Darren Doucette had chills running down his spine when the full-house crowd at
Citizen Field erupted as Canada took a 3-1 lead over powerhouse Cuba and held it until the seventh inning at the 2011 World Baseball Challenge.
It's a feeling the big guy from Nova Scotia wants back and as manager of Team Canada this time around he believes his young team has the ability to take Prince George fans on an equally fun thrill ride in this year's WBC.
"The atmosphere during that game two years ago was one of the better environments I've ever played in, you could just feel the excitement of the crowd and that really rubs off on the players and I think that's why we were able to play so well in that game, we just fed off the crowd," said Doucette.
"It's without a doubt the best baseball you'll see in Canada outside of the Blue Jays. For a city as small as Prince George to see the best amateur team in the world, people have to realize what an honour and what a gift they're being given to see that kind of baseball in their back yards. I just hope we can get thousands of people out to support us."
Doucette plans to run through the entire roster to give each player some field time, then go with a set lineup after that. The WBC falls right in the middle of the playoff schedule for the Ontario-based Intercounty Baseball League, which limits player availability, as does the senior national championship that starts in Windsor, Ont., the weekend the WBC ends. The fall college season also begins in late August and some of the Canadian players have had to get permission to report to their teams later so they can play in the WBC. To work around those schedules, some pitchers will be available only for the first week while others will fly into Prince George for the later games in the tournament schedule.
"Our position players will be mainly seasoned veteran guys and our pitching staff will be young but I think it's a good mix," said Doucette. "We've got some very versatile guys who can play several different positions so that gives us some flexibility there.
"The guys are looking forward to it. For most of these guys it will be probably the best baseball they'll ever play. It's a chance of a lifetime, the first time they will be wearing a Team Canada jersey and it's going to be exciting for them. Hopefully we can gel pretty quickly."
Brooklyn Foster will add local flavour to the Canadian squad, having played half his minor baseball in Prince George. Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 in the 43rd round, Foster had a stellar spring season with the Canisius College Golden Griffins, hitting .350 with 31 RBI in 54 games to go with a .984 fielding percentage and just four errors. He hurt his elbow but should be able to play.
He and Jeremy Kral, his former Nechako Little League teammate, will split the catching duties.
Playing at first base, Kral, a left-handed hitter, helped the UBC Thunderbirds advance to the NAIA West semifinals, hitting .276 in 38 games with 24 RBI. Larry Bilkwell, who plays in the Intercounty League for the London Majors, will also catch for Canada.
Long-ball hitting Brandon Hunter, 29, will get the nod for his third WBC as the starting outfielder, his second stint with Team Canada. He played for the host team in the 2009 WBC, the Westcana Electric Axemen. Hunter plays locally for the Queensway Auto World Red Sox. He'll likely be inserted in the middle of the batting order.
"He had a great tournament last year at nationals," said Doucette.
"Hopefully he can make the adjustment to the better pitching at this tournament but I think he can."
Justin Fillion, a former standout hockey defenceman for the Prince George Spruce Kings, will also likely see some playing time for Canada. He's also part of the Prince George senior loop, pitching with the Inland Control and Services Tigers.
Homebred righties Cortez Chappell (Feather River College) and Graham Allard and left-handed pitcher Curtis Sawchuk (Missouri Baptist University) will also be available for national duty.
Pitcher/second baseman Jesse Peters will be familiar to fans who saw him help the Prince George Axemen win the Baseball Canada Senior Championship last year at Citizen Field. Peters, who plays for the Langley Blaze, won two games as a starter and hit a home run in the final. Doucette has given Peters the nod to open the tournament against Team USA tonight.
Billy Martin, David Hatt and Kyle Mackay are coming from Medicine Hat of the
Western Major League. Mitch Hodge of Vancouver, who signed with the Kansas City Royals in 2007, is also likely to get a start at Citizen Field.
Jackson Gooch of Delta will supply power at the plate and good range in the outfield having led the NCAA McNeese State (La.) Cowboys in 2013 in virtually every offensive category, including batting average (.301), runs scored (40) and RBIs (34 in 54 games).
Shortstop Jared Johnson of Kelowna and third baseman Rob Recuenco were both on the 2011 WBC team and bring speed on the basepaths. Charlie Strandlund has a dependable bat and capable defence from the outfield.
Doucette, 42, who retired as pro in 1999, still plays for the Halifax Mooseheads and is on the Team Canada player roster but won't likely take any swings unless the situation calls for it.
He says there's no doubt who the favorites are. Nobody really knows much about the players the Cubans will bring but if they're anything like they were in 2011 when they had Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, who recently signed a $48 million six-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, the other four teams in the WBC are in tough.
"The Cubans have that bull's-eye on their back every time they play. Everybody plays them like it's the World Series and we're going to be no different, we'll be gunning for them," said Doucette.
"We're going to respect them but we're sure not going to fear them. We'll be in the mix, and with the Bahamas out there will be no gimme games anymore. Once the medal round hits it's a one-game playoff and
anything can happen then."
