Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘World Baseball Classic’

If You Ain’t Dutch, You Ain’t Much!

In honor of the biggest upset in the short history of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), I offer unto you a very special edition of “I Saw Them In Fort Wayne”. For your Netherlands curiosity, here are two pictures of the team’s catcher, Kenly Jensen (methinks it is pronounced “Yen-sin”).

I snapped these photos all the way back on May 26th, 2008. Yeah, that’s almost a year ago.

Jensen was catching for the Great Lakes Loons, a Midwest League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. On this day, he went 1-3 with a double, a run, a walk and an RBI en route to a 5-3 Loons victory over the Wizards.

The 21-year-old catcher from Curacao signed as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played rookie ball in 2004 through most of 2007, when he played 20 ames in the Midwest League. In 2008 with the Loons, he batted .227 and drove in 27 runs over 247 at-bats in 79 games.

More “I SAW THEM IN FORT WAYNE” posts from BBIFW:

• I Saw Them in Fort Wayne: Mitch Maier
• I Saw Them in Fort Wayne: Ambiorix Burgos
• I Saw Them in Fort Wayne: Felix Pie

Former Wizards catcher, Luke Carlin has a busy Spring ahead of him. Last month, he signed a Minor League deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is among the D’backs’ 17 non-roster invitees to Spring Training. In addition to trying to win a job, Carlin will be playing with the Canadian team during the World Baseball Classic; joining fellow former Wizard, Eric Cyr.

Carlin was one of 14 former Wizards to debut in the Major Leagues last season. In that game, he caught Greg Maddux’s 350th win. In 36 games that spread over 3 separate stints, he hit .149 with 14 hits in 94 at-bats with the San Diego Padres.

While with Fort Wayne in 2003 and 2004, Carlin appeared in 44 games and had 144 at-bats. He scored 12 runs on 33 hits with 15 bases on balls.

Related BBIFW posts about Luke Carlin:

• Carlin Called Up (Finally); Morton to Double-A
• Carlin Debuts; Catches Maddux’s 350th Win
• Carlin Gets First Big League Hit
• Wizards in the World Baseball Classic

Many former Fort Wayne Wizards are taking part in the 2009 edition of the World Baseball Classic (WBC).

• George Kottaras – Boston (CAN)
• Eric Cyr – Free Agent (CAN)
• AJ Pierzynski – Chicago White Sox (USA)
• Joakim Soria – Kansas City (MEX)
• Luis Cruz – Pittsburgh (MEX)
• Oliver Perez – Free Agent (MEX)
• Ray Chang - Pittsburgh (CHN)
• Luke Carlin – San Diego (CAN)
• Peter Ciofrone – San Diego (ITA)
• Luis Durango – San Diego (PAN)
• Jake Peavy – San Diego (USA)
• Juan Rincon – Free Agent (VEN)
• Javier Valentin – Free Agent (PUR)

This was a quick look, so I may have missed a couple. Drop me a comment if you know of any I missed.