March 13-20  A great trip in the 100 degree heat saw the Blaze practice and play 12 games in a week. The coaching staff saw some remarkable improvements and the players realized that their hard work in the winter paid off. Highlights include the 150 scouts watching Kyle Lotzkar touch 95mph vs Cochise College and the Seattle Mariners AA squad, Zak Millers big hr over the green monster at Grand Canyon University and Tristan Sikora's hr off the Milwaukee Brewers Rookie and Low A squad at the Brewers, Maryvale spring training facility. The Blaze held their own vs very tough junior colleges and went 3-4 in the tournament including beating highly ranked Indian Hills. The trip ended with 3 games against the Seattle Mariners and Milwaukee Brewers pro squads and saw the Blaze go 1-2. Both losses were close games.

BLAZE PLAYERS TO ATTEND MIZUNO CAMP

RHP Rory Young, RHP Zak Miller and Catcher Brooklyn Foster have been invited to the Mizuno Camp 

Mizuno Junior Elite Development Camp Set for April 13-16

Major League Baseball, Baseball Canada and Mizuno Canada will host some of the top 15-16 year old baseball players in the country for the 2007 edition of the Mizuno Junior Elite Development Camp at the Rogers Center this April, it was announced today.

This select group of aspiring “big leaguers” from across Canada will receive on-field instruction from coaching and scouting staffs of the Toronto Blue Jays, Major League Baseball and Baseball Canada.

“The comprehensive nature of the Mizuno Junior Elite Development Camp will allow these talented young Canadian players the opportunity to refine their skills while preparing them for competition at the next level,” says Greg Hamilton, Head Coach and Director of National Teams for Baseball Canada.

“One of Major League Baseball International’s primary goals is building on the talent base of players all over the world,” said Paul Archey, Senior Vice President, International Business Operations, Major League Baseball.  “With an MLB-record 19 Canadians on Opening Day rosters this year, MLB remains committed to helping elite young players develop the necessary skills, both on and off the field, to succeed at the Major League level.”

From April 13 through April 16, the players will sweat through fundamental skills training designed by the coaching staffs that include hitting, pitching, infielding, outfielding, catching and baserunning.  On the final day of the elite camp, participants will form two teams to compete in a Canada East vs. Canada West intra-squad game.

In addition to the on-field training, the young men will participate in a series of “Life Skills” classroom seminars.  Seminar topics include proper nutrition, career goal planning, strength and conditioning, injury prevention and rehabilitation, talent evaluation and assessment.

“Mizuno is pleased to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity to help these young athletes realize their dreams of playing in the Major Leagues,” said John Stacey, President of Mizuno Canada.  “Our relationship with Baseball Canada continues to flourish and Mizuno will continue to help support the development of Baseball in Canada through grassroots programs.”

LAWRIE NAMED MVP
Langley Blaze are proud to announce that Blaze infielder/outfielder Brett Lawrie has been announced as the Jr National team MVP for 2006, following in the footsteps of Justin Morneau and Adam Loewen.

Lawrie, Canada's left fielder, hit .415 with 4 doubles, 2 homeruns, 7 RBI, and 9 runs scored over eight games in addition to posting a .699 slugging percentage and collecting 27 total bases. Brett was also named to the World All Star team and won the top rbi award for the BC Premier League.

Only an 11th grader, Lawrie has two more years of eligibility for the Jr National team and is certain to be of great interest to MLB scouts in the next two years.