Summer Collegiate

Pro baseball bloodlines follow Hisle to Nanaimo

Published

11 months ago

June 14, 2023

Dugout Wire Service

When Jax Hisle opened his uniform package in the offices of the Nanaimo NightOwls, he knew this was meant to be.

Hisle, an 18-year-old infielder/outfielder heading to Parkland College after graduating early and taking a gap year to add strength, saw No. 9 staring back at him as he stood in the depths of historic Serauxmen Stadium.

That was the number his grandfather Larry Hisle Sr. wore as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, where he was an all-star in 1978 and finished third in MVP voting after a season with a .290 average, 34 home runs and 115 RBIs. No one with the West Coast League team knew that number meant so much — call it a fateful and welcomed coincidence for the 6-3/205 pound switch hitter who has a pro frame already, and was on display at the Hank Aaron Invitational last summer.

The elder Hisle debuted with Philadelphia in 1968, was later traded to the Minnesota Twins and led the American League in RBIs with 119 in 1977 and went to his first of two all-star games. He played 14 MLB seasons and just shy of 1200 games in total.

“His reaction caught me off guard, and was priceless— I’d like to say we planned it, but we didn’t,” said Jim Swanson, GM of the NightOwls, who recruited Hisle (pronounced HIGH-suhl) — more on that tie later.

Jax, who tripled in a game in Kelowna on the team’s first road trip, is extremely proud of his grandfather, known best in Canada for his time as hitting coach of the Toronto Blue Jays under Cito Gaston — yes, THOSE years, the World Series banner flying north of the border for the first time, 1992 and 1993. He refined the swings of many Hall of Famers such as Paul Molitor, Dave Winfield and Rickey Henderson, and sweet swingers like John Olerud, Devon White and Joe Carter.

Jax’s father, Larry Jr., is also a role model, in part for being named the Wisconsin Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year for high school basketball (being 6-5 surely helps), and playing pro ball including two seasons as a power-bat outfielder with the Grand Forks (ND) Varmints of the independent Prairie League. He played collegiate ball at the University of Dayton for Mark Schlemmer, also his manager for one season with the Varmints.

Swanson was the administrator/commissioner of that league in 1996 and the GM of the Varmints for the 1997 season, and the two have kept in touch since then. Hence, the signing of prospect Jax, born years after the Prairie League went defunct.

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Summer Collegiate

Arm injuries in pro and college baseball — NightOwls make organizational statement

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Heimueller has served as a minor league pitching coach and coordinator for many MLB organizations, most recently with the Padres. He has World Series rings for his work with the Twins and Phillies.

With the NightOwls, Gorm has enjoyed working with them all — but especially strong-command pitchers such as Nathan Buchan, Garrett Goodall, Jake Fleury and Josh Laukkanen.

“Gorm loves to say he’s never seen a ground ball leave the park,” said Swanson.

“We see athletes on our team and others using max effort rather than prioritizing strikes — that makes for longer games, too, another focus in baseball. If someone can throw 97, with healthy actions and commanding the baseball, that’s great — but few can and let’s stop turning our backs on pitchers who can get people out with pitch location as the priority.

“There is too much focus on radar gun ratings, on spin rate readouts, and Gorm and our coaching staff will be developing and rewarding pitchers who locate pitches and get batters out.”

The NightOwls are excited about the player roster for the coming season, and the mix of pitchers on the roster — different styles, to create different looks and get the 27 outs required to win games.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – 2024 Season Ticket Pick-up Event

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

WE ARE BACK! 2024 Season Tickets Available for Pick-Up

May 17, 2024

We are inviting all season ticket holders, host families, and fans to join us for our annual “MAX MIXER” Season Ticket Holder Pick Up Event on Tuesday, May 28th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at MAX FURNITURE at 3460 Quadra St. in Victoria.

WHAT: Season Ticket Pick-Up and Pre-Season Mixer
WHERE: MAX FURNITURE – 3460 Quadra St.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 28th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Come meet your fellow fans, grab your season tickets, and mingle with HarbourCats staff and Harvey the HarbourCat as we kickoff the 2024 season.

There will be ticket and merchandise deals offered exclusively at the event.

NO RSVP required but if you have any questions, please contact the HarbourCats office at 778-265-0327.

If you can’t make the event, you can pick up your tickets at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street. Open M-F 9AM to 5PM, and Saturdays 10AM to 4PM.

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Summer Collegiate

Victoria HarbourCats – HarbourCats unveil new home uniform for the 2024 season

Published

1 day ago

May 16, 2024

Dugout Wire Service

Jai Berezowski and Jalen Sami show off new Expos-inspired uniform for the 2024 season

May 16, 2024

For Immediate Release

VICTORIA, B.C. — Familiar colours for a familiar Coach, as the HarbourCats unveil new uniforms

Our tribute to Head Coach Todd Haney, the 2023 WCL Coach of the Year, and his dedication to our organization and the City of Victoria, will be on full display — the former Montreal Expos infielder, and our Pitching Coach Scott Anderson, who was in the Expos organization as a minor league pitcher, are the inspiration behind our new HOME WHITE uniforms, which we think our fans will love, made possible by our incredible partners at Save-On-Foods!

Save-On-Foods

“We’re not sure that even Head Coach Haney realizes how much of the very fabric of our team he has come to represent, and we hope this small gesture comes close to giving back what he’s given to our fans, players and staff over the years” – Managing Partner Jim Swanson

Fans will have their first chance to view the new uniforms at the HarbourCats home opener this season, as we play the Wenatchee Applesox on June 7th.

Tickets are already going fast, so get yours today at HarbourCats.com/Tickets

The HarbourCats open on the road May 31 in Kamloops, the start of back-to-back series in Kamloops and Kelowna, before returning for the June 7 home opener against Wenatchee. The HarbourCats will be on the road this summer in Kamloops, Kelowna, Edmonton, Wenatchee, Ridgefield, Port Angeles, Bellingham, and six games in Nanaimo against the Island-rival NightOwls at Serauxmen Stadium. Teams visiting Victoria this year are Wenatchee, Nanaimo, Bellingham, Port Angeles, Kelowna, Edmonton (two series), Kamloops and Corvallis, along with non-league games against the Redmond Dudes, Dub Sea Fish Sticks, the SIBL All-Stars, and Victoria Mavericks All-Stars.

The regular season runs until August 7, with WCL playoffs running from August 10 to August 16.

Single game tickets are now available for the HarbourCats 2024 season including the home opener on Friday, June 7, 2024 at 6:35pm against the Kamloops NorthPaws. These can be purchased online through our one and only ticketing partner, Select Your Tickets, at www.harbourcats.com/tickets or at the HarbourCats office at 101-1814 Vancouver Street.

Season tickets and 10-game flex packs are also now on sale via the HarbourCats office or by calling 778-265-0327.

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