OTTAWA, ON-Baseball Canada announced today the coaching staff that will lead Canada at the 2013 World Baseball Classic in March.
Manager Ernie Whitt will return to the post that he held at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006 and again at the 2009 event. Whitt will head a veteran coaching staff that includes Larry Walker (Hitting/First Base Coach), Tim Leiper (Third Base Coach), Denis Boucher (Pitching Coach), Paul Quantrill (Bullpen/Pitching Coach), Stubby Clapp (Coach) and Greg Hamilton (Coach and Director of National Teams).
The coaching staff, with the exception of Clapp and Quantrill, led Canada to victory at the World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Germany last September.
“I am extremely honoured and excited to return as Manager for Canada at the upcoming World Baseball Classic,” said Manager Ernie Whitt. “I look forward to working with many familiar faces on our coaching staff and wearing the Canadian colours once again.”
“I am thrilled with the coaching staff we have assembled for the World Baseball Classic,” said Coach and Director of National Teams with Baseball Canada Greg Hamilton. “All members of our staff have represented Baseball Canada in the past which speaks to their commitment and dedication to our program.”
About the staff
The World Baseball Classic will be Whitt’s 12th time as Manager of the Canadian National Team where he has compiled an overall record of 52-23. Whitt spent 15 seasons in the big-leagues with Boston, Toronto, Atlanta and Baltimore...Walker spent 17 seasons in the big-leagues and won the 1997 National League MVP Award as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Walker retired at the end of the 2005 season with 5 All-Star game appearances, 7 Gold Glove Awards and 3 Silver Slugger Awards…Boucher spent parts of 4 seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, Montréal Expos and Cleveland Indians and has been Canada’s Pitching Coach since 2003…Quantrill had a 14 year MLB career and represented the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2001 All-Star Game. Quantrill was the Bullpen Coach for Canada at the 2009 World Baseball Classic and served as Canada’s Pitching Coach with the Junior National Team program in 2009 and 2010…Clapp made his coaching debut with Canada at the 2011 IBAF World Cup in Panama where Canada brought home the Bronze Medal. Clapp had an 18 year playing career in professional baseball which included a brief stint with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2000. Clapp spent the 2012 season as Manager of the Tri-City ValleyCats - the Short Season affiliate of the Houston Astros…Leiper had a 12 year playing career in the minor leagues and has spent the past 17 seasons coaching in the minor leagues. He began his coaching career with Baseball Canada in 2003 and was recently named Senior Director of Player Development with the Toronto Blue Jays…After a four-year playing career at Princeton University, Hamilton began a coaching career that has brought him to Princeton University, France and the University of Maine…Hamilton has been Coach of Baseball Canada’s Junior National Team and Director of Baseball Canada’s National Teams since 1998.
