Ground Rule Double - NOT!

Will Venable's hit bouncing over the wall

Exciting extra inning game at Petco last night. The Royals scored a run in the top of the 12th to take a 5-4 lead. But in the bottom half, the Padres got runners on 2nd and 3rd with only one out.  And then Will Venable came to the plate....

He promptly hit a ball that split the outfielders and bounced over the wall as the excited home team announcers called it: "It's up the alley and the game will end on a ground rule double"

Here's the video: Walk off

Was it really a "ground rule" double?  No, no it was not.

Sox to honor 2004 team: Canadian connections

The Red Sox have announced that they will be honoring the 2004 World Series Champion team in a pregame ceremony on May 28th.

When looking at the list of players who will be on hand that evening, what struck me was  how many have strong Canadian and even Albertan ties.

Among the players who will be there are:
Kevin Millar as a Marlin minor leaguer he played for their AAA affiliate, the Calgary Cannons, in the Pacific Coast League in 1999.

Albertans in the minors

The Canadian Baseball Network has posted its list of Canadians in the minors.  Several of these players hail from right here in Alberta. Here is a summary of these hopefully future major leaguers:








Rob Zastryzny - this LHP from Edmonton is playing for the Cubs A team in Daytona
Lars Davis - this Grande Prairie catcher was just recently traded from the Diamondbacks organization to the Phillies, and is currenlty playing AA in Reading, PA of the Eastern League.
Skyler Stromsmoe - the Bow Island second baseman / utility player is with the Giants AA team in the Eastern League, in Richmond Virginia.

Other Alberta players who will be playing once thier team's seasons start include:
Sheldon McDonald
Ethan Elias
Adam Paulencu
Steven Inch
Tyler Pollick
Cory Scammell
Logan Seifrit
Shane Dawson

These players are all hoping to join Calgary's Jim Henderson , who is currently the only Albertan playing in the show.

Guaranteed to Win Red Sox World Series Ring Raffle

The Red Sox are holding a ring raffle, where you can win authentic players Red Sox World Series Championship Ring from each of the Red Sox 2004, 2007, and 2013 World Championship Seasons. And your name will be engraved on the side of each ring. Sounds pretty cool. And there are more prizes to be won as well.

And this raffle it is not restricted to US residents only, so any Red Sox fan in Canada can also enter.  (I actually read the eligibility fine print, and in fact you don't even have to a Sox fan.  So if you win and don't want the prize, please contact me. I'd be happy to buy you a Yankees hat of your choice or buy you a case of beer or something in return for your prize).

But the best part is that I have found a way that GUARANTEES that you will be a winner!