By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network
We are only a couple of more home runs from hearing chants of “Vlady, Vlady, Vlady!” As in we want Vladimir  Guerrero Jr.

You may hear it at the Rogers Centre or hear it at Coca-Cola Field in Buffalo, home of the triple-A Bisons.

3B Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) is still rolling up numbers with double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, enough to earn his second Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week. For a great read on how Guerrero became a Blue Jays check out Steve Simmons

Of course as the noise grows louder no one has the answer to how to solve the problem at the major league level. The Jays don't want Guerrero to be a DH and they have former MVP Josh Donaldson at third. Should they expect Donaldson to give away time at third and move to DH when he is headed into free agency?

Guerrero's week that was began as he ...

_ Was 4-for-5 with two doubles and a solo homer as the Cats beat the Hartford Yard Goats 7-1 before 6,263 at Dunkin’ Donuts Park. Guerrero doubled to left, his 14th, in the first and stole third facing Jesus Tinoco; again doubled to left in the third against Tinoco, his 15th, singled to left in the fifth and hit a lead-off homer, his seventh to left centre in the seventh facing Craig Schlitter. Former Ontario Blue Jays RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) was dominant, pitching six scoreless innings as he walked two and struck out five. Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow served as the Ponies DH and singled.   

_ Was 1-for-4 in an 11-1 loss against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies before 5,612 Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. RP Andrew Case (Saint John, NB) pitched 2 1/3 innings allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk, as he fanned one. His ERA is now 7.88. DH Tebow was hitless. 

_ Was 2-for-4 with an RBI double in a 3-2 victory over Binghamton in the opening game of the doubleheader. Guerrero doubled to right, his 16th, facing Marcos Molina and had a run-scoring single to centre in the fifth. 

_ Was hitless in two at-bats in the nitecap, a 6-3 loss to Binghamton in front of 5,294 at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. LF Connor Panas (Toronto, Ont.) singled for New Hampshire.

_ Was 4-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs in a 6-5 win against Binghamton in the opener of a doubleheader. Guerrero singled to right in the first, singled on a grounder to centre in the third, singled to left in the fifth against Mickey Janis and in the bottom of the seventh walked it off. Trailing 5-3 in the bottom of the seventh, Jonathan Davis led off withh a double, Bo Bichette followed with a doubles and Guerrero went deep to centre for a two-run homer off reliever Tyler Bashlor.

_ Was 1-for-3, knocking in a run in a 10-8 loss before 5,597 at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium. Guerrero singled to centre in the first knocking in a run. Case worked 1 1/3 scoreless walking one and striking out two.

_ Went 2-for-4 with a walk in a 7-2 win over the Reading Fightin’ Phils before 3,665 fans at FirstEnergy Stadium. Guerrero reached on an infield single in the first and singled to left in the eighth. RHP Brayden Bouchey (Vancouver, BC) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless while Panas singled for New Hampshire. LF Tebow was hitless in two at-bats. 

BEST  OFFENSIVE  PERFORMANCES
Player/Class/Team                   AB      R      H      HR     RBI     AVG
Vlad Guerrero - AA New Hampshire    26      8      14       2       16     .538
Jesse Hodges  -  AA  Tennessee      11      1       5        -         2     .455
Jim Adduci  -  AAA  Toledo          23      4      10       1         8    .435
Raphael Gladu  -  A  Columbia       17      4       6        -         3    .353
Charles Leblanc  -  A  Down East    15      2       5        -         -     .333
Miles Gordon  -  A  Dayton          34      4      11       -         1    .324
Josh Naylor  -  AA  San Antonio     32      3       9        1        5     .281
 
Sebastien Boucher  -  IND  Ottawa   16      3       7         -        1     .438
Jamie Romak  -  FGN  SK Wyverns     16     3       6        2        4     .375
Mike Crouse  -  MEX  Puebla         21     5       7        1         3    .333
(Minimum 10 ABs)
 
BEST  PITCHING  PERFORMANCES  
JORDAN  ROMANO   RHP   -   AA  NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
APP     IP     H    R    ER    BB    K    W-L    SV    WHIP    WK ERA
2     12.2    5    2      2      2    12    2-0       -        0.57       1.48
 
Jordan Romano continues to dominate Eastern League batters and this week he made two more excellent starts for the Fisher Cats. On May 16th in a 7-1 win over the Hartford Yard Goats he threw six scoreless innings, without allowing a base hit while striking out five Hartford batters, to secure his seventh win of the season. He followed that up on May 22nd in a 7-2 win over Reading Fightin’ Phils, when he pitched 6 2/3 and gave up five hits and two earned runs while striking out seven Reading hitters, to pick up his eighth win. His record in nine stars with New Hampshire thus far, now stands at 8-0 with a 2.05 ERA. In the current Eastern League pitching stats, Romano ranks first in wins (eight), second in Innings pitched (53) and tied for third in strikeouts (51).

ANDREW  ALBERS   LHP   -   JAPAN   ORIX  BUFFALOES
APP    IP    H    R    ER    BB    K    W-L    SV    WHIP    WK ERA
1     8.0    5     -      -      1      9     1-0      -       0.75        0.00
 
Another week and another strong start for Andrew Albers, now active with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan’s Pacific League. On May 22nd in a 10-0 victory over Rakkuten Golden Eagles, he threw eight scoreless allowing five base hits while striking out nine Rakkuten hitters, to earn his sixth win of the season. His record with Orix in nine starts, now stands at 6-1 with a 2.13 ERA.
 
KARL  GELINAS    RHP   -    IND   QUEBEC  CAPITALES
APP    IP    H    R    ER    BB    K    W-L    SV    WHIP    WK ERA
1     7.0    4    -      -        -      5     1-0      -       0.57        0.00
 
On May 17th In his usual role as opening day starting pitcher for Quebec, Karl Gelinas began his 16th season in pro ball, 12 of them with the Capitales in the independent Can Am League. At the age of 34, and now active with the team in the dual role of player and pitching coach, he shows no signs of slowing down. In a 3-0 victory over the New Jersey Jackals he threw seven scoreless, allowing four base hits while striking out five New Jersey batters, to earn his first win of the new season. Not surprisingly, his performance earned Gelinas the Can Am League’s Pitcher of the Week Award
 
 
SHANE  DAWSON   LHP   -   IND  WINNIPEG  GOLDEYES
APP     IP     H     R    ER     BB     K     W-L    SV   WHIP  WK ERA
1       6.2    6      2     2        1      7      1-0      -       1.13     2.90
 
After his release by the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Shane Dawson opted to continue his career and soon signed as a free agent with Winnipeg Goldeyes in the independent American Association. On May 21st in a 3-2 win over the Texas Airhogs he made his first start for the Goldeyes pitching 6 2/3 innings, he gave up six base hits and two earned runs, while striking out seven Texas batters, to earn his first win of the year.

Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week 1 _ OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Memphis (Cards) and Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres).
Week II _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) New Hampshire (Blue Jays).
Week III _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Gwinett (Braves).
Week IV _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Corpus Christi (Astros).
Week V _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).

Week VI _ Phillippe Aumont (Hull, Que.) Toledo (Tigers)
Week VII _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).