Phil Devey
Canada in Cuba for Worlds
Lefty Phil Devey saw a lot of the United States this summer.
The fifth-year pro in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization was with the Las Vegas '51s. The '51 are in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League which meant trips to such states as New Mexico (Albuquerque), Colorado (Colorado Springs), California (Fresno, Sacramento) Iowa (Iowa), Tennessee (Memphis, Nashville), Louisiana (New Orleans), Oklahoma (Oklahoma City), Nebraska (Omaha), Oregon (Portland), Utah (Salt Lake City), Washington (Tacoma) and Arizona (Tucson).
Pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Double-A Southern League meant trips to states like Alabama (Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile), North Carolina (Carolina), South Carolina (Greenville), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando) and Tennessee (Tennessee, West Tennessee).
After he was released he pitched for the Long Island Ducks of the independent-Atlantic League which meant trips to New Jersey (Atlantic City, Delaware, Somerset), Connecticut (Bridgeport), New Hampshire (Nashua).
And now, as when he pitched at University of Southwestern Louisiana, Devey is in a patriotic state of mind.
Devey (2-4, with a 5.83 earned run average in 26 games for Las Vegas and 3-1, with a 1.91 ERA in eight games for Double-A Jacksonville Suns in 2002) is one of the more experienced arms on Gary Picone's pitching staff as Team Canada prepares for the World Cup tournament to be staged Oct. 12-25 in four cities throughout Cuba.
Now, don't get confused, which is easy on the international scene, which allows three entries from Europe to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece and only two from North America and is staging almost back-to-back competitions.
The first is the 2003 World Cup in Cuba. Director of national teams Greg Hamilton put together the roster for Picone. Professional players with major-league organizations are not allowed to participate. So, the roster mainly consists of the best independent league players.
Then, comes the Olympic qualifier in Panama City, Panama which allows any pros who weren't on the active major-league rosters Aug. 31.
So, while the minor-leaguers headed to Maryvale, Ariz., home of the Milwaukee Brewers, to train and then on to Panama, the World Cup trained at the Atlanta Braves facility at Disney World's Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., before heading to Cuba. Team Canada flies to Cuba via Toronto on Friday, Oct. 10.
Team Canada begins Pool A play Monday, Oct. 13 against Nicaragua in Matanzas. Canada will also play preliminary round games in Havana. The other countries in Canada's pool include Taiwan, Cuba, Guam, Italy, Korea and Russia.
Pool B, which will be played in Santiago and Holguin, includes Brazil, China, France, Japan, Mexico, The Netherlands, Panama and the United States.
The top four teams from each pool advance to the quarterfinals, which begin on Wednesday, Oct. 22 and the championship game is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25 in Havana.
When Devey pitched for the Wareham Gatemen on Cape Cod in the summer of 1998, the Lachute, Que. native told of hanging a Canadian flags one hanging outside his window and another in his room.
How did Devey get from Lachute, to Lafeyette, La.? Well his mother attended a teacher's convention and met a coach from Southwestern Louisiana.
He spent about $300 in long-distance calls, hounding the coach for a chance. Finally the coach said, "Okay, come down as walk on."
In 1997, he pitched 50 innings and beat national contender LSU for his first win. In 1998, on a scholarship, he was 11-6, with a 3.96 ERA, leading the Ragin' Cajuns in innings.
Devey made the Cape all-stars and played at Fenway Park. He and another Wareham player were on the field in uniforms when out of the Red Sox dugout came first baseman Mo Vaughn, who wanted his picture taken with the collegians. Vaughn was a Wareham grad.
The Team Canada roster Hamilton put together includes
_ 13 players, who performed in independent leagues this season, including four from the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the Northern League: first baseman Greg Morrison of Medicine Hat, Alta. shortstop Max Poulin, of St. Esustache, Que., second baseman Pat Scalabrini, of Sherbrooke, Que. and Kris Cox, of Delta, BC.
_ Five players, who played pro, but did not in 2004: outfielder Rob Butler, of East York, Ont., who was with the Toronto Maple Leafs, of the Inter-County League; catcher Olivier Lepine, of Charlesbourg, Que., formerly in the Florida Marlins system; lefty Jordan Zimmerman, of Kelowna, BC, a former Seattle Mariners farmhand, who is coming off surgery; right-hander Jeremy Herauf, of Regina, Sask., who used to play in the Detroit Tigers system; and veteran right-hander Brent Crowther, Surrey BC, a 1994 draft by Bill McKenzie, who reached Triple-A with the Colorado Rockies. After he quit playing pro Crowther continued to play for Canada and is the longest-serving member of the team.
_ Three players who saw minor-league experience this season and finished up in independent leagues: reliever Matt Miller Mississauga, Ont., formerly in the Atlanta Braves system; infielder Patrick Deschenes, of Beauport, Que. who was in the New York Mets system and Devey.
_ Two college players in LSU Fighting Tigers third baseman Ivan Naccarata, of Longeuil, Que., who is entering his senior year and catcher Chris Robinson, of Dorchester, Ont., who is taking time away from classes in this his sophomore season at University of Illinois.
_ And one former collegian in infielder Jess Bechard, of Brantford, Ont. He broke the Kent State University and Mid-America Conference record in hits, doubles, extra base hits and total double. Bechard has previously played for Ontario at the nationals and Canada on the international stage.
Rich Butler (Blue Jays, Devil Rays) and older brother Rob (Jays and Phillies, including the 1993 World Series title team are the only players on the roster with major-league service time. This season Rich played for the Niagara Stars of the now-defunct Canadian Baseball League.
In addition to Devey, Crowther, Herauf, Miller and Zimmerman pitching coach Remo Cardinale, the first Canadian ever signed by the Jays -- back when the club showed a real interest in Canadian talent -- will have others who used to pitch in the minors:
Sean Jones, of Hamilton, Ont., who used to pitched in the Baltimore Orioles farm system; Chad Ricketts, of Thorold, Ont., who pitched in the Dodgers system; Jordy Alexander, of Burnaby, BC, who pitched in the Kansas City Royals system; lefty Danny Prata, of Repentigny, Que., who worked for the San Francisco Giants and Julien Tucker, of Chateauguay, Que. who pitched for the Chicago White Sox.
For collegian Robinson this is second stint with the Canadian Senior National Team. The Dorcheseter, Ontario native was also on the squad this summer when Canada defeated Puerto Rico in a best-of-three series to qualify for the Olympic qualifier in Panama.
Robinson also spent two years on the Canadian Junior National Team.
Roster
Pitchers
LHP Jordy Alexander, Burnaby, BC (4-7, 2.86) Quebec Capitales.
RHP Brent Crowther, Surrey BC, former minor-leaguer, Colorado Rockies.
LHP Phil Devey, Lachute, Que. (1-0, 5.06, one save) Double-A Chattanooga Lookouts; (0-2, 9.82) Triple-A Las Vegas 51s; (3-2, 5.77) Long Island Ducks.
The rest of the story
By BOB ELLIOTT -- For SLAM! Canadian Baseball
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