{{short description|Canadian baseball player and scout}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Warren Sawkiw |image=Warren Sawkiw.jpg |position=[[Infielder]] / [[Utility player]] |bats=Switch |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date and age|mf=yes|1968|1|19}} |birth_place=[[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Canada |death_date= |death_place= }} '''Warren Sawkiw''' (born January 19, 1968) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] former [[professional baseball]] player and broadcaster. As a player, he was listed at {{convert|5|ft|11|in}} and {{convert|185|lb|kg}}; he threw right-handed and was a [[switch hitter]].<ref name=brm/>
==Biography== Born in [[Toronto|Toronto, Ontario]], Sawkiw played [[college baseball]] for the [[Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball|Wake Forest Demon Deacons]]. In 1988 and 1989, he played [[collegiate summer baseball]] with the [[Bourne Braves]] of the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] and was named a league all-star in 1989.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/90429/cid/6867969/1988-P-&-L-Promotions-Cape-Cod-League-3-Warren-Sawkiw |title=1988 P & L Promotions Cape Cod League #3 - Warren Sawkiw - Bourne Braves |publisher=tcdb.com |accessdate=April 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Handler's success heralds local possibilities | pages = 8 | newspaper = Barnstable Patriot | location = Barnstable, MA | date = July 27, 1989 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=BAR%2F1989%2F07%2F27&id=Ar00802&sk=7689CE29&viewMode=image | archive-date = April 27, 2021 | access-date = April 27, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210427022436/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=BAR/1989/07/27&id=Ar00802&sk=7689CE29&viewMode=image | url-status = dead }}</ref> He was selected by the [[Detroit Tigers]] in the [[1990 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/56005469/baseball-draft/ |title=Baseball Draft |newspaper=[[Kingsport Times-News]] |location=[[Kingsport, Tennessee]] |page=9 |date=June 15, 1990 |accessdate=July 24, 2020 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> He went on to play in [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] and [[Independent baseball league|independent]] baseball from 1990 to 1998, appearing in a total of 658 games, compiling a .277 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]]. He was primarily an [[infielder]], but also served as a [[utility player]], appearing at every defensive position including [[pitcher]].<ref name=brm>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=sawkiw001war |title=Warren Sawkiw Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |accessdate=July 24, 2020}}</ref> He started his professional career in 1990 with the [[Class A Short Season]] [[Niagara Falls Rapids]], advanced as far as [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] with the [[Syracuse Chiefs]] in 1995, and finished his career in baseball with the independent [[Elmira Pioneers]] in 1998.<ref name=brm/>
{{BLP sources section|date=July 2020}} After his retirement from baseball as a player, Sawkiw joined [[The Sports Network|TSN]] as a colour commentator on [[Montreal Expos]] games in 2001 and then [[Rogers Sportsnet]] as a studio analyst for the network's baseball coverage in 2003. After long-time [[Toronto Blue Jays]] radio broadcaster [[Tom Cheek]] was unable to serve as the team's lead radio play-by-play announcer in 2005 due to health issues, Sawkiw joined [[Jerry Howarth]] as an analyst on Blue Jays radio broadcasts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2005/04/17/1001120-sun.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310102816/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2005/04/17/1001120-sun.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |last=Ulmer |first=Mike |title=Sawkiw finds his calling|newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=17 April 2005 |access-date=2008-05-12 }}</ref> Sawkiw continued working in this capacity through the 2006 season, with former Blue Jays [[catcher]] and [[Houston Astros]] broadcaster [[Alan Ashby]] replacing Sawkiw in the broadcast booth in 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2007/01/25/3445708-sun.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160310132236/http://slam.canoe.com/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2007/01/25/3445708-sun.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 10, 2016 |last=Longley |first=Rob |title=Sawkiw strikes out|newspaper=Toronto Sun |date=25 January 2007 |access-date=2008-05-12 }}</ref> Sawkiw did color commentary for [[CBC Sports]]' coverage of [[baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.toronto2015.org/lang/en/about-the-games/athlete-advisory-council/warren-sawkiw.html |title=Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games | Warren Sawkiw |access-date=2012-08-17 |archive-date=2013-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328152134/http://www.toronto2015.org/lang/en/about-the-games/athlete-advisory-council/warren-sawkiw.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Sawkiw also served as the announcer for CBC Sports' coverage of [[baseball at the 2015 Pan American Games]].
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== *{{baseballstats |brm=sawkiw001war}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sawkiw, Warren}} [[Category:1968 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Baseball players from Toronto]] [[Category:Birmingham Barons players]] [[Category:Bourne Braves players]] [[Category:Canadian radio sportscasters]] [[Category:Canadian television sportscasters]] [[Category:Elmira Pioneers players]] [[Category:Fayetteville Generals players]] [[Category:Knoxville Smokies players]] [[Category:Lakeland Tigers players]] [[Category:Montreal Expos announcers]] [[Category:Niagara Falls Rapids players]] [[Category:Rochester Aces players]] [[Category:Syracuse Chiefs players]] [[Category:Thunder Bay Whiskey Jacks players]] [[Category:Toronto Blue Jays announcers]] [[Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons baseball players]] [[Category:Winnipeg Goldeyes players]] [[Category:1998 Baseball World Cup players]]