Sports

How far is it from Langley to Toronto? Just ask Blue Jay, Brett Lawrie, he knows.

"It was a long road for sure," says Lawrie. "I kind of grew up around the Langley Blaze."

In fact, Lawrie's family billeted players from Kelowna who played with the Blaze, exposing Brett to the players and coaches at a young age. Brett would eventually join the team as a 15 year-old.

Photo: Grant Scott

Hundreds of baseball fans had the chance to meet Brett Lawrie (seated, centre) during the Okanagan College fund raising banquet.

Lawrie was the featured speaker Thursday morning at the Capri Hotel for the Okanagan College Coyotes Athletic Banquet. The fund raiser will help both the Okanagan College baseball and hockey teams.

Over 200 people were in attendance for the breakfast and to listen to Lawrie describe his route to the majors and the experience of being a professional baseball player.

Playing in the B.C. Premier Baseball League allowed Lawrie to hone his considerable baseball talent, while facing high level competition, both in Canada and the U.S. It also would expose him to major league scouts.

"I always had the feeling there was someone watching. That's why I play the game so hard, there's always someone watching. I never wanted to give someone the impression that I wasn't playing hard."

Those scouts quickly noticed his obvious talents and the Milwaukee Brewers would draft him 16th overall in the 2008 Major League Draft. Only three other Canadians have been drafted higher.

As an 18 year-old fresh out of high school, he quickly adjusted to the world of pro sports, but admitted it was a tough transition to leave home and then enter the dog eat dog world of the minors.

That year he would hit .469 with the Canadian National Junior team and also earn a berth with Canada's Olympic team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

On December 6, 2010, The Toronto Blue Jays would give up pitcher Shaun Marcum to acquire Lawrie, at the time one of the Brewers top prospects.

"It was special, I was welcomed with open arms."

In less than a year, he would become the starting third baseman for the Blue Jays, and the pride of Canada as he burst onto the scene showing a brand of hustle reminiscent of Pete Rose.

While balking at the comparison, Lawrie admits he admired how "Charlie Hustle" played the game.

"I do want to be that spark, that guy who can take an extra base and get a rally started, anything I can contribute."

Lawrie says it was no fun in the minors, with the long bus rides and the daily grind, so he knew he wanted to stick with the Jays.

Photo: Grant Scott

Brett Lawrie poses with fans at the Capri Hotel Thursday morning.

To do that, he needed to stay on an even keel, but admits hearing the P.A. announcer call him to the plate for his first official Major League at bat was surreal, but in the end he approached it the best way he could.

"In the end it was just another bat, you can't really worry about the hit. I was more worried about seeing pitches, seeing what the guy's got, and pitch recognition. I knew if I did that, everything would go my way."

That first at bat, August 5, 2011, was against the Baltimore Orioles and would result in both his first career hit and RBI. He would finish the day two for four and become an everyday starter for the team he grew up cheering for.

The season ended prematurely when, on September 21, he fractured the middle finger on his right hand. He finished the year batting .293 with nine home runs and 25 RBI.

Lawrie's first off season as a major league player has been a different experience, now that's he's recognized in so many places, but the lack of anonymity hasn't been a problem.

"It's an opportunity to kind of give the machine a rest and gear up for another season. It's been great having people come up and say hi and ask for autographs."

With his finger fully healed, Lawrie says he can't wait to get started again.

"I'm very excited going into spring training. Hopefully we can add a bit to our bullpen and get one more good starter and we are going to be a definite contender. This is only the beginning for us, I'm very excited to see what happens and hopefully I can contribute."