Elliott: Blaze, Mariners, Macko impress in second annual Wayne Norton game
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
Once again, the Seattle Mariners have the early lead when it comes to showing their class.
And once again the Langley Blaze have shown that they are near the top when it comes to first-rate, stylish excellence among Canadian elite teams.
The Mariners hosted Langley in the second annual Wayne Norton Memorial game at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Az.
After the Blaze played a team of first and second-year Mariners, both teams lined up for a picture at home plate with Tudy Norton in the middle.
And as the crowd began to break up, the Blaze one by one, headed over to hug Trudy Norton.
Her husband Wayne Norton (Port Moody, BC) scouted for the Baltimore Orioles and the Mariners. Wayne was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and twice won the Jim Ridley award as the Canadian Baseball Network scout of the year award.
Trudy said she was grateful to be there and visit with Canadian scouts Walt Burrows (Brentwood Bay, BC) of the Minnesota Twins, Doug Mathieson (Aldergrove, BC) of the Arizona Diamondbacks, retired scout Don Cowan (Delta, BC). plus Mariners’ scout Ted Heid.
Heid, a close friend of Norton’s, is the Mariners long time international director, (he signed Ichiro Suzuki) and runs the Arizona Fall Classic.
“Besides seeing all Wayne’s friends, there were hugs from the entire Langley team,” said Trudy. “So many scouting memories while watching the radar guns and stop watches in action. A few tears but mostly smiles - and much appreciation for this recognition of Wayne’s contributions.”
Mariners’ international scout Ted Heid, left, a close friend of Wayne Norton’s, Wayne’s wife Trudy Norton and Doug Mathieson, who made the event possible.
Trudith denied that she had joined the scouting ranks despite her experience. In 2017, Trudy would accompany Wayne to UBC games and put the radar gun on pitchers. Wayne scouted Canada for the Mariners from 2000 until he passed away on Jan. 6, 2018 from the effects of ALS.
Mathieson runs the Blaze, but scouts for the Diamondbacks? Jamie Bodaly of the Blaze scouts for the Reds? Should the Mariners allow the opposition on their grounds? Of course, they should, for this was all about remembering Wayne Norton, the man responsible for coming up with the idea of the Canadian Junior National Team, the man who lived and breathed Canadian baseball.
Vauxhall Jets LHP Adam Macko, a Purdue commit was outstanding, pitching three innings. He touched 91 MPH, with five strikeouts.
Loretto Sinschalchi (Burnaby, BC) of the Blaze, not eligible for the draft until 2021 pitched two innings. He was clocked at 88 MPH showing a very good curve and struck out four.
Great Lake Canadians C Owen Diodati (Niagara Falls, Ont.) an Alabama commit. showed good power and the Blaze’s Danny Martin (Penticton, BC), headed to UBC, have been impressive all week on the Blaze’s annual spring tour.
C Connor Dykstra (Sardis, BC) who is headed to Galveston had two doubles and caught well.
“The Mariners are first class,” said Mathieson of the Blaze. “Trudy was emotional and we were very happy to have her with us.”
The Mariners pros beat the BC amateurs 2-0. Last year Mariners minor leaguers defeated Langley 5-2 in the first Wayne Norton Memorial Game. The Mariners team was composed of players who appeared at class-A Everett, Peoria and the rookie-class Mariners Dominican facility last year.
Last year James Paxton (Ladner, BC) spoke to the Blaze, but he was in another time zone after being dealt to the New York Yankees during the off season.
As Mariners field co-ordinator and former Victoria Mariner Carson Vitale (Victoria, BC) wrote:
“The Wayne Norton Memorial Game was a massive success. How do I know? It wasn’t the numbers on the scoreboard. It wasn’t the level of play. And it surely wasn’t the high energy environment that the fans radiated onto Field 2. It was the tears of joy that Trudy Norton, Wayne’s late wife, shed after Ted Hied recognized her and their family’s contributions to the Mariners.
“You think the Nortons are proud that they are apart of the Mariners family? I’ll answer that for you: Hell yes they are. If we embody 5% of that love and commitment to our why and our organization ... look out. We will be a major force to be reckoned with.
Iron. Sharpens. Iron.”