37 and striking out 73 in 58 1/3 innings.

69. Ryan Mittleman, video review, Jays (69).

Any time there was a bang-bang play on the bases and bench coach DeMarlo Hale picked up the phone Mittleman was on the other end taking a look at the replays -- as you were at home.
How difficult a job is it? As long as the remote doesn’t run out of batteries?

Well, one ump told us that the Jays were in top five in the game when it came to challenge a replay, to appeal a call, saving challenges until later in the game and who had the better batting average on appeals -- in the games this ump worked.

70, John Haar, coach, North Shore Twins (62) 

A member of the BC Sports Hall of Fame and Canadian Hall in St. Marys, Haar has forgotten more about the game than most people on this list.

The man who guided Canada to gold at the 1991 World Juniors had two players drafted in June Tristan Graham from Northeast Texas Community College, who was selected in the 22nd round and signed with the Orioles and Will McAffer who went to the Reds in the 32nd round but chose to attend school. 

71. Rob and Rich Butler, coaches, Ontario Prospects (59)

Ryan Kellogg showed up as a youngster at a Prospects tryout wanting to catch ... a left-handed catcher. The Butlers took one look at his arm and said his future was either on the mound or at first, but there was zero future catching.

And in June Kellogg was drafted by the Cubs after three years at Arizona State where he went Kellogg went 28-6 in three seasons. Only Steve Carter and Shane Davis had more wins since 2000 and it was over a four-year span.  

72. William Humber, historian (72).

There are many experts found on our top 101. Yet Humber is as well versed in what the Jays opening day lineup should be or both side of the argument when it was decided foul balls should be called a strike (1901). 

Author of 11 books, he has written about African-Canadian athletes, winter sports, bicycling, his hometown of Bowmanville and baseball. Each spring the director of Eco Seneca Initiatives at Seneca College teaches pre-spring training college class. A wonderful speaker he has been at the dias at both Cooperstown and St. Marys.

73. Denis Boucher, scout, Yankees (65).

Boucher was pitching coach for the Pan Am gold medal winners. He helped get right-hander Phillippe Aumont back into the strike zone after he was released by the Phillies. 

And in his other job with the Yankees he watched his draft, the 6-foot-5 Rutckyj claimed by the Braves. Rutckyj struck out 82 in 61 2/3 innings while going a combined 2-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 36 games in relief. 

74. Matt Higginson, scout, A’s (76).

Higginson was in contention for scout of the year and the Ridley award in 2015 selecting Brett Siddall from Canisius in the 13th round , Eric Senior in the 28th from the Toronto Mets and Marc-Andre Berube from Pitt in the 28th. He was edged out by Jim Stevenson who signed Cy Young award winner Dallas Keuchel and also drafted Jake Arrieta. 

His Sean Jamieson played shortstop for Team Canada at the Pan Am Games.

75. Ryan Dempster, assistant to president, Cubs, MLB Network (74).

He attends Cubs pre-draft meetings, is in camp at spring training, attends games at Wrigley Field and nobody does a better Harry Carry impression. He’s a big supporter of the Baseball Canada fund raiser.

At the analyst desk with MLB he’s fast with a quip and more on time with an answer than a Gibsons, B.C. ferry boat. Works best with Mark DeRosa, operator of the D Train and the DeRo Demolition. 

76. Les McTavish, coach, Vauxhall Academy (84).

Last fall right-hander Brady Moxham, of Oakville, Man. left the Alberta Acadmey bound for Midland College in Texas. He was the 100th player coaches McTavish and assistant Jim Kotkas helped send south.

Calgary infielder David Reiniger was the first to sign when he headed to Alabama-Huntsville in 2006. And Josh Burgmann, of Nanaimo, B.C. heads to University of Washington next fall.

77. Blake Corosky, agent, True Gravity Baseball (79)

Besides representing Newmarket’s Pete Orr, with the Milwaukee Brewers, Corosky has 37 clients including Andrew Albers, of North Battleford, Sask. who pitched at triple-A Buffalo and joined the Jays briefly, Toronto’s Maxx Tissenbaum, claimed by the Marlins from the Rays at the winter meetings and Brampton’s Jasvir Rakkar who had 16 saves at class-A Myrtle Beach.

Certified by the Player’s Association since 2006 the Toronto resident has been successful finding, landing and keeping American players: 33 clients are from south of the border with the tip of the ice berg being Chad Green (5-14, double-A Erie) acquired by the Yankees from Detroit in the Adam Warren trade and Dan Gamache (.312, 5 homers, 48 RBIs at double-A Altoona, triple-A Indianapolis). Both will get spring invites. 

The others include: Nick Evans (.310, 17, 94 at triple-A Reno), Derek Eitel (0-0, 5.73, 2.70 at Reno), Terry Doyle (16-2, 2.16 at double-A Bowie, triple-A Norfolk), Carlos Alonso (.262, 6 RBIs at double-A Reading), Andrew Robinson (4-2, 3.18 at double-A Mississippi, Bowie).

78. Nicole and Mike Tevlin, Toronto, co-owners of The Baseball Zone (-).

Former owners of Two-Bite Brownies they sold their company, watched their sons learn at The Baseball Zone and play for the Ontario Terriers and go to the next level (Luke Tevlin is in his second year at Binghamton while Joe Tevlin starts at Niagara next fall).

The wife and husband liked what they saw so much that they bought the company -- like the Victor Kiam/Remington commercial. The Tevlins bought half the company from Mike McCarthy whose business acumen was respected and a reason for the facility’s success. Now, the Tevlins partner with baseball man Rick Johnston, who had Edwin Encarnacion drop by this winter for a clinic.

79. Ken Carson, Barrie, commissioner Florida State League.

He began as a stick boy for the Barrie Flyers, became trainer when the team moved to Niagara Falls in 1960 and then the Pittsburg Penquins. He joined the Jays in Year 1, eventualy becoming travelling secretary without a raise from Peter Bavasi.

Now, former Globe and Mail ball scribe Larry Millson and Carson are penning a great read entitled: “From Hockey to Baseball: I Kept Them in Stitches.” Carson became the Jays director of Florida operations in 1987, served as league VP (from 1988-2014) and took over for Chuck Murphy as president in March ending a 39 year association with the Jays.

In the first couple of months, he had to handle a bench-clearing brawl. It took two or three days before he fined players from both teams, suspended a manager and three players. It only took 10 minutes to settle the next one. 

80. Scott Thorman, Cambridge, manager, Burlington ().

A lot of first rounders move as far away from the game as possible after they finish playing. Thorman took his last swing in anger during the 2011 season at triple-A Toledo. He coached for the rookie-class Burlington Royals in the Appalachian League in 2014 and last year managed Burlington. 

Thorman was back riding the buses in rookie-ball for the first time since 2000 when he was with the Gulf Coast Braves. His team went 33-35 and come April Thorman will be the only Canadian to receive a World Series ring from the Kansas City Royals. 

81. Mike Wilner, broadcaster, The Fan (77). 

The comparison between the 2015 Blue Jays was to the 1992 Jays or the 1993 Jays. Both were inaccurate. The reaction by fans was similar to 1985. Those Jays had never won. The 2015 Jays have never won -- if you were 30 years of age and under. For many experiencing the ebb and flow of their first race, 

Wilner was left to deal with the post-game angst: get rid of the manager, get rid of R.A. Dickey, get rid of Jose Bautista (in different versions) or how come Russell Martin doesn’t catch every pitch? Am not sure what Wilner gets paid, don’t want to know what he gets paid, but Rogers should give him danger pay after losses.

82. Stu Scheurwater, umpire (75) 

The Regina resident was assigned to the triple-A Pacific Coast League but also worked 23 games in the majors as a fill-in ump, including working first base at Camden Yards when the Jays thumped the Orioles 15-2 to win the AL East. He was called when an ump was injured or on holidays.

Scheurwater worked all three games when the Jays clinched in Baltimore and had three plate assignments when the Indians were at the A’s, the A’s visited the White Sox and the Dodgers played the Rockies. 

83. Kevin Briand, scout, Blue Jays (82)

Everyone liked Josh Donaldson when talk went around the Jays room. Yet, not many people had a handle on Devon Travis, but the Montreal native had a strong, strong report filed. As a result the Jays sent Anthony Gose to Detroit for Travis, whom the Tigers were about to convert to an outfielder.

Travis won rookie of the month award in April before injuring his left shoulder, he rushed back was injured again and now has had two surgeries. In 60 starts Travis resmebled Bill Madlock with 18 doubles, eight homers, 35 RBIs and an .859 OPS.

84. Jay Lapp, scouting supervisor, Brewers (91)

Time was when the Brewers cleaned up each June come draft time. They were either the most active or the second most. After a couple of down seasons, this June they may have scooped the steal of the draft.

Demi Orimoloye of Orleans, Ont. rated the best outfielder in North America 11 months before the draft. He did not have a good spring. After signing Orimoloye, who played for coaches Tanner Watson and Don Campbell, h hit .292, with six homers and 26 RBIs for Arizona League Brewers to earn top prospect honors from Baseball America.

85. Ryan McBride, coach, Toronto Mets (93).

Mets grad Connor Panas was voted Canadian Baseball Network College Player of the Year in 2015 after starring at Canisius. David Marcus, Cal Pennsylvania earned First Team honors at first while Panas was top man at third. 

Eric Senior, Tristan Pompey and Conor Lillis-White who all played for Rick Leitch and McBride, were drafted in June. Andrew Yerzy is expected to be the top high schooler drafted from Canada this year. Off to school are Mets are Luke Turino to Cincinnati, Niall Windeler and Brad Aldred, UBC, Nicholas Virdo, Midland, Ethan Hunt, Charleston, Peter Joseph, Northwood, Matt Jones, Montevallo and Yerzy to Notre Dame. 

86. Scott Secord and Paul Pettipiece, Pointstreak (85).

The two entrepreneurs made huge inroads into the stats market with their scoring application, which enables a fan to view live via applications, as well as flash video, game tracker and updated box scores. They had agreements with independent pro leagues, summer league Cape Cod and Northwoods, Baseball Canada nationals, B.C. Premier League and the Canadian College Baseball Conference.

Now, they have taken their 50-50 draws and ventured throughout baseball. Parks in Canada, Pennsylvania and Midwest fare the best, while Lehigh Valley, Syracuse and Winnipeg are top performers in the minors and independent, while the Royals, Pirates, and Cardinals are tops in the majors. 

87. Adam Stern, Centrefield Sports, Great Lake Canadians (95).

Speedy outfielder Miles Gordon from Oakville became the second Canadian high schooler drafted after a successful season with Stern’s Great Lake Canadians. Stern is also a Red Sox scout.

London infielder Adam Hall signed a Letter of Intent to attend Texas A&M. Also headed to school are Jake Wilson to Bowling Green, Max Wright, Indiana State, while Michael Brettell is already at Central Michigan, Tyler Whitbread, Indiana State, Matt Warkentin, San Francisco and Mat Szabo Bowling Green.

88. Scott Crawford, Georgetown, Canadian Hall of Fame (89)

He had a crowded stage at St. Marys in June with the induction of Carlos Delgado, Felipe Alou, Matt Stairs, Corey Koskie and some other guy ... and pulled off the weekend smoothly. The Georgetown native took over early in 2012 from Tom Valcke.

Work on expanding the Hall of Fame continues with the strategic master plan finalized. Now, board of director Paul Beeston should have more spare time to help with fund raising. New diamonds continue to spring up on the property. 

89. Claude Pelletier, scout, Mets. (81)

The Ste-Lezare, Que. scout is one of the senior Canadian scouts beating the bushes since 1987, first with the Dodgers and now with the Mets. He told his boss Eddie Bane to fly to Edmonton to look at Eric Gagne for Team Canada, who had pitched in Oklahoma and had not been selected.

Lefty Kurtis Horne of Sooke, B.C. has gone 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in 15 games in his first two years. Only Murray Zuk of Souris, Man., of the Padres and Walt Burrows of the Bureau see more pitches. He also signed Jon Malo, Greg Mullens, Shawn Bowman, Jean Luc Blaquiere, Emmanuel Garcia, Matt McCarney and Guillaume Leduc.

90. Rob Ducey, hitting coach, Phillies (92).

Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer, ex-Jay player and scout with the Phillies serving as the hitting coach at class-A Clearwater under manager Greg Legg for a second season. The Phillies complex is 20 minutes from Ducey’s Florida home.

The Clearwater Threshers were second in runs scored (574) and team batting average (.267). Ducey had three of the Phillies top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America: former No, 1 pick J.P. Crawford .392 with a homer and eight RBIs in 21 games, catcher Andrew Knapp .262, two homers, 28 RBIs in 63 games and outfielder Carlos Tocci .258, two, 18 in 68 games. 

90 (tie). Jamie Campbell, broadcaster, Sportsnet (93).

We thought a couple of nights he might have needed a seat belt in the left field corner post-game shows. It has been a while since the Jays had an October like that. I missed seeing post-game of Game 5 of Jose Bautista and Bat Flip as I was at the park, but am told Campbell and the show were fun to watch

Gregg Zaun and Campbell looks like they get along because they do. Campbell brings out the best of Zaun. Like Jerry Howarth, Campbell loves and promotes Canada and Canadians in baseball. 

91. Scott VandeValk, coach, Ontario Terriers (87)

The Terriers move from the Fergie Jenkins league to the Ontario Premier league with new (co-) ownership and VandeValk as coach.

What has always been the case -- no matter the league -- is that Danny Thompson continues to place players led by Sam Turcotte, who heads to Stony Brook‎ next fall, while Elliott Curtis goes to Middle Tennnessee State and Joe Tevlin to Niagara.

The others: Jack Anderson, Ryan Giberson, Regan Manley and Alex Wall to West Virginia Weslayan, Ethan Jodouin, Dakota County Tech, Brandon Nieva, Wells and Jacob Martins to Canisius in 2017. 

92. Mike Chewpoy, coach, Victoria Mariners (88).

The goal in the grandstand might be to win games, but for the good coaches at the elite level it is to get their players to the next level. Chewpoy, who used to coach Michael Saunders, saw catcher Nick Seginowich and Jason Willow go to Tournament 12 and Willow gain an invite with the Canadian Junior National Team.

Off to school in the spring are Nick Dawson, who is headed to Salt Lake College, Jake Bosence and Sam Glowicki, Big Bend, Nathaniel Seltsam, Mount St. Mary’s, Chris Blaskovich, Nolan Bruce, Cole Russell and Jake Barnard, Dougals College. And next fall Tyler Schindel goes to San Diego Christian, Chris Lata and Jesse Mycock, Southern Illinois while Seginowich heads to Salt Lake also.

93. Robbie Fatal, coach, ABC (-).


Maxime Lamarche’s choice as program director, head coach and the man to replace Joel Landry running Quebec's top program is Fatal, a Boucherville, Que. native. He won gold medals at the Canadian nationals (2005, 2008-09). Coaching of the Dragons Dragons in Switzerland (15U, 18U and senior, 2004-07 he won five national championships. 

Under the re-structured format the ABC will run two teams one out of Montreal, one out of Quebec. Fatal’s staff includes Marc-Andre Major, Jacob Gosselin Deschesnes, Yannick Desjardins, Josué Peley, Patrick Scalabrini, Dave Dufour, Michael Belanger and Sébstien Rivest.

94. Denise Thomas, administrative coordinator, Baseball Canada (-).

It will be difficult for things to run as smoothly in 2016 as the past few years for Thomas is retiring. Thomas did everything except hit infield which includes running the annual January fund raiser down to decorations, making bank desposits and telling Jim Baba which button to hit on the photocopier. 

Thomas booked travel -- not easy when the Pan Ams end and there are flight to 20 different cities or when a tournament schedule changes (rain, advances or is eliminated) -- for the national teams. Thomas handled conversations with parents of a grade 11 player whose son is travelling half way around the world for the first time. The player is fine. The parents are worried. 

95. Jordan Tiegs, Woodstock, Ont,, pitching coach Indiana State (-).

Someone will have to tell Tiegs every year won’t be like 2015. In his first year as a Sycamore his lefty Jeff Degano went 56th overall in North America. Degano dominated as the Friday starter earning Canadian Baseball Network First Team honors.

Tiegs came to Indiana State after three years at University of Indianapolis. He pitched at Sauk Valley, College of Charleston and Indy, spent two years pitching indy ball for the Evansville Otters before getting hurt.

96. Tom Valcke, iCASE GM (98).

Most teams head south for March break. The iCase Huskies has already gone west to B.C. for exhibition games last year and this fall crossed the border. 

iCASE won the Red Cedar Fall Battle with 9-7 comeback over Ann Arbor in Southfield, Mich. as Mike Nevins hit a game-winning double. The Huskies also beat the Detroit Drive 8-3 in the Fall Kick-off Classic final at Lake Whitmore, Mich. Titus Loh, Riley Deline, and DJ Depiero combined on a four-hitter. There is talk iCase may be expandi internationally. Stay tuned. 

97. Denny Berni, coach, Pro Teach (-).

Berni runs a hitting facility in Etobicoke. It’s the same facility where Joey Votto spend hours and hours and hours hitting. And some nights -- you never know when -- Votto might show to get in a few hacks and help youngsters with their swings.

When he’s not instructing Berni coaches the Etobicoke Rangers 18U and helps out with the 13U Rangers. In his spare time he ran the Humber College Hawks winning OCAA Coach of the Year. He carried Jim Baba’s Prairies entry to victory in the Tournament 12. 

98. Jack Brown, Peter Seto, volunteer chairs, Pan Am Games (-).

The site in Ajax was a hit, thanks to the work of Murray Cook, groundskeeper extraordinaire (not to be confused with scout Murray Cook) who had the fields in major-league shape and Durham College’s Ken Babcock, one of the many workhorse volunteers, who gave us a lift from the parking lot one night (about a $12 cab).

Sport managers Randy Anderson and Dan Smith worked with Brown, Seto plus other volunteers. Like any international competition emotions ran high: perceived missed calls, hidden ball tricks (David Huctwith was technical director as the Dominican Republic pulled off a hotly disputed trick play in a 6-4 win against Team USA) and post home run pimping to make Edwin Encarnacion blush. The committee handled it all.

99. Mitzi Soegandhono, director sports relations The Ritz-Carlton.

Half of the visiting major league teams stay at the Ritz on Wellington when they visit Toronto. And 3/4 of NHL teams do the same where the veteran hotelier solves major league problems.

How good is Soegandhono at her job? So good at problem solving that some have suggested the luxury hotel be renamed the Mitzi-Carlton.  

100. David Chavarria, pitching coach, Brevard County. (-)

Chavarria is the son of former Kansas City Royals infielder Ossie Chavarria, who was signed by the Rangers out of Burnaby, B.C. It was a controversial sign at the time since Ossie worked for the Jays as a scout. 

David reached double-A Shreveport before going into coaching in 2001 with the Rangers and 2015 was his fourth season with the Brewers and second with the Florida State League affiliate.

101. Michael Burgess, singer, Toronto, Ont., Jim Fanning, London, Ont. former Montreal Expos manager, GM; Alison Gordon Toronto, Joe Hawkins, Kingston, president of Kingscourt Little League, Ian MacDonald, Montreal, Montreal Gazette, Michelle McRae, Niagara Falls, Ont., Clair Seeley, Renfrew, Ont., George Storey, Barrie, Ont.

Burgess was best known for his role in the Toronto production of Les Misérables, playing the character of Jean Valjean 1,000 times during the show’s run at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre. Became the first person to sing ‘O Canada” at a World Series game on Oct. 17, 1992.

Fanning was the Expos and the only manager to get the Expos into post-season play in 1981. When ownership made a change he moved to Western Ontario and became a fixture at St. Marys. As his son Frank said in his beautiful speech “think of my father every time you see an Expos hat,” as he placed an Expo lid on his head.

Gordon spent five years covering the Jays for the Toronto Star breaking the gender barrier when she became the first woman beat writer spending five years starting in 1979.
 
The mother of two and wife of Canisius Griffins coach Mike McRae was gone way too early at age 46. Michelle, who fought a year-long battle with cancer, was the woman behind each successful man you read about.

Seeley was a respected in the Ottawa Valley as a coach, GM, gentleman and sportsman. He died at Hospice Renfrew after a long battle with skin cancer. His teams with Jack Vooght and Gerry Lepine were forces winning in the Valley and knocking off Ottawa teams too.

Storey died at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket of respiratory problems, not long after he was accidentally bumped while watching a Santa Claus parade, causing him to fall down and break one of his hips and one of his shoulders. He was a speedy centre fielder for Barrie. 

Honourable mention

Jim Adduci, Burnaby, B.C. Lotte Giants; Andrew Albers, North Battleford, Sask. Triple A Buffalo; Jeff Amos, Oyen, Alta., Badlands Academy; Alex Andreopoulos, Etobicoke, Ont., bullpen catcher, Blue Jays; Don Archer, White Rock, B.C., scout, Angels.

Adam Arnold, pitching coach, Great Lake Canadians; Ryan Armstrong, instructor, The Baseball Zone; Nick Ashbourne, Toronto, Canadian Baseball Network; Ryan Astle, St. Albert, Alta., assistant coach, Bismarck State College; Phillippe Aumont, Gatineau, Que., Phillies/White Sox.

John Axford, Port Dover, Ont., A’s; Evan Bailey, coach, Okanagan Athletics; Drew Balen, Edmonton, Inside Edge; Scott Ballantyne, coach, Laurier; Joseph (Elevator Joe) Bednarz, Rogers Centre.

Al Bernacchi, Windsor, Ont., coach, Windsor Selects; David Beeston, VP corporate strategy, special counsel, Red Sox; Rob Boik, Spruce Grove, Alta., director, St. Francis Xavier Academy; Dean Bender, vice president, graphics, commercials, Rogers Communications; Matt Betts, Canadian Baseball Network.

Howie Birnie, Leaside, Ont., Baseball Ontario; Jordan Blundell, Edmonton, Alta., Vancouver Island Baseball Institute; Jamie Bodaly, coach, Langley Blaze; Mike Bonanno, agent, Brantford, Ont.; Jason Booth, Richmond Hill, Ont., coach, Team Ontario.

Shawn Bowman, Port Moody BC, coach, Coquitlam Reds; Steve Breitner, Etobicoke, Etobicoke Rangers, Greg Brons, Saskatoon, Sask., Baseball Saskatchewan; Alexis Brudnicki, London, Ont., Canadian Baseball Network; Scott Bullett, Welland, Ont., Bullett Proof Academy.

Taylor Burns, pitching coach, St. Albert, Alta. Prospects Academy; T. J. Burton, Ottawa, coordinator amateur baseball Toronto Blue Jays; Dick Callahan, Kitcherer, Ont. Oakland A’s P.A. announcer; Ray Callari, Montreal, Que., scout, Giants; Don Campbell, Ottawa, Ont., Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, grand poo-bah Premier League of Ontario.

Al Cantwell, Saint John, N.B., head coach, LSU-Shreveport; Remo Cardinale, Mississauga, Ont., pitching guru on lifetime scholarship; Luke Carlin, Aylmer, Que. Triple A  Iowa Cubs, Triple A Nashville; Jason Chee-Aloy, VP Baseball Operations and recruiting, Toronto Mets, MLB Scouting Bureau; Gregor Chisholm, Saint John, N.B., BlueJays.com.

Dr. Michael Chivers, kinesiologist, Vaughan, Ont.; Voon Chong, Vancouver B.C., trainer, triple-A Buffalo; Gary Cohen, Monteal, The Baseball Cube; Jeremy Cohen, New York, vice-president, corporate sponsorship & marketing, MLB; Andrew Collier, GM, Winnipeg Goldeyes.

Heather Connolly, manager, major league administration, Jays; Dave Cooper, coach, St. Clair College Saints; Melissa Couto, Canadian Press; Don Cowan, Delta, B.C., scout, Toronto Blue Jays; Greg Cranker, coach, Erindale Cardinals.

Phil Curtis, Sherwood Park, Alta. Weyburn Beavers; Shi Davidi, Toronto, Ont. Sportnet; Claude Delorme, Sturgeon Falls, Ont., VP Miami Marlins, Sam Dempster, Kingston, coach, Durham Lords, Team Great Britain; Greg Densem, bullpen catcher, Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays.

Scott Diamond, Guelph, Ont. Triple A Durham Bulls; Jason Dickson, Chatham N.B., vice-president, Baseball Canada; Pierre Dion, Montreal, president, TVA; Jack Dominico, Toronto, owner, Toronto Maple Leafs; Scott Douglas, Moose Jaw, Sask., coach, Regina Red Sox.

Jason Dowse, Cannington, Ont., strength and conditioning coach, triple-A Buffalo; Desi Doyle, Mount Stewart, P.E.I., coach; Brandon DuBreuil, Halifax, N.S., Premier12 broadcaster, Taiwan; Rob Ducey, hitting coach, class-A Clearwater, Cory Eckstein, Abbotsford, B.C., coach, Abbotsford Cardinals.

Bernie Eiswirth, GM, Regina, Sask., Regina Red Sox; Dave Empey, North Vancouver, B.C., coach, Vancouver Cannons, Rob Fai, Vancouver, Vancouver Canadians, broadcaster, all-star MC, former Blue Jays (North Delta) hurler; Drew Fairservice, Fangraphs; Scott Ferguson, TSN; Jeff Francis, North Delta, BC, Buffalo/Blue Jays.

Mike Frostad, Calgary, Alta., assistant trainer Blue Jays; Orv Franchuk, Edmonton, Alta., Edmonton Prospects; A. J. Fystro, Calgary, Alta., coach, Okotoks Dawgs Academy, Danny Gallagher, Toronto, co-author Ecstasy to Agony: The 1994 Montreal Expos, Canadian Baseball Network; Gord Gerlach, lead teacher, St. Albert, Alta., St. Francis Xavier Academy.

Ted Giannoulas, London, Ont., The Chicken; Shawn Gillespie, president, Ontario Nationals; Kevin Glew, London, Ont., Cooperstowners in Canada, chair Jack Graney selectopm committee; Bill Green, Coquitlam Reds, his No,  24 is now retired; Marc Griffin, Boucherville , Que, broadcaster RDS.

Matt Griffin, Oakville, coach, Guleph University; Richard Griffin, Oakville, Ont., baseball columnist, Toronto Star, Andrew Halpenny, Winnipeg, Man., president, Rookies Baseball Experience, Winnipeg, Man.; Tim Hallgren, Victoria, B.C., pro scout, Tigers; Ellen Harrigan, director administration, Dodgers, Jason Hart, Thunder Bay, Ont., head coach, Lakehead University.

Ernie Hawkins, coach, Whalley Chiefs; Jim Henderson, Calgary, Alta., Brewers; Andrew Hendricks, Canadian Baseball Network; Jonathan Hodgson, Canadian Baseball Network; Paul Hollingsworth, Dartmouth, N.S., broadcaster, TSN.

Vince Horsman, Dartmouth, N.S., pitching coach, class-A Dunedin, Ted Hotzak, president, BC Premier League; Cam Houston, St. Albert, Alta. Prospects Academy; Peter Hoy, Cardinal, Ont., coach, St. Lawrence College; Todd Hubka, Claresholm, Alta., Prairie Baseball Academy.

David Huctwith, Mississauga, Ont, president, Baseball Ontario; Marc Hulet, London, Ont. Fangraphs; Frank Humber, coach, Corner Brook, Nfld.; Michael Hunt, Edmonton, Alta., Moose Jaw Miller Express, Forrest Irwin, LaSalle, Que., pitching coach, Post University.

Aaron Izaryk, Markham, Sanford Mainers manager, NECBL; Todd Ireland, Burlington, Ont., assistant head coach, Tusculum College; Rob Jack, Toronto, social media director, Toronto Blue Jays; John Jepson, Toronto, Ont., VP communications and business, Toronto Mets; Mike Johnson, Sherwood Park, Alta., coach, St. Francis Xavier Academy/Canadian Junior National Team.

Rick Johnston, Peterborough, Ont., The Baseball Zone/Ontario Terriers; Brad Jorgenson, Thunder Bay, Ont. owner/GM, Thunder Bay Border Cats, Sam Katz, Winnipeg, Man., owner, Winnipeg Goldeyes; Mike Kelly, Vancouver, BC, coach and development Baseball BC, BC minor, high performance committee; Chris Kemlo, Oshawa, Ont., coach, Toronto Mets.

Brendan Kennedy, ball scribe, Toronto Star; Kevin Kennedy, Toronto, Ont., Pitch Talks; Dave Kington, coach, Coquitlam Reds; George Kottaras, Markham, Ont., triple-A Charlotte/Buffalo, Mike Kozak, Kirkland, Que., assistant trainer, Marlins.

Mike Krykewich, Sanford, Man., coach, University of Winnipeg; Kevin Kvame, GM Lethbridge Bulls/WMBL; Andre Lachance, Ottawa, Ont., Canada’s women’s coach, Baseball Canada, Jessica Lack, Calgary, Alta., digital media coordination, community relations, Tampa Yankees, Pierre-Luc Laforest, Gatineau, Que., manager, Trois-Rivieres Aigles; Jon Lalonde, Midland, pro scout, Toronto Blue Jays.

Maxime Lamarche, executive director, Baseball Quebec; Jacques Lanciault, Montreal, jacqueslanciault.com; Joel Landry, coach, Montreal Titans; Eric Langill bullpen catcher, Kirkland, Que., New York Mets; Michel Laplante, Val D’Or, Que., president, Les Capitales de Québec.

Jean-Gilles Larocque, Sudbury, The Baseball Acadmey; Jim Lawson, Calgary, Alta., coach PBF Redbirds; Ken Lenihan, Halifax, N.S., Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal winner, Team Nova Scotia; Marty Lehn, White Rock, B.C. Big League Experience; Jordan Lennerton, Langley, BC, Triple-A Gwinnett, Triple A Toledo.

Chris Leroux, Mississauga, Ont., Triple-A Lehigh Valley; Honsing Leung, Toronto, coach, Toronto Mets; Linda Lewis, Port Lambton, Ont. commissioner, Ontrario Premier League, Phil Lind, Toronto, vice-chairman, Rogers Communications; John Lott, ball scribe, photographer, National Post.

P.J. Loyello, vice-president, Marlins; Jeff Lounsberry, coach, Brock University Badgers; Mike Lumley, coach, London, Ont. London Badgers; Shawn Lynn, coach, Ontario Royals; Scott (153) MacArthur, Toronto, TSN.

Drew MacDonald, Bradford, Ont., trainer class-A Lansing; Ryan MacDonald Kennetcook N.S, Prairie Baseball Academy/Lethbridge Bulls; Todd MacFarlane, Edmonton, Alta., collector; Hazel Mae, reporter, Sportsnet; Jay-Dell Mah, author, Nakusp, B.C..

Kevin Malloy, assistant clubhouse manager, Jays; Mike McCarthy The Baseball Zone; Murray Marshall, president, Stoney Creek, Ont., Team Ontario; Dave Martin, Ottawa, newspaper collector; John Matthew IV, Ormond, Ont., producer, BlueJays.com.

Brooks McNiven, North Vancouver, BC, Inside Performance; Cory Melvin, Tampa, scout, Brewers; Matt Mills, Hamilton, coach Ontario Royals; John Milton, Caledon, Ont., Ontario Terriers/Arizona’s International Baseball Consortium, LLC; Tyler Moe, Oakville, Ont., scout, Orioles.

Dustin Molleken, Regina, Sask. Triple A Columbus; Colin Moro, Calgary, coach, University of Calgary; Greg Morrison, GM, Medicine Hat Mavericks; Adam Morissette, Baseball Canada; Jared Mortensen, Abbotsford, Triple A Durham.

Neil Munro, North Bay, Ont., Canada’s stat guru/Canadian Baseball Network; Bill Neale, Collingwood, Ont., head coach Kansas Wesleyan University; Shawn Neale, Collingwood, Ont., assistant coach, Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa College; Scott Neiles, Winnipeg, Man., Home Run Sports; Nancy Newman, New York, host, YES Network.

Ben Nicholson-Smith, Sportsnet; Marc Noel, Miramichi, N.B. Team New Brunswick; Greg O’Halloran, coach, Etobicoke Rangers; Bill Park, Chatham, Ont., commissioner Great South League summer college loop, Athens, Ga.

John Parker, coach, Whalley Chiefs; James Paxton, Ladner, BC, Seattle Mariners, Rob Pegg, Flesherton, Ont., coach, Vanguard University; Marc Picard, Pickering, Ont., coach, Windsor Selects; John Picco, coach Windsor, Windsor Selects.

Gary Picone, Trail, BC, athletic director, Lewis-Clark State College; Warren Philp, Thunder Bay, future World Juniors host; Jamie Pogue, bullpen catcher, St. Louis Cardinals; Dalton Pompey, Mississauga, Ont., Blue Jays; Mark Polishuk, London, Ont., MLB Trade Rumors.com.

Al Price and Scott Price, Calgary, Alta., Big Al Baseball; Terry Puhl, Melville, Sask. coach, University of Houston-Victoria; Shawn Pynn, Brampton, Ont., head coach, Salem International University; Paul Quantrill, special sssistant to organization, Port Hope, Ont. Blue Jays.

Al Ready, London, Ont., assistant coach, University of Indianapolis; Morgan Reiter, Regina, Sask. Inside Pitch Acadmey; Dave Robb, coach Lac La Biche, Alta. coach, Mesa Community College/Okotoks Dawgs; Chris Robinson, Dorchester, Ont., coach, Great Lake Candians; Doug Rogers, coach, Nanaimo, B.C., Nanaimo Pirates.

Jamie Romak, London, Ont., Diamondbacks/Yokohama Bay Stars; Mal Romanin, Burlington, Ont., Blue Jays P.R. dept; Jeff Ross, equipment manager, Blue Jays, Jasmin Roy, Longueuil, Que., MLB Scouting Bureau; Jean Philippe Roy, Quebec City, Que., coach, Brewers scout.

Linda Russell, CEO, OES Inc. scoreboards, London; Ron Sandelli, director of security & special forces, Blue Jays; John Saunders, Toronto, ESPN; Michael Saunders, Victoria, BC, Blue Jays; Pat Scalabrini, Sherbrooke, Que., manager, Quebec Capitales.

Shawn Schaefer, Ridge Meadows, BC, pitching coach, Douglas College; Trevor Schumm, Edmonton, international scout Pacific Rim, Europe, Latin American cross checker, Padres; Claudette Scrafford, Hawkesbury, Ont., manuscript archivist, Hall of Fame, Cooperstown; Larry Scully, East York, Ont., pitching coach, Bradley Unversity; Bill Shaikin, Montreal, ball scribe, Los Angeles Times.

Mike Shaw, Oakville, travelling secretary, Toronto Blue Jays; Meyer Shemtov, Barrie, Ont. scout, Colorado Rockies; Jim Sheppard, coach, University of Toronto; John Silverman, Montreal, equipment manager, Marlins; Jeff Simpson, scout, White Rock, BC, Tennessee/Kentucky/Ohio/West Virginia Brewers area scout.

Russ Smithson, coach, Port Coquitlam, B.C., White Rock Tritons; Bob Smyth, Ladysmith, B.C., scout, MLB Scouting Bureau; Ryan Snair, Margaret’s Bay, N.S., head coach, Sullivan County Community College; Bill Sobkow, Calder Sask. coach, Yorton Cardinals; Paul Solarski, Toronto, coach, Team Poland.

Bernie Soulliere, Windsor, Ont., chef de mission Team Canada; Chris Soulliere, Windsor, Ont., Windsor Selects, Matt Spatafora, Scarborough, Ont., assistant coach Niagara University; Howard Starkman, VP Quebec affairs, Blue Jays, Marnie Starkman, Mississauga, Ont., Rogers Centre scoreboard/in-game entertainment.

John Starzynski Oshawa, Ont., chairman of the board, Canadian Hall of Fame; Mike Steed, Burlington, Ont., pitching coach, Ontario Blue Jays; Brandon Steele, London, Ont., assistant coach, Tusculum College; Jay Stenhouse, Blue Jays, Rogers Centre public relations; Andrew Stoeten, ball scribe, andrewstoeten.com.

Skyler Stromsmoe, Etzikom, Alta. Triple A Sacremento; Jim Swanson, Victoria, BC, GM Victoria Harbourcats/Tigers scout; Shawn Travers, coach, Ontario Blue Jays; Pete Toms, writer, bizofbaseball.com; Randy Town, Calgary, Alta., physical education director, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, Colin Tyler, Thornhill, coach, Ontario Blue Jays.

Tom Tippett, Toronto, Ont., information services, Red Sox; Gary Van Tol, Pincher Creek, Alta., manager, class-A Emerald (Cubs); Dan Vertlieb, Vancouver, BC, agent; Carson Vitale, Victoria, B.C, Latin American coordinator, Dodgers, Cam Walker, Winnipeg, Man., head coach, Indian Hills Community College.

Dave Wallace, coach, Parksville Royals; Doug Walton, producer, Sportsnet; Rob Webster, Langley, B.C., coach, Kwantlen College; Tanner Watson, Pakenham, Ont., coach, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians; Rob Watt, Chemainus, BC, assistant coach, Mount Olive College.

Geoff White, Kelowna, BC, Okanagan College, Gerry White, coach, North Delta Blue Jays; Cavanagh Whitely, Prince George B.C. Douglas College; Brett Wilson, North Battleford, Sask., owner, double-A West Tennessee, Nigel Wilson, Ajax, Ont., Competitive Edge/Ontario Yankees.

Steve Wilson, Victoria, BC, Pacific Rim supervisor, Yankees; Andrew Wright, Woodstock, N.B., head coach, University of Charleston; Bill Young, Hudson, Que., co-author Ecstasy to Agony: The 1994 Montreal Expos; Bill Yuill, Medicine Hat, owner, Medford Rogues, West Coast summer league; Murray Zuk, Souris, Man. scout, Padres.

 

2015 Most Influential CanadiansL No. 1 Edward Rogers

2013 Most Influential Canadians: No. 1 Blue Jays fans

2012 Most Influential Canadians, No. 1 Paul Beeston

2011 Most Influential Canadians, No. 1 Greg Hamilton

2010 Most Influential Canadians, No. 1 Joey Votto

2009 Most Influential Canadians, No. 1 Paul Beeston

 

2008 Most Influential Canadians, No. 1 Paul Beeston

2007 Most Influential Canadians, Nos. 1 Paul Godfrey, Greg Hamilton