Four Elected to Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame

The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is growing by four members: Jason Bay, Ryan Dempster, Rob Thomson and Gord Ash. Just an aside, they used to send out press releases for things like this, but not anymore, they just tweet it out. Which is fine, but it means the only press releases I get are for things like “the Amazing Kerskin is touring Canada” and repeated emails asking if I want to interview him. For those who are too young to remember, 99% of you, the Amazing Kerskin is a ‘mentalist’, a guy who claims to be able to read your mind and see into the future. He was popular in the 70s, had TV shows and was on all the talk shows. He’s 84 now.

Anyway four added to the Canadian Hall of Fame:

• Jason Bay: Jason had a very nice 11 year MLB career. He was drafted by the Expos, 22nd round of the but 2000 draft (man I feel old, a guy drafted in 2000 is going into the CBHF), but was traded to the Mets before he made it to the MLB, for someone named Lou Collier. Great trade there. He would play for 5 teams, Pirates, Mets, Red Sox, Padres and Mariners.

In 1278 games he had a .266/.360/.481 batting line and 222 home runs, good for 5th all-time among Canadians in the MLB. Russell Martin is at 185. I’m not sure what the odds are that he passes Jason. And he played in two World Baseball Classics, 2006 and 2009.

• Ryan Dempster: Ryan was a 3rd round pick in the 1995 draft by the Rangers. He had a 16 year MLB, played for 5 teams. He had a 132-133 record and 87 saves, in 579 games, 351 starts. He’s number 2 all time in wins for Canadians, behind Ferguson Jenkins and 5th in saves. And he has one World Series ring.

He also pitched for Canada in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

• Rob Thompson: Rob was drafted in the 1985 draft, in the 32nd round, but didn’t make it to the majors as a player. He switched over to the coaching side in 1988. He worked in the Yankees minor league system until 2004 when he joined the major league staff. He became bench coach in 2008 and was been bench coach or third base for the Yankees until last year when he was hired by the Phillies to be their bench coach.
• Gord Ash: Gord started working for the Blue Jays in 1978 in the ticket office and moved up the organization from there. in 1980 he became the assistant director of operations and then assistant GM in 1989. He became GM after the 1994 season. The less said about his time

He was hired by the Brewers as assistant GM in 2002 and has been with the Brewers ever since. In 2015 he became the vice president of Baseball Projects for them (whatever that means).

Congratulations to all four, all worthy choices.