Have Gun, Will Travel
‘It’s not over till it’s over! ‘ You hear that all the time in a ball game, but how about a ball players season? Kids playing provincial baseball have the greatest opportunity to play at the highest level of competition possible, with the system Baseball Alberta has put into place.
A kid from a small town who wants to stay home and play with his own association during the season, and is playing single A or AA at the lower tiers, (tier #3 through tier #5 team ), can be picked up (if he’s good enough), after their own teams provincials are finished, to play on a AA tier #1 or #2 team or even on a AAA team.
The draft is held on Tuesday, after the provincial finals are done, where the higher ranked teams are allowed to draft two players from the lower ranks. The first place team in the division gets the first pick, then the second place team, and down to the eight place team then back up to first.
Not every team needs extra players but many of them are looking for another stud pitcher to beef up their bullpen. Coaches must talk to the player and his parents before putting their name forward in the draft to make sure they are interested in going.
Many years ago Jordan Bassett and Tyler Warawa had been picked up to play after their provincial tournament was over. Tyler won a gold medal with Acme that year. Mark Letestu was picked up by Provost the year he helped Elk Point win their provincial gold. Other Elk Point Sox players over the years have went on to play and some have declined because of other commitments.
Such was the case with Cody ‘the Babe’ Fairbairn and Dalton ‘007’ Reed this year, who after winning the tier #5 AA bantam gold medal had be asked if they were interested in getting drafted but both had other plans already.
Austin ‘Captain Obvious’ Stafford
Another one of our local boys did get approached to go on. Austin ‘Captain Obvious’ Stafford was scouted and approached by the Edmonton Padres and agreed to play. He played this year with the Marwayne Huskies midget AA team and was one of the top pitchers for his team all year. In the midget tier #3 provincial final tournament held two weeks ago in St. Paul, he won a MVP for his pitching performance and also for driving in the winning run against St. Paul in extra innings.
After the game the manager of the Padres had a conversation with him asking if he wished to play with them in the AA tier #2 tournament in Ft. Saskatchewan, which was held this past weekend. ‘Captain Obvious’ agreed to play and was drafted.
He was an obvious choice for the Padres who had seen him play a few times earlier this year, as well as in the tournament; but I’m sure even they never expected him to turn out as well as he did for them.
During the tier # 2 tournament in the Fort in the very first game, ‘Ozzie’ coming out of the bull pen in a pressure situation. In the middle of the game with runners on the bases and two out, he struck out the batter and stranded the runners. ‘Ozzie’ finished up throwing a total of 37 pitches in that game, getting 5 K’s before being pulled and saved for the next day. The Padres were leading 5 to 3 at that point but would go on to lose. Who knows what may have happened if ‘Captain Obvious’ stayed in the game.
In midget baseball provincials the magic number is 40, over 40 pitches and the pitcher is not allowed to throw until he has a day off. The coaching staff made a decision to save him and had to live with it. On Saturday, they played in the morning, losing that one too, but ‘Ozzie’ got the start on the hill in their second game of the day, doing a terrific job chucking the maximum allowed, 110 pitches, and a force at the plate too, getting on base and making it home he was named the MVP of the game.
The Padres failed to make it to the semi- finals but it certainly wasn’t because of their hired gun. ‘Captain Obvious ‘ efforts, who turned out to be a fantastic draft choice for the Padres. They just needed a few more good men like him!!
In other baseball news, this past weekend the Lakeland North Stars AA peewee team also played, in the tier #2 provincial finals held in Leduc. Not very often a team in its first season will make it playing up into tier #2.
After playing fairly well, but still losing their first two games to Sedwick and Leduc, they had their toughest challenge of the weekend against the top seeded team Wetaskwin, who had won their two previous games and were out looking for a win to finish first place in the pool at the mercy of the North Stars.
The North Stars with two loses had nothing to lose, but their pride, and came out with no pressure and played one of their best games of the season. Back and forth all game, North Stars on top by one run in the bottom of the 7th inning. The home team, Wetaskwin would tie up the game, but left the winning run stranded. Extra innings…top of the 8th….. North Stars took a two run lead….. bottom of the 8th. ….bases were loaded when the North Stars make a fantastic double play on a line drive… then catch a long pop fly in center field to win the game.. too little…too late…you say…but still really great way for this young team to end the year beating one of the best teams in Alberta.
Wetaskwin went on to mercy Camrose in the semi final game and meet Drayton Valley in the final game. No report on the result of that one as of press time. A big thanks going out to the Elk Point Oilmen who’s donation help with the team start up cost. With the experience they gained in their first year, and how far they have come, the coaching staff and the boys can’t wait until next year to do it again.
And now for the K.A. Campbell quote of the week. ‘ Every season has peaks and valleys. You have to try to eliminate the Grand Canyon. ‘ – Andy Van Slyke
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