Canadians’ Andy may not be Dunn climbing the ladder in pro baseball

SCENE & HEARD: Andy Dunn had every intention of being in his box seat just to the right of home plate at Nat Bailey Stadium Monday afternoon watching his Vancouver Canadians launch into the Northwest Baseball League playoffs.

But like the rest of the anxious baseball bunch in Vancouver, Dunn sat in his office Friday afternoon not knowing the immediate fate of the C’s. ( The C’s clinched a post- season berth with a 3- 1 win in Yakima.) It was one of those multi- pronged Rubik’s cube puzzles that hinged on wins and losses involving the Eugene Emeralds, Spokane Indians, Yakima Bears and Vancouver in this final weekend of the regular schedule.

“We just want to keep playing,” said the part- owner and president of the Canadians. “Winning is the only way to develop the young talent at our level. It’s the one element that builds character.”

With that thought in mind, Dunn threw superstition to the wind and put playoff tickets on sale this past Tuesday. To the surprise of the local buying public who’ve become accustomed to NHL playoff gouging, the cost of postseason baseball tickets remained the same as regular- season prices.

“We’re not interested in making a couple of extra bucks from each fan at playoff time,” Dunn says. “If we can fill our park on the holiday Monday with kids heading back to school on Tuesday, that would be great.”

HERE ‘ N’ THERE: When local owners Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney hired Dunn to run the Canadians in 2007, they knew they had somebody special over and above the fact he had previous big- league experience with the Florida Marlins, Montreal Expos and Washington Nationals.

Will the C’s parent Toronto Blue Jays be the next stop for Dunn at a major league level?

Let’s put it this way: Jays’ senior vice- president and general manager Alex Anthopoulos has made more than one clandestine visit to Nat Bailey Stadium over the course of the summer. He was at last Sunday’s final home game wearing a well- worn Blue Jays’ cap pulled down over his brow in a location nowhere near where Kerr, Mooney and Dunn sit.

When the C’s scoreboard announced yet another attendance record for the NWL franchise, Anthopoulos was spotted writing down the number in a scribbler that appeared to be already filled with copious personal notes.

SHORT HOPS: There had been a buzz circulating throughout baseball circles that Dunn was about to replace outgoing Northwest League president Bob Richmond, who’s retiring after 30 years. “Not true,” Dunn said Friday. “In fact, I’m on the selection committee to find a replacement. I wouldn’t be in the running if I was on the selection committee.”

END ZONE: Dunn is thrilled that the Canadians will live for another day ( a playoff game Monday), since that will allow field manager Clayton McCullough, shortstop Jorge Flores and pitcher Javier Avendano to be appropriately acknowledged by the C’s faithful at Nat Bailey for their NWL awards announced this week: McCullough, Manager of the Year; Flores and Avendano named to the 2012 all- star team.