Dust off your baseball caps, ice up your coolers, and make sure your folding chairs are still functional. Baseball season is right around the corner. That means long afternoons in the sun, bags upon bags of peanuts, and, of course, the return of our local summer pastime stars.
The Parkland Expos will fill up the diamond next month, sporting some fresh faces and a new ranking in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League (SPBL) division.
鈥淸We鈥檙e] ready to start the year,鈥� said Expos coach Mark Jacobs.
The Expos are entering the baseball season with a fairly major alteration: They鈥檝e changed their status from triple-A to double-A midget.
Jacobs said the decision was made at the last Expos meeting. Coaches, players, and parents reflected on their last season, where Jacobs said they 鈥渓ost more than [they] won.鈥� Based on their performance, the team decided double-A would be a better fit.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e constantly losing, it鈥檚 not fun,鈥� Jacobs said.
The decision to play double-A midget baseball is not final. The team will see how this upcoming season goes and, based on their standing in the league, they will determine if they should bump back up to triple-A or stay where they are.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a constant evaluation,鈥� Jacobs said.
The Expos hosted team tryouts at the Gallagher Centre in March, testing potential players pitching, catching, and running skills. Jacobs said there was an influx of new players to the team.
鈥淸There were] more new faces than we鈥檙e used to,鈥� he said.
When building this season鈥檚 team, Jacobs wanted to focus on ball work and holding back opposing teams鈥� offences.
鈥淚鈥檝e general stressed pitching and defence,鈥� he said.
This latest Expos team will practice at the Gloria Hayden Community Centre as they prepare for another season of baseball.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to work hard,鈥� Jacobs said. 鈥淓ffort all the time.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 practice hard, you don鈥檛 play hard.鈥�
The Parkland Expos schedule was not available as the paper went to press.
