Montreal took out a full-page ad in the Montreal Gazette to thank Max Birstall for his time with the club. Erik Breum expressed appreciation for Birstall’s team-first attitude and said that Max’s work ethic was a great example for the club’s younger players. “He was always a fan favorite during my time here, and he will be missed by both the team and our fan base. I wish him every success in Edmonton, and I know that the fans in Alberta will appreciate him just as much as we have in Quebec.”
Max Birstall
Birstall was 21 years old when he was selected in the first round of the 2047 draft by the Blazers out of college. He rocketed through the minor leagues that season, throwing eleven innings for AA Mississauga and nine innings for AAA New Jersey before joining the big league club, where he threw 24⅔ innings in 22 appearances to a 3.65 ERA.
During his eleven years with Montreal, Birstall appeared in 711 games and recorded 231 saves. Last year, in the Blazers pennant-winning campaign, he led the league with 43 saves.
Team officials, off the record, said that the new management wasn’t comfortable with Birstall’s 1.2 HR/9, especially given their pitcher friendly home field. In addition, his agent wanted almost $5 million per season for an extension, which was too much for a team near the salary cap. The good news for Birstall is that he was able to sign for $27.3 million for four years, considerably more than he had been expecting with an extension.
58.05 Blazers Bid Farewell to Max Birstall
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58.05 Blazers Bid Farewell to Max Birstall
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Re: 58.05 Blazers Bid Farewell to Max Birstall
Wish Birstall could have been a life long Blazer but get the dollar and cents.
trmmilwwi - GM San Antonio Outlaws
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