Fielding a provincial dream team
Walker, Morneau, Bay, Dempster highlight our all-time favourite picks
To honour the start of spring training, here’s our latest take on a B.C. all-time baseball lineup. We’ve tweaked things slightly from our try at this in 2016:
Batting Order
1. Larry Walker, RF
The three-time batting champion and 1997 National League most valuable player from Maple Ridge hit in the middle of the lineup for most of his 17-year (1989-2005) career in the bigs, but we want our best guy at the plate as often as possible.
People forget about his .400 career on-base percentage, focusing on the .313 average, 383 home runs and 1,311 runs batted in.
2. Michael Saunders, CF
The Victoria native is yet to catch on with a team for this coming season. His nine-year (2009-17) career in the bigs is highlighted by making the MLB all-star team in 2016, when he wound up hitting .253, with 24 homers and 57 RBIs for the Toronto Blue Jays.
3. Jason Bay, LF
The Trail product had four 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in his 11 years (2003-13) in the majors. He was a career .266 hitter, with 222 homers and 754 RBIs.
4. Justin Morneau, 1B
The pride of New Westminster recently announced his retirement after 14 years (2003-16) in the bigs. He was a 2006 American League MVP and 2014 National League batting champ, en route to a career .281 average, with 247 homers and 985 RBIs.
5. Kevin Reimer, DH
Enderby’s Reimer spent 13 years (1985-97) in pro baseball, including six in the bigs, led by his 1991 campaign with the Texas Rangers, where he hit 20 homers and drove in 69, to go with a .269 average.
6. Brett Lawrie, 3B
The Langley native was released by the Chicago White Sox last March, in the midst of injury problems. He’s a career .261 hitter, with 71 homers and 253 RBIs through six years (201116) in the majors.
7. Dave McKay, 2B
The Vancouver native is best known for his time as Tony La Russa’s top assistant coach, but he spent parts of eight years (1975-82) playing in the bigs, including producing seven homers and 45 RBIs with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1978. Career .229 hitter.
8. Kevin Nicholson, SS
Surrey’s Nicholson was one of Canada’s first first-round draft picks, going 27th overall to San Diego in 1997. Played 37 games in the bigs in 2000. Hit .266 in eight years (19972003) in the minors.
9. Mike Nickeas, C
Grew up in California, but was born in Vancouver while his dad Mark was playing in the old NASL with the Whitecaps. Played parts of four years (2010-13) in the majors. Was a .233 hitter through 11 years (2004-14) in the minors.
Bench
Tyler O’Neill, OF
Maple Ridge product and St. Louis
prospect hit 31 homer runs last year at triple-A, despite being just 22 years old.
Wayne Norton, OF
Pride of Port Moody, who passed away recently after a long battle with ALS, played 10 years (1961-70) in the minors, lining up alongside the likes of Reggie Jackson and Joe Rudi.
Aaron Guiel, OF/INF
The Nanaimo product played 19 years of pro ball, including parts of
five seasons (2002-06) in the majors. Started out as an infielder, so gives us some versatility.
Rene Tosoni, OF
Port Coquitlam’s Tosoni was a career .258 hitter in 10 years (200716) in pro ball. Did get into 60 games with the Minnesota Twins in 2011.
Ossie Chavarria, INF
Born in Panama but settled in Vancouver. Played 124 games over two years in the majors (1966-67) and saw duty at six different positions. Played 13 years (1959-71) of pro ball. Kellin Deglan, C
Langley product was the second catcher taken in the 2010 draft, going 22nd overall to Texas. Didn’t play last season. Through seven years (201016) in the minors, hit .227.
Starting rotation
Ryan Dempster, RHP
The Gibsons product had eight double-digit win seasons and three years of at least 24 saves in his 16 years (1998-2013) in the bigs, neatly moving between starter and closer.
Jeff Francis, LHP
North Delta’s Francis was 17-9, with a 4.22 earned run average, for the 2007 Colorado Rockies. That was the highlight of his 11 years (200415) in the bigs.
James Paxton, LHP
The fireballer from Ladner has battled injuries through his fiveyear (2013-17) major-league career. Recorded 156 strikeouts in 136 innings last year. Starts this season 30-20, with a 3.28 ERA, in his career.
Rich Harden, RHP
Hard thrower, like Paxton. Injury trouble, too, like Paxton. Victoria native was 59-38, with a 3.76 ERA in his nine years (2003-11) in the bigs.
Bullpen
Jeff Zimmerman, RHP
Raised in Alberta, but born in Kelowna. Gets our closer gig. Lasted three years (1999-2001) in the majors but that included an all-star team spot and 28-save season in 2001.
Adam Loewen, LHP
Surrey native was the fourth overall pick in 2002, and has gone from pitcher to hitter to pitcher in the bigs. Struck out 67 in 52 innings in two minor-league stops in the Texas chain last summer.
Steve Wilson, LHP
Vancouver’s Wilson spent six seasons (1988-93) in the majors, including three years with 45 or more appearances.
Scott Mathieson, RHP
Aldergrove product made 15 appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies over three years. Has since made his mark in Japan, fanning 432 in 375 innings in the past six seasons.
Paul Spoljaric, LHP
Kelowna’s Spoljaric made 195 appearances over six years (19942000) in the majors. Struck out 278 in 277 and one-third innings.
Ted Bowsfield, LHP
Bowsfield is a Canadian baseball hall of famer, thanks to the Penticton product making 215 appearances over seven years (1958-64) in the majors.