The Western Major Baseball League is a league full of young players from US colleges. It is a summer baseball league and it is one that provides some very entertaining baseball. However, the league is also at the mercy of the weather. For the 2nd straight year, weather has thrown a monkeywrench not only into the league's finals, but its credibility as well.
Rain postponed Game 2 of the Regina-Swift Current for a second straight night. It means the best of five series now gets moved to a best of three because players need to head back south of the border to resume college. The 2nd game will be played in Regina on Saturday(weather permitting) and the 3rd one if necessary back in Swift Current. This just makes the league look bad.
When weather forced last year's championship between Okotoks and Melville to be suspended after what I think was one game--a game that Okotoks won, many scoffed at the league saying you play an entire schedule and then are forced to change things up at the end. The same thing is happening now. This is a major credibility problem for the league, and its one that must be addressed in the off-season.
With players coming up in mid-June, I don't know if you can start the season earlier. However, you must have something in place so that the finals can be played as a best of 5 and pray that the weather co-operates. Fewer off-days, three or four fewer games in the schedule. Something!
Its not fair to the two teams competing when it comes to gates as now Swift Current has the possibility of getting just one gate when they should have two. A Regina win would have given them two gates, but now they just get one. With momentum building in Regina over the past few weeks, its now your last chance to see them unless they win and you go to Swift Current. I'm guessing the excitement in both cities has had cold (rain)water thrown on it and that's too bad.
This is a matter that must be addressed by the league muckety-mucks over the winter months. A plan should have already been in place.
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I love the Deer Valley Golf Course. It is one of the most picturesque courses in Saskatchewan. While I love the scenery, I hate the layout. I won't play at Deer Valley unless its in a tournament because I get too frustrated losing one ball after another. That being said, I would play at Deer Valley every day if I had to choose between them and this course where they are playing the PGA Championship. Whistling Straits in Wisconsin is just nasty. Its filthy nasty! Have you seen this course? It looks to me as if there isn't much when it comes to forgiveness. It just begs the question as to how Matt Kuchar is eight under par. I don't think I could shoot eight under par on this course after 36 holes if it was on a video game. Is it?
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If you are a football fan, you have to love this time of year. All of the NFL exhibition games get onto the NFL Network at some point. I saw Jacksonville playing Philly tonight and I saw Martell Mallett of BC Lions fame put the ball in the endzone while running for at least 50 yards. He saw a lot of the ball for the Eagles. I'm looking forward to watching the Colts/Niners game later this weekend as we might get a good glimpse at John Chick.
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Speaking of Chick, everyone talks about him and Stevie Baggs being gone at NFL camps. Has everyone forgotten about Rey Williams? For some reason, I see him coming back to Saskatchewan and that will force the coaching staff to make a decision as Barrin Simpson has been fine in the middle this year as far as I'm concerned.
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Did you watch the Jays game tonight in Anaheim? I hope so, because I don't think you will see very much of them the rest of the way. Rogers Sportsnet One begins today with 25 Jays games being shown on the network. Guess what? Access doesn't have Sportsnet One on its lineup. In fact, it seems as if the network is only for Rogers subscribers in Ontario at this time. Isn't this how TSN2 started? Does Shaw have RS 1? I don't know when we are getting this channel, but the way the Jays are playing, I hope its soon.
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I didn't watch very much of the CFL game on Friday night. It looks though like Hamilton was in control from the get-go. It also sounded from what I heard at the end as if Paul LaPolice has a quarterback controversy on his hands.
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Rod Pedersen mentioned this on his blog Friday and I whole-heartedly agree. Can we just have Montreal go to the Grey Cup as the East rep and have the Riders play the Stamps to determine the Western finalist. After those three teams, there is a major drop-off.
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I am all for downtown revitalization and a stadium helping that process out. However, it boggles my mind as to why Hamilton's mayor is taking the stance that he is with this new stadium controversy--one that will result in the Ti-Cats leaving. I have looked at what is going on and I have heard what people have had to say. Bob Young knows what he wants and he isn't going to get that in the place where Hamilton's mayor wants a new facility. Someone has to talk some sense into Hamilton city council. They have to do it soon. My question is does Young move the Ti-Cats to Atlantic Canada or Quebec City. I say move it to the Maritimes. I also wonder if Hamilton leaves if there will be a desire on the part of the CFL to put another team in the Steel City.
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Here's your creepy, disturbing story of the day if not the week. Who in their right mind does this and why?
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Never take life seriously, because no one gets out alive!!
7 comments:
Why not start the first round of the playoffs as a best of 3? Then have the next two rounds as best of 5.
The WMBL does need to take its head out of the sand. You would think they would have talked about this after the fiasco that was Melville-Okotoks last year, but NOPE! Just some ideas, less off-days, weekend doubleheaders that start at say 3 and 730 and maybe starting the season mid-week instead of on a weekend.
Riders-Alouettes in a best of 7 for the GC. They are head and shoulders above everyone else, and that includes Calgary.
Bruce
Melville/Okotoks played two games last year - each team won one.
If each team won once, why does it say Okotoks was the league champ last year on their website?
Okotoks was declared champions after it was determined that Melville was using an illegal player in their line-up. Therefore they were stripped of their portion of the title.Fines and suspensions were levied.
The WMBL while a great thing for its markets, is at the end of the day, a summer league. This is not the main thing for it's players...the college season is the main thing for them. They already play 50+ games at their colleges in the spring, plus fall ball and off season workouts...there is no need for them to play up to 48 games plus 15 playoff games in the summer.
Shorten the season to say 40 or 42 games, plus 2 rounds of 5 games in playoffs. That gives you a solid week breathing room to avoid cancelled or shortened championships
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