June 27, 2023

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Each year the SiriusXM Futures Game is a time to be proud of your country.

Each uniform has a crest of the flag from the player’s homeland.

It is a chance to wave the flag as part of the all-star festivities. Flags of the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Cuba, The Netherlands and the United States will be unfurled July 9 at Safeco Field in Seattle.

You won’t see a Canadian flag, unless a fan from Delta, BC, attends the game.

Zero Canadians according to the wise men of New York.

This is the third time Canada has been shut out since the showcase’s inception in 1999 at Fenway Park when Chris Mears (Victoria, BC), Pierre-Luc LaForest (Gatineau, Que.) and Aaron Myette (New Westminster, BC) took part.

The Futures Game was staged at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati in 2015. Candidates for the game had to be selected from lists approved by clubs. Each team’s list consisted of 2-to-6 players.

Possibles that year were RHP Nick Pivetta (Victoria, BC), OF Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) or 3B Eric Wood (Pickering, Ont.). None of the names were submitted.

So, for 2015 it’s like that old line from Woodbine where the guy sees the disconsolate bettor after a race.

“What horse did you bet?”

And the man answered “Oh, I didn’t bet.”

Why are you down?

“Because I didn’t win.”

You have to be in it to win it and 2015 Canucks were not nominated by their own clubs. We’re not sure what happened in 2018.

But this year we thought former first round (33rd overall) Toronto Met 2B Tyler Black (Stouffville, Ont.) of the Milwaukee Brewers organization and former Fieldhouse Pirate OF Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.), a Chicago Cubs farmhand would have a chance.

Well, both were on the lists compiled by clubs and prospect publications. We’re told Del Matthews of Major League Baseball put the rosters together. So be angry with him -- not the Brewers or the Cubs.

The NL list of infielders includes Ryan Bliss, Arizona Diamondacks, Brady House, Washington Nationals, Jordan Lawlar, D-backs, Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati Reds, Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres, BJ Murray, Chicago Cubs, Nasim Nunez, Florida Marlins and Endy Rodriguez, Pirates.

There are two second baseman listed ... with their numbers ... rating them by OPS. We think Black belonged.

Name AB AVG OBP SLG HR OPS

Blis 260 .350 .396 .581 11 .977

Black 198 .263 .429 .480 10 .908

Nunez 266 .226 .343 .308 4 .651

Black is at double-A Biloxi where he set a franchise record becoming the second man in franchise history with 40 steals in 45 attempts. He also has 32 RBIs.

A total of six outfielders were chosen for the NL roster: Jackson Chourio, Brewers, Justin Crawford, Philadelphia Phillies, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs, Yanquiel Fernandez, Colorado Rockies, Victor Scott, St. Louis Cardinals and James Wood, Nationals.

Name AB AVG OBP SLG HR OPS

Fernandez 281 .313 .351 .591 19 .942

Wood 239 .272 .367 .536 12 .903

Caissie 259 .268 .367 .509 13 .876

Crow-Armstrong 214 .280 .363 .491 9 .854

Crawford 182 .346 .395 .456 0 .841

Scott 266 .282 .365 .398 2 .763

Chourlo 262 .252 .308 .416 10 .724

Going off the numbers Caissie should have been one of the three starting outfielders for the NL.

It’s worth a player getting upset about. Or feeling slighted. But only for 24 hours and then it is time to let it go and get on with the business of putting up numbers.

A young Canuck told me years ago when he didn’t make a minor-league all-star ....

“It’s OK, all it does is motivate more me to work harder this off season and have a better year next year.”

He said that on his was to the majors.

But that’s three shutout pitched against the Canucks ... three in the past eight years. As we said 2015 was a down year, plus a lot of Canadians were away with the Pan Am team, which won gold in Ajax. We’re not sure why there was a zero in 2018.

We’re sure both Black and Caissie should be in Seattle.

* * *

Of the 35 Canadians previously selected to play in the Futures Games, 28 have made the majors and are listed in bold.

Phillippe Aumont, 2008 Mariners

Jordan Balazovic, 2019 Twins

Erik Bedard, 2001, 2002 O’s

Denzel Clarke, 2022 A’s

Jeff Francis, 2004 Rockies

Tyson Gillies, 2009 Mariners

Rich Harden, 2003 A’s

Shawn Hill, 2003 Expos

George Kottaras, 2006 Padres

Pierre-Luc LaForest, 1999 Rays

Brett Lawrie, 2009, 2010 Brewers

Jordan Lennerton, 2013 Tigers

Kyle Lotzkar, 2012 Reds

Adam Loewen, 2005 Orioles

Trystan Magnuson, 2010 Jays

Scott Mathieson, 2005 Phils

Russell Martin, 2005 Dodgers

Chris Mears, 1999 Mariners

Justin Morneau, 2002,04Twins

Aaron Myette, 1999, 2000 White Sox

Bo Naylor 2021 Guardians

Josh Naylor 2016, 2017 Marlins, Padres

Ntema Ndungidi, 2000 O’s

Tyler O’Neill 2016 Mariners

James Paxton, 2011 Mariners

Dalton Pompey, 2014 Blue Jays

Cal Quantrill, 2017 Padres

Michael Saunders, 2007 Mariners

Mike Soroka, 2017 Braves

Scott Thorman, 2003 Braves

Rene Tosoni, 2009 Twins (MVP)

Phillippe Valiquette, 2010 Reds

Jimmy Van Ostrand, 2007 Astros

Joey Votto, 2006, 2007, Reds

Nick Weglarz, 2009 Indians

Zero representatives: 2015, 2018, 2023.