Ontario Senior Baseball Association

2012 News Archive

Pickering Pirates rely on team chemistry to win championship

Rally from two down to beat York in senior baseball final

For the Pickering Pirates, it went a lot deeper than the usual suspects of hitting, defence and pitching to get to their first-ever Ontario Senior Baseball Association championship.

Team chemistry and a sense of pride were major factors in the team rallying from a 2-0 deficit to the York Diamonds, and winning the best-of-five championship series with three victories in a row, the final two in a doubleheader at York's Centennial Park on Saturday.

"One thing I'm very happy and proud of is our team chemistry," said manager Phil Lacombe. "The core of our team have played together for so long.

"I think that's something that differentiates us and something that helped us when we were down 2-0 in the championship series. I wanted to win that championship because I wanted my best friends who I play baseball with to experience it."

After falling in the first two games of the series by scores of 11-4 and 7-4, the Pirates put together a three-game winning streak at the right time, turning the series around with a 12-5 win in Game 3, followed by 2-1 and 3-2 decisions in games four and five.

Tom Malyk pitched the Pirates to victory in the third game to extend the series. Pitcher Brad Binns influenced the result in the final two games, going the distance in the Game 4 win of 2-1, then getting the save for starter Will Mariani in the fifth and deciding 3-2 game.

In the bottom of the seventh and final inning of Game 5, with the Pirates clinging to a one-run lead and York runners on first and second with two out, Binns got one of the best players in the league, Steve Foley, to hit a fly ball to right fielder Romeo Persaud to end the game.

Persaud, who is the team's captain and has been with the club since 1995, said a nine-game winning streak heading into the playoffs helped the Pirates build some momentum, finishing the regular season with a 16-9-1 record and grabbing the third seed in the Eastern Conference.

"We knew we weren't the best team, but we were definitely playing the best baseball going in and we were just trying to build on that and keep it going," he said.

In other years the team has had a strong start to the season, but faded when it got closer to the playoffs, added Lacombe. This season, as an underdog, the team revelled in the role.

"Unlike other years, we've done well out of the gate at the beginning of the year and became a little complacent later in the season. Not playing meaningful games meant that twice we lost in the early rounds of the playoffs."

On the way to the championship series, the Pirates beat the Port Hope River Rats 2-0, the Port Hope Flyers 2-1, and the No. 1-seeded Whitby Chiefs 2-1 in the Eastern Conference championship series, earning the right to face the Western Conference champions from York.

The win in the deciding game over York turned the tables on the team's previous results in the championship series. In both 2008 and 2010 the Pirates reached the final, only to lose both times in the fifth and deciding game

OSBA announces 2012 GOLD GLOVE winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

FIRSTBASE - PAT McENROE - Mississauga Southwest Twins
SECONDBASE - ELGENE CHAN - Newmarket Express
THIRDBASE - ADAM MUTO - Vaughan Vikings
SHORTSTOP - ELLISON CHAN - Newmarket Express
CATCHER - MARK PEREIRA - York Diamonds
PITCHER - DAVID CLARK - Metro Mets
LEFTFIELD - JEFF BOND - Mississauga Southwest Twins
CENTERFIELD - STEVE FOLEY - York Diamonds
RIGHTFIELD - SCOTT GOW - Newmarket Express

EASTERN CONFERENCE

FIRSTBASE - SEAN GRAY - Pickering Pirates
SECONDBASE - DAN BLEA - Brooklin Dodgers
THIRDBASE - RYAN DAVIES - Port Hope Flyers
SHORTSTOP - MICK KURHAN - Oshawa A's
CATCHER - JASON GEORGE - Pickering Pirates
PITCHER - WILL MARIANI - Pickering Pirates
LEFTFIELD - LAWRENCE THOMAS - Brooklin Dodgers
CENTERFIELD - MATT D'SOUZA - Pickering Pirates
RIGHTFIELD - ROBERT McNAB - Port Hope Flyers

OSBA announces 2012 BIGGEST OSBA SUPPORTER winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PAUL FREEMAN - York Diamonds

EASTERN CONFERENCE

JIM TAYLOR - Whitby Chiefs

OSBA announces 2012 MOST SPORTSMANLIKE winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

ERIC FOLEY - York Diamonds

EASTERN CONFERENCE

GRAIG ANDREW - Whitby Chiefs

OSBA announces 2012 COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

JOEY PILEGGI - Mississauga Majors

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TOM MALYK - Pickering Pirates

OSBA announces 2012 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

JAMIE HATFIELD - Metro Mets

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NICK STONE - Port Hope River Rats

OSBA announces 2012 SILVER SLUGGER winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

STEVE FOLEY - York Diamonds

EASTERN CONFERENCE

BRAD PICKERING - Port Hope Flyers

OSBA announces 2012 TOP RELIEF PITCHER winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

JOSH PILEGGI - Mississauga Majors

EASTERN CONFERENCE

TRISTAN BEADLE - Whitby Chiefs

2012 OSBA MVP Award winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

STEVE FOLEY - York Diamonds

EASTERN CONFERENCE

BRAD PICKERING - Port Hope Flyers

2012 OSBA Top Pitcher Award winners

WESTERN CONFERENCE

MICHAEL BANNON - Mississauga Majors

EASTERN CONFERENCE

MARK DAINTY - Oshawa A's

2012 OSBA Championship series results

PICKERING PIRATES vs. YORK DIAMONDS

Game #1 -

Pirates 4 Diamonds 11

WP - Tsukasa Murakoso (CG, 7 K's)
LP - Will Mariani (CG, 6 K's)

HR - Steve Foley (2), Steve Correia

For York, Manny Rodriguez had 3 hits, Steve Foley, Steve Correia, Brent Sterling, and Denis Hucal had 2 apiece. Hucal had a 3-run double.

For Pickering, Scott Gray had 2 hits, 2 RBI, and a walk. Ryan D'Souza and Jaymin Parmar both had 2 hits.

Game #2 -

Pirates 4 Diamonds 7

WP - Eric Foley (CG)
LP - Brad Binns (CG)

Pickering scored 3 in the first to go up 3-0. York got one back in the bottom of the inning. It stayed that way until the bottom of the 6th, when York got 6 runs with the big blow being a 3-run double for Denis Hucal. Hucal and Mark Pereira has 2 hits each.

For the Pirates, Scott Gray had 2 hits.

Game 3 -

Diamonds 5 Pirates 12

WP - Tom Malyk (6 IP)
LP - Denis Hucal

The Pirates came in and bashed the ball around the park to bring the series to a 2-1 score in favour of the Diamonds.

The Pirates took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third, then added 7 runs in the fourth to cruise to the win. Tom Malyk settled in after a rough start and he was aided by some strong defense by Ryan D' Souza at shortstop.

Ryan D' Souza, Matt D' Souza, Sean Gray, Jaymin Parmar, and Will Mariani all had 2 hits for the Pirates. Gray, Mariani, and Syndey Saunders all had 2 RBI.

OSBA CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Pickering Pirates vs. York Diamonds

Regular Season Record & Final Standing:

Diamonds: 17-7-2; 1^st in conference

Pirates: 16-9-1; 3^rd in conference

Overview:

This is it. The dust has settled and the final two have emerged – both looking for their first-ever OSBA Championship. The York Diamonds finished the regular season 1^st overall in their conference and thanks to the West winning the annual All-Star game will have home field advantage in this best of 5 championship series. This will be the first time for the Diamonds in the finals whereas the Pickering Pirates get to the dance for the 3^rd time in 5 years. Pickering continues their pattern of an appearance every other year – 2008, 2010 and now 2012 – hoping all good things come in threes.

How They Got Here:

Each series in the first 3 rounds was a best of 3

York – Defeated Mississauga Southwest Twins in quarter finals (2-0), Metro Mets in semi-finals (2-0), Mississauga Majors in conference finals (2-0)

Pickering – Defeated Port Hope River Rats in quarter finals (2-0), Port Hope Flyers in semi-finals (2-1), Whitby Chiefs in conference finals (2-1)

Skinny:

York has done a great job minimizing the workload for their starters by sweeping their opposition in the first three rounds. They continue to get strong pitching complimented by enough offence per game to get the job done. Pickering put up big numbers last round but also uncharacteristically surrendered more than they normally do on a per game average - suggesting their pitching staff is in need of a bounce-back series. This club can beat you in more ways than one and they proved it in the conference finals.

Players to Watch For:

Diamonds: OF Steve Foley, P Eric Foley,P Tsukasa Murakoso, IF Denis Hucal, Utility Rich Freeman

Pirates: OF Sydney Saunders, P Brad Binns, OF Matt D’Souza, C Scott Gray, IF Ryan D’Souza

Historical Facts:

View the OSBA forum for some historical information on these two teams including records, roster moves and the dates/location/times for the championship series games.

X-Factor:

Preparation

This will be the first time the championship will be decided where during the regular season the teams did not play the opposite conference through cross-over games. Both teams have probably followed the play-offs unfold while reviewing the playoff bracket. They may have even glanced over the stats to see who is currently leading their opposition in key areas. However, there are other ways to gather information and drill down deeper looking for an edge. The manager willing to do the most homework will have their team more prepared when taking the field. Pre-game preparation won’t necessarily bring home a championship but it never hurts to know as much about your competition as possible. The club that utilizes the info most effectively and plays to the other sides’ weaknesses should emerge as the season’s champion.

PICKERING PIRATES2012 OSBA CHAMPIONS

Congratulations to the Pirates for coming all the way back and winning the 2012 OSBA CHAMPIONSHIP series 3 games to 2, after being down 0-2.

Brad Binns threw a complete game in Game #4 to defeat Tsukasa Murakoso 2-1. The first run scored on an error as some aggressive baserunning by Matt d'Souza paid off. A Sydney Saunders gorundout made it 2-0 in the first.

A Denis Hucal groundout scored the York run but Binns pitched out of trouble to close the deal.

In Game #5, Will Mariani pitched 4 1/3 for the win before Binns came in to close it out and get the save in a 3-2 Pirates win. Eric Foley pitched well and went the distance for York.

The Pirates again jumped out to a 2-0 lead as an error played a big part. York scored 1 to make it 2-1, and then the teams exchanged runs. Binns let two runners reach base in the 7th but got a fly ball right field to end it. York made 6 errors and left 13 runners on base. The Pirate pitchers ability to get big out with runners in scoring position was the difference in this series.

Congrats to the Pirates on a well-deserved championship and the Diamonds for a great season that came up a bit short.

Overview:

Both teams enter the conference finals having swept their opposition last round. In fact, the Diamonds have not lost yet this post season and hope to continue their winning ways against a young Majors ball club who have never reached this far since joining the OSBA back in 2007. These clubs met just twice during the regular season and it was the Majors who got the best of York leaving with three of four points (1-0-1).

Skinny:

The last time the Diamonds surrendered a run was back in game #2 of the opening round vs. the Twins. They shut out the Mets in back to back games during the semi-finals and have given up just 8 runs so far through 4 games played. Aside from their first game this postseason, the Majors have been somewhat stingy themselves when it comes to runs against. Where this club stands out is in runs for with 48 through 5 games. Both clubs have great pitching and have demonstrated that when they are facing one another it is good enough to quiet the bats. However, this is the postseason, and teams should expect the unexpected.

Players to Watch For:

Diamonds: IF Denis Hucal, OF Steve Foley, P Eric Foley, P Tsukasa Murakoso, IF Nick Gugliemlo

Majors: OF Kyle Gerrard, IF Josh Pileggi, OF JP Anderson, P Joey Pileggi, P Craig Rattos

X-Factor:

Desire:

Both clubs are looking to advance to the OSBA Finals for the first time. The Diamonds were in the conference finals last year, but came up just short. They should have an edge here when it comes to playoff experience but the Majors have players who’ve been to the finals on their roster. Both teams want that sole right to represent their conference and a shot at becoming the next champion. Only one team can advance and it all comes down to who wants it the most.

Overview:

The Pirates and Chiefs meet in the conference finals for the second time in 3 years. Back in 2010, the Pirates beat the Chiefs two games to one to advance to the league championship. The Pirates also got the best of the Chiefs winning the division pennant in ’10 and ’11 by virtue of a tie-breaker. This season the two teams met four times and it was the Chiefs who swept the series. Every time these two teams meet the games are quite intense. Given the history between these clubs, the fact they are division rivals and both wanting the right to participate in the finals should have all the ingredients for a great series.

Skinny:

The Pirates have been one of the hottest teams in the OSBA since the second half. Their solid play continues in the post season. This club consistently gets solid pitching, defence and hitting all year and when all three are going at the same time they are very difficult to beat. The Chiefs continue to rely on their pitching depth to win games. Their hitting has been decent but not spectacular. Defensively they are solid as well which should help keep this series a low scoring affair. Given how many times these clubs have faced one another over the years there is no surprise element. This will be a series of whoever wants it the most will move on.

Players to Watch For:

Chiefs: C Jeff Kingdon, 3B Preston Wasmund, OF Jon Thiebaud, SS Steve Mitchell, OF Darryl Denyer

Pirates: OF Matt D’Souza, IF Ryan D’Souza, OF Sydney Saunders, P Brad Binns, C Scott Gray

X-Factor:

Offense

The old adage of pitching and defence win baseball games will certainly be a big part of this series. Both clubs are very evenly matched and to win, runs need to be scored. Relying on 1 run could be all that it takes but both clubs are going to need to pile on as many as they can, knowing what’s up for grabs.

Overview:

These two teams met last year in the opening round of the playoffs and the A’s in their inaugural season took the Chiefs to a 3^rd and decisive game before falling just short in their attempt at pulling off an upset. Fast forward to this season and the A’s while not winning a division pennant find themselves in the semi-finals with another chance to oust the Chiefs. Whitby on the other hand is looking to advance to the conference finals for a 3^rd consecutive time and must realize they are in tough with the starting pitching the A’s can roll out in this best of 3. The Chiefs have played relatively consistent all season and have solid pitching of their own. This series could be a very low scoring affair.

Skinny:

With a win and a tie during the regular season the Chiefs got the best of the A’s but come playoff time that doesn’t matter. The A’s will rely on solid pitching and production from the top of their order. The Chiefs’ bread and butter all year has been their pitching so getting the offense to start clicking on all cylinders would be a welcomed boost. Both clubs have strong fan support so look for some extra energy coming from the bleachers.

Players to Watch For:

Chiefs: OF Graig Andrew, C Mike Moorcroft, SS Steve Mitchell, 2B Dan Alayon, Utility James Rowe

A’s: IF Adam Dupont, P Dylan Reid, SS Mick Kurhan, Utility Rob Robinson, P Mark Dainty

X-Factor:

Clutch Hitting:

In order to win a ball game at least one run or more must be scored. Given the individual performances of the pitchers who will most likely see time on the mound in this series, runs may be at a premium. So clutch hitting is going to be very important. Whichever team can get to one of the starters early should improve their chances to win the ball game. Doing it twice isn’t out of the question and could lead to a series victory.

Overview:

Both clubs enter this series at a perfect 2-0 in these playoffs after sweeping their opposition last weekend. The Eastern Division 1 pennant winning Flyers had an easy go with the 7^th seed Talons while the Pirates had a somewhat closer series with the expansion River Rats who were seeded 6th. So for a second straight round the Pirates will look to knock off a team from Port Hope while the Flyers look to eliminate another team from the East Division 2.

Skinny:

The Pirates swept the regular season series – winning both games by a single run. Prior to their games back in July neither club had ever faced one another previously and that should add to the overall appeal of this series. Both clubs have some strong pitching, solid line-ups with a combination of speed, power and veteran presence plus good overall depth. In addition, both teams proved during the regular season and through the first round of playoffs they can put runs on the board as well as keep the opposition to minimal scoring chances – suggesting this could be a very gruelling and intense match-up.

Players to Watch For:

Flyers: C Mike Walker, SS Brett Jiggins, OF Derek Dennee, Utility Owen Sharp, P Bobby Gilligan

Pirates: C Jason George, 1B Sean Gray, OF Sydney Saunders, P Will Mariani, IF Jaymin Parmar

X-Factor:

Catching:

With this series offering a little bit of everything, the catchers can have a big impact on this series. From preventing passed balls to throwing out runners to setting up the team’s defence, the backstops are going to need to have a big series in an effort to move their club forward another week. Often referred to as the smartest baseball minds on the field; look for the guys behind the dish to step it up a notch in this series.

Overview:

The Diamonds enter this series a little more rested than the Mets after sweeping the 8^th seeded Twins. The Newmarket Express who were seeded 3^rd heading into the playoffs took the Mets to a 3^rd and decisive game where they pulled off a late game comeback to win the series and their first-ever playoff round in franchise history.

Skinny:

These divisional rivals appear to be very evenly matched heading into their semi-final series. When looking back at the regular season they played 5 times - each team sporting a 2-2-1 record. Even more interesting, when you remove the tie from opening day, the Diamonds won both games by a 3-2 score while the Mets posted shutouts (10-0 and 7-0) in both of their victories. The Mets clearly had the better runs for/against but the Diamonds finished the season with a lower team E.R.A. and batting average. Add in the overall familiarity with many of the players dating back to when both clubs competed in the Metro Senior Baseball League (MSBL) and there leaves very little for either coaching staff to have to scout prior to the opening pitch.

Players to Watch For:

Diamonds: OF Steve Foley, Utility Josh Vanski, P Tsukasa Murakoso, 2B Manny Rodriquez, P Eric Foley

Mets: P Clint Jeon, P David Clark, Utility Jamie Hatfield, Utility German Garcia, OF Daniel Dodds

X-Factor:

Pitching:

Solid pitching can carry a team a long way in the playoffs and both of these clubs appear to have a number of them healthy and ready to go. Given the short history between these two clubs in the OSBA, the safe bet is to expect this series to go the full three games. And whoever can get the best performances from their starters will not only make things easier on the bullpen but also increase the likelihood of moving on to the conference finals.

Overview:

The post season has not been overly kind to either of these clubs in the past. The Majors joined the OSBA prior to the start of the ’07 season and have had their struggles to even get there over the years. The Vikings who have made the playoffs each year since joining the OSBA prior to the start of the 2010 season have yet to really do anything with their opportunities. One thing is for sure, one of these clubs will make it to the conference finals for the first time at a chance of advancing one round further and a shot at the OSBA Cup.

Skinny:

Being in different divisions these two teams only met twice during the regular season back in July. The series was split with the Majors taking a close 1-run victory while the Vikings put a pounding on the pitching for their lop-sided victory. Both teams lack depth issues. The Majors enter the series with a shorter bench while the Vikings are getting by with a slightly banged up roster.

Players to Watch For:

Vikings: SS Andrew Marrese, P Lane Gold, P Daniel Pelley, IF Jon Muia, Utility Adam Muto

Majors: OF JP Anderson, OF Marcel Roque, Utility Joey Pileggi, P Michael Bannon, P Craig Rattos

X-Factor:

Big Game Experience:

While it has already been mentioned that neither team has a lot of post season experience, both clubs will need to draw from other big game situations in order to help keep the momentum from having serious shifts in this series. Both teams have players who have competed at high levels and numerous tournaments, but those who can step-up under pressure when it counts the most should be rewarded with at least another week of ball.

2012 OSBA

Play-Off Previews

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Overview:

These two teams met in the conference finals a year ago and it was the Cubs who advanced and went all the way – capturing their first OSBA title. Not much has changed since last year. The Chiefs are once again at the top of the regular season standings and the defending champs made it to the post season securing the 8^th and final seed. The Chiefs want to avoid exiting the playoffs at the hands of the Cubs and the champs want to show lightening can be caught in a bottle more than once.

Skinny:

There is no question that this series has a little more fuel for the fire than any of the others in the opening round. In addition to what happened last season many of the players on both clubs know each other and are former Durham Lords team mates. So there are games within the game that will help add to the overall intensity in this series.

Players to Watch For:

Chiefs: OF/P Tristan Beadle, P Julian Daligadu, 1B Tim Cozier, OF Ryan Fleming, OF Adam Tedesco

Cubs: P Lars Clay, P Shawn Lamb, 1B Rob Thorne, SS JP Vittorio, C Mike Welbourne

X-Factor:

Pitching Depth:

Clarington will need to over-rely on reining playoff MVP Lars Clay and a couple of others if they want to go all the way and defend their title. Whitby appears ready to share the pitching duties amongst a larger number of hurlers. Where things will get interesting is if any of the starters get knocked out of a game. Whoever gets the best performances out of their pitching staff should win this series.

Overview:

Coming over from the EOBA, the Flyers did not look out of place facing OSBA competition. In fact, they were one of the most successful and consistent teams all year. Their worst losing streak was just three games while enjoying four different winning streaks of three or more. The Talons get back to the post-season for the first time since 2008. Some off-season acquisitions have bolstered their team depth and should give them a fighting chance against a strong Flyers ball club.

Skinny:

The Flyers head into their first-ever OSBA post-season and do so having won their last three regular season games and getting in some extra work competing in the OBA A Provincial championships over Labour Day weekend. The Talons made things interesting winning their final two regular season games which put them into a tie with Clarington. The Talons won on the 4^th tie-break securing the 7^th seed. Regardless, they are in the playoffs and finally got that proverbial monkey off their backs.

Players to Watch For:

Flyers: 1B Brad Pickering, SS Brett Jiggins, IF/P Ryan Davis, P Bobby Gilligan, P Mike McNaught

Talons: 2B Derek Junkin, SS Mitch Potok, P Mike Arsenault, P Jamie Agombar, P Steve Embrey

X-Factor:

Offensive Attack:

While both teams have solid pitching and defence where this series could be won or lost is in the offense. The Talons only hit .210 as a team suggesting they’ll need to manufacturer runs and capitalize on cashing-in runners in scoring position if they want to win this series. The Flyers hit 60 points higher and have some very potent bats in the middle of their order. Anything left over the plate to those guys and the score could change in a hurry.

Overview:

The Pirates enter the post season clicking on all cylinders. Unbeaten in their final 10 games of the regular season (winners of their last 9) helped the club vault up the standings into 3^rd overall. The expansion River Rats had almost the exact reverse experience – dropping 8 of their last 10 games – causing them to drop in the overall standings and losing home field advantage in the first round.

Skinny:

Every opening round match-up in the East will see teams from the opposite division face one another. During the regular season cross-divisional play meant only two games versus each opponent compared to four games when playing within the division. Pickering swept the River Rats back in May so it has been over three months since these teams faced one another. Familiarity is minimal for both clubs which definitely has pluses and minuses.

Players to Watch For:

Pirates: OF Sydney Saunders, C Scott Gray, 2B Ryan D’Souza, P Tom Malyk, P Will Mariani

River Rats: P Nick Stone, P Kyle Dekeyser, P Nate Moelker, Utility Nic Coghill, IF Brandon Vaters

X-Factor:

Experience:

While youth has advantages, in senior baseball, experience is often something that can take years to acquire. The Pirates have division pennants and finals experience under their belts. They know what it takes to get all members out to each and every playoff game and what can happen when that doesn’t occur. The River Rats are a very young team by senior baseball standards and will need every player to step-up and be there when it counts the most. The River Rats now have a chance to create their own post season experience and take a run at the OSBA Cup.

Overview:

The Dodgers had a great bounce-back season after failing to make the playoffs in 2011. In fact, they had an opportunity to capture a division pennant but lost their final four games to slip to 4^th overall. What does that get them? Well home field in round one but hosting a team with arguably one of the best pitching staffs in the conference. The A’s after a poor May and early June started putting a few wins together here and there which translated into a .500 record and a top five finish in the conference.

Skinny:

These two clubs met at the very end of the season due to a rainout and when the games finally got re-scheduled and played they meant nothing for either team. Meaning, neither club could improve upon their standing so it gave both teams an opportunity to get everyone some playing time. The A’s won both games and perhaps gained a bit a momentum heading into this series.

Players to Watch for:

Dodgers: OF Mike Desputeaux, OF Jason Bowman, P Jason Graham, IF Derek Grieve, P Sam Grabowski

A’s: SS Mick Kurhan, P Mark Dainty, P Chris Kemlo, IF Adam Dupont, Utility Derek Crossman

X-Factor:

Coaching:

The Dodgers have won two OSBA championships and made a bunch of trips to the finals in their previous 11 seasons. Knowing when to execute a move whether it be a hit and run, double steal or sacrifice bunt is just as important as knowing when to make a pitching change. Both teams have strong pitching but will need to pull some other rabbits out of their hats to help advance their club to the next round. The pitching would suggest a low scoring series so who executes when an opportunity presents itself could play a big role in this series.

Overview:

After a lousy May, the Diamonds turned their play around big-time - going an impressive 16-3-1 to capture their division and first overall in the West. The Twins had one of the worst starts in OSBA history (1-13) before starting to put some wins on the board and finishing their schedule at a 8 wins to 4 losses clip. These two teams played each other twice during the regular season with York taking both games and outscoring the Twins 26-3.

Skinny:

The Twins will need to figure out a way to put a bunch of runs on the board if they hope to pull off an upset in the opening round. The Diamonds gave up just 85 runs in 26 regular season games this year which works out to just a little over three per game.

Players to Watch For:

Diamonds: OF Steve Foley, IF Denis Hucal, OF Steve Correia, P Eric Foley, OF Brent Sterling

Twins: P/OF Cutis Strabac, C Jay Woodford, OF Jeff Bond, 1B Pat McEnroe, P Stu Kingston

X-Factor:

Defence:

Both teams can hit and have enough pitching to win the series. The Twins have nothing to lose. If they want to get beyond this round, and make a Cinderella-like run, they are going to need to be razor sharp. Whichever team can make the fewest errors should win this series but sometimes in baseball it comes down to who can capitalize on the opposition’s miscues. The regular season is now the past and whoever wants this series the most, will live to fight another day.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Overview:

The Majors enter the post season with one of the smallest-ever playoff rosters at just 13 players qualified. Nevertheless they are in and that has not been the case all that regularly for this franchise. After losing some strong veteran talent in the offseason this club turned things around considerably and have a division pennant for their efforts. The Expos also lost a bunch of players – mostly to the upstart Mets franchise and they too did a solid job filling in the holes and playing well down the stretch.

Skinny:

These clubs met three times during the regular season with the Majors winning 2 of 3 games. When looking at each club’s depth in pitching it would appear the Majors have an edge. The Expos gave up an alarming 178 runs against – most of all teams participating in playoffs. Yet when you also compare the teams offensively, the Expos scored 28 more runs. The Expos are a bit of an enigma statistically, so the Majors better enter the series taking their opponent seriously.

Players to Watch For:

Majors: P/IF Joey Pileggi, P Craig Rattos, Utility Nav Aujla, P Michael Bannon, 3B/P Ryan Rattos

Expos: SS Jeff Murphy, 2B Evan DePiero, 1B Darryl Spencer, P Chetan Gandhi, P/IF Justin Johnston

X-Factor:

Coaching:

If both teams have done their homework it should be pretty clear where their opposition’s weaknesses are and how they can best be exploited. Neither team has a ton of playoff experience under their belts so this should make for an interesting series.

Overview:

The Express seem to be the team always caught in middle of realignment. Back in the West for the second time it would appear the move also helped their overall standing. Winning a division pennant and securing home field in round one, the Express desperately want a long and successful playoff run. Standing in their way is the expansion Metro Mets – who despite finishing 4 games below .500 had a relatively successful regular season showing.

Skinny:

These clubs split their only two games against one another this season and the overall run differential was also very close. The Express outscored the Majors by a single run – suggesting these two teams are very evenly matched.

Players to Watch For:

Express: OF/P Scott Gow, P/1B Tim Coburn, 2B Elgene Bautista-Chan, OF/P Steven Reiss, C Steve Zimmermann

Mets: Utility Jamie Hatfield, Utility Nelson Rodriques, Utility Michael Douglas, 2B/OF Brian Rodriques, P David Clark

X-Factor:

Team Depth:

While the Express have a perceived advantage of playing through the grind of the OSBA playoffs in the past, both of these clubs have similar regular season statistics. Overall team batting averages were very close as were innings pitched and how they were spread amongst several different pitchers. Where a team may get an edge is utilizing their bench – subbing in a key situation – whether it be from the bullpen, bench or defensively. This series could easily go all three games and clutch performances may be what tips the scales in favour of one of these clubs.

Overview:

One club almost didn’t participate this season while the other started off looking like another who just left after 7 years of domination. Forest Glen did a great job re-building their team on the fly and just missed out on home field advantage in the opening round. The Vikings, unfortunately, hit a brick wall and from there started accumulating frequent flyer points on route to the DL and saw their overall standing slip somewhat.

Skinny:

These clubs met twice way back in May and split the series with a win apiece. Since they faced one another the Vikings really only had one losing streak which came near the end of the regular season. The Giants played relatively consistent all season with no huge winning or losing streak to report.

Players to Watch for:

Vikings: P/1B Daniel Pelley, OF Julian Testani, 3B/2B Jon Muia, Utility Lane Gold, Utility Joey Alberga

Giants: OF/P Pat Vecchiarelli, Utility Duncan Perry, P Stephen McDonald, 1B/OF Rick Boutilier, Utility Kevin Horton

X-Factor:

Injuries/Commitment:

When entering the playoffs teams can only hope to be healthy and draw from as deep of a bench as possible. Both these clubs have a history of carrying smaller rosters when compared to the average in the OSBA. When injuries occur or other commitments prevent players from being at the games, the overall depth of a team is tested. While no one will use injuries or conflicts as excuses, they could very well play a factor in this series. Neither club wants to exit in the first round so watch for this series to go the distance with both teams battling to the very last out.

West hammers East in All-Star game

This past Saturday night the OSBA Western and Eastern Conferences met in the annual All-Star Game held at the Rogers Centre. This years teams had gone through several changes right up to the day of the game with players dropping out for a variety of reason. So it was up to head coaches Ken Woodford (Western Conference) and Chris Killoran (Eastern Conference) to try and come up with the best plan of attack in setting up their batting line-ups, defensive positions, order of replacements and the big one, pitching rotation. Well it was evident that Woodford came out on top in most of these categories with the help of some very solid play by the Western Conference players. The Western Confernece put a beating on the Eastern Conference 10-1 in 6.5 innings, as the game was called due to time constraints. Key hits for the Western Conference was a triple by Jay Woodford (Twins) and a 3-Run Homerun by Steve Reiss (Express).

The game MVP was Steve Reiss of the Newmarket Express. Congratulations Steve!

A full game report was not available at the time this was posted, more details to follow as they are received.

Congratulations to the Western Conference on a game well played and for receiving home field advantage in the 2012 OSBA Championship Series Final.

Results from weekend tourneys - UPDATE

August 4, 2012

The Vaughan Vikings came out ahead on Friday afternoon, winning their 1st round game vs. Lakeside 4-3 in 10 innings. Congrats to pitcher Daniel Pelley, who went the full 10 innings for the Vikings throwing an astonishing 154 pitches.

After getting the bye into the 3rd Round and being rained delayed till Sunday morning, the Vikings came out a bit flat and took a bit of a beating from Niagara, losing 18-0.

The loss meant they would now have to face one of the pre-tournament favorites in the form of the Peterobrough Tigers. The pitching was not there again for the Vikings and they fell 10-2.

While the Vikings did end up with a just a 1-2 record, they left the Elimination tournament with much needed experience at the higher level of baseball that the Elims are and knowledge for future years. Congrats to the players and coaches for not only representing Vaugan at the Elims but OSBA as well.

You can see all the Senior Elimination results at the link below. Just click and view.

http://www.eteamz.com/micmac/

Meanwhile up in Peterborough:

The Mississauga Southwest Twins opened up with a 12-1 win against the Ottawa Red Sox. Then in their second game they fell to the Burlington Beers 8-6. However their 1-1 record was good enough for a spot in the Consolation Semi-Final #1.

The Brooklin Dodgers fell 4-2 to the Nickle City Nickles. In their second game they would beat the Guelph Blues 1-0, behind an impressive complete game, 2 hit performance by pitcher Sam Grabowski. This gave them a 1-1 record as well and they also moved on to the Consolation Semi-Final #1.

The Clarington Cubs opened their tournament against the Ottawa Outlaws, winning 8-3. Game #2 saw them take on the last minute replacement team Peterborough Tigers Junior Rep team, they would take this game 14-7. Their 2-0 record would give them a spot in the Championship Semi-Final #1.

The Ajax Indians started off the tournament with a win over Martingrove 12-0. They then faced the Kingston Ponies and would fall 6-5, giving them a 1-1 record and spot in the Consolation Semi-Final #2.

So this meant that all four teams would be playing on Sunday with the guarantee in the Consolation round that an OSBA team would be in the final.

In the Consolation Semi-Final #1 the Twins faced off against the Dodgers in a game that went back and forth, with the Dodgers coming out on top 8-6 and advancing tot he Consoslation Final for the second year in a row.

In Consolation Semi-Final #2, the Indians were facing the Ottawa Outlaws. They would beat the Outlaws 6-0 and advanced to the Consolation Final as well.

In the Championship Semi-Final #2, the Cubs took on the Kingston Ponies and were mercied 7-0 in 5 innings. One bad inning being their downfall.

This left just 2 OSBA teams in the tournament, all set to battle it out for the Consolation championsip. The Dodgers got the early lead but then had a terrible 2nd inning and the Indians would go on to cruise to an easy 8-3 win.

Congrats to the Ajax Indians on claiming the Consolation Final title!

All-in-all it was a great tournament for the OSBA teams and all of them represented OSBA very well as well as their own associations/towns.

Results of how the Metro Mets did in the New Lowell Tournament to be posted soon. This tournament had it's round robin games on Saturday and Sunday with the play-offs taking place all day Monday.

Tournament Weekend for 6 OSBA teams

This coming Civic Long Weekend will see 6 teams from OSBA taking part in three tournaments in Ontario.

The Vaughan Vikings will be heading to the more high profile of the three tournaments, as they take part in the Baseball Ontario Senior Elimination Tournament in Windsor, Ontario. The winner of this tournament gets a spot in the Baseball Canada Senior National Tournament. The Vikings will start the Double Elimination tournament on Friday at 1:30 against Lakeside.

The expansion Metro Mets will be heading up north to take part in the New Lowell Annual Baseball Tournament. Schedule posted below:

Saturday August 4th at New Lowell Park

5:00pm - Niagara Falls vs. Metro Mets

Sunday August 5th at New Lowell Park

11:00am - Creemore vs. Metro Mets

Play-offs held on Monday August 6th

The other 4 OSBA teams will be heading up to Peterborough/Port Hope for the annual Peterborough Civic Long Weekend Tournament. OSBA teams have won the tournament the past two years. The Ajax Indians will be hoping to repeat as tournament champions, while the Clarington Cubs, Brooklin Dodgers and Mississauga Southwest Twins, along with 7 other teams from around Ontario, will try to knock them off.

Here is the schedule for the 4 OSBA teams:

DIVISION #1
Mississauga Twins
Ottawa Red Sox
Burlington Beers

DIVISION #2

Sudbury Lakers
Brooklin Dodgers
Guelph Blues

DIVISION #3
Clarington Cubs
Ottawa Outlaws
Mississauga Reds

DIVISION #4
Martingrove
Ajax Indians
Kingston Ponies

PETERBOROUGH FRIDAY:
7pm- Twins vs. Red Sox
9pm- Lakers vs. Dodgers

PORT HOPE SATURDAY:
11am- Outlaws vs. Cubs
1pm- Indians vs. Martingrove
3pm- Cubs vs. Reds

PETERBOROUGH SATURDAY:
1pm- Twins vs. Beers
3pm- Blues vs. Dodgers
5pm- Ponies vs. Indians

PETERBOROUGH SUNDAY PLAYOFFS:
9am-(consolation) Runner up #1 vs Runner up #2 (semi)
11am- (consolation) Runner up #3 vs. Runner up #4 (semi)
1pm- Winner of #1 vs Winner of #2 (semi)
3pm- Winner of #3 vs. Winner of #4 (semi)
5pm- Consolation final
7pm- Championship final

OSBA would like to wish all six teams good luck this weekend and for everyone to check back throughout the weekend for updates on the teams progress.

2012 OSBA Team Previews

After a very busy offseason, the OSBA opens the 2012 campaign this weekend. Not all teams are in action but here’s a chance to get to know each club and what they were up to over the winter.

WESTERN CONFERENCE
DIVISION - I

MISSISSAUGA SOUTHWEST TWINS

2011 Record: 17-10-1
Regular Season Finish: 2^nd

Playoffs: Lost to the Vikings in Semi-Finals

From failing to make the playoffs in 2010 to winning their division last season, the Twins had the best turnaround of all OSBA teams. In fact, it was their best regular season in its 6-year history within the OSBA. Tacking on 6 more wins certainly was a contributing factor and a true testament to the core who has stuck together for several years. A tight knit group has paid off for the Twins. Very little fine-tuning was made over the off-season despite speculation that a handful of former Burlington Bulls and Mississauga Stars players could have easily been added over the winter. To follow the team and get up to the minute updates please follow the Twins on Twitter at: twitter.com/mswtwins

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: Dan Diflorio

Players to watch for: Jay Woodford, Pat McEnroe, Stu Kingston, Jeff Bond, Ben Chisholm

2012 Outlook: Swept by the York Diamonds in the opening round of the playoffs last year, managing just one run over two games, left a bitter taste in the mouths of the Twins. Playoff success is clearly the goal and with every player from last year’s roster returning, the Twins won’t have to worry about trying to gel early on. That should work in their favour as they try to once again win their division and firmly cement themselves with a top three seed heading into the playoffs. In other news, the Twins traded the rights of Tom Malyk to the Pickering Pirates for a 3-cycle Maytag Washing machine. Team management feels this should help the team avoid any major leg infections due to dirty pants this year. A year ago, Ogilvie was put on antibiotics and Bond was put on IV due to nasty cuts and dirty pants. Again folks, follow the team on Twitter. This is the sort of stuff you are missing!

FOREST GLEN GIANTS

2011 Record: 12-13-3

Regular Season Finish: 6^th

Playoffs: Lost to Burlington in Semi-Finals

Last year might have been one to forget when looking at the regular season performance of the Giants. A worse record from the year previous also saw the club finish the lowest in regular season standings since their inaugural season back in 2006. Despite a poor showing by their standards, Forest Glen did manage to knock out the young up and coming Vaughan Vikings and took the defending champion Burlington Bulls to a 3^rd and decisive game in the conference semi-finals. A few months later and the Giants looked all but finished. However, with some hard work by members on the team, the club was able to replace almost their entire team and with that comes a new outlook for this season.

Key Losses: Martin MacKenzie, Zac Bannon, Matt Klas, Triston Hackett, Graham Magee, Mike Drzazga, Mike Pigott

Key Additions: N/A

Players to watch for: Mario Mainelli, Chris Micolino, Kevin Horton, Rick Boutillier, Greg Harcourt

2012 Outlook: With only 5 returning members from the 2011 team it will be very difficult to know for sure how the Giants will start the season. Clearly team chemistry will take time to develop and no one is going to recognize this club without a program. The Giants in some respects are almost starting over. Their recruitment efforts have to be applauded. This club has too much pride to not compete. Look for Forest Glen to get back on the fast track of success and build for years to come.

MISSISSAUGA MAJORS

2011 Record: 12-16-0

Regular Season Finish: 7^th

Playoffs: Failed to Qualify

Like the Oshawa Talons in the east, the Majors did improve upon their 2010 record – by 1 extra win. This club looked so promising on paper a year ago. With the Mississauga North Bengals folding many of the players came over to the Majors. Despite the influx in talent the team really never played up to the potential many believed they had. Nevertheless, that was last year and this is now. It looks like the team lost some veteran personnel but have added some new and rather unknown faces. It has also been reported that the Majors will work with their junior affiliate and call players up when needed. That synergy with the farm team should help the majors long-term. And for a club that is entering its 6^th season in the OSBA young blood may just be the key ingredient needed to kick-start this club into an upward direction.

Key Losses: Rob Phair, Cody Ireland, Kris Kibsey, Ryan McNeil, Garrett Nicol, Nathan Burgess, Matt Lapointe, Andrew Costley

Key Additions: Manraj Aulja, Brian Fraser, Joey Swanson

Players to watch for: Joey Pileggi, Josh Pileggi, JP Anderson, Ryan Rattos, Kyle Gerrard

2012 Outlook: With two expansion teams and two other clubs almost completely overhauling their roster, the Majors should have several clubs in and around where their projected wins should be. All that means is that should the Majors play at or possibly above their level from last year they stand a good shot at making the playoffs. That should be the first goal for a team that missed the year previous. And given the majority of their core will now have had one season together, the Majors stand to make some noise this summer. A sleeper pick in a wide-open western conference could not only see the club earn a playoff berth but if they hit stride at the right time could make a run to boot.

DIVISION - II

NEWMARKET EXPRESS

2011 Record: 11-17-0

Regular Season Finish: 6^th (in East)

Playoffs: Lost to Whitby in the 1/4 Finals

The Express started off hot last year but slowly derailed narrowly hanging on the the last playoff spot. Despite some shrewed pickups, this club battled through injuries and players leaving out of province for work. All and all, the Express competed hard and despite bowing out in the first round of the playoffs established a larger solid core – just two years removed from almost folding. With a flury of expansion activity the Express find themselves on the move again – back to the Western Conference. With change comes new opportunity – something the club welcomes and looks forward to with great enthusiam.

Key Losses: Mike Rochon, Marty Patience, Jon Collins, Shane Martin, Noah Somer

Key Additions: John Bethune, Mike Robinson, Zak Lucas, Alan Kung

Players to watch for: Tim Coburn, Marc Arsenault, Scott Gow, Mike Robinson, John Bethune

2012 Outlook: With some returning faces, youthful free agent pick-ups, and some added depth to the pitching staff the Express have bolstered their team. Team management feels their outfield is quite possibly the best in the league and their pitching staff is now on par with all the other contenders. Overall, this club enters the new campaign feeling good and eager to get going.

VAUGHAN EXPOS

2011 Record: 12-14-2

Regular Season Finish: 6^th

Playoffs: Lost to York in the 1/4 Finals

The off-season acquisitions made prior to the start of the 2011 season certainly paid off for the Expos. They improved by 4 wins, made the playoffs and hung tough down the stretch – despite finishing 4^th in a very strong division. Fast forward a bit and the team lost a significant amount of players during the winter to the newly formed Metro Mets. The Expos did a nice job however running a series of tryouts and at press time feel they have a solid club ready to go for opening day.

Key Losses: Daniel Dodds, Alex Beauvais, Clint Jeon, Vince Novielli

Key Additions: Evan DiPiero, Richard Peach, Daniel Maxwell, Sean Difeo

Players to watch for: Jimmy Gonzalez, Evan DiPiero, Darryl Spencer, Chetan Gandhi, Mike Holihan

2012 Outlook: With a large group of players bolting to form a new expansion team it would be easy to excuse the Expos if they faltered out of the gate. However, this team’s single point of motivation should be to prove to everyone that they are more than fine and still able to compete with the rest of the conference. Now that the Expos have made the playoffs they need to keep the focus on bettering that feat and try to build some post season success advancing past the first round.

BOLTON BRAVES

2011 Record: N/A

Regular Season Finish: N/A

Playoffs: N/A

The Bolton Braves join the OSBA after years participating at the junior level of the North Dufferin Baseball league (NDBL). Last summer the Braves finished atop their loop standings through regulation play and had a decent playoff run as well as competed at the AA Provincial level. With a few of their key players graduating to senior, the club decided the best move was to stay intact and bring a combination of Junior and Senior aged players to the association in hope of cementing themselves in a senior program for many years to come. The Braves have been running a series of indoor sessions in preparation for their OSBA debut – which will occur this Sunday when they travel to Vaughan to face the Vikings.

Key Losses: N/A

Key Additions: N/A

Players to Watch For: Josh Svensson, Juan Navarro, Austin Bryan, Ron Dipalma, Cody Renzetti

Outlook 2012: the Braves hope to be competitive and provide solid competition to the other members of the OSBA. They feel their pitching and defence will hold them in most games and know that after a few games their hitting will get going giving them an opportunity to hammer out some wins and push for a respectable .500 regular season record. Like most expansion teams anything beyond that is a bonus and for a club that will be younger than most, they take anything they can get as they earn their stripes at the senior circuit.

DIVISION - III

VAUGHAN VIKINGS

2011 Record: 17-11-0

Regular Season Finish: 3^rd

Playoffs: Lost to Forest Glen in the 1/4 Finals

Two extra wins last year saw the Vikings fall just one point behind the Mississauga Southwest Twins for in their division. This young club continues to improve and should once again be considered when thinking of the top teams in the west. Outside of the OSBA, the Vikings did extremely well at the AA Provincial Championships making it to the finals for the first time. And while their OSBA playoffs lasted just one round, this team capped-off their season with a gritty performance at the Brooklin-Whitby Fall Classic – winning the tournament final in convincing fashion. The future is bright for this squad. They did some off-season tinkering while managing to keep their core intact. This should be another successful campaign for the double V.

Key Losses: Joseph Presutti, Jared Caine, Louis brown, Phil Spencer

Key Additions: Joey Alberga, Mike Henry, Calvin Mui

Players to watch for: Adam Muto, Julian Testani, Mike Caicco, Marco Sacilotto, Mike Henry

2012 Outlook: This team continues to improve year over year. Given the average age of the team and a core nicely intact, bettering their 2011 performance is not out of the question. This team has already shown it can compete at a high level which should give them the added confidence to make a deep run in this year’s playoffs.

YORK DIAMONDS

2011 Record: 14-13-1
Regular Season Finish: 4^th

Playoffs: Lost to Burlington in Conference Finals

Moving from the Eastern Conference over to the West seemed to sit well with the Diamonds. While the regular season end result was one extra win the trip to the conference finals was another whole playoff series won for the veteran club. And while they failed to upset the defending champs, York did manage to run the series to the full three games. And with Burlington now folded, one could make a case for the Diamonds to be the early favourites to represent the west in this year’s finals. Some old faces have returned to the fold while picking up some former rivals also has this team looking very strong in anticipation of opening day.

Key Losses: Dan Fiorita

Key Additions: Mike Rochon, Danny Pereira, Eric Davidson, Steve Correia, Denis Hucal

Players to Watch For: Steve Foley, Eric Foley, Tsukasa Murakoso, Brett Burns, Rob Rivers

Outlook 2012: With some added pitching depth – both by acquisition and return from injury, the Diamonds pitching staff should offer some solid support behind Eric Foley and Murakoso. Add to the mix some big bats in Correia and Hucal and pitching around Steve Foley just became much harder. This team is a veteran club with a lot more moving parts. This could be the break-out season the Diamonds have been searching for since joining the OSBA.

METRO METS

2011 Record: N/A

Regular Season Finish: N/A

Playoffs: N/A

Talking about putting a team together often comes about with a group of guys getting together to reminisce over stories of the good old days back in the day. Getting the talk onto paper and applying for acceptance into a league is a whole other thing. And when it happens and all of the tryouts are over, within a blink of an eye, it is opening day! That may not be exactly how this team came about but for those donning the Metro Mets uniforms for season one, there are sure to be a lot of fond memories created. The Mets are comprised of players who once played with one another in the MSBL and even before that. They are a group of buddies who got things off the ground and added other key pieces through a series of indoor workouts and tryouts. Also a good portion of them left the Vaughan Expos to help make the Mets’ dream a reality. Well, now they get to make the best of their opportunity and prove to all of the other teams in the West Conference that they are a legitimate club.

Key Losses: N/A

Key Additions: Alex Beauvais, Clint Jeon, Vince Novielli, Daniel Dodds

Players to Watch For: Nelson Rodriques, Clint Jeon, Alex Beauvais, Robert Holloway, David Clark

Outlook 2012: the Mets enter this season with no weight on their shoulders. No expectations. That said they’ll want to show well in their first season and aim for a record above .500; if successful, that would be the first benchmark of a solid season. Getting to the post season and anything beyond the first round would have to be considered a bonus. As an unknown entity the Mets should use that to their advantage. Most often teams look past expansion teams on the schedule…if taken lightly the Mets could surprise a few clubs and bank some extra wins in the process.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
DIVISION - I

CLARINGTON CUBS

2011 Record: 12-14-2

Regular Season Finish: 5^th

Playoffs: Won their 1^st OSBA Championship

When the Cubs hoisted the league championship last year and after all the dust settled…looking back, their story is quite compelling. Finished with a regular season record below .500 while still managing to qualify for the playoffs, win the 1^st playoff game in extras after a 50 minute delay due to a freak injury to the opposing starting pitcher, knock out arguably the best two teams in the next two rounds, and then take the 3-time defending champs out in the 5^th and decisive game in a series that spanned almost 4 weeks due to weather and holidays messing up the schedule. For Clarington, they re-wrote the Cinderella story and then some. Can the champs repeat…we’ll know in 6 months or less.

Key Losses: Steve Butterworth, Paul Graham, Adam Hill, Chad Jennings, Matt MacIssac, Brandon Glover, Dan Wilson, Chase Hadden

Key Additions: Keith Head, Adam Sylvestre, Kyle MacKinnon, John Frederick, Craig Spulnick, Derek Turner, Dwayne Alangulian

Players to watch for: JP Vittorio, Shawn Lamb, Lars Clay, Chris Jones, Tim Smith

2012 Outlook: The view from the penthouse was a long time coming for the Cubs – the last of the four original OSBA franchises to lay claim to the grand prize. With some big names most likley not returing, Cubs management once again went to work trying to pick up the pieces and re-build on the fly. With the bullseye of being champs on their backs, the Cubs now must play their first season with the added pressure of everyone wanting to beat up on the league’s best. This club must prevent a championship hangover and get off to a strong start if it wants any chance at repeating.

OSHAWA A's

2011 Record: 15-13-0

Regular Season Finish: 2^nd

Playoffs: Lost to Whitby in the Semi-Finals

The Athletics showed very well in their 1^st season in the OSBA. They finished above .500, went on to clinch their 1^st division title and took the Whitby Chiefs to the max in a very close semi-final match-up. Given the majority of their players had been out of hardball for at least a few seasons, the A’s didn’t take long to show the others that they would be a force in the east. Team management did a great job not only picking up some talent as the season went along but they also did a fine job promoting the team and getting great crowds out to the ballpark during home games. Now with a season under their belts clearly the A’s are better equipped to know the rigors of senior baseball. And with all their collective connections and talent already on its roster watch for this club to be a very strong this season.

Key Losses: Marc MacDonald, Sean Harding

Key Additions: Jay Tullock, Phil Stone, Matt Tosoni, Dustin Jackson, Alex Nimigon

Players to watch for: Mick Kurhan, Mark Dainty, Robbie Robinson, Adam Dupont, Jeff Crouse

2012 Outlook: The intensity on this team is unreal. They may not have been in hardball for a few years but this team knows how to compete and wants to win. No one takes losing lightly and the A’s will most certainly draw from last summer to continue to push for a league championship. This club has the personnel to be competitive. The question is can they turn it up another notch and build on last year’s success?

KENDAL EAGLES

2011 Record: N/A

Regular Season Finish: N/A

Playoffs: N/A

The Kendal Eagles are one of three teams that came over from the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association (EOBA) this off-season. Known for their small community that provides huge support, the Eagles expressed a desire to join the OSBA looking for more competition – through a variety of teams. They’ll get that this season plus be part of what is arguably the toughest division in the entire association. This strong veteran group brings years of experience and a lot of success – both within their regular season play and at the provincial level. After hosting the A provincials last summer, the Eagles will once again be back at AA – where they have won in the past. They kick-off their inaugural campaign at home hosting the Brooklin Dodgers.

Key Losses: N/A

Key Additions: N/A

Players to Watch For: Troy Foster, Nick Stacey, Bryan Landry, B.J. Hackett, Cory Fenton

Outlook 2012: The Eagles will take flight on their 42nd season once the first pitch is thrown this weekend. Joining a new league can often be difficult but given the team isn’t a true expansion team they should be able to adjust relatively quickly and hold their own. The biggest difference might come in that the majority of their games will be in a double header format. It is often difficult to maintain a high-level of intensity of 14 straight innings so that might be one adjustment Kendal and the other clubs coming over from the EOBA will have to deal with as they get their feet wet in the OSBA.

PORT HOPE FLYERS

2011 Record: N/A

Regular Season Finish: N/A

Playoffs: N/A

This club from Port Hope is definitely the more seasoned of the two. A long-time member of the EOBA at the senior level, the Flyers come to the OSBA with a talent group of players. Like Kendal, the Flyers have had success at the Provincial level and will instantaneously give the association another quality team despite the expansion label. The Flyers also have the personnel to do well in the OSBA and contend for the right to represent the east in the league championship. Of note, the Flyers will host several of their home games on Wednesday evenings. While this breaks away from the traditional double header format on weekends it does provide the opportunity for those teams able to travel and play through the week to get an extra weekend off during the course of the regular season. The Flyers start their season on Wednesday, May 9^th when they host the Whitby Chiefs.

Key Losses: N/A

Key Additions: N/A

Players to Watch For: Brett Jiggins, Robert McNab, Kyle Maloney, Brad Pickering, Cory Baker

Outlook 2012: This club will be able to step onto the field and compete right away. No concerns about team chemistry or lack of depth. They have some big bats in the middle of their line-up and solid pitching. The Flyers also get the luxury of playing their first four games against the opposite conference. Not a bad way to get acquainted with your new surroundings. Getting off to a fast start could prove to be invaluable - picking up points against the opposite division often leads to a more successful season and puts added pressure on the other clubs looking to lock down a division pennant.

PORT HOPE RIVER RATS

2011 Record: N/A

Regular Season Finish: N/A

Playoffs: N/A

The River Rats like their expansion cousins the Bolton Braves are making the jump to Senior after some successful years at the Junior level. This team is a little unique in that it is trying to develop a junior program for next year in an effort to groom their own farm team. If successful they’ll create baseball for many years to come in the Port Hope and surrounding area. Full of enthusiasm this team knows it will be in tough but relishes the thought of playing meaningful baseball from May to August and possibly beyond. Like Kendal, the River Rats felt it would be more appealing to their players to jump at the opportunity to join the OSBA and play against a variety of teams. They’ll get their first taste of OSBA action when they host the Whitby Chiefs on Thursday, May 17^th.

Key Losses: Shawn Lamb, Shawn Tomlinson

Key Additions: Marc Staneov

Players to Watch For: Taylor Beatty, Jordan Jeans, Marc Staneov, Kyle Deksyer, Jeff Saloway

Outlook 2012: The expectation from the River Rats coaching staff is to have their team come out each week and compete. Knowing that the waters will be uncharted and at times rough, this young club has many more years of senior ball ahead. Baby steps would be the best way to approach the season – get the first game under your belt, the first win, sweep etc. Once that all starts to unfold putting together a solid campaign becomes a little easier. And with the vast majority of team making the playoffs this year everything is wide open. That’s the beauty of a new season – everyone has the same shot at making the post season. This young club will do fine. They lack senior experience as a collective unit but that doesn’t rule them out from anything.

DIVISION - II

PICKERING PIRATES

2011 Record: 21-5-2

Regular Season Standings: 1^st in Conference

Playoffs: Lost to Clarington in Semi-Finals

The Pirates once again improved upon their regular season standing winning four more games over their 17 victories in 2011. However, they took a big step backwards bowing out in the semi-finals after being just one win short of a league championship the season previous. Known for tinkering in the off-season, the club held true to form this winter – which will see their entire core back this summer. The Pirates have something to prove by their own standards, will 2012 be their year?

Key Losses: None

Key Additions: Phil Lacombe, Tom Malyk

Players to watch for: Ryan D’Souza, Brad Binns, Will Mariani, Scott Gray, Sydney Saunders

2012 Outlook: The Pirates have the personnel to get back to the OSBA championship finals. However, with some established expansion teams joining the east, getting there could be easier said than done. Nevertheless, the Pirates will once again possess one of the deepest pitching staffs in the conference, provide sound defence behind them and make things miserable for the opposition with their team speed and strong line-up. Pickering is as solid as they come, no question about it, they should be heavy favourites to represent the east in the championship finals this fall.

WHITBY CHIEFS

2011 Record: 21-5-2
Regular Season Finish: 3^rd

Playoffs: Lost to Clarington in Conference Finals

Like their divisional rivals from Pickering, the Chiefs also improved their regular season record (with 5 more wins last year), and were bounced from the play-offs at the hands of the Clarington Cubs. The Chiefs have now reached the conference finals in back to back seasons and appear primed to make the next step. With some unexpected changes in the off-season, the Chiefs have filled some holes via free agency and will look to patch the others internally as the season progresses.

Key Losses: Paul Ovsonka, Jed Vallier, Sean Tremaine, Craig Megill, Brent Thomas, Wade Scotland, Sohan Singh, Steve Mitchell

Key Additions: Jared Mercier, Preston Wasmund, Ryan Fleming, Andrew Bergman, Kevin Wallace, Ethan Boston

Players to watch for: Tim Cozier, Julian Daligadu, Matthew Kissel, Tristan Beadle, Nur Osman

2012 Outlook: The Chiefs lost by 1 run in game #3 of the conference finals and need to use that as fuel for this summer. This team is one of the youngest in the east but certainly has plenty of experience – both within the OSBA and abroad. Getting to the finals has eluded Whitby since their inaugural season in ’07. Getting there will be tough once again, but the Chiefs appear poised to make another run for a championship. They have as many impact players as any other club in the association – now it is time for this team to put it all together.

AJAX INDIANS

2011 Record: 15-13-0

Regular Season Finish: 4^th

Playoffs: Lost to Clarington in Quarter Final

Last season was an improvement for the Indians. They added a couple of extra wins, got younger, and faired very well in a tough division. They showed last year that they were a scrappy bunch and had it not been for a unforunate injury to their ace, Rob Callieu, who knows what might have been during the playoffs. Now faced with some question marks in their rotation and on defence, the Indians will once again try to defy the odds and hang with the big boys in the east.

Key Losses: Evan DiPiero, Jimmy Sgourakis, Rob Callieu

Key Additions: Sam Cummings, Brian Molloy, Jeff Whittle, Marc MacDonald

Players to watch for: Mike Snider, Jamie Tessier, Warren Eslinger, Ryan Gordon, Luke Jenkins

2012 Outlook: Like out of the script from Major League, this edition of the Indians leave many not knowing much about their acquisitions or exactly how this club will perform on the field. The unknown factor may be the Indians’ secret weapon as they do battle in a very strong conference this season. Given the precedent forged last year, everyone should expect this team to compete week in and week out – start to finish – no matter their spot in the standings.

BROOKLIN DODGERS

2011 Record: 10-17-1

Regular Season Finish: 7^th

Playoffs: Failed to Qualify

The Dodgers had a poor ’11 campaign and as a result failed to make the playoffs for the second time in the last four years. This club use to be known as a perennial playoff powerhouse and with two OSBA championships if any club can bounce back after a subpar season it is this group. A strong veteran presence coupled with a few younger players should help this group get back to its winning ways. Look for the Dodgers to have a deeper bullpen and some stronger commitments from players who were only able to play part-time last season.

Key Losses: Brad Hanna, Craig Spulnick, Mike Robinson, Jon McGillen

Key Additions: Alex Bornemisa, Mike Cappadoci, Ryan Corey

Players to watch for: Jason Graham, Alex Bornemisa, Colin Appleton, Dan Blea, Lawrence Thomas

2012 Outlook: With three expansion teams joining the eastern conference the Dodgers find themselves in a different division where they will renew rivalries with Whitby, Ajax and Pickering. This move should help reinvigorate the Dodgers who have historically played well when the stakes are highest. Possibly a sleeper pick within the entire conference, the Dodgers will look to surprise their critics this summer.

OSHAWA TALONS

2011 Record: 8-19-1

Regular Season Finish: 8^th

Playoffs: Failed to Qualify

The Talons can take some comfort in knowing that despite failing to qualify for the playoffs they did improve slightly – winning one more game than the year before. Known as a club that performs better in the second half the regular season, the Talons stayed true to form. Last year they started off with a dismal 11-game losing streak as they embarked on a rebuilding season. However, everything gradually started to click, and the Talons put together one of the best records in the second half. With nearly all of the players from that second half run returning for 2012, the Talons could be a sleeper team to watch this year.

Key Losses: Dan Aitchison

Key Additions: Sean Brooks, Cody Morin, Jonathan Clarke, Jamie Agombar

Players to watch for: Steve Robertson, Anthony Cole, Brian Corcoran, Ryan Reid, Derek Junkin

2012 Outlook: Pitching and defence is said to win ball games, the Talons on the other hand would just like to find a steady balance with some pop in their line-up mixed in. Developing some consistency would help eliminate long losing skids and give the club a better chance at making the playoffs. It looks like this club was busy in the off-season and bringing in some new blood certainly cannot hurt a situation that is presently on the mend. If the Talons can build on their success in the 2nd half of last year they should be much further ahead then they were 12 months ago.

OSBA Fantasy Pool - 2012 Edition

May 2, 2012

With the 2012 OSBA season just around the corner, OSBA will be going forward for the second year in a row. The 2011 OSBA Fantasy Pool was a huge success with York Diamond head coach Paul Freeman coming out on top, followed close by runner-up Steve Smith of the Whitby Chiefs.

This years edition will see the following OSBA members compete for the top prize - Steve Smith (Whitby Chiefs), Paul Freeman (York Diamonds), Adam Dupont (Oshawa A's), Chris Killoran (Clarington Cubs), Morty Fergenbaum (Vaughan Vikings), Ken Woodford (Mississauga Southwest Twins), Vince Novielli (Metro Mets) and Rod Holinaty (Brooklin Dodgers).

This years draft will take place on Thursday May 3rd via an online draft on Facebook.

Stay tuned for updates to be posted on a regular basis.

Diamond Dust - Interview with the METRO METS

May 2, 2012

Well we are just mere days away from the start of the 2012 OSBA regular season. The 2012 season also will see the reincarnation of the “Diamond Dust” articles, though in a bit different format then in the past. This time around the articles will be based on interviews with teams in OSBA as we try and get to know them a bit better. The first articles naturally will focus on the expansion teams for 2012.

The season will start off with the Brooklin Dodgers heading out to take on the expansion Kendal Eagles on Sunday May 6^th at 12:00pm and 2:30pm at Harvey Jackson Memorial Park in Kendal. The Eagles are just one of five new teams to join OSBA for the 2012 season. The other 4 teams are the Port Hope Flyers, Port Hope River Rats, Bolton Braves and the Metro Mets.

The Metro Mets being the first of the 5 expansion teams to join OSBA this past off-season got the honour of being the first to be interviewed by Diamond Dust. What follows is the result of a long series of questions that each team was asked. The Mets had their team Rep Vince Novielli take part in the process.

DD: So Vince, you named the team the Metro Mets, what was the reasoning behind this?

Vince: Well while we play out of Vaughan Grove Park in Vaughan and have 5-6 players from around there, the vast majority are from the Toronto area, so Metro just seemed natural. We then had a team vote on the nickname for the team and it came down to the Brewers and Mets, with the Mets winning of course.

DD: A good chunk of your players played in OSBA last year with the Vaughan Expos, what was the reasoning behind forming a new team in OSBA?

Vince: Well we had several of our former teammates from back when we played in the old Toronto Men’s Baseball League that wanted to get back to playing and there was just no room for them on the Expos. So we decided that with the great competition and the fact the league was run so well that we would be able to form a new team without hurting the Expos with the departure of players. The desire to win an OSBA championship with a good strong core of our guys from the old league was just too strong. We should have a good strong group of 19 guys on our roster to help achieve that goal.

DD: Your team was the first expansion team this past off-season but not the last as four more teams joined you for the 2012 season. What do you make of the expansion and what would you like to see in future expansion plans?

Vince: Well the increase in the number of teams from an even wider area can only make the league better. It makes winning that much more worth it, the more teams you have to compete against the better. With a good chunk of our guys living in Toronto we of course would love to see more teams from the Toronto area but we understand from our own experience that it is a difficult area to generate interest amongst possible players/teams and also the fact that park availability is probably the biggest obstacle in Toronto.

DD: So we’d like to get to know a little about the inner working of your team, without you revealing and team secrets of course. What or who is the biggest asset to you team and what helps the Mets stay loose?

Vince: Oh well without doubt our biggest asset will be team chemistry, which I would think is the same for most teams. As we have not been together for a few years only time will tell once we get on the field and get used to playing with each other again, how we will do in that category. One of our best leaders though would definitely be Robert Holloway, it’s not so much in his vocalization but how he leads by example on the field that sets him apart from others. However when things need to be lightened up when the guys are getting a little tight or down on themselves and the team, I’m always there with a quick joke and a smile, just to remind them all that this is a kids game that we as adults are lucky enough to be still playing.

DD: So speaking of team chemistry and how players react to the ebb and flow of the game, are there any superstitions on the club?

Vince: Yes!

DD: Care to elaborate?

Vince: Not really and that in itself may be one of the superstitions, to not actually talk about the superstitions.

DD: So you have mentioned winning an OSBA Championship as a goal, which of course every team has. The current format has best of three series in the Conference rounds and then a best of five for the OSBA Championship final. Any thoughts on how you would feel expanding the series?

Vince: Well to be honest it’s debatable to the fact that as it is now the finals end on the weekend just before Thanksgiving, which makes OSBA one of the last leagues to finish in Ontario. It would really depend on when you could get the games in and if you want to shorten the amount of games in the regular season or cram the games we play now in to fewer weeks during the summer.

DD: So to get to the Championship or even the play-offs for that matter, what does your team need to do to be successful?

Vince: Now that is one of the easiest questions you have asked today. We need to avoid a long losing streak. With only 26 games a losing streak of 4 or more games can put you in a whole real quick. Also playing doubleheaders make getting on a winning streak that much harder. Once you win that game #1 of the DH, keeping your focus for game #2 can be difficult and makes it that much hard to sweep a DH, especially since the team that lost the first game is that much more determined to not get swept.

DD: You’ve mentioned that you have 19 guys on your roster, care to elaborate on some of the strengths that your roster has, without revealing any secrets of course.

Vince: Hmmm well if getting to the park early helps a team win then our MVP would definitely be Nelson Rodriguez, doesn’t matter whether it’s home or away, you can bet that he’ll beat you to the park. We hope to be a fast team on the bases and cause teams a lot of headaches and leading the way will be Clint Jeon most definitely and if we need a clutch hit late in the game, you need to look no further then Alex Beauvais. Of course if getting dirty was a stat then I’m head and shoulders above everybody, just can’t keep the uni clean, it’s the style of ball I play, hard and aggressive.

DD: With this being the first year of the Metro Mets in the OSBA tick off some of the first that you expect to be accomplished and by who on your team?

Vince: Well let’s see let’s start with an obvious one, first broken bat – Robert Holloway. Our first stolen base will be Nelson Rodriguez, our first homerun will be by Robert Holloway and our first RBI will be given to Clint Jeon.

DD: Well I’d like to thank you Vince for taking the time and sitting down with Diamond Dust and giving a little insight into your team, the Metro Mets and we look forward to seeing how your team does during the 2012 regular season.

Vince: Well you’re welcome, it was fun. Now all we need to do is cross our fingers that we can have all our games played with no rain!

2012 OSBA season just two weeks away

The Ontario Senior Baseball Association helds it's final meeting before the start of the 2012 regular season this past Sunday in Richmond Hill. This meeting as usual was used to get teams paid up for the year with regards to insurance and team fees. Also a review of By-Laws that pertain to game situations is done and also a complete review of the OSBA Playing Rules is also done with all the coaches being able to ask any questions to clarify their understanding of the rules. This is always important for the new expansion teams.

The coaches also get a chance to update everyone on their own team and how things are going leading up to the start of the season.

With no major votes or decisions to be made, there was however one big announcement in that since the Burlington Bulls, who were the 2011 Western Conference Champions, folded over the winter and their coach Kyle Pitman will not be playing with another team in OSBA during the 2012 season a new coach was needed for the 2012 Western Conference All-Star team. OSBA Western Vice-President Ken Woodford graciously accepted the honour of being named as the Head Coach.

So stay tuned to the website as there will be more info as the season gets closer, including the 2012 Season Preview with a look at each and every team.

Some Teams Still Looking for Players

There are still a few OSBA clubs looking for players and continue to hold tryouts on a weekly basis. For anyone looking to tryout and possibly catch-on with a team, please leave your contact in the OSBA Forum and/or email league President Steve Smith at stephen.smith@rogers.com

OSBA has record number of teams for 2012 season

The Ontario Senior Baseball Association finished off the 2011 season having lost one of its founding teams in the Mississauga Stars. Then in early 2012 at the first meeting of the year, it was revealed that the top team in OSBA since 2005, the Burlington Bulls, was also folding up its tent and disappearing into the cornfields in the outfield with the other legends of baseball. To top that off the OSBA board was also told that the Forest Glen Giants were very close to not being able to field a team themselves for the 2012 season.

Well that was January and we are now nearing the end of March and boy have things sure changed. With some hard work from President Steve Smith and team member Kevin Horton, the Giants have been able to rebuild their team for the upcoming season and for years to come it seems. Mr. Smith was also burning up the phone lines trying to increase the number of teams in OSBA and with several lines in the water he came up big in his fishing expedition this past winter. OSBA added the Metro Mets in January and at this past meeting on March 25th they added the Bolton Braves formerly of the North Dufferin Baseball League and then got the trifecta in adding three teams from the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association, Kendal Eagles, Port Hope Flyers and the Port Hope River Rats.

With the addition of all these teams, OSBA now stands at a record 19 teams for the coming season and we have have more teams knocking at our door asking about possibly joining in the very near future. So what looked like a bleak winter has turned into what should be one of the most exciting and fun OSBA season in years.

Once all the discussions about the new teams was finished and the votes taken to accept them the board needed to divide the teams up into new divisions in the East and West Conferences as well as come up with the length of the season, and how many teams would make the play-offs.

To help with the the addition of the new teams to the conferences, Newmarket agreed to move from the East to the West to give the West 9 teams and the East 10 teams.

The divisions in each conference break up as such:

Eastern Division #1

Clarington Cubs

Kendal Eagles

Oshawa A's

Port Hope Flyers

Port Hope River Rats

Eastern Division #2

Ajax Indians

Brooklin Dodgers

Oshawa Talons

Pickering Pirates

Whitby Chiefs

Western Division #1

Forest Glen Giants

Mississauga Majors

Mississauga Southwest Twins

Western Division #2

Bolton Braves

Newmarket Express

Vaughan Expos

Western Division #3

Metro Mets

Vaughan Vikings

York Diamonds

The regular season will be a 26 game schedule that will start the weekend of May 5th and 6th and will end on the final weekend of August 25th and 26th.

The play-offs will start the week after the Labour Day weekend and will see 8 teams from each conference make the play-offs. The top team from each division will automatically be in the play-offs and will be ranked 1-2 in the East and 1-3 in the West. The next 6 teams in the East will be ranked 3rd to 8th and the next 5 teams in the west will be ranked 4th to 8th. 1st will play 8th, 2nd will play 7th and so on.

Players will need to play in at least 9 regular season games to qualify for the play-offs and a new rule now makes it a condition that a player must have played at least 4 regular season games by July 31st.

The OSBA teams will again be selling Blue Jays tickets to raise funds for their teams and also to secure time at the Rogers Centre for the leagues All-Star game. The tickets this year are for the Saturday April 28th game against the Seattle Mariners.

The OSBA tournament has been cancelled for this coming year, though something may replace it, more news on this in the coming month.

Well that's the highlights from the past OSBA meeting. Things look to be shaping up pretty good for the start of the 2012 season and all the teams are starting to get that itch to start palying games, as they are currently either indoors or outside weather permitting.

Stay tuned for more info!

February OSBA meeting in Vaughan

The monthly meeting of the OSBA board will be held this Sunday February 26th and again will take place at The Dugout in Vaughan. The Dugout is located at 62 Buttermill Ave, VAUGHAN, ONT L4K3X3

The meeting is scheduled to run from 12pm to 4 pm.

The main items of business at this meeting will be proposals for By-Law and/or Rule changes for the upcoming season. There is also the possibility of one or two teams making expansion proposals for entry to OSBA for the 2012 season.

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2012 News Archive

Pickering Pirates rely on team chemistry to win championship

Rally from two down to beat York in senior baseball final

OSBA announces 2012 GOLD GLOVE winners

OSBA announces 2012 BIGGEST OSBA SUPPORTER winners

OSBA announces 2012 MOST SPORTSMANLIKE winners

OSBA announces 2012 COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR winners

OSBA announces 2012 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR winners

OSBA announces 2012 SILVER SLUGGER winners

OSBA announces 2012 TOP RELIEF PITCHER winners

2012 OSBA MVP Award winners

2012 OSBA Top Pitcher Award winners

2012 OSBA Championship series results

West hammers East in All-Star game

Results from weekend tourneys - UPDATE

Tournament Weekend for 6 OSBA teams

2012 OSBA Team Previews

MISSISSAUGA SOUTHWEST TWINS

FOREST GLEN GIANTS

MISSISSAUGA MAJORS

NEWMARKET EXPRESS

VAUGHAN EXPOS

BOLTON BRAVES

VAUGHAN VIKINGS

YORK DIAMONDS

METRO METS

CLARINGTON CUBS

OSHAWA A's

KENDAL EAGLES

PORT HOPE FLYERS

PORT HOPE RIVER RATS

PICKERING PIRATES

WHITBY CHIEFS

AJAX INDIANS

BROOKLIN DODGERS

OSHAWA TALONS

OSBA Fantasy Pool - 2012 Edition

Diamond Dust - Interview with the METRO METS

2012 OSBA season just two weeks away

Some Teams Still Looking for Players

OSBA has record number of teams for 2012 season

February OSBA meeting in Vaughan