The Vancouver Canadians will take to the field for a game at Nat Bailey Stadium for the first time in 950 days.
The team has announced it will take on the UBC (University of British Columbia) Thunderbirds in a preseason seven-inning game Wednesday, April 6 at 6:30 pm. That is two days before the C’s open their 2022 regular season in Spokane and 13 days before their home opener against Eugene Tuesday, April 19.
There is no word yet on who will be managing the Canadians in 2022 as the Toronto Blue Jays are in no hurry to let us know.
The T-Birds will be led by coach Chris Pritchett. The former major leaguer played for the C’s from 1995-1998 and was with Vancouver when he received his first call-up to the majors by the California Angels in 1996. The first baseman also spent parts of the 1998 and 1999 seasons with the Anaheim Angels before getting one more cup of coffee with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000.
Pritchett was also on the coaching staff of the Canadians in the 2007 season when he was the team’s hitting coach. He also spent time doing colour commentary for C’s broadcasts on Shaw TV with Rob Fai.
Pritchett has been with UBC since 2015. The T-Birds are back in Vancouver after a 6-10 start to their NAIA season spent in the warmer climes of Arizona and California. They take on Bushnell University at Tourmaline West Stadium Friday and Saturday.
C-Notes
2012 Vancouver Canadians outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. has signed a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox. The 29 year-old from Peachtree City, Georgia spent the 2021 season at Triple-A Louisville before the Cincinnati Reds released him on June 20. He batted just .222 and slugged .283 in 36 games with the Bats but his bat came back to life in the Mexican League. The left-handed hitting Smith slashed .294/.362/.506 with the Monclova Acereros of the Mexican League. He is the son of former major league outfielder Dwight Smith.
2017 C’s first baseman Kacy Clemens is the first player to sign with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League. The son of Roger had dabbled in attempting a comeback as a pitcher but he will be manning first base once again. He played for the American Association’s Kane County Cougars in 2021 and slugged a dozen home runs to go along with an OPS of .826.
Staying with the 2017 Northwest League championship C’s, catcher Matt Morgan announced on Twitter that he will be on the new A&E show Flipping Down South. According to this article, the show “follows three young entrepreneurs who are heading up Birmingham, Alabama’s fastest growing flipping business. They see dollar signs where others see dumps, focusing on houses most people wouldn’t touch. Buying many of their flips for under $10,000, they turn eyesores into dream homes.”
2019 C’s sideline reporter for Sportsnet Caroline Frolic filled in for Al Murdoch as the Vancouver Canucks Public Address announcer February 24, a game in which the Canucks throttled Calgary 7-1.
Former Canadians sideline reporter for Shaw TV Shantelle Chand took to Twitter to announce that she will be working the sidelines on the pitch for TSN during Vancouver Whitecaps games.
Last but not least, C’s play-by-play announcer Tyler Zickel was the latest guest on The K.P. Wee Podcast to talk about his first season behind the mic in Hillsboro.
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