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Photo of the Day 10 Photos - Field Of Champions
Today's POTD brings you on to the field of Nat Bailey Stadium with a special prize at the end.



Like the Blue Jays, the Canadians dugout is located on the third base side.

A view of the field from the dugout. The building behind the right field fence is the Vancouver Phoenix Gymnastics Center. Canadians slugger Art Charles launched a home run that landed on the roof late in the regular season.

The hangout for Canadians relievers - the bullpen.

The left field corner.

The high-definition scoreboard.

The manual scoreboard from Game 1 of the Northwest League final, a come from behind victory over Boise.

I've said it before and I've said it again - cool points go to stadiums with manual scoreboards.

A view of Nat Bailey Stadium from the warning track.

The Bob Freitas trophy proudly on display back inside the stadium. The C's cleared customs with the trophy after beating Boise in the third and deciding game of the Northwest League final.

The C's had to beat the the 2010 champion Everett AquaSox in this year's Western Division Final before disposing of Boise to repeat as Northwest League champs.

A special thank you to the Canadians organization for putting on this event.

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Monday, December 17 2012 @ 07:12 AM EST.
10 Photos - Field Of Champions | 45 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Matthew E - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 02:27 PM EST (#267030) #
Nice pictures.

I have it in mind to do some trivia, and I wonder if anyone would mind if I put the question in here.

After Roberto Alomar left as a free agent (after the '95 season), the Jays had a hard time finding a regular second baseman until Orlando Hudson claimed the job in 2002. In that time, 20 different players marked time at second base for the Jays.

After Alex Gonzalez the First was traded prior to the 2002 season, the Jays had a hard time finding a regular shortstop until they traded for Yunel Escobar partway through 2010. In that time, 22 different players marked time at shortstop for the Jays.

In all, that's 40 different players. (Two guys appear on both lists.)

Without looking it up, how many can you name?

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John Northey - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 03:07 PM EST (#267035) #
Nice pictures indeed.  Lets hope the ML Jays get a double on a championship trophy starting this year too :)

2B: Homer Bush, Tomas Perez, Garcia (forget his first name), Tony Fernandez, ...

I think Scutaro was here early enough to play both but I could be wrong.

Sheesh - my brain is fried.  Tried hard to forget that era!
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Matthew E - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 03:56 PM EST (#267042) #
Those are all correct (and the Garcia you were looking for was Carlos). Scutaro did not get here in time to make the 2B list.
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Brian W - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 05:54 PM EST (#267057) #
SS: Russ Adams, Troy Glaus, John McDonald, David Eckstein, Aaron Hill
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Brian W - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 05:55 PM EST (#267058) #
And of course, the other Alex Gonzalez.
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Matthew E - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 06:21 PM EST (#267059) #
All correct.
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VBF - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 07:48 PM EST (#267062) #
Edgardo Alfonso, Nelson Figueroa, Royce Clayton, Frank Menechino(?), Mike Bordick...
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CeeBee - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 08:40 PM EST (#267072) #
Didn't the "cat" play a game or 2 at 2nd?
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VBF - Monday, December 17 2012 @ 11:39 PM EST (#267112) #
Yes. Also Dave Berg and Jeff Frye...

Chris Gomez and Woodward...



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VBF - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 12:04 AM EST (#267115) #
And by Nelson Figueroa, I mean Luis. Who, after checking the answers is not listed as playing SS according to bluejays.com but is listed as playing 2 games at SS in 2006 on BBref. His most memorable moment iirc, was in a June game at home against the Wite Sox. He was a pinch runner at third who would score the tying run in the 9th after BJ Ryan blew a save and before Hillenbrand would hit a walkoff homer.

The things you remember.
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 12:05 AM EST (#267116) #
All correct except for Catalanotto; he only played DH and the outfield, and a little first base, as a Jay. Oh, and Alfonso played 2B when he was here, but not during the period we're looking for 2Bs.

So so far we have:

2B (7/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye

SS (14/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward

You guys remember the shortstops of the '00s a lot better than the second basemen of the '90s. I suppose it is to be expected. (Me, I remember everyone on the 2B list at least a little bit, but there are a few guys on the SS list that I have literally no memory of at all. At all.)
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John Northey - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 12:37 AM EST (#267119) #
Argh... there is a name on the tip of my tongue for 2B that I just cannot get.  He came in for Alomar in the near no-no for Halladay, if he hadn't booted a ball Halladay would've had a perfect game (he retired everyone else after that boot until 2 out in the 9th, which would've been 3 out if that play was made, then gave up a solo home run which was caught in the bullpen by who else but Dave Stieb).  He was terrible on defense but seemed to have promise on offense but never really got much of a shot. 

Sigh.  Someone will remember his name.
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James W - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 08:56 AM EST (#267138) #
I cheated to look it up, so won't spoil it. But he didn't replace Alomar, since Alomar left after 1995, while this game was in 1998. The player he replaced is also not mentioned, so I won't spoil that.
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John Northey - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 09:23 AM EST (#267141) #
Tony Batista might have played at 2B as well, he did do SS and 3B but that was while A-Gon #1 was here.

Hrm...1998...who was at 2B to start that final game, it was a decent player iirc but who?  Was it Batista?  Fernandez was moved to 3B by then but I think that was the injury year for A-Gon thus Batista would've been at shortstop.  Garcia sucked hard, Fernandez replaced him but moved to 3B to make room for who before Homer Bush took over ... argh, this should be easy as I can remember a lot about that game and my frustration over the sub at 2B and error that followed yet cannot recall either of the guys at 2B that day.  Sigh.  Maybe it'll come to me later.
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 09:54 AM EST (#267144) #
For second basemen, you're basically missing three kinds of guys: young guys who were in the running to replace Alomar before Ash traded for Garcia (4 (there were actually 5 of these guys, but you already guessed Tomas Perez)), washed-up veterans brought in to fail at various points of the Ash era (6), young guys on the cusp of the Ash-Ricciardi regimes (3).
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Jeremy - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 10:33 AM EST (#267151) #
Craig Grebeck started the Bobby Higginson game. Felipe Crespo replaced him.

(I admit I cheated to find that Crespo came in. But I knew that Grebeck started. He was the Jays regular 2B for the last two months of '98.)
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Jeremy - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 10:34 AM EST (#267154) #
I remember Grebeck well because he's one of a handful of modern major leaguers shorter than I am.
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Brian W - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 10:55 AM EST (#267161) #
Felipe Lopez is another of the SS. Norberto Martin for 2B.
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 11:01 AM EST (#267162) #
Correct again.

2B (10/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye, Grebeck, Crespo, Martin

SS (15/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez

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John Northey - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 11:10 AM EST (#267164) #
Thank you Jeremy - was driving me nuts but I refused to cheat to find out.  Kept thinking it was a utility guy who took over in 98 but couldn't think of whom.

Did Juan Samuel get into a game at 2B that season too, speaking of super-subs.

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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 11:14 AM EST (#267166) #
If not that year, then another year.

2B (11/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye, Grebeck, Crespo, Martin, Samuel

SS (15/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez

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Beyonder - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 11:14 AM EST (#267167) #
Was Eddie Zosky still around at this time?
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 11:37 AM EST (#267173) #
Nope. Plus he only ever played shortstop for the Jays.
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bpoz - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 12:30 PM EST (#267187) #
Ryan Freel at 2B?
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:11 PM EST (#267192) #
Yep!

2B (12/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye, Grebeck, Crespo, Martin, Samuel, Freel

SS (15/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez

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Original Ryan - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:22 PM EST (#267195) #
Some additional names at second base: Domingo Cedeno (the opening day starter at second after Alomar left), Mariano Duncan, Tilson Brito and Pat Kelly. I believe Joe Lawrence would've gotten into some games at second in early-2002 before Hudson officially took over.
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Original Ryan - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:27 PM EST (#267196) #
Miguel Cairo got a cup of coffee with the team in 1996, and didn't Cesar Izturis play a few games at second in 2001?
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:35 PM EST (#267198) #
Correct on all counts. You're now missing only one washed-up veteran on the 2B list.

2B (19/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye, Grebeck, Crespo, Martin, Samuel, Freel, Brito, Kelly, Lawrence, Izturis, Cedeno, Duncan, Cairo

SS (15/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez

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Original Ryan - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:50 PM EST (#267203) #
You're now missing only one washed-up veteran on the 2B list.

Mickey Morandini!

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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 01:54 PM EST (#267204) #
That's him! Now let's get on these shortstops. Hint: one of 'em's still in the organization. Another hint: Hector Luna's not on this list. Another hint: neither is Luis Valbuena. Another hint: one was involved in a famous and controversial play against the Yankees.

2B (20/20): Bush, Perez, Garcia, Fernandez, Berg, Woodward, Frye, Grebeck, Crespo, Martin, Samuel, Freel, Brito, Kelly, Lawrence, Izturis, Cedeno, Duncan, Cairo, Morandini

SS (15/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez

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John Northey - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 03:26 PM EST (#267212) #
Did Domingo Cedeno or Izturis last long enough to qualify at SS as well?  Or do we have all the duplicate names already?
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 03:31 PM EST (#267214) #
No, Izturis was traded away at about the same time as Gonzalez I (remember, Quantrill for Prokopec?) and Cedeno had been long gone for years (in '96 to the Rangers, with Tony Castillo, for Allen Halley and Luis Andujar, according to bb-ref).
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bpoz - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 06:23 PM EST (#267231) #
Not Mike McCoy. That is too easy.
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Matthew E - Tuesday, December 18 2012 @ 07:43 PM EST (#267236) #
It may be too easy, but it is also correct.

SS (16/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez, McCoy

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Jeremy - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 12:11 AM EST (#267256) #
Howie Clark, of the A-Rod "Mine!" controversy.
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Matthew E - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 08:56 AM EST (#267269) #
Clark is correct.

SS (17/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez, McCoy, Clark

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Matthew E - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 11:23 AM EST (#267286) #
Let's move this along. Hints for the remaining ones:

One went on to play for the Brewers and Astros and now seems to be out of baseball.
One was with the Marlins this year.
One didn't play in the majors for about four years after his undistinguished time with the Jays but surfaced with the White Sox this year.
One guy I don't know what to say about him. He played for eight different teams apparently without ever doing anything interesting and I don't remember him at all. Last played in the majors in '09 for Houston.
One guy had seven at bats for the Jays in '08 but never reached base. That was his last year in the majors, although he also played for Cleveland that year. Seems to have been a spectacularly bad hitter. Broke in with the Padres in '97.

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Evair Montenegro - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 05:49 PM EST (#267318) #
I remember a player that was taken in the rule V draft by the jays, his last name was Smith, I think he played some games at shortstop.
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John Northey - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 06:52 PM EST (#267320) #
Hrm. Doing some cheating in the respect of checking the teams these guys played for but not checking if they played for the Jays or at SS.

Miami 2012: Nick Green maybe?
White Sox 2012: Ray Olmedo?
Houston 2009: Jason Smith?
Padres 1997: Jorge Velandia?

Any luck?
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Matthew E - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 10:05 PM EST (#267322) #
Correct on all counts.

Surprised we're still missing that one guy; he was well-liked around here and played quite a bit for the Jays; he wasn't one of these five-games-one-hit kinds of players.

SS (21/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez, McCoy, Clark, Velandia, Smith, Green, Olmedo

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Original Ryan - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 10:20 PM EST (#267323) #
Surprised we're still missing that one guy; he was well-liked around here and played quite a bit for the Jays; he wasn't one of these five-games-one-hit kinds of players.

I had to look it up, so I won't reveal the name. Yes, it is a name that should have been mentioned by now.

It's sad that I remember infielders from the mid-'90s better than the ones from the '00s.

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Alex Obal - Wednesday, December 19 2012 @ 10:59 PM EST (#267324) #
"Went on to play for the Brewers and Astros" has to be Joe Inglett. He played short?
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Matthew E - Thursday, December 20 2012 @ 10:23 AM EST (#267341) #
He did a little bit. 2 innings in 2008. So that's everybody!

SS (22/22): Scutaro, Adams, Glaus, Eckstein, Hill, McDonald, Gonzalez, (Luis not Nelson) Figueroa, Clayton, Menechino, Berg, Bordick, Gomez, Woodward, Lopez, McCoy, Clark, Velandia, Smith, Green, Olmedo, Inglett

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John Northey - Thursday, December 20 2012 @ 11:14 AM EST (#267346) #
I'll be.  Forgot all about Inglett.  Looks like he retired after 2011 (or was forced into it).  hit 222/222/259 for the Astros in 20 games, had 11 games in the minors that year hitting 071 and was released May 27th.  Seems funny as he was a decent little player for the Jays (103 OPS+) and Milwaukee (97 OPS+ in 102 games 160 PA) and wasn't bad in Cleveland (86 OPS+).  Normally a middle infielder who can hit that well keeps kicking around.  Wonder if he got hurt in Houston.   Of course, he didn't get much time at SS (3 games lifetime), mainly 2B so that might have been it - teams didn't like him at SS and he didn't hit enough to cover OF/3B/1B and with short benches you don't keep a 2B only backup.

Fun stuff.  Lots of players who I had forgot about or who I cheered on way back when.  My problem is I can remember the 80's easier than the 95-2010 era.

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jjdynomite - Thursday, December 20 2012 @ 05:51 PM EST (#267361) #
They say winning cures everything, John; hopefully that includes memory loss. May AA's 2013-2015+ squad help my Dad avoid Alzheimer's as it runs in the family.
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10 Photos - Field Of Champions | 45 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.