Mississauga Men's Slo-Pitch League

With the season starting in less than a week, let's get excited and look at each of our four divisions this summer. Let's go through to see who the preseason favourites are. We will check to see how accurate our previews are at midseason.

TIER 1

• GOAT
• Goobers
• Shattered Dreams
• Stiff Sox
• Thunder Buffaloes
• TMT

This is the division of champions as it consists of last year's Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 regular season and playoff champions. The favourites have to be Thunder Buffaloes who have won 5 of the last 6 league playoffs they've been in. They are the 2019 Tier 1 playoff champions who ventured to play Masters in Tier 4 in 2022. After easily winning the regular season and playoff titles last year, they are back to prove themselves the undisputed best team in the league. They have great power to take advantage of the unlimited home run rule and masterful defense. Their main challengers are the trio of Goobers, GOAT, and TMT who are coming over from the Wednesday Tier 2 division. The three teams were within one game of each other over the 28 game regular season, taking turns beating each other. In the end, it was Goobers emerging as the regular season champs, and TMT as the playoff champs. Goobers have been the cornerstone of this league for more than 15 years and are perennial contenders every year in every division they play in. TMT are out to prove that they win when it matters. GOAT are out to prove they are equally or even more deserving of hardware. Rounding out the division are the two Tuesday champions from last year: Shattered Dreams and Stiff Sox. Shattered Dreams were victorious in the Tier 1 division last year, taking advantage of Thunder Buffaloes' secondment to Tier 4, but it was only Tier 1 by name. Last year's teams have retired and were not the same calibre as this year's teams. They will be in for a rough ride this year for sure. Stiff Sox are an amalgamation of last year’s Stiff Sox and Hitmen: two teams that absolutely destroyed the Tier 3 division, only losing games to each other. They have responded to the challenge by league president John Palm to move up divisions by combining forces and ready to dominate this division. They are young, hungry, do not know how to lose, and are the dark horse to win it all.

TIER 2

• Brewski Boys
• Jays
• Just Dingers
• Outliers
• Rhino
• Sacred Sluggers
• The Beauties
• The Cubs

This division is full of unknowns and lots of potential. Four teams return from last year: Brewski Boys, Jays, Outliers, and Rhino. Jays should be considered the preseason favourites as they were able to finish a distant third last year. All must be happy that Hitmen and Stiff Sox have gone to beat up on the Tier 1 teams instead. In their place, the newcomers are Just Dingers, Sacred Sluggers, the Beauties, and the Cubs. Not much is known about the newcomers other than they are here and ready to play. Max Ward at Tuesdays is ready to field competitive games, fuel new rivalries, and crown a new Tuesday Tier 2 champion.

TIER 3

• Blue Devils
• Giants
• Got Rice
• Houndogs
• Klassics
• Knights
• Medicine Hats
• Miller Twins

There will be a new champion in Tier 3 as last year’s league and playoff champs, Thunder Buffaloes, have chosen to dominate Tier 1 this year. In their place are new teams Blue Devils and Got Rice. As well, Medicine Hats have moved over from last year’s Wednesday Tier 2 division. This looks like a very competitive division where the strong contenders should be Medicine Hats, Miller Twins, and Got Rice. Nobody should ever count out Klassics as they’ve been a slo pitch team for longer than some players have been alive. This may be a masters division, but the oldies can play. This is shaping up to be a very competitive division with everyone competing for a playoff spot.

TIER 4

• Black Diamonds
• Cleveland Steamers
• Havana Club
• Red Rubble
• Zwingers

Last year’s Tier 5 champs Red Rubble are back to defend their regular season and playoff title. They’ve been in this league since 1988! An unstoppable force! However, word on the street is that the best player in the league (and league president) John Palm may not be able to play much this year. This certainly leaves the division wide open. Losing the slo-pitch version of Barry Bonds hurts no matter how great the rest of the team is. Will Black Diamonds, Cleveland Steamers, Havana Club, or Zwingers take advantage?