____________Blue Jays signed outfielder Adam Loewen to a minor league contract.

Loewen decided against staying with the organization that's invested a huge amount of time and significant money in him while getting very little in return. Instead, he's returning to his native Canada. The 24-year-old former first-round pick will likely begin his career as a position player at Single-A Dunedin or Double-A New Hampshire.

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Former Chief Cole Armstrong having a big spring for the ChiSox

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Break down the depth at the catcher's position throughout the White Sox organization, and the players pretty much can be split into two categories: A.J. Pierzynski and Toby Hall and then everyone else crouching behind the plate.
Truth be told, the catcher's spot might be the leanest talent-wise among a Minor League system that hasn't exactly received high marks overall from experts who review such matters. With Hall continuing to work his way back from last spring's shoulder separation, some sort of injury suffered by the ever-durable Pierzynski could upset the balance of the entire team.

But at least two catchers within the White Sox system don't buy into this rhetoric. In fact, they both believe catching help will be provided from within the Minor League ranks, sooner than later.

Cole Armstrong has illustrated such a sentiment on the field during the early stages of Spring Training. The 24-year-old, picked up by the White Sox in the Minor League phase of the 2005 Rule 5 Draft, has five hits in six at-bats over three Cactus League games. Armstrong has knocked out two doubles and one triple, while driving in two runs and scoring five times.

Batting left-handed might slightly impede Armstrong's big league progress, as he would not seem a logical fill-in for Hall, with Pierzynski also being a left-handed hitter. Yet, Armstrong's work has drawn notice from the man in charge.

"I like him a lot. A lot. We talk about him," said White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen. "The more I see Armstrong, the more I like him."

"It's a huge confidence boost," added Armstrong with a smile after hearing Guillen's comments. "When the manager says something like that, you feel pretty good."

Armstrong originally was selected by the Braves in the 12th round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft, but credits hitting coach Wes Clements for helping him turn the corner for Class A Winston-Salem last season. Armstrong hit .288 with 17 doubles, 12 home runs and 39 RBIs for the Warthogs, before earning a promotion to Double-A Birmingham.
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Terrence Dayleg Named To Preseason All-Sun Belt Team

Bowling Green, Ky. — Western Kentucky University junior shortstop Terrence Dayleg was named to the 13-player Preseason all-Sun Belt Conference team that was released on Tuesday. The Surrey, British Columbia, native started 52 games for WKU in his first season on the Hill in 2007, hitting .320 and collecting 72 hits. Dayleg posted multiple hits in 23 games, including a four-hit performance in a Sun Belt win over Florida International. He drove in 39 runs on the year — tied for the third most RBI on the team — and was tied for the team lead with 18 doubles, while also connecting on six home runs. He collected 38 of his hits and had half of his home runs in Sun Belt Conference play, hitting .290 against the league. The Hilltoppers finished 15-15 in the conference a year ago — marking the biggest single-season turnaround in Sun Belt history after winning only five league games the year before. WKU earned 56 points in the preseason poll, putting it in seventh place. Defending regular-season champion Louisiana-Lafayette was the unanimous choice to win the league, while 2007 SBC Tournament champion New Orleans was picked to finish second. WKU will open the 2008 season next Friday (Feb. 22) when they host a three-game weekend series against Bowling Green State. First pitch of the season opener is slated for 3 p.m. (CST) at Nick Denes Field.
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Congratulations Nic
Nic Lendvoy UBC and Chiefs Alumni was recognized as the top provincial athlete awarded for Baseball at a Gala at the Hyatt in Vancouver.Premier Gordon Campbell recognized the achievements.
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Jan.18...Famous alumni,Adam Loewen LHP 2000-1-2.Jr.National Team player for 3 years in a row.Canadian National player of the year.Drafted 1st round, 4th overall in 2002 by the Orioles.Played last year for the Fredrick Keys Class A Advanced Carolina League, the Peoria Javalinas of the Arizona Fall League and Team Canada.Adam will play for Canada in the 06 World Baseball Classic starting in March.
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Mark Ellis accepts the BCPBL's Top Offensive player & Best Batting Average (.425)awards Saturday Jan.7 in Surrey.Other Chiefs honoured were Nic Lendvoy leading the league in HR's with 8,Mike Scott with the league's best On Base % of .547,Terrance Dayleg shortstop and Drew Parker Pitcher, selected to the 1st Selection All Conference Team and Ryan Pilgrim to the 2nd Selection All Conference Team as a catcher.
Mark's offensive numbers were staggering.League leading in most of these categories with plate appearance's of 182, most RBI with 58, most extra base hits with 29, most doubles with 21 and hits totalling 68.
Mark signed a Letter of Intent to play next fall at Gonzaga University in Spokane.
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Jan.17...Alumni, Clayton Howell C 2002-3-4.Scholarship player to Prairie Baseball Academy and the U of Lethbridge.Plans on attending Lewis Clark State College ,Lewiston, Id.next year to finish his degree.

Jan.16...Alumni,Matt Nalutka RHP 2000-1.Accepted athletic scholarship at Vernon JC Texas graduated and transferred to Armstrong Atlantic in Georgia , where he holds a school record for closing 12 games for wins with a ERA of 0.30 in 2005.Matt's in his senior year.

Jan.13...Alumni ,Jeff Duda RHP 2002-3-4.Jr.National Team Player in 2003.Accepted scholarship to Central Arizona JC then tranferred to Lewis Clark State College in Idaho where he is today as a Junior Warrior.

Jan.12...Alumni,Brad Frick IF '98,9,2000.Won a Golden Glove Award Babe Ruth World Series in 2000 in New Hampshire.Graduated Daytona Beach CC in Florida, then transferred to Bethune Cookman of the D-1 MEAC.Brad is in his 2nd year as assistant baseball coach of the DBCC Falcons.

Jan.11...Alumni, Mark Johnston IF 2002.Led the Chiefs in HR's in 2002, as a freshman at UBC.Played his sophomore year in the NAIA for the T Birds and is a graduating senior this year.

Jan.10...Alumni, Jeremy Wale OF 1999-2000-1.Led Chiefs 3 seasons in a row with the most stolen bases.Chiefs record of 42 in 2000.An academic, played freshman year at UCSD( San Diego) ,then focused on structural engineering, where he graduated cum laude with a BSc.in 2005 and is employed by an Orange County engineering firm.Licenced in Ca. inAugust 2008.

Jan.9...Alan Lobban RHP, 2000-1-2.Member of the 2000 Sr.Babe Ruth World Series Team in New Hampshire.Accepted athletic scholarship from St.Mary's of Ca. of the West Coast Conf. in 2002.Alan is currently in his senior year and is his team's closer.

Jan.8...Alumni, Cole Armstrong C 2001.Canadian Junior team member attended Univesity of Kansas and Chippola JC in Flordia.Drafted in 2002 by Atlanta.Played last season in Rome, Ga.Class A Braves in the South Atlantic League.Last Dec.was selected in a Rule 5 draft by the Chi**** White Sox.Will report to Peoria for Spring Training.

Jan.7...Chiefs Alumni, Mike Radanovic LHP 2000-1-2.Completing his Senior year at Niagara University in Lewiston ,New York.Mike had a strong season last year helping the Purple Eagles in the D -1 MAAC Conference.

Jan.6...Alumni, Marcus Turner RHP 2000.An academic (SAT score of 1380)with professional acting skills, Marcus attended Macalester College in Minnesota graduating in 2003.He manages the Shark Club in Vancouver working on a law degree.

Jan.6...Chiefs workouts to begin Sat.Jan14 at 11am Whalley Ball Park

Jan.5...Chiefs Alumni, Rory Coppinger RHP 1999-2000.MVP Sr.Babe Ruth World Series in New Hampshire.Still holds the Chiefs record for 48 doubles in 2000.Accepted an athletic scholarship at NE Oklahoma JC,graduated and went on to star at New Mexico State in the WAC conference where he graduated in 2005. Currently Rory is the pitching coach at NE Oklahoma JC in Miami,OK.

Jan.4...Meet another of our Chiefs Alumni...Cory Stuart RHP 1999-2000 drafted in the 4th round of the 2003 MLB entry draft by the NY Yankees out of UBC.Last year between June and September, Cory played in the New York-Penn League , a Class A Short Season league.In 22 games had a 3-1 record and a 0.83 ERA over 32.2 innings of work, striking out 50.To follow players , go to MILB.com.

Jan.3...Alumni Jonathan Yiu INF 2001-2-3 attends UBC in his Sr.year.Starting 1st baseman hoping for a trip to the NAIA World Series in May in Idaho.Jon will be the Chiefs assistant coach this year when school and baseball are finished.

Jan.2.2006...Alumni Omar Kadir RHP 2001-2-3.Played in 2 LL World Series (11-12 yr.olds)from different leagues.Attended PBA , the Prairie Baseball Acadamy and the Univ.of Lethbridge for 2 seasons, then transferred full credit to the Big Ten Conference and the University of Illinois starting 2005.
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