The 2009 MLB Draft is complete, and the Toronto Blue Jays have rounded up a class that they hope will contain their next big star.

In my earlier MLB 2009 Draft related article I made two predictions for the Toronto Blue Jays first round pick, and supplemental first round pick. The Jays took one of the two players I had predicted.

In case you have not read my previous article, my prediction was that the Jays would take Indiana Hoosiers Eric Arnett with pick number twenty, while Kennesaw State’s Chad Jenkins would come our way with pick number thirty seven.

Meet Chad Jenkins. Toronto's first round selection in the 2009 MLB Draft.

The Jays took Chad Jenkins with pick number twenty and passed on Eric Arnett, who went to the Milwaukee Brewers with pick number twenty six.

Even though this writer believes that Jenkins would have been around at number thirty seven, and that the Jays could have taken a monster arm in that of Eric Arnett, the obvious assumption is that the Jays did not think Jenkins would be available at thirty seven, and this was the guy who they wanted most.

For some background knowledge on the Jays first overall selection Chad Jenkins check out my article ” The Future”: Third Edition: The 2009 MLB Draft: Supplemental First Round”

With pick number thirty seven (compensatory pick for losing AJ Burnett to the New York Yankees via free agency) the Jays took University of Kentucky pitcher James Paxton, who is originally from Ladner, British Columbia.

Canadian born James Paxton was selected 37th overall by Toronto.

James Paxton is a dynamic left-hander who slid into the starting role with the University of Kentucky Wildcats midway through the SEC season, functioning as the fourth and midweek starter early in the season.

Paxton is a hard throwing lefty who can command the fastball to both sides of the plate, to complement a good breaking ball.

Paxton pitched in 17 games with 11 starts, earning a 4-2 record and a 2.92 ERA in 2008.

Paxton threw the game of his career in a complete game shutout of Ole Miss to clinch an SEC Tournament berth for UK on the final weekend.
In the summer of 2008 Paxton pitched in four games with three starts in the Alaska League, teaming with UK right-hander Tyler Henry on the Glacier Pilots.

Paxton earned a 1-0 record and a 2.25 ERA, working 16 innings, striking out 12, and allowing opponents to hit for a .179 average.

Now Paxton does not have anywhere near the numbers that Eric Arnett had in 2008 (12-2 record with an ERA of 2.50 for the Indiana Hoosiers), but when I saw this pick I would have to say I was more than impressed with our number thirty seven selection.

Not only did the Blue Jays receive a power pitcher similar to Eric Arnett, the Jays received a Canadian born player.

This may not seem important to readers outside of Canada, but it is. As most Toronto sports fans know, the notion of a Canadian playing for our only Canadian baseball club drives us wild.

We cheer for this player more than most, we stand by this player when he performs terribly, and we cry for this player when he leaves our city via free agency, trade, or is released.

Corey Koskie and Scott Richmond are examples of this.

Canadian born Corey Koskie was a popular Blue Jay in his time with the club.

Koskie was much more popular here in a Jays uniform than with any of his stints in Minnesota, Milwaukee, or his recent short lived stint with the Cubs, all while his numbers had drastically fallen off during his Jays tenure.

When Toronto traded Koskie to Milwaukee for relief pitcher Brian Wolfe (don’t get me started on this guy) on January 6th, 2006 it was a sad day in Toronto, even though our hopes were high on newly acquired third baseman Troy Glaus.

Scott Richmond is a former independent league pitcher who the Jays fans love. Blue Jays fans everywhere were ecstatic when he was named April’s Rookie of the Month earlier this season. Richmond is not too flashy and I personally do not project him as a future Hall of Famer, or even a future number one starter, but we still love the guy.

Why do we cheer players like Richmond and Koskie on more than most?

In my opinion it has to do with their Canadian heritage and their ties to this country, where our Toronto Blue Jays play the game of baseball, and are the lone Canadian representative in Major League Baseball.

Not only are the Jays Toronto’s team, they are Canada’s team!

In my opinion, the move to draft James Paxton was brilliant.

The Jays receive the mature college arm they were seeking, whilst gaining a power pitcher, and possibly drafting a player who will bring more fans down to the ballpark sometime in the future.

Not all Canadian born players work out, or even get much consideration from the Toronto Blue Jays fan base.

See former Baltimore Orioles pitching phenom and Vancouver, British Columbia native Adam Loewen.

Canadian Adam Loewen could have been great.

After major structural damage to his throwing elbow Loewen is attempting to return to the big leagues as an outfielder with the Jays. Loewen is hitting a very poor average of .203 with 0 HR and 9 RBI’s in 123AB’s with the Jays Class A affiliate Dunedin Blue Jays.

Let’s just hope that James Paxton becomes the next Scott Richmond, and not the next Adam Loewen, in the Toronto Blue Jays attempt at representing Canada on its major league squad.

Stay tuned for my next article, where I will move onto some more of the Toronto Blue Jays draft selections, including yet another Canadian representative, in Newmarket, Ontario’s Jake Eliopoulos, who the Jays selected in the 2nd round, 68th overall.

Jake Eliopoulos is one of the features in my next article.