ron 9 Posted June 28, 2009 BVK is playing in the Toronto Blue Jay organization at the A level with the Lansing Lugnuts. He just represented his team on the 23rd in the Midwest League All-star game. He is currently batting a team-leading .302 with 32 rbi in 62 games. He also leads the team in slugging and obp's of .502 and .390 respectively. He is playing left field with only 2 errors to his account. He has 9 HR's. His team, on the other hand, is not sharing his success. The Lugnuts is 20.5 games out of first place with a winning percentage of .384. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Cornelius 298 Posted June 29, 2009 Good find ron! BVK was a solid hitter here at ORU. Good to see that he is still batting well in minor league ball. Soon I will moving all the updates for ORU players in the pros (wooden bat, minor, & major league) to the new "ORU in the Pros" board under baseball so it will be quick and easy to find updates on BVK, Sullivan, Chapman, Serrano, and any the others... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted June 29, 2009 The Lugnuts?.....almost as bad as the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tmh8286 109 Posted June 29, 2009 I love the names of some of the minor league teams. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted June 29, 2009 Imagine having to tell your family and friends that you play with a bunch of nuts. "Mom, they're great guys, but they're nuts . . . every one of them." Don't teams set themselves up for abuse by choosing those names? The Lugnuts reside in Big 3 (Much Smaller 3) territory and the neighbourhood probably bears the moniker with pride, but what happens when there is more than one screw loose and the wheels come off? I hope Brian doesn't take this personally, but the Lugnuts are doing so badly that it looks like they're hoping for some sort of bailout and a piece of the stimulus package. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dbl78 23 Posted June 29, 2009 The Lansing Lugnuts are not new to ORU players. As I recall, Josh Lex played for them a couple of years ago. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted June 30, 2009 The Lansing Lugnuts are not new to ORU players. As I recall, Josh Lex played for them a couple of years ago. As a Canadian, I have precious little choice on who to cheer for so I keep hoping for a resurgence of the kind of team that the Jays had in the early (0's. That's why it's easy for me to follow BVK's exploits. I'm sort of killing two birds with one stone. (Any pun here is most definitely not intended.) Upon cursory examination, however, the Jays are having some trouble loading up on young talent at this level, BVK excluded of course. Josh Lex was before my time, of following ORU baseball that is. Whatever became of him? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted June 30, 2009 Good find ron! BVK was a solid hitter here at ORU. Good to see that he is still batting well in minor league ball. Soon I will moving all the updates for ORU players in the pros (wooden bat, minor, & major league) to the new "ORU in the Pros" board under baseball so it will be quick and easy to find updates on BVK, Sullivan, Chapman, Serrano, and any the others... Sounds like a great plan ! How much longer are you going to keep us waiting? I just finished asking dbl78 about another player. The demand for the product is definitely there . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted June 30, 2009 Congrats, Dr.! I just noticed it. Good going. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Cornelius 298 Posted July 2, 2009 BVK stats Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted August 24, 2009 TheEagleman went to see the AA Trenton Thunder today vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats in a DH and who was in the line up for NH but that Brian Van Kirk....played RF in game 1 and DH in game 2....he went a total 1-6...apparently, he was just called up to the AA level within the past 10 days.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tmh8286 109 Posted August 24, 2009 TheEagleman went to see the AA Trenton Thunder today vs. New Hampshire Fisher Cats in a DH and who was in the line up for NH but that Brian Van Kirk....played RF in game 1 and DH in game 2....he went a total 1-6...apparently, he was just called up to the AA level within the past 10 days.... Got to hand it to you, Eagleman, you're a true sports fan. You attend more games, at every level of competition, than anyone I know. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted August 24, 2009 Thanks, TMH....TheEagleman is fortunate to live within an hour of A ball Lakewood...35 minutes from Phils Citizens Bank Park and 15 minutes from AA Trenton...also just 90 minutes from AA Reading and AAA Lehigh Valley.....plus, I have two little grandsons who love baseball as much as TheEagleman and enjoy going....had no idea that Brian Van Kirk played for New Hampshire...he was batting in the 6 spot yesterday..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted August 25, 2009 Looks like the Jays have moved BVK up to the next level. He is having his usual adjustment issues. He either owns the pitcher or can't touch him. BVK has always done the cream thing and risen to the top and I expect him to do the same at this level. His rbi will no doubt steadily improve as he settles in. Great that you can see him play the odd game, Eagleman. Thanks for being our reporter at the scene. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted August 25, 2009 That's the last trip in to Trenton for the Cats....we'll see if BVK is with them next season or he moves up....if i would have known he was playing, TheEagleman would have tried to get down near the dugout early to say hello....maybe next year....BVK was wearing #22 for New Hampshire..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted August 11, 2010 It appears that BVK has been playing with Dunedin in the Class A Florida State League this season....he's hitting .236 with 8 HRs and 44 RBI so far this season.....TheEagleman was hoping to catch him in Trenton this year with AA New Hampshire but Brian has not been called up from A ball..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted July 18, 2013 BVK is batting .296 with AA New Hampshire. He is 27 years old. What are his chances of getting to the show. I am still rooting for him. It seems like it takes him about two years to really master the next level, but he appears ready for AAA. What criteria do teams use to move someone up? Eagleman, have you seen BVK play recently? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted July 18, 2013 TheEagleman was over to see Trenton Thunder AA ball a couple of weeks ago with the grandsons but they were playing Richmond....i will have to check the schedule to see if New Hampsire is coming in again before the end of the season..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted July 19, 2013 As luck would have it....the NH Fisher Cats are coming to Trenton this weekend for a 3 game series....unfortunately, TheEagleman cannot fit that into his schedule and won't be able to catch Van Kirk's visit to New Jersey...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted July 22, 2013 TheEagleman was actually able to get over to Trenton today to watch Brian Van Kirk and the New Hampshire Fisher Cats take on the Trenton Thunder at beautiful Mercer Park..i bought a $7 standing room only ticket but got a nice box seat in the shade on the 3rd base side.....Van Kirk led off and went 2-4 with a pair of singles.....Trenton won the game 8-2.....Brian was 3-13 in the four game series.....he played and started all the games in left field...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted July 24, 2013 Eagleman, you do get around! Good for you! Thanks for the update on BVK. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ORUalum 435 Posted July 30, 2013 The Associated Press NEW YORK -- Toronto Blue Jays Double-A outfielder Brian Van Kirk has been suspended for 50 games without pay after a second violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program for a drug of abuse. Van Kirk's penalty marks the 36th this year in baseball's minor league program and eighth in as many days. The penalty starts immediately. In his second consecutive season with New Hampshire of the Eastern League, Van Kirk was batting .278 with two homers, 29 RBIs, one triple and 10 doubles in 70 games. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted July 31, 2013 Are you kidding me?......Hate to see what BVK's average would be WITHOUT the PEDs....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ron 9 Posted August 11, 2013 There must be a lot of pressure to perform especially at this stage in his career. Not trying to excuse, just to empathize. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
theeagleman5 371 Posted August 13, 2013 It's a shame...and he's not a kid anymore...like 27-28 years old and only in the AA Eastern League....TheEagleman hopes not but this type of thing could finish his career....wonder what he was taking..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
