By: Baseball Canada
OTTAWA-Thirty-seven Canadians will be in big-league camp as Spring Training opens this week across Florida and Arizona in preparation for the 2012 baseball season.
Twenty-six Canadians saw action in the big-leagues during 2011, marking the highest total in modern history. The season was highlighted by John Axford who recorded 46 saves for the Central Division winning Milwaukee Brewers. Joey Votto won the National League MVP in 2010 and made a case to repeat by hitting .309 with 29 homeruns and 103 RBI in 2011. Votto played in the All-Star Game in Arizona and was joined by Russell Martin of the New York Yankees.
Brett Lawrie made an impression in his rookie debut with the Toronto Blue Jays when he was called-up to the big-leagues in early August.
Scott Diamond, Rene Tosoni, Taylor Green and Trystan Magnuson all made the major league debuts in 2011, while Adam Loewen reached the big-leagues as a position player with the Toronto Blue Jays after he was forced to end his pitching career in 2008 as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
Five players who helped Canada win gold last October at the Pan Am Games in Mexico: Scott Richmond, Kyle Lotzkar, Chris Robinson, Brock Kjeldgaard and Dustin Molleken, will be heading to big-league camp with their respective clubs.
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