CBN Player of the Week, Week VII - Otto Lopez
Jays farmhand Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) was the CDN POW for the second time. Photo: Eddie Michels.
June 24, 2021
By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
It was bound to happen ... with 95 Canadians getting paid to play.
There are 54 Canadians playing affiliated ball, 24 in independent league ball and another 17 in foreign lands.
And seven weeks in we have a repeat winner: Otto (The Swatto) Lopez.
Lopez (Montreal, Que.) hit .414 (12-for-29) with a homer and four RBIs for the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats to earn Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week, a second time.
How the week went for Lopez as he:
_ Batting third and playing second, Lopez was 2-for-5 in a 6-4 loss to the Hartford Yard Giants in a completion of a suspended game before 2,456 fans at Delta Dental Stadium. He singled to centre in the fifth and doubled to left in the seventh.
_ Hitting third and playing right field, he went 3-for-5 in an 8-7 loss to Hartford in the regularly-scheduled game.
He singled to centre in the first, singled to right in the third and doubled to right, his 15th double of the season.
_ Playing centre field and hitting third, he was 1-for-3 in a 10-6 loss to Hartford before 3,237 fans. He singled on a ground ball to centre. RF Demi Orimoloye (Orleans, Ont.) had two hits. He singled to left in the seventh and singled to left in the eighth.
_ Batting third and playing cenre Lopez was 1-for-3 in a 3-1 win against Hartford before 2,591 fans.
_ Playing second and hitting third, Lopez was 3-for-5 in a 15-2 romp over Hartford in front of 3,680 fans. He reached on an infield single in the second, had a run-scoring single to centre in the fourth and he doubled to right, his 16th of the season.
_ Hitting third and playing second he was 1-for-5 with an RBI in an 8-5 win against Hartford before 3,201 fans. Lopez hit a solo homer to centre on a 1-0 pitch to put the Fisher Cats up 5-3.
_ Playing second and batting third, he singled as the Fisher Cats beat the Bowie Baysox 10-5 before 1,226 at Prince George’s Stadium. He singled to right in the seventh. Will McAffer (North Vancouver, BC) pitched two scoreless, walking one and striking out a pair.
Best Offensive Performance
Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG
Otto Lopez – Dbl A New Hampshire 29 7 12 1 4 .414
Adam Hall – High A Aberdeen 17 4 6 - 1 .353
T.J Schofield-Sam – Low A Stockton 21 5 7 1 6 .333
Edouard Julien – Low A Ft. Myers 24 9 7 1 5 .292
Bill Germaine – FGN Stuttgart 10 4 5 - 3 .500
T.J. Bennett – IND Chicago 18 4 8 2 4 .444
Jesse Hodges – IND Quebec 20 6 8 2 9 .400
L.P. Pelletier – IND Quebec 27 6 10 1 1 .370
Miles Gordon – IND Evansville 20 4 7 - 2 .350
David Glaude – IND Quebec 19 4 6 - 1 .316
Myles Miller – IND Boise 30 6 9 - 2 .300
(Minimum 10 ABs)
Best Pitching Performance
APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA
ERIK SABROWSKI LHP - HIGH A FT. WAYNE TINCAPS
1 2.0 - - - - 4 1-0 - 0.00 0.00
In the 2018 draft, Erik Sabrowski was selected in the 14th round by the San Diego Padres, but due to some unforeseen circumstances -- namely an injury and the COVID-19 pandemic, his pro debut was delayed until 2021. This week we highlight his first win as a pro on June 19 in a 6-5 win over Dayton Dragons, when he pitched two hitless innings in relief as he put up two zeros, while striking out four Dayton hitters, to earn the win. His record with the Ft. Wayne TinCaps in two High A - Central appearances now stands at 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA.
Canadian Baseball Network
Player of the Week
Week I _ Noah Skirrow (Stoney Creek, Ont.) Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies).
Week III _ Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) class-A Hillsboro Hops/class-A Visailia Oaks (Diamondbacks)
Week IV _ Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, BC) class-A Rome Braves (Braves)
Week V _ Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) class-A Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins).
Week VI _ RHP Logan Hofmann (Muenster, Sask.) class-A Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)
Week VII _ INF-OF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays).