April 11, 2024

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays are undefeated ...

At home ...

Lifetime ... against the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies are in town this weekend, yet RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) is not listed among the probable starters.

Manager Buddy Black, whose father is from Olds, Alta., and was recruited to play hockey at UCLA, will start RHP Ryan Feltner on Friday at Rogers Centre, followed by RHP Dakota Hudson and LHP Kyle Freeland.

The Blue Jays are 9-0 against Colorado at the Rogers Centre, sweeping three-game series in 2002, 2007 and 2013.

In 2013, Brett Cecil, Esmil Rogers and Mark Buehrle had wins in 2-0, 8-3 and 5-2 triumphs for manager John Gibbons. Maicer Izturis knocked in a pair in the eighth to win the opener, Edwin Encarnación, J.P. Arencibia and Izturis homered off Jeff Francis (North Delta, BC, London resident) in the middle game and Adam Lind belted a three-run home run and Munenori Kawasaki tripled in the finale.

In 2007, Toronto scored 9-8, 11-6 and 5-0 victories for Gibbons. Brian Wolfe won the first two games in relief and then Dustin McGowan pitched a one-hit complete game.

In the series opener, Alex Ríos, Vernon Wells and Lind homered as the Jays walked it off thanks to John McDonald’s two-run single and a throwing error. Future Hall of Famer Frank Thomas and Matt Stairs (Fredericton, N.B.) went deep for the Jays in the middle game and in the finale, Wells and Thomas homered.

And in 2002, the Jays won 8-0, 3-1 and 3-2 for skipper Carlos Tosca. Roy Halladay pitched a two-hitter in the opener, while Pete Walker and Kelvim Escobar registered the other wins.

Eric Hinske homered in the opener, Carlos Delgado and Wells homered in the middle game, then in the finale, Hinske singled, stole second, scored on a Tom Wilson double and pinch runner Chris Woodward advanced on a Felipe López single and scored on a Joe Lawrence fly ball.

Birth of the Rockies: On Aug. 7, 1985, a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) was ratified between the players and owners after a two-day strike saw both sides head to the drawing table. While issues related to free agency, salary arbitration, and a proposed salary cap by the owners were all settled, the agreement between the two sides also allowed for the National League to look into adding two new franchises via expansion, to match the number of teams located in the American League.

A total of 10 cities were considered. It wasn’t until a group led by John Antonucci, Michael I. Monus, and Jerry McMorris was able to finally secure one of the expansion spots that a team would call Denver home for the 1993 season.

The name chosen for the newest NL West franchise was the Rockies, a tribute to the mountain range that expands throughout the state and into Canada and also a tribute to the city’s first NHL team, which moved to New Jersey to become the Devils. Since their inaugural campaign, the Rockies have made the postseason on five separate occasions but have yet to win a World Series, falling to the Boston Red Sox in a series sweep in 2007.

They are one of two franchises to have never won a World Series game, along with the Seattle Mariners. While the distance between the Canadian border and Denver stretches over 1,700 kilometres, the Rockies organization has some deep roots when it comes to Canuck connections.

Here’s a summary of Canadian players that have suited up for the Rockies:

Larry Walker – RF-1B

1995-2004

After spending six seasons with the Montreal Expos, Walker (Maple Ridge, BC) was a free agent for the first time in his career following the 1994 season. The Expos needed to reduce payroll, and decided not extend Walker an offer, resulting in the former Coquitlam Red needing a new home.

That winter he signed a four-year deal with the Rockies, worth roughly $22.5 million. He quickly formed a powerful lineup alongside Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, and Andres Galarraga, helping the Rockies make the postseason for the first time in franchise history. In his first season with Colorado, Walker batted to a .306/.381/.607 slash line with 36 home runs, 101 RBIs and a .988 OPS.

In 1997, Walker produced one of the best seasons of his career, collecting a league-leading 49 home runs driving in 130 runs and finishing with a .720 slugging percentage and a 1.172 OPS -- tops in the majors.

For his efforts, he earned a Silver Slugger award (his second), an all-star invite (his second) and the NL MVP Award, the first and only in Rockies’ franchise history.

In 1999, Walker led the league in average (.379), OBP (.458), SLG (.710), and OPS (1.168), with the slugger finishing 10th in MVP voting. Walker’s tenure with the Rockies lasted from 1995 through early August 2004.

On Aug. 6, 2004, Walker was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for three minor league players. The Cardinals reached the World Series that year but came up short in their efforts at the hands of the Red Sox. Walker hit well at the plate during the postseason, collecting six home runs across the NLDS through the World Series.

After the Cardinals lost the 2005 NLCS to the Houston Astros, Walker announced a tearful retirement after 17 seasons. Looking back at his time with the Rockies, through 10 seasons, Walker ranks:

1st: Average (.334) / OBP (.426) / SLG (.618) / OPS (1.044)

2nd: bWAR (43.6) / Home Runs (258) / RBIs (848) / Base on Balls (584)

3rd: Hits (1,361) / Doubles (297) / Stolen Bases (126)

4th: Games Played (,1170) / Triples (44)

Walker became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 and eventually gained 76.6% of the vote in his last year of eligibility to become the second Canadian-born player to be inducted into Cooperstown as part of the Class of 2020. Before being honoured south of the border, Walker was inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.

Walker was also inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame. On Sept. 25, 2021, the Rockies organization retired Walker’s jersey No. 33, joining Todd Helton and Jackie Robinson (league-wide jersey retirement) as the only members of the organization to have their number retired.

While Walker started playing baseball casually growing up on the West Coast, the former hockey goalie decided to focus on baseball after being cut from the Regina Pats.

Dave Wainhouse – RHP

1998-1999

In 1988, Wainhouse (Scarborough, Ont.) was selected in the first round of the MLB draft by the Montreal Expos out of Washington State, becoming the first Canadian-born player ever taken in the first round. At the time, only Canadians attending US schools could be drafted. This rule lasted until 1991 when Canada was finally recognized as a draft region.

From 1991 to 1997, Wainhouse pitched sparingly at the big league level, battling various injuries that kept him sidelined while riding the options bus between Montreal and the minors with the Expos, Seattle Mariners, and Pittsburgh Pirates. During the 1997-98 offseason, Wainhouse signed with the Rockies and spent the next two years split between the active roster and at triple-A with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

With Colorado, the reliever appeared in 29 games over two seasons. He compiled a 6.35 ERA across 39 2/3 innings, amassing a 1.840 WHIP with a 4.8 K/9. In 2000, Wainhouse signed with the Cardinals and retired after the 2001 season.

Jeff Francis – LHP

2004 – 2010, 2012 – 2013

After honing his skills with the North Delta Blue Jays, Francis (North Delta, BC) took his talents to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds of the NAIA.

Standing out at UBC, Francis gained the attention of the Rockies organization, who drafted him ninth overall in North America in 2002. He is the fourth highest-drafted Canadian behind RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) a Pirates draft (second overall), LHP Adam Loewen (Surrey, BC), Baltimore Orioles, who was taken the same year as Francis, (fourth overall) and RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.), chosen by the San Diego Padres, (eighth overall).

In 2004, Francis was named the Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, the first Rockies prospect to ever earn the honour. Later in the same season, Francis made his debut against the Atlanta Braves on Aug. 25 and went five innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, while striking out eight. He would finish that campaign with a 5.15 ERA through 36 2/3 innings in seven big league starts.

Over the next four seasons, Francis was a mainstay in the Rockies’ rotation. From 2005 to 2008, the southpaw appeared in 123 starts and pitched 741 2/3 innings, amassing a 48-42 record with 504 strikeouts at one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the majors. In 2007, he made three starts for the Rockies during their postseason run, earning wins over the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks respectively, before allowing six earned against Boston in Game 1 of the series.

In 2008, Francis was battling a shoulder injury for most of the campaign which limited him to 21 starts. The following offseason, he underwent shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2009 campaign. After returning to the mound for the 2010 season, Francis left the Rockies organization and signed with the Kansas City Royals for 2011.

Fast forward to 2012 and while Francis started the year in the Cincinnati Reds’ farm system, he opted out of his deal in early June and re-signed with Colorado to finish out the year. Over the next two years, Francis made 47 appearances (36 starts) for Colorado to the tune of a 5.84 ERA.

In the 2015-16 offseason, Francis announced his retirement after stints with the Oakland A’s, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays.

He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022, ranking fifth in Canadian-born pitchers in terms of games started (217) and eighth in innings pitched (1,291).

Justin Morneau – 1B

2014 – 2015

When you think of Morneau (New Westminster, BC) you likely picture him in a Minnesota Twins uniform. Considering Morneau spent over 11 seasons with the Twins, earning the 2006 AL MVP award and five consecutive all-star appearances with them, it’s easy to see why he is most remembered for his time in Minnesota.

In August of 2013, the Twins traded Morneau to the Pittsburgh Pirates where he finished out the season and he would eventually sign a two-year deal worth $14 million with the Rockies the following offseason. He even wore Walker’s No. 33 in Colorado, as the number had not been retired at the time.

After battling concussions and other injuries from 2010 to 2013 before his time with the Rockies, Morneau had a strong first season in the NL West, earning the NL batting title with his .319 average. Morneau also added 17 home runs and led the team in RBIs with 82 as Colorado finished fourth in the NL West with a 66-96 record.

Concussion symptoms limited Morneau to 49 games the following season. After the 2015 campaign, Morneau signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox and would retire the following offseason. While Morneau will mostly be remembered as a Twin, he put together a strong career. He would retire with four all-star appearances, an MVP Award, two Silver Slugger awards, and was inducted into the Twins Hall of Fame as well as the Canadian Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020.

John Axford – RHP

2015

One of the most decorated Canadian-born closers in history, Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) was one of the best in the game in 2010 and 2011 with the Milwaukee Brewers. His 46 saves for the Brew Crew in the 2011 season led the NL and he earned the Rolaids Reliever of the Year award.

The following seasons Axford was not able to recreate the same level of success. After tenures with the Cardinals, Guardians and Pirates, he found himself with the Rockies for the 2015 season. With injuries to Tyler Chatwood, LaTroy Hawkins, and Adam Ottavino to start the year, Axford served as the Rockies’ closer early in the season. Armed with a high 90s fastball, he had 4.20 ERA and earned 25 saves in 60 outings. He finished with a 3.57 FIP, his lowest single-season total since his 2011 campaign and compiled a 10.0 K/9.

The Rockies would designate him for assignment the following offseason, and he bounced around to a few organizations, including the Blue Jays, until the 2021 season, where he made just one appearance with the Brewers and blew out his elbow, requiring Tommy John surgery.

Earlier this year, Axford announced his retirement after having pitched for Team Canada at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. He finished his career with a 3.90 ERA in 525 2/3 innings with 144 saves, which ranks second all-time amongst Canadian-born pitchers.

Cal Quantrill – RHP

2024

The game has been part of Quantrill’s life since he was born, thanks to his father Paul (Port Hope, Ont.) who spent parts of 14 seasons in the majors. A product of the Ontario Terriers and Junior National Team, Quantrill’s major league career started with the San Diego Padres appearing in 10 games for them in 2020.

At the 2020 trade deadline, Quantrill and fellow Canadian Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) were part of a package sent to the Guardians in exchange for Mike Clevinger, Greg Allen, and Matt Waldron. Quantrill spent parts of four seasons with the Guardians, pitching to a 3.58 ERA through 99 outings (75 starts) and 450 1/3 innings with a 6.4 K/9.

Injuries limited him to 19 starts last season, and the Guardians designated him for assignment. This led to them trading Quantrill to the Rockies. This season, as part of the Rockies’ starting rotation, he has a 7.20 ERA through 15 innings in three starts. He is not scheduled to start against the Blue Jays this weekend.