CBN Player of the Week -- Michael Crouse

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

With only nine players getting paid to play pro ball in the non major league ranks, we are bound to get some repeat winners.

OF Michael Crouse of the Chicago Dogs in the American Association is our second one. Jamie Romak (London, Ont.Ont.) of SK Wyverns was the first.

OF Crouse (Port Moody, BC) was drafted in the 16th round by Canadian scouting director Kevin Briand in 2008 from the North Shore Twins.

He broke in with the Gulf Coast rookie-class Blue Jays, class-A Lansing Lugnuts, class-A Dunedin, double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, then moved on to independent leagues with the Lancaster Barnstormers, New Britain Bees and the Somerset Patriots in the Atlantic League, Pericos de Puebla and Algodoneros de Union Laguna in Mexico.

This season he is with the Chicago Dogs of the American Association and earned Canadian Baseball Network player of the week honours.

Crouse batted .333 (8-for-24) with a homer and two RBIs to bump his average to .286 with three homers and 11 RBIs.

Best Offensive Performances

Player / Class / Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Michael Crouse - IND Chicago 24 5 8 1 2 .333

Wes Darvill - IND Winnipeg 21 3 7 - 6 .333

Eric Wood - IND Winnipeg 24 4 6 - 4 .333

(Minimum 10 ABs)

Player Moves & Transactions

LHP Evan Grills, Whitby, Ont. - Released by the Winnipeg Goldeyes IND American Association.

Previous winners

Week V _ OF Michael Crouse (Port Moody, BC) Chicago Dogs.

Week IV _ 1B Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns.

Week III _ OF Michael Crouse (Port Moody, BC) Chicago Dogs.

Week II _ LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask. Orix Buffaloes.

Week I _ 1B Jamie Romak (London, Ont.) SK Wyverns.