Former Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt reflects on managing in every installment of World Baseball Classic
Photo credit: MLB Network - x.com
Former Toronto Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt has been Team Canada's manager in the World Baseball Classic since 2006.
Former Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt will manage Team Canada for the sixth time at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Whitt will be the only manager to hold that title through all six of the tournaments.
In addition to managing Canada at all of the World Baseball Classics, Whitt managed the national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won two gold medals at the Pan Am Games in 2011 and 2015.
MLB Network' Jon Morosi recently caught up with Whitt, noting that Whitt has been Canada's only manager since it's inaugural season in 2006.
"It's been awesome. Every year it seems to get better and better, and I'm honored that I'm just a part of it. I mean, you think after this long they'd dump me and go with someone else. Maybe My knowledge is still pretty good."
Morosi then asked Whitt how often he thinks about Canada's win over Team USA in 2006 WBC.
"I think about it a lot, Buck and I talk about it quite a bit, in fact I just saw him last night and the first thing we talked about was the event back in 2006. This event has grown so large right now and it's getting better and better. The excitement of the countries getting together, I think it's 20 countries now competing for this and then you think of all the countries that didn't qualify to get into it. I just love the passion that each country has when they go in and play these games."
Morosi asked Whitt how different the talent pool has changes since he started back in 2006.
"Now were actually getting big league players. Where before we were just hoping that players would at least have Double-A experience. So now it's a little harder to select a team because we've never had to say no to a big league player before, and this year that might be a possibility."
Whitt is still revered as one of the best catchers of his era
Ernie Whitt played 12 seasons for the Blue Jays, starting with the team's first season in 1977 and including their first post-season run in 1985.
He was the team's primary backstop as the Blue Jays rose to prominence through the 1980s and experienced their first tastes of success.
He helped the team capture two AL East pennants, in 1985 and 1989, and gave the city its first experience of postseason baseball.
Whitt was named to the AL All-Star team in 1985, a season in which he slashed .245/.323/.444 with 19 HR, 55 R and 64 RBI.
He bettered that All-Star season in 1987 with what could be considered the best offensive year of his career. In 135 games, he slashed a healthy .269/.334/.455 and contributed 19 HR, 57 R and 75 RBI.
During his 12 seasons with the Jays, Whitt amassed 21.8 WAR and is far and away the franchise leader at the catcher position with 131 HR, 888 H, 424 R, and 518 RBI.
In 2005, Whitt made it back to the big leagues as the Jays' bench coach for three seasons. He then spent part of 2008 as the first base coach before being let go by the club in a sweeping coaching change.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 20 | 80 ANSWERS Former Blue Jays catcher Ernie Whitt reflects on managing in every installment of World Baseball Classic Do you think Canada has a shot at this years World Baseball Classic? | ||
| Yes | 33 | 41.3 % |
| No | 40 | 50 % |
| Too early to tell | 7 | 8.8 % |
| List of polls | ||