The Vancouver Canadians kicked off its 2018 season with the eighth annual Hot Stove Luncheon at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver last week.
The Jan. 26th event was sold-out as 800-plus were on hand to talk baseball and most importantly, raise funds for the Canadians Foundation.
Now in its 12th year, the Foundation works with the Boys and Girls Club and kids between the ages of five and 12.
“We introduce them to baseball. When the team is away they get to come out to Nat Bailey Stadium, learn about baseball, play baseball,” said Foundation chair and Canadian’s co-owner Jeff Mooney. “Yes we are teaching them about baseball, but we are also teaching them about values, about responsibility, life values that will stay with them forever. These are kids that come from challenging communities and if we leave them alone we will end up with more of the problems we already have. Our view is as good citizens we all have the responsibility to help those who need help.”
Last year the Foundation started a scholarship program with the idea of supporting kids from age five to the time they can finish school and start a career.
“Our first year it worked beautifully,” said Mooney. “Minor League baseball and the Canadians are all about community and we think the Foundation plays a vital role in the community in terms of helping these kids become productive members of society. This event brings everyone together early in the year to raise money and support. Every person here shows that these kids are loved and supported.”
Team president Andy Dunn remarked that any time you can get 800 people in a room in January to talk baseball is a good day.
“It’s a fantastic day to get together with our fans, our supporters, raise money for the Foundation and talk some baseball,” said Dunn.
The club is busy preparing for the start of the new season, which starts on the road June 15 against Eugene. The C’s open up its home schedule at Nat Bailey Stadium on June 20th against Everett.
Recently Toronto Blue Jays named the C’s new coaching staff, which includes skipper Dallas McPherson along with longtime pitching coach Jim Czajkowski and new hitting coach Aaron Mathews.
McPherson, 37, was selected in the second round of the 2001 MLB first-year player draft and was twice named Minor League Baseball Player of the Year before making his MLB debut in September of 2004 with the Anaheim Angels. McPherson would play in parts of five MLB seasons before retiring with the Chicago White Sox in 2011. This marks his first year within the Jays’ organization and he is the 11th manager in Canadians Class-A, short-season history.
“The reports that I’ve gotten are that they are good guys, which is the most important,” said Dunn. “It’s going to be nice to have a new voice, a fresh face, a young guy with some energy and I look forward to working with Dallas. I think the fans in Vancouver are going to like his style of play.”
Later during the luncheon, co-owner Jake Kerr announced that the club has signed a new four-year agreement with the Jays to continue as their west coast Class-A short-season affiliate.
Dunn said the relationship with the Jays has been ‘the’ key to the team’s success.
“We have a great partnership with the Blue Jays,” said Dunn. “They believe in what we are doing out here. They believe in the organization, the fan support and that we want to put the best product on the field for our community and they respect that and give us those guys.”
Since the C’s and Jays began their partnership in 2011, Vancouver has won four Northwest League titles, and has been to the post season five times.
Other highlights of the afternoon was a sit down between director of communications Rob Fai and former Jays great Lloyd Moseby as well as Jays’ senior vice president and general manager Ross Atkins.
