Alberta Dugout Stories: The Podcast

An MLB debut, a first MLB homer, college awards season, the CCBC championship is underway and ... oh yeah ... an Alberta coaching legend. This is a jam-packed edition of the show as we go through all the news from the past week before we catch up with someone we've always wanted to have on the show. Dave Robb checks in to talk about his journey in the game, how he ended up in Alberta in the first place, his coaching philosophies and much more!

Growing up on the farm, it can sometimes be tough to find enough time in the day to play baseball in the summer. You have animals or crops to take care of, farmyards to maintain, and there’s never an end to the oddball jobs you can find. But when you love it, you find the time. Such was the case with Skyler Stromsmoe. Born and raised on the family farm just outside Etzikom in southeast Alberta, he was willing to do anything to play the game he loved. We sit down for a great conversation about his days in the San Francisco Giants organization, representing Canada on the international stage, and what he's up to today back on the farm.

We put the wraps on another really busy week of baseball news before a trio of excellent conversations. Hear from Okanagan College catcher Nick Sauve (Calgary) as he's putting together a great CCBC season, University of Mary senior Kalem Haney (Lethbridge) discusses setting records down south, and Geoff Seto stops by to talk about the upcoming Blue Jays Academy Canadian Futures Showcase tryout camps that are set for Sylvan Lake (May 19) and Saskatoon (May 20) ahead of their big event in September.
8:21 - Nick Sauve
17:08 - Kalem Haney
30:38 - Geoff Seto

With the baseball season really starting to ramp up, we have a few more bonus episodes of the show coming your way in the coming weeks and this is one of the first. With Baseball Canada's Junior National Team heading off to the Dominican Republic, we thought we'd check in with head coach and men's team director Greg Hamilton to talk about what he's seeing with this year's edition of the team, the World Baseball Classic, look ahead to the inaugural Road to Okotoks and the growth of baseball that's he's seeing from coast-to-coast-to-coast.

Yet another busy week of baseball news to put the wraps on so we get you covered before a trio of great conversations. Hear from Edmonton Collegiate Hawks slugger Caedyn Colford (Lacombe/Drayton Valley) after he set the CCBC single-season record for home runs, University of Calgary Dinos utilityman Mason Bristow (Calgary) talks about repping his hometown team, and Miles Community College rising star Chance Descalchuk (Regina) looks back at his unbelievable freshman season.
9:36 - Caedyn Colford
22:00 - Mason Bristow
36:22 - Chance Descalchuk

We put the wrap on another busy week of news (including some breaking news about a promotion for a Border City product) then have a couple of great guests join us in Wyatt McKeen (Calgary) of the University of Fraser Valley Cascades and Kaden Prosofsky (Saskatoon) of the College of the Desert Roadrunners. Then Joe McFarland talks about families making their summer plans and the opportunity that many sports and teams should be seizing as we continue to navigate this wild and wacky world we seem to be living in.
9:28 - Wyatt McKeen
24:30 - Kaden Prosofsky
35:40 - Joe talks baseball's opportunity this summer

What a wild week it was for Alberta baseball products in Major League Baseball, Minor League Baseball, the college ranks and even the national teams. We bring you all the news and notes from the last seven days, then we bring you three great conversations. Hear from Edmonton Collegiate Hawks utilityman and record-holder Brayden Morris, Aqil Samuel of the Sylvan Lake Gulls, and former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Kevin Pillar as he gets ready to visit Lethbridge at the end of May.
11:17 - Brayden Morris
21:57 - Aqil Samuel
30:07 - Kevin Pillar

We have another jam-packed show with tons of news and a trio of great guests. Hear from Prairie Baseball Academy slugger Declan O'Kane (Ontario) as he's putting up an amazing season in the CCBC. Then we catch up with Ryan Kucy (Edmonton/AHP Academy) as he's now into his senior season at St. Bonaventure University, where he's taken on a new position on the field. And we wrap things up by welcoming long-time supporter and friend of the show Shari Reiniger (Edmonton) as she shares her experiences from the World Baseball Classic.
7:56 - Declan O'Kane
22:01 - Ryan Kucy
35:39 - Shari Reiniger

It was a jam-packed week with plenty of news from around MLB, MiLB, the college ranks, high school, the Junior National Team, and the grassroots. So we recap it all in the news before a trio of fantastic guests. Hear from University of Calgary Dinos utilityman Colin Baxter as they head towards their home opener this weekend, Berries Academy grad and Hutchinson Community College standout freshman Aidan Marien, and Sylvan Lake Gulls general manager Jason Chatwood.
9:38 - Colin Baxter
26:49 - Aidan Marien
43:22 - Jason Chatwood

What a wild week of news with Michael Soroka's debut with Arizona, Erik Sabrowski's dominance in Cleveland and Tristan Peters getting his first big league hit. We catch up on all the news of the past week before we hear from Prairie Baseball Academy alum Carter Claerhout as his monster season at Bellevue University continues. Then we get to know Carson Friesen of the Edmonton Collegiate Hawks after his unbelievable weekend. And we wrap things up with another monologue based off Joe's recent editorial about now being a pivotal time for women's baseball in our provinces.
7:08 - Carter Claerhout
17:31 - Carson Friesen
33:22 - Important time in women's baseball

Week one of the Canadian College Baseball Conference season is in the books so we head there for a pair of guests this week. Hear from Prairie Baseball Academy pitcher Sean Bavis (Banff/Canmore) about his journey in the game and his first career CCBC start and we catch up with Devery Van De Keere (Barrhead) as he's taken the reigns at the new University Baseball Club based at UBC. Then, for something a little different, Joe shares a few thoughts following his latest editorial on bringing back "Baseball Day in Canada."
4:57 - Sean Bavis
15:53 - Devery Van De Keere
37:05 - Resurrecting "Baseball Day in Canada"

After the tremendous success of the inaugural Rural Roots Baseball Classic in Oyen last summer, the Western Canadian Baseball League is making it an annual tradition. The circuit announced on Monday that Carnduff, Saskatchewan will play host to the event on May 29th with the Weyburn Beavers at home to the Saskatoon Berries. The league held a news conference to make the announcement and to allow reporters to speak to all the parties, so we have a few of the highlights with league president Kevin Kvame, John Prette of the Weyburn Beavers, Steve Hildebrand of the Saskatoon Berries, and Carnduff Recreation Director Jodie Wall. We also have a one-on-one conversation with community baseball coach, teacher and local event organizer Blair Beck about the importance of the day and how Carnduff plans to put on a show.
READ MORE: Laying Down Roots in Carnduff