SPORTS

Leiper to manage Blue Jays against Canadian national juniors

The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, March 11, 2014 3:48PM EDT

Canada's Corey Koskie (47) is congratulated as he rounds third base by coach Tim Leiper after Koskie hit a two-run home run off South Africa's Tyrone Lamont during the seventh inning of Round 1 of the World Baseball Classic Tuesday, March 7, 2006, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP / Ben Margot)

Text:

DUNEDIN, Fla. - With John Gibbons handling the Jays' split squad facing the Detroit Tigers in Lakeland, first base coach Tim Leiper will serve as manager of Toronto's other team Tuesday against the Canadian national juniors in St. Petersburg.

Leiper has Canadian ties.

He managed in the Montreal Expos' organization including a stint at the helm of the triple-A Ottawa Lynx of the International League in 2002.

He also served as a coach on the 2004 Canadian Olympic team as well as Canada's 2006 and 2009 World Baseball Classic squads.

He was part of the Baseball Canada staff that won bronze medals at both the 2008 and 2011 Baseball World Cups and the gold medal in the 2011 Pan-American Games.

He joined the Jays' coaching staff in the off-season after spending the past year as a special assistant to player development in the Toronto system.