Canadian MLB playoff news and notes - October 21
Hard-throwing Houston Astros reliever Josh James was scouted and signed by Canadian Jim Stevenson (Leaside, Ont.).
October 21, 2019
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
- While it seems unlikely that Canadian infielder Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) will be added to the Houston Astros World Series roster, right-hander Josh James, another of Canadian scout Jim Stevenson’s signings, will be in the Astros’ bullpen for the Fall Classic. Canadian Baseball Network editor-in-chief Bob Elliott shared on Twitter late Saturday that James, who tossed a scoreless inning for the Astros in their American League Championship Series-clinching win, was selected in the 34th round of the 2014 MLB draft out of Western Oklahoma State College. It was Stevenson who spotted the potential in James, who was throwing fastballs that approached triple digits on Saturday. In all, James had seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings in the ALCS. During the regular season, he fanned 100 batters in just 61 1/3 innings.
- Both World Series managers had two stops in Canada during their professional playing careers. Nats skipper Dave Martinez batted .279 in 431 games in parts of four seasons with the Montreal Expos from 1988 to 1991 and then hit .311 in 47 games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2000. Meanwhile, AJ Hinch, the Astros’ dugout boss, had his greatest success as a pro hitter north of the border while playing in the Oakland A’s organization. He batted .376 in 39 games for the triple-A Edmonton Trappers in 1997 and .377 in 15 games for triple-A Vancouver Canadians in 1999.
- Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has confirmed the report of Jon Heyman of The MLB Network that the Pittsburgh Pirates will be interviewing Windsor, Ont., native Stubby Clapp for their managerial position this week. The 46-year-old Clapp served as the first base coach for the St. Louis Cardinals this season. There is much online support for Clapp to secure the position, including from fellow Windsor native and ex-big league catcher Joe Siddall (see below). The last Canuck to be a full-time big league manager was Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee George Gibson (London, Ont.) with the Pirates back in 1934.
- Twenty-seven years ago today, in his last start as a Blue Jay, Jimmy Key allowed just one run in 7 2/3 innings to lead his club to a 2-1 win over the Braves in Game 4 of the 1992 World Series. Key, as you will see in the video below, set the tone early when he picked off Braves leadoff hitter Otis Nixon in the first inning. Pat Borders homered for the Blue Jays in the game and Devon White collected three hits.
- And before the Blue Jays were born, this unforgettable World Series moment happened 44 years ago today. That was when Boston Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series against Cincinnati Reds right-hander Pat Darcy and managed to wave this home run ball fair for a walk-off home run. Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Reggie Cleveland (Swift Current, Sask.) had started Game 5 of this series for the Red Sox and was on the Sox bench when Fisk clubbed this historic homer.