SELECT A TEAM:
Kings vs Smoke
Game 1 Smoke wins 3-0
Game 2 Smoke wins 3-0
Preds vs Selects
Game 1 Selects win 2-1
Game 2 Selects win 5-0
Finals Selects vs Smoke
Finals start Monday September 09 Budd 1 8pm
Playoff this week.
Kings vs Smoke Wednesday Sept 04 Budd 2 6:30pm start
Preds vs Selects Wednesday Sept 04 Budd 1 9:30pm start
Selects vs Preds Thursday Sept 05 Budd 1 7pm start
Smoke vs Kings Thursday Sept 05 Budd 1 9pm start
Smoke vs Jaxx - Smoke won 4-0 with Luke Zettle pitching a perfect game.
Selects vs Jaxx - Selects won 7-0
Selects vs Smoke - Tied 3-3
Jaxx were eliminated.
The only player receiving playoff exemption for the 2024 season is:
Smoke: Jeff Clemens
It was a battle till the end! Congrats to the Kings for finishing the 2023 season in 1st place with 28 points and Preds who finished with 27. Both teams will represent the KFL at the upcoming OCC tournament.
game MVP leader 5 Warren Williams Jaxx
tied with 4 Sklar & Ryley Rodes u21, Mell Ross Preds, Doug Hoffman Selects
Home run leaders tied with 2 Adam Long, Greg Borho, Sam Diamond Kings
Dan Gehl Preds
Playoff matchups are Selects and Kings, Smoke and Preds who battle it out for the championship. The u21 team and Jaxx will have a 3 game series for the B side.
Jeff Kolb has been given injury exemption for the 2023 playoffs
The following players have been given injury exemptions to play in the 2022 playoffs
Preds: Matt Gregory, Matt Duggan
Jaxx: Rob Wigood, Jake Voison
Hello this past week June 06 07 and 09 were rained out those games have been rescheduled and up to date on the schedule they will be played June 20 21 and 23. There will only be one Monday night game Smoke vs Predators played at 8 pm the rest are same nights of the week same time.
A long overdue announcement from last ball season. The Predators are the 2021 KFL Champions. They defeated the Kings in a 1-0 pitchers dual. Congratulations on a well earned victory!
Mike Welton - Selects
Doug Hoffman - Selects
Marc Geddes - Smoke
Dan Wakeford - Athletics
The first round of the playoffs has been updated.
The season has come to an end and the Predators have secured first place. They will enjoy a first round bye with the rest of the teams beginning playoff action next week.
The playoff schedule will be updated shortly!
The KFL will finally return to action starting July 19. The players are excited to be hitting the field again and I hope our fans are too!
Good luck to everyone this season and let's have some fun out there!!
The Predators jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after taking advantage of a few walks and wild pitches, but the Kings chipped away and tied it up 3-3.
Into extras they go... The Predators cashed in a run to go ahead 4-3 going into the bottom of the 8th. With 2 out and the game on the line Brendon Dietrich hit a 2 run blast to take Game 1 for the Kings in walk-off fashion.
Let's hope the rest of the series is as exciting as game 1!!
Gongratulations to the Kings and Predators on making the finals. Will the Kings repeat as Champs or can the Preds bring home their first KFL title?
Game 1 - Wed Sept 25
Game 2 - Mon Sept 30
Game 3 - Wed Oct 2
Game 4 - Mon Oct 7 (if nec)
Game 5 - Wed Oct 9 (if nec)
Prior to embarking for the Yukon and the WBSC Men’s Softball World Championship in Whitehorse, the Aussie Steelers concluded their 10-game exhibition pit-stop in Milverton with a game against the Kitchener Fastball League all-stars this past week.
Despite a final score of 12-0 in favour of the senior men’s national team, the offensive tally certainly wasn’t indicative of the challenge the 15-member KFL squad presented for more than half the game.
With zeroes on the scoreboard for both teams after three innings, the group of all-stars got solid starting pitching from Doug Hoffman of the Bell Cartage Outlaws, who only allowed three hits to go along with two strikeouts.
READ MORE
This evening, the KFL will send a 16-man All Star squad to Milverton to battle the Australian Men's National Team, the final game in a 10-game series of exhibition contests to help the Aussies tune up for the 2017 Men's World Softball Championships, which begin on Friday in Whitehorse, Yukon.
The KFL All Stars - selected by team representatives and members of the Executive - will enter the game as massive underdogs, as the squad from Down Under has won its first nine exhibition contests by a combined score of 84-5.
The game will commence at 7:30 p.m. at Arand Field, part of the Perth East Recreation Complex in Milverton, approximately 45 minutes northwest of the KFL's home at Budd Park. See you there!
As we enter the 2017 season, the KFL is seeking at least one new member for its five-person Executive, which fulfills the crucial functions of overseeing the league’s finances, scheduling, and overall administration. For detailed descriptions of the Executive roles, refer to section C of the KFL Constitution.
If you are interested in helping move the league forward, please contact current President Mike Brown about the available opportunities. The new Executive will be voted in at the league’s final preseason meeting on Tuesday, April 25 @ 7 p.m.
Circle Monday, May 8th on your calendars!
At the first KFL meeting of 2017 (held on Wednesday, May 22), the second Monday in May was announced as opening night for the 2017 season. All games will once again be played at beautiful Budd Park in Kitchener.
The league Executive is now working toward releasing a full schedule in time for the final preseason meeting, which will take place on Tuesday, April 25 @ 7 p.m.
We eagerly await the start of the season and look forward to seeing all the KFL's dedicated players, umpires, and fans for another year of top-notch fastball!
In order to qualify for playoffs, players must have attended at least 8 regular season games, as per section L.3.i) of the KFL Constitution. Playoff exemptions can also be granted for players suffering significant injuries or other reasonable long-term absences, at the discretion of the Executive.
The following is a list of players who have been granted playoff exemptions for 2016:
Joshua Crosby, Thunder
Corey Jackson, Bulldogs
Todd Uhrig, Classics
Any player not appearing on the above list who is credited with less than 8 games played according to the KFL website (as of August 22, 2016) is ineligible for the 2016 playoffs. Teams with questions about a player’s eligibility should direct them to the President prior to their first playoff game.
- Mike Brown
The Peter Hallman Memorial Tournament takes place this weekend, June 24-26, in St. Clements. The field features 10 ISC-ranked teams, as well as a four-team under-21 division:
#1 Hill United Chiefs
#2 Toronto Gators
#3 New York Gremlins
#6 Scarborough Force
#11 Northeast Drillers
#12 Toronto Batmen
#13 Kitchener Cubs
#14 Elmira Expos
#22 Shakespeare Falcons
#27 Wiarton Nationals
There will be more than 20 KFL players participating, as well as a half dozen of the KWUA umpires who regularly call the action at Budd Park. Check out the program for more information.
- Mike Brown
After much discussion of the pitching rule over the past year, at the April 2016 meeting, team representatives agreed to abide by the International Softball Congress (ISC) pitching rule, relying on the umpires’ judgement regarding enforcement.
As stated in section N.4 of the KFL Constitution, “The league will adhere to the International Softball Congress rules on illegal pitches with the exception that an illegal pitch will constitute a ball on the batter but base runners shall not advance.” Of course, if the illegal pitch results in ball four on a batter, they will take their base and any runners forced to do so by that action will also advance.
As always, players who hassle umpires excessively on this (or any other) issue run the risk of being ejected. If you have any questions, please direct them to your team representatives.
- Mike Brown
The second meeting of the 2016 KFL season took place on Tuesday, April 26, marking the final meeting of team representatives prior to the start of game action for the year. Among other business, the 2016 KFL Executive was officially voted in, following its expansion from three to five members at the March meeting.
Long-time Treasurer Pat Lemieux will continue in that role, while former Vice President Mike Brown will take over as President. Three newcomers were also welcomed to the league’s administrative body: James Gallo (Athletics) as Vice President, Ron Woodworth (Bell Cartage Outlaws) as Director of League Relations, and Dan Polischuk (Athletics) as Director of Communications.
Other meeting highlights included debate over the pitching rule and structure of the B-side playoffs.
On the matter of the pitching rule, it seemed neither the teams nor umpires were thrilled with the experience from last year’s modified pitching rule and team representatives voted to return to following the International Softball Congress rules on illegal pitches. A further explanation on this will be posted to the website prior to the start of league play.
The format of this year’s B division was also discussed; both a round-robin format followed by a one-game final and a more traditional playoff format resulting in a best-of-three final were considered. Team representatives voted for the latter, meaning the 2016 B playoffs will involve one-game semi-finals (9 vs. 12 and 10 vs. 11), with the winners meeting in a best-of-three series. Team reps agreed to revisit this matter next year, depending on the number of teams in the league.
For any further information about last night’s meeting, contact your team representatives.
- Mike Brown
The regular season schedule for the 2016 KFL season has been officially released - and opening night is less than three weeks away!
The season is set to begin on Monday, May 9 with a double-header featuring the Smoke and Bulldogs in the early game, followed by the Thunder and Selects at 9 p.m. The league's reigning champs, the 37s, begin their title defense on Tuesday, May 10 against the Kings, while the KFL's newest squad, the Brewers, start things off that same night against the Classics. View the full slate of games on our Schedule page.
We look forward to seeing all the KFL's players, umpires, and fans for another year of excellent fastball at beautiful Budd Park!
- Mike Brown
The first meeting of the 2016 KFL season took place on Wednesday, March 23. The Brewers, the league’s newest team, were officially welcomed. Combined with the decisions of the Jays and Red Sox not to field a team in 2016, the KFL will have 12 teams for the upcoming season.
The meeting proceeded with preliminary discussion of schedule and budget options, as well as the league’s pitching and mercy rules. Notably, an amendment to the league’s Constitution, designed to expand the Executive from three to five members and more equitably distribute the workload, was brought forward and passed unanimously.
The Vice President and Treasurer roles remain largely the same, while two positions – Director of League Relations and Director of Communications – were created to lessen the burden on the President. More detailed breakdowns of the positions are reflected in the revised Constitution (section C).
Team representatives will elect new Executive members at the next meeting in late April. Anyone who is potentially interested in an Executive role should contact the Interim President for more information.
- Mike Brown
The 2015 KFL season officially came to a close on Thursday, November 19 with the final league meeting of the year.
Highlights included discussion of the pitching rule that was instituted at the beginning of the season and debate regarding the 10-run mercy rule. Both items will be revisited this spring, when they can be voted on if changes are desired. Players are encouraged to share their thoughts on these matters with their team representatives in the meantime.
There was also a lengthy discussion about a proposal floated by the Red Sox to create a season-long, second-tier B division. Many team reps had not yet seen the proposal, which will be forwarded to everyone shortly to facilitate a more informed discussion.
Most notably, KFL President Bryan Reeve stepped down after four years in the league’s top leadership position. Highlights of his tenure included organizing exhibition games between a KFL All Star Team and the national squads of Argentina (2014) and Australia (2015); working with Rogers TV to have occasional broadcasts of league play; and securing a spot for the KFL Champions as the second host team for the 2014 ISC World Championships, held in Kitchener. The league would like to thank Reeve for his leadership and long-time dedication to the KFL.
In advance of the meeting, Reeve had notified team reps of his intention to step down, and he had conversations with a couple people interested in the President role, though none ultimately decided to seek election.
At the meeting, it was agreed that Vice President Mike Brown, working in consultation with Reeve, would act as Interim President over the winter months, with a specific mandate to examine the current Executive structure and propose changes for an expanded Executive that more equitably distributes the workload. The hope is that this will lead more people to seek Executive positions going forward and make the league’s continued success less reliant on a single person’s efforts.
Anyone with thoughts on this matter is encouraged to speak with Brown. Proposals will be brought forth and voted on in the spring, at which point the league will elect new Executive members.
- Mike Brown
The 37s, 2015 Champions
The KFL season came to a close on Tuesday night, with the 37s joining the small fraternity of current KFL teams with a league championship to their credit, defeating the two-time defending champions, the Diamond Jaxx, 11-1 to secure a 3-1 series win. They took game one 3-2 before the Diamond Jaxx evened the series with a 6-4 game two win. The 37s then blanked the Jaxx 6-0 in game three to set up Tuesday night’s title-clinching rout.
The 37s had previously swept the Smoke in the quarterfinals and won a hard-fought semi-final over the regular season champions, the Bell Cartage Outlaws. The Jaxx cruised to their third Finals in as many years with sweeps over the Kings and Selects in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, respectively.
The 37s’ championship comes in just their second year in the league and, given their youth, they appear poised to be a force within the KFL for many years to come. Congratulations to both squads on successful seasons!
The Bulldogs, 2015 B-Side Champions
Congratulations are also in order for the Bulldogs, who secured their first-ever B-side crown, defeating the Predators 8-0 in the deciding game of the best-of-three Finals. The Bulldogs won game one 7-2, while the Predators took game two 5-4. Craig Miller received the MVP nod in both of the Bulldogs’ wins. Congrats to both squads on their strong finishes to the year.
- Mike Brown
The park has been closed for tonight due to rain. The KFL A-Finals will continue on Thursday night at 8pm, with the 37's holding a 1-0 lead in the Best of 5 Series
Bryan Reeve
The KFL playoffs have narrowed the field to the final two – one quite familiar with this time of year, the other a fresh-faced newcomer. Will the 37s be able to topple the two-time defending champion Diamond Jaxx to attain KFL supremacy in just their second year in the league? A best-of-five Finals kicks off tonight to determine just that.
#2 Diamond Jaxx (23-4-1) vs. #6 37s (19-10)
The Diamond Jaxx punched their ticket to the Finals with little resistance, outscoring the Selects 21-2 in a brutally efficient semi-final sweep. Clearly, their offense is firing on all cylinders – though it didn’t really need to be given the dominant performances of pitchers Jeff Wise and Kevin Buckley. The Jaxx are playing with a comfort level befitting a team that’s been here before, as they look to replicate last season’s undefeated march through the playoffs. Their defense has been one of the KFL’s best for years, so if the 37s are hoping the Jaxx are going to beat themselves, they're in for a long series.
To this point in the postseason, though, the 37s have looked more than capable of giving the reigning champs all they can handle. After all, they just knocked off the top-seeded Bell Cartage Outlaws on the heels of sweeping the third-seeded Smoke. And they did so despite the adversity of falling behind 1-0 in a best-of-three series, edging the Outlaws 6-5 to even the series before exploding for a 9-5 win in the clincher. Ryan Mann went deep twice in the deciding game and, if youngsters like him and Ted Sebben can make major contributions on offense, the Jaxx pitchers will have their hands full. Mix in the masterful Dan Martin on the mound and all the elements for a potential upset are in place. If you’ve got the time, making the trip to Budd Park for this series will likely be well worth your while.
Season series: The 37s took the first meeting 14-1 and the Diamond Jaxx won 14-3 in the second.
- Mike Brown
The regular season champs, the two-time defending champs, last year’s runner-up, and a rising KFL power – these are the four teams still vying for the 2015 KFL title in what should be two very entertaining semi-final series.
#1 Bell Cartage Outlaws (24-1-2) vs. #6 37s (17-9)
The Bell Cartage Outlaws picked a very bad time to lose their first game of the season, falling 6-4 to the underdog Jays in a stunning game one of their quarterfinal match-up. But their reaction spoke volumes, as they won the next two games by a ridiculous 25-3 margin, decisively earning their place in the KFL semi-finals. They survived the series – and did so with Mel Ross, their primary inning-eater this season, missing for two of the three games. This remains a team with depth and immense talent, as shown by their lopsided win-loss record. As they seek to advance to their third KFL Finals in four years, the Outlaws remain favourites until proven otherwise.
That said, the 37s present an intriguing match-up. In their 2014 KFL debut, they made the playoffs before suffering a quarterfinal sweep at the hands of Bell Cartage. Bolstered by a few offseason additions, they’ve taken the next step in just their second season. Dan Martin, widely viewed as the league’s top pitcher, was one of those additions – and this semi-final pits him against his former squad. But let’s be clear: This is not a one-dimensional team. Young lefty Tim Wright kept the Smoke bats in check as they took game one of their quarterfinal series, 4-1. Travis Martin launched his fifth home run of the season in their 10-0 game two blowout, placing him among the league leaders despite playing in only 10 games. This was the league’s second-best offense in 2015, and they’ve won 15 of 20 since June 1. The Outlaws are the favourites, yes, but they’re in for a fight.
Season series: The Outlaws swept the season series, winning 8-3 and 3-1.
#2 Diamond Jaxx (21-4-1) vs. #5 Selects (17-10)
September’s been very, very good to the Diamond Jaxx. The two-time defending KFL champs continued their postseason dominance with a quarterfinal sweep of a talented Kings squad, winning 4-1 and 7-6. That sets up a rematch of last year’s Finals with the Selects, which likely suits the Jaxx just fine, given that they swept that best-of-five, took both meetings with the Selects this season, and are 6-2 overall in playoff meetings between the two teams. Their confidence entering this series should be soaring – and that’s a dangerous thing with a lineup this potent.
For their part, the Selects had to scratch and claw just to get to this point, coming from behind in their quarterfinal’s deciding game to edge the Classics 5-4, thanks to a game-winning, seventh-inning, RBI triple from Tom Allan. Selects’ ace Shayne Riepert delivered a gutsy relief effort, playing through a knee injury sustained the night before. But such drama is typical for the Selects – few teams have won as many postseason nailbiters as these guys. And if they're looking for inspiration, they need look no further than veteran catcher Kevin Ryrie. He played only a few innings in last year’s Finals before a collision at the plate ended his year, but enters this series healthy and hitting, going 6-11 in the Classics series. The Selects will need him to keep it up if they hope to dethrone the champs.
Season series: The Jaxx won both meetings this year, 4-1 and 4-0.
- Mike Brown
#9 Bulldogs (9-16) vs. #11 Predators (6-18-1)
The five-team 2015 B-side has been whittled to two familiar foes, with a best-of-three series set to hand out the hardware. After narrowly missing an A-side berth, the Bulldogs entered the postseason as the B-side favourites and they certainly acted like it last week, doubling up on the Thunder 6-3 in their semi-final. That victory has them in the B-side’s marquee match-up for the first time since 2010, which, incidentally, was the year of their last playoff victory against the Predators. These two teams have had very similar offensive output in 2015, so the Bulldogs will look to exploit their edge defensively – they’ve allowed 66 fewer runs than the Predators – to emerge victorious. Pitchers Corey Jackson, Zachary Pawley, Craig Miller, and Mike Dietrich will be key in that regard.
For the Predators, this is familiar terrain, marking their fourth consecutive appearance in the B Finals. The only problem? The first three yielded sweeps at the hands of three different opponents. The Predators will have to hope that experience will fuel a markedly different result in 2015. They already pulled one minor upset in the semi-finals, edging the Athletics 7-5, aided by a long ball from veteran outfielder Dan Gehl. If he can keep swinging a hot stick, they might just get over the hump for their first B crown since 2008, when they defeated – you guessed it – the Bulldogs.
Season series: The Predators won a pair of close meetings, 5-3 and 3-2.
- Mike Brown
With the folding of the Moonshiners over the offseason, the KFL’s B-side crown is guaranteed a new owner this year. For the four teams still in the running, it would be a nice way to cap the 2015 season.
#9 Bulldogs (8-16) vs. #12 Thunder (6-19)
The Bulldogs enter the postseason as the B-side’s top seed after looking poised to stay on the A-side for the first half of the year. But they’ve limped into the playoffs, winning just one game since June and losing seven straight to end the season. The Bulldogs boast a balanced lineup, led by the likes of Leighvi Batte and Andrew Detzler, and they have a number of serviceable throwers, including Corey Jackson and rookie Zachary Pawley. If they can return to their early-season form, they could potentially run through these playoffs undefeated. If not, it could be another short second season for a squad that hasn’t reached the B Finals since 2010.
Standing in their way is the very team that ended their season in last year’s quarterfinal, the Thunder. They’ve already got a postseason victory under their belts, knocking off the Red Sox 7-4 in the 12-13 match-up, and are one upset away from their first-ever B Final. After a tough campaign in which they rarely had their full squad at their disposal, you can bet they’re welcoming the chance to make 2015 their most successful postseason to date. And if they can put everything together, the Thunder are a tough out, as shown by their regular season sweep of the 37s and the scares they gave both the Classics and Selects. If one of their pitchers can get hot and keep their opponents off the scoreboard, they are certainly capable of notching the upset.
Season series: The Bulldogs won both meetings this year, 9-4 and 6-2.
#10 Athletics (7-17) vs. #11 Predators (5-18-1)
In the midst of a nine-game midseason skid, things were looking pretty dire for the Athletics’ first season in the KFL, but they managed to right themselves with three wins over their final six games. Three more wins would give them a pretty successful inaugural campaign – and they’ve got the personnel to do it. Shortstop Brandon Viol has recovered from knee surgery in time to anchor the Athletics on both sides of the ball, while the likes of Bryce Good, Lukas Linde, and Dean Clement have provided ample support. Now, they’re looking to ride the B-side’s best offense (4.29 runs/game) right to the B Finals.
Their semi-final opponent, the Predators, are easily the most experienced squad on the B-side. Of the four teams still in the running, they’re the only one who have won a B crown in the last decade (2008) and they’ve advanced to the B Finals for three straight years (2012-2014). To this point, 2015 has been a down year for the Predators, but the absence of their staff ace, Mark Kelly, for more than half the season could be part of the reason. If he’s able to make a meaningful September contribution, that could be a difference-maker as the Predators look to advance. And whoever survives this one-game semi-final has an excellent opportunity to finish the season on a winning note, with a KFL B-side Championship.
Season series: The Athletics won the first meeting, 16-3, and the Predators took the second, 9-5.
- Mike Brown
The long slog of the regular season is behind us and the league’s top eight teams have earned themselves a chance at the coveted KFL crown. With our quarterfinal match-ups set to begin this evening, let’s take a closer look at each pairing.
#1 Bell Cartage Outlaws (22-0-2) vs. #8 Jays (10-14)
No matter how you slice it, the Bell Cartage Outlaws enter this one as prohibitive favourites. Their 22-0-2 campaign was the first undefeated regular season in the KFL since 2006. They mashed their way to the league’s best offense (8.46 runs/game), then held opponents in check better than anyone else too (2.38 runs/game), just to leave doubters with no credible cause for complaint. Perhaps most frightening of all is this squad’s balance – for example, they had 10 different players go yard this year. If you manage to get past talented hitters like Justin Krulicki, Brad Hackert, and Derek Martin, your reward is a match-up with the likes of Tim Dubois and Corey Way. And even if you manage to stifle this formidable offense, you have to find a way to put up runs against the tricky pitching trio of Mel Ross, Doug Hoffman, and Jonathan Baker.
That tall task falls to the Jays, a squad in the midst of a considerable comedown after a 13-3-3 regular season in 2014. After merging with the now-defunct Moonshiners, the Jays’ 2015 playoff roster looks significantly different than in recent years. In addition to costly personnel losses, they’ve struggled mightily with injuries this year, losing veteran catcher Jason Clayfield to a knee injury in May and pitcher Nolan Kreis to a season-ending shoulder injury in early June. But they scrapped their way into the final playoff spot and will need to call upon those reserves of resilience if their season is to last much longer. Pitcher Jordan Emick will have to be at his best for the Jays to pull off the major upset. A return from Clayfield would be another welcome shot in the arm.
Season series: The Outlaws took both games this year, 9-1 and 7-0.
#2 Diamond Jaxx (19-4-1) vs. #7 Kings (14-9-1)
The Diamond Jaxx enter the 2015 postseason eyeing a third consecutive KFL title. Led by pitchers Jeff Wise and Kevin Buckley, they boasted the league’s second-ranked defense (2.83 runs/game), to go with the third-ranked offense (7.17 runs/game). Ryan Ferber left the ballpark a league-best eight times and he had plenty of power around him in the Jaxx lineup; 12 players hit four or more home runs in the KFL this year – and one-third of them were on the Jaxx (Ferber, Warren Williams, Chad MacQueen, and Jamie Crickmore). They’ll look to continue playing at an elite level as they try to give the Kings a flashback to their last postseason meeting, a 2-0 Jaxx sweep in the 2013 A semi-finals.
The Kings are not an easy draw for the two-time defending champs. Nick Laurette and Greg Hammell give them a very solid 1-2 punch in the pitching circle, part of the reason they finished with the third-best defense in the league (3.04 runs/game). They may not possess the same potency as the Jaxx throughout the lineup, but the offseason additions of Dan Mitchell and Bob Gillow have complemented strong sticks like Matt McLaren, Hammell, Matt Eidt, and Aaron Correia. Fun fact: The Kings’ only KFL championship came in 2009, when they erased a 2-0 deficit to beat the Jaxx 3-2. Don’t be surprised if this series comes down to the wire as well.
Season series: The Diamond Jaxx swept the season series, winning 7-0 and 5-2.
#3 Smoke (16-8) vs. #6 37s (15-9)
What a difference a year can make. At this time last year, Marc Geddes was helping the Jays to a two-game sweep of the Smoke in the quarterfinals. This year, he’s hoping to help punch the Smoke’s ticket to the semis, teaming with Kevin Pomfret to lead a solid pitching staff. With the father-son duo of Paul and Jeff Clemens setting the table for the middle-of-the-order pop provided by the likes of Brian Kron and Adam Vanwyck, the Smoke have been scoring runs at a steady clip (6.92/game) – and that consistency has helped them to their highest finish in five years.
Unfortunately for the Smoke, their reward is a first-round match-up with the league’s second-best offense (7.42 runs/game), that of the Elmira 37s, who won 13 of their final 18 after a shaky start. Add to that the fact that Jamie Simpson and Dan Martin are likely to see the lion’s share of postseason innings, which were spread more evenly with the 37s’ young arms in the regular season, and there’s definite potential for an upset here. Ben Wideman, Travis Martin, and Tim Freeman also give the 37s some pretty potent sticks to help them try to advance their cause.
Season series: The 37s won both games, 7-0 and 3-2.
#4 Classics (16-8) vs. #5 Selects (15-9)
The Classics know how to peak at the right time, entering the postseason winners of 13 of their last 16 games. Though they can give you a smattering of different looks with their deep stable of arms (including Larry Cox, Rod Fevreau, Sean Geehan, Martin Mauviel, and Bob Underwood), Todd Uhrig has established himself as the staff ace since his midseason arrival. Pair that with an always solid offense led by John Sexton, Jodie Schnarr, and Andrew Mathies, and the Classics could be dreaming of their first KFL title since 2011. History favours the Classics in this match-up as well; over the last decade, they’ve met the Selects three times in the postseason, winning all three (2007 semis, 2010 finals, and 2011 finals).
For their part, the Selects will draw on another piece of history for their confidence – the Selects have advanced at least to the semi-finals in eight of the last nine years. They’ve had an up-and-down season, but they’ll look to follow a proven blueprint of stingy pitching and defense, coupled with just enough run support, to get into the final four again. Shayne Riepert’s the staff ace, notching 112 strikeouts in 83 innings, with Scott Clark and Chad Fink waiting in the wings to provide different looks. Meanwhile, Brett Pfeifer, Darren Strickland, and Kevin Ryrie will look to pace the offense. If these two squads prove to be as even on the diamond as they look on paper, a very good series awaits.
Season series: The Selects took the first meeting 7-2 and the Classics won 6-1 in the second.
- Mike Brown
In order to qualify for playoffs, players must have attended at least 8 regular season games, as per section L.3.i) of the KFL Constitution. Playoff exemptions can also be granted for players suffering significant injuries or other reasonable long-term absences, at the discretion of the Executive.
The following is a complete list of players who have been granted playoff exemptions for 2015:
Jake Albrecht, Predators
Jason Clayfield, Jays
Tim Coverdale, Selects
Sam Forbes, Classics
Bob Gillow, Kings
Will Pierce, Diamond Jaxx
Ben Reid, Thunder
Andrew Schiedel, Predators
Dana Seiling, Classics
Any player not appearing on the above list who is credited with less than 8 games played according to the KFL website (as of September 1, 2015) is ineligible for the 2015 playoffs. Any teams with questions about a player’s eligibility should direct them to the Executive prior to their first playoff game.
- Mike Brown
The Waterloo Classics recently won the 20th annual Ontario Amateur Softball Association (OASA) Masters "A" Provincial Fastball Championship, which was held in St. Clements from July 17 to 19. There were nine teams in the Masters division (for players aged 40 and over) and five in the Legends division (aged 50 and over).
The Classics team got off to a strong start on the Friday night, defeating the Ohsweken Sr. Braves 12-2, but then lost to the Kitchener Outlaws 7-4 Saturday morning. They earned the fifth seed after the initial round of play, meeting the defending champion Waterdown Hammer in one of four Saturday evening quarterfinal games. After being held hitless for six innings, the Classics broke through with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh to win 2-1 and advance to the semi-finals.
On Sunday morning, the Classics batted their way to a convincing 13-6 win over the top-seeded Grimsby Diamond Kings to earn a spot in the championship game against the Cambridge Rusty Jiggers, who had edged Kitchener 1-0 in the other semi.
In the championship game, Cambridge scored early to take a 3-0 lead, but the Classics battled back with a couple of runs before Cambridge added one more to make it 4-2. The Classics' bats then came alive, scoring seven unanswered to win 9-4. Todd Uhrig was the winning pitcher in relief of Scott Brookshaw. Uhrig also took the top pitcher award, while John Sexton was named Most Valuable Player. It marked the second OASA Masters provincial championship for the Classics, who won it previously in 2008.
The winning squad had considerable representation from the KFL, including Pat Graham of the Diamond Jaxx, Chad Halstead of the Smoke, Travis Schmidt of the Predators, and Larry Cox, Jodie Schnarr, Dana Seiling, John Sexton, and Todd Uhrig of the Classics. A number of other KFL players participated in both the Masters and Legends division.
Playing for the Cambridge Rusty Jiggers, Frank Farrell of the Classics won the Jack Cook Award, presented annually to the player, manager, or coach who best exemplifies the sportsmanship, leadership, and competitive spirit of Masters fastball in Ontario.
In the Legends division championship game, the Toronto Gators downed the Waterloo Legends 14-3. In the Masters "B" championship, Waterdown defeated the St. Thomas Storm by a score of 6-5.
- Dana Seiling
The KFL is pleased to announce that the KFL All-Stars will play the Australian Men's National Team as part of a double-header at Arand Field, in Milverton, on Tuesday, June 16th. Team Australia is playing a number of exhibition games in Ontario to gear up for the ISF Championships.
The first game of the night will feature Australia vs. the Elmira Expos at 7 p.m.
The second game of the night will be Australia vs the 2015 KFL All-Stars at 9 p.m.
All-Star ballots have been completed by the KFL Team Reps, and your 2015 KFL All-Star selections are as follows, as chosen by their peers:
Ben Wideman - 37s
Bryce Good - Athletics
Chris Davis - Bulldogs
Andrew Mathies - Classics
Chad MacQueen - Diamond Jaxx
Jeff Kolb - Jays
Dan Mitchell - Kings
Nevin Wilson - Predators
Jaron Lefler - Red Sox
Kevin Ryrie - Selects
Adam Vanwyck - Smoke
Kevin Clement - Thunder
Mel Ross - Bell Cartage Outlaws
Kyle Crawford - Bell Cartage Outlaws
Shayne Riepert - Selects
Justin Krulicki - Bell Cartage Outlaws
Ryan Ferber - Diamond Jaxx
Mike Brown - Selects
Coaches
Gerry Evers - Kings
Pat Anderson - Predators
Mike Hanley - 37s
- Bryan Reeve
Thanks to some glorious early May weather, week one of the 2015 KFL season is in the books. Let’s take a quick tour around the league to see how the landscape has changed since late September, shall we?
Bulldogs (2-0) – The Bulldogs are off to a quick start, already halfway to their 2014 win total after putting up 16 runs combined in wins over the Athletics and Thunder. They’ve returned a solid, stable core and brought in a couple new faces, as they seek their first A-side playoff appearance in recent memory. If they’re pitching staff can steal a game or two, it’s a goal that may well be within reach.
Selects (2-0) – Not much has changed for the Selects since getting swept by the Diamond Jaxx in the KFL Finals to end their 2014 campaign. There are no new faces here, though offensive sparkplug Kevin Ryrie is back after suffering a scary, season-ending injury in their game one loss to the Jaxx. Expect pitching and defense to be their hallmarks once again; they’ve posted back-to-back shutouts over the Predators and Athletics to start the year.
Smoke (2-0) – The Smoke made a splash in the offseason, adding hurler Marc Geddes to shore up a strong pitching staff. If early-season returns are to be trusted, the offense looks just fine too, posting 16 runs in wins over the Kings and Predators to start 2015 off right. All signs seem to be pointing to another season with the Smoke firmly entrenched in the postseason picture.
Bell Cartage Outlaws (1-0) – Perhaps the biggest offseason development for Bell Cartage was the decision of the Outlaws to leave the South Perth league. While there was significant overlap between the Bell Cartage-sponsored KFL and South Perth squads, the KFL incarnation now boasts even deeper reserves of talent – coming off a season in which they already posted the league’s best regular season record. With a pitching staff of Mel Ross, Kyle Crawford, Doug Hoffman, and Jonathon Baker, they’ll always be a tough out. The 37s saw that last week, as the Outlaws downed them 8-3.
Diamond Jaxx (1-0) – In 2014, the Diamond Jaxx put together an impressive run as co-hosts of the ISC World Championships and followed that up with their second straight KFL crown. Unsurprisingly, that kind of success breeds roster stability, meaning the faces are unchanged as they strive for the first KFL three-peat since the old Phoenix/Outlaws won four in a row from 2004 to 2007. They’re off to a great start, beating the veteran Classics 7-2 in their season opener.
37s (1-1) – In their first season in the KFL, the 37s assembled a young core and fought their way into the A-side playoffs. Over the winter, they added ace pitcher Dan Martin to the mix, joining Team Canada outfielder Ben Wideman to give them arguably the league’s top two players. That’s not a bad place to be when entering just your second season. At this rate, the 37s could be a fixture in the KFL’s upper echelon for many years to come.
Classics (1-1) – There’s no substitute for experience and the Classics have plenty of that – with three KFL crowns in the last seven years – but they’ve also added a few new faces this year. One of them, Andrew Mathies, is off to a blistering start, hitting bombs in his first two games with the new squad, who fell to the Jaxx before beating the Red Sox. Runs likely won’t be an issue for this seasoned group and the pitching staff of Bob Underwood, Martin Mauviel, Sean Geehan, and Larry Cox should have them playoff-bound.
Kings (1-1) – The Kings always seem to be in the mix and there’s no reason to expect anything different in 2015. They’ll be led, as always, by a talented pitching staff; Nick Laurette is back as the veteran anchor, complemented by talented youngsters Greg Hammell and Dan Mitchell. The Smoke managed to edge them 5-4 in their opener, but the Kings bounced back with a 4-0 win over the Jays. The smart money says it won’t be their last shutout this season.
Thunder (1-1) – Entering their fifth year in the KFL, the Thunder are hoping the experience amassed over a few losing seasons will start to pay dividends in 2015. The key for them will be putting more runs on the board. Dan Wakeford and Lucas Crosby are the leaders here, but catcher Ben Reid and speedy outfielder Shane Miller are also players to watch.
Athletics (0-2) – The Athletics are technically new to the KFL, but most of their players are not. James Gallo – the brain trust behind the Phillies squad whose 2012 B-side crown was the highlight of their three-year stint in the league – has called on many former teammates to establish the Athletics’ core. They’re off to a slow start, with losses to the Bulldogs and Selects, but it should just be a matter of time before this group finds its footing. Brandon Viol and J.J. Gallo give them one of the league’s best middle infield pairings.
Jays (0-2) – This is not the same Jays crew that went 15-3-3 before losing to the Diamond Jaxx in last year’s semi-finals. Through two games, only five players from that squad have suited up for the new-look Jays, who also boast a sizable contingent from the now-defunct Moonshiners. They’ve been slow out of the gate, losing to very good 37s and Kings teams to start the year. But they certainly have the pieces to compete, including up-and-coming pitcher Tyler Randerson, veteran catcher Jason Clayfield, and Jeff Kolb, the reigning home run champ.
Predators (0-2) – The 2015 season marks a decade for the Predators in the KFL. Each year seems to see incremental change to a roster anchored by mainstays like Dan Gehl, Jamie Lang, Joel Fleming, and Matt Anderson. This squad possesses the skill to compete with anyone in the league, as evidenced by their 13-9 campaign a couple years back. If they hope to return to the A-side this season, though, they’ll need to improve upon a slow start, having lost to the Selects and Smoke in the opening week.
Red Sox (0-2) – The Red Sox return to the KFL after a one-year absence, led by player-manager Sean Tracy, who will split pitching duties with Pete Albrecht and Chris Baldson. There are other familiar faces here, including Justin Peszleny, Jaron Lefler, and Tristan Lefler, who will look to provide a stable core from which to build. The offense looked okay in the opening week, putting up nine runs over two games, but the Sox nonetheless dropped decisions to both the Thunder and Classics.
All in all, it's shaping up to be another competitive year in the KFL. See you at Budd Park!
- Mike Brown
Team Reps be on the watch for your 2015 Season packages going out shortly..League Meeting and 2014 wrap-ups upcoming.
Congratulations to the Diamond Jaxx on winning the KFL Championship for the 2014 season. The Jaxx completed an undefeated run through the KFL playoffs with a 3-game sweep of the Selects with a walk-off win in the bottom of 7th, edging out the win 4-3 on a base hit by Chad MacQueen.
Very well pitched series by both teams, by Jeff Wise and Kevin Buckley of the Diamond Jaxx, and Shayne Reipert of the Selects.
Photo Credit - Paula Manel
Congrats to the Runners Up, Kitchener Selects on a great season.
Photo Credit - Cheryl Reeve
The KFL Finals between Diamond Jaxx and Selects resumes tonight at Budd Park at 7pm.
Game #1 will be picked up from where it was suspended last week. Will be bottom of the 4th inning, 2 out, 2 on, with the Diamond Jaxx batting, leading 2-0.
Game #2 will start shortly after the conclusion of Game #1.
Please keep Kevin Ryrie in your thoughts as he recovers. Was a very scary incident in Game#1 and the KFL wishes you well.
We are finally there. The last playoff series of the 2014 KFL season will feature the Selects vs. The Diamond Jaxx. I don’t know how many KFL fans, back in May, would have predicted that particular matchup, but it was never out of the realm of possibility. Both teams were big-time winners all season, and had similar win loss records. This is going to be a great match-up.
Before we look at how it all came about, however, let’s take a moment to congratulate the winner of the B-side playoffs, The Moonshiners. Congratulations, Moonshiners. After losing the last five games of the season, the Moonshiners went undefeated in their playoff run, winning four straight games to end the season and take home the trophy. That’s gotta feel good.
The Predators were a tough opponent for them, and, most likely, were almost everyone’s pick to take home the B-side this year, but for the second year in a row the Predators just missed out on glory. (I know, I know: Don’t rub it in.) It was still a great season for the Preds, and they seem to improve every year. I don’t doubt that it will be very long before they start contending for the A-side finals.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town …
I was certain that in this year’s KFL finals we would see a rematch of last year’s championship, The Diamond Jaxx vs Bell Cartage. It seemed, to me, like a foregone conclusion, with two trains heading northbound and southbound on the same track, a collision being eminent.
But, I was wrong.
The Selects (7 -1 underdogs) upset Bell Cartage, taking a close fought series, and winning the two games they needed to continue on by a total of 2 runs (2 to 1 and 1 - 0). And that, fans, is Selects baseball. Good pitching, solid defense, and a ‘get em on get em in’ mentality that they rode all year long and has brought The Selects to the veritable edge of greatness… they are on the cusp of making KFL history!
(And as an aside: GIven the storied timeline of this Selects organization, I am quite surprised to look at the annals of the KFL and see that the Selects have never won the A-side finals. I know, if my memory serves me correctly, that they have been there before. Always a bridesmaid; never a bride? humph … who knew. This might just be their year, though.)
But first, they have to take down the mighty Diamond Jaxx who are simply, “bringing it.” Thus far, The Jaxx are undefeated in their playoff run, trampling The Classics and The Jays. There isn’t much to say about The Diamond Jaxx that hasn’t already been said. They are a good ball team who play all facets of the game very well; however, if I had to point to one thing, I would say their real strength is knocking the snot out of the baseball. Collectively, this team can hit -- top to bottom. If the Selects pitchers can’t hold those bats down, it could be a quick series. I don’t think that The Selects will be able to play catch up if they get down runs.
Mind you, if the Selects can hold Bell Cartage to six runs over three games you gotta ask yourself: Why can’t they do it to the Jaxx?
It is going to be a great series and I am planning on getting out to watch as many of the games as I am able to. If you care to join me, the series starts this Thursday at 8:00 pm, Budd 1. Come on out and support the league, bring your teammates, maybe see a few familiar faces, have a good time, and embrace what is truly the spirit of the KFL.
I think this is probably going to be my last article this year. I enjoyed writing this column, and I hope everyone enjoyed reading it. Thanks for reading.
- Matthew Fries
Congratulations to the B-Side Champion Moonshiners for a well-played Finals. They were victorious after a thrilling 8-7 victory in 9 innings for a series sweep over the Predators.
After a brief hiatus for the World’s, the KFL is back in business. All the regular season games are finished, vacation time is over (for me anyway), and it is time to get ready for the playoffs. That means it is time for the ...
2014 KFL PLAYOFF PREVIEW (add some echo for dramatic effect … view view view view.)
Before I get started, however, I want to take a moment (on behalf of the KFL President, Bryan Reeve) to mention that The KFL wishes a speedy recovery to Curtis Hurlburt of The Thunder who broke his leg in a game against the Diamond Jaxx back on July 22. Curtis, I’m sure your teammates will be dedicating some playoff games to you.
The A Side.
In 2014, the battle for the A-side trophy will be fought out by the following teams:
Bell Cartage (finishing with a record of 15-2-2)
The Diamond Jaxx (finishing with a record of 13-5-1)
The 37s (finishing with a record of 11-7-1)
The Kings (finishing with a record of 12-7-0)
The Classics (finishing with a record of 11-7-1)
The Selects (finishing with a record of 12-7-0)
The Smoke (finishing with a record of 11-8-0)
The Jays (finishing with a record of 13-3-3)
Let’s take a look at the first round matchups.
The Classics vs. The Diamond Jaxx
At the beginning of the season The Diamond Jaxx seemed to be unshakable, holding down top spot in the Black Division most of the year. A late season loss to the Jays, however, sees them dipping down to second place. With the highest run differential in the entire league, the Jaxx are a team that you don’t want to mess with. They can put up runs quickly and when those bats are smacking balls around they are tough to hold down. The KFL numbers makers have the Diamond Jaxx at 2 to 1 odds to take home the trophy in 2014.
But first they have to get past The Classics.
It’s not a bad draw for the Classics. In their one and only meeting in 2014, the Classics tied the Diamond Jaxx 2-2. Year after year, the Classics threaten to take it all, and this year is no exception. Their veteran lineup has no quit in it, and they are used to winning. With 94 runs batted in this year and 67 runs against, they expect to score every night and they expect to get good pitching every night. The model for the Classics is consistency. The oddsmakers have the Classics sitting at 9 to 1 dogs to take it all.
The Jays vs The Smoke
The Jays were good enough to take top spot in the Black Division this year, but are they good enough to take it all? Only time will tell. With some quick young talent and top-notch pitching they are right where they need to be to win. Taking the last game of the season 2-1 to take top spot from the Diamond Jaxx, they put themselves into a solid draw against the Smoke. Many of the experts that I have spoken to believe The Jays will be there at the bitter end. Will they be the last team standing though? The Oddsmakers have them at 3 to 1, edged by the Diamond Jaxx by a miniscule margin.
The Smoke were in every game this year, and finished the season with a very respectable record of 11-8-0. The Jays would be foolish to take this series lightly. There was a time in the season where it seemed that The Smoke were winning every game they played. With season wins against Bell Cartage, The Selects, and The Kings, The Smoke can compete against any team in the KFL, and I expect this series to be a well-contested match up. Despite the fact that the Smoke are 11-1 dogs in the playoff race, they could easily be undervalued, and if they knock off one of the top teams in the league straight off the hop, their value will increase exponentially.
The Smoke lost to the Jays 8 - 2 in an early season matchup.
The Kings vs. The Selects
The Kings might be a good sleeper pick this year. Coming on strong at the end of the season, they are peaking at just the right time. Nick Laurette has five MVP nods this year, and is tough to hit against. The problem that I can see right now is that six players on their original roster do not have enough games to make the playoffs. I don’t think it will make a big difference because the core of their lineup will be there, but it raises the question: Who are the Kings, really? The oddsmakers have the Kings at 5 to 1, and those are the kind of odds that speak to degenerate gamblers.
What can you say about the Selects? They are always in the thick of it. Always fielding a good team. Always contending. This year might be one of the best Select teams we have seen in a while too. Behind the arm of Shayne Riepert (with 6 MVP nods this season), the Selects just come right at you. Their brand of quick, disciplined, error-free, play landed them in third place in the Black Division, and 7 - 1 favourites to take home the trophy. (Valued below the Kings only because of their runs against; otherwise, the two teams are in a dead heat.)
This series might be too close to call.
Bell Cartage vs the 37s
I don’t think it is too bold of a statement to say that Bell Cartage is the best team in the KFL this year. This is what the numbers tell me. Their runs for are in the top three in the league and their runs against are only 41, the best in the league, - the best in the league by 18 runs. Three names that are very familiar to everyone in the KFL are Doug Hoffman, Mel Ross, and Dan Martin. All three pitchers for Bell Cartage have the stuff to make nearly any hitter they face feel very uncomfortable. SImply, if anyone is going to beat this team they need to outpitch them. That’s why Bell Cartage is even money to win the A side playoffs this year.
In round one they will face the 37s.
It’s a David vs. Goliath scenario. Their first year in the league, the young upstarts (the 37s) have played with tremendous heart and spunk all season long. They took to the KFL like a fish takes to water, and won some great games against some good teams. Their spot in the A-side playoffs was earned. Are they overachievers? I don’t think so. I love the way this team plays, and I expect great things from them in the future. But do they have enough in them to beat Bell Cartage? At 14 to 1 to take the A-side trophy this year … let’s just wait and see. It might be asking too much of them. But I am really excited to see if they can pull it off.
That’s it for the A-side. An update on the B-side will come when the two final teams are decided.
This is a great time of year for fastball fans, and I hope to see people out watching the games. I love the first-round match ups, and I can’t imagine it could get any better.
Here’s hoping to see you at the ballpark.
- Matthew Fries
Well, we're getting into the dog days of summer now. The time of year in the Northern Hemisphere when the weather is (supposed to, anyway) heat up, and the sultry, steamy nights in the city send hordes of Canadians off on vacation to northern cottages and campsites where they can take nighttime dips in dark lakes, and the sound of loons and crackling campfires replace the city's wailing sirens and the constant chirp of the television.
In fact, as I write this I am sitting, not at a desk, but on a bed at the cottage with the board-game, PAYDAY, precariously close to the edge of the mattress; for certain, it will soon fall off and I will have to pick up all the pieces. I will not move it though. I'll leave it to fate.
It's the time of year when you see some odd formations of teams in the KFL. You see some guys playing positions you did not realize they could play. You see seven familiar faces on the bench, and two call-ups with mismatched uniforms. It's vacation time and its the time of year for short benches and, “Don't you get hurt. We've got six regulars out tonight.” Or, “Whatta ya mean ya gotta work late?” It's vacation time!
It's the time of year when teams with deep benches really take hold in the standings. Let's take a look.
On Monday night Nick Laurette took player of the game honours as the Kings trumped the Predators 9 – 0. And that wasn't the Kings' only move this past week. They also checked the Classics 11 – 6, and moved up to third place in the Red division. Might be checkmate as far as their bid for the A-side playoffs go – their closest division rivals, the Bulldogs and the Predators both went 0 for 2 in their games in week 9.
In the other Monday night game, the 37s tied the Jays. (Jays are still undefeated!) This after beating the Diamond Jaxx in week 7. Another good game for a team that just keeps on getting positive results.
Unfortunately, for the 37s, they are chasing the Selects, and the Selects are one of those teams that just keep on winning. They are quietly putting together a really good season with two more wins in week 9. With a record of 9 and 3, the Selects hold onto third place in the Black division. It seems like they are patiently waiting for the Jays to falter.
Another team that is putting together a really good season is the Smoke. Two more wins this week puts them solidly in second place in the Red division. With a record of 9 and 6, they have to be thinking A-side finals all the way.
And the PAYDAY just fell off the bed. I knew it would. I'll have to hunt under the bed for dice and gather all the mail cards before I pack up my stuff to head home, back to the city, back to ball next week.
See you at the ballpark in week 11.
The KFL - Week Eight in Review
Holy cow am I a little behind here. It’s been a busy week and a busy weekend and it looks like a busy week ahead. I might have to keep this short and very matter-of-fact. I haven’t even checked the scores or the standing since last Sunday. Let me take a minute to pull up the KFL website and look back and …. Well, what do you know - rainouts. I guess it’s official. It’s one of THOSE summers, and there’s not much we can do about it.
O well. Let’s check out the games that were played last week.
On Monday the Kings crowned the Moonshiners 6 - 1. Then the Smoke burned the Thunder 8 -4.
Tuesday was a washout.
On Wednesday the 37s pulled off a big win against the Diamond Jaxx, taking the game 6 - 5. (I am not just talking out my ear when I say the 37s are a good team.)
In the late game, the Bulldogs stepped in a pile of it when they took on the Mustangs. The Mustangs brought out some big bats and exploded in a 11 - 8 runfest getting the well-deserved win.
Watch out KFL, because on Thursday the Smoke were, once again, on fire, white hot, burning up the league (plus they have the best name for lame sports puns), roasting the Kings 8 - 0 for their second win of the week.
In the other three Thursday games: Bell Cartage kept themselves in the win column with a victory over the Classics, the Moonshiners lost to the Predators 6 -7, and the Razorbacks lowered the boom on the Thunder.
Well, family, friends, fans … that’s the best effort I can put in this week. I have a lawn that needs mowed and an ornery neighbour, so see you around the park in week 9.
And goodnight Austin Texas wherever you are you.
- Matthew Fries
The Your Neighbourhood Credit Union 2014 ISC World Tournament is fast approaching and the host committee is looking for volunteers to help out! Plenty of volunteer spots are still available to assist at either Budd Park or Peter Hallman Ball Yard, whether you’re available to give a few hours or work all week.
The tournament runs from August 8th to 16th. Volunteers are needed to be game controllers, to assist with parking, and to help out with set-up and tear-down. Joining the set-up and tear-down crews is an especially appropriate job for anyone looking to assist for five to six hours over one day. Set-up will take place on August 6th and 7th, while tear-down will occur on August 17th.
The Kitchener Fastball League is a member of Kitchener Fastball Promotions, one of the organizations that was instrumental in bringing this world-class tournament to Kitchener. A portion of the profits will be returned to the league and used to reduce league fees based on the number of volunteer hours accrued by each team.
If you are interested in helping out, please contact Rob Way at robway@rogers.com. For fastball fans, this tournament is as good as it gets!
- Mike Brown
I believe we can safely say we are at the halfway point in the KFL season, with most teams hovering around 10 games played; so now comes the second half of the season, and the big push for play-off spots unofficially begins. In week 7 let’s see who has made moves in the standings.
On Wednesday night, the 37s and the Bulldogs met for the first time. The 37s scored seven runs to domesticate the sluggish dogs. The 37s played a good game, with some solid pitching, good defence, and timely hits. They are a well-coached, talented team, and a great addition to the KFL line up. With a most respectable record of 6-5-0, the 37s are in fourth place in the Black division.
The late game on Wednesday saw the Diamond Jaxx rein in another win. They took the Mustangs down 11 to 0. The Jaxx retake top spot in the Black division from the idle Jays.
On Thursday night, the Bulldogs pulled themselves together and roasted the razorbacks. With some big bombs by Craig Miller and Adam Detzler, they were able to score 12 runs against the Razorbacks (who were hog-tied by a short bench). With the win the Bulldogs find themselves climbing up to third place in the Red division.
On diamond two the Selects and the Smoke battled it out in a close match-up, with the Smoke eventually landing the win, 7 - 6, and wafting up to second place in the Red division.
Also, on Thursday night, the Predators put up a good fight against the Diamond Jaxx, scoring 6 runs while holding the Jaxx to 8. Unfortunately for the Preds (no matter how hard they fought), their prey escaped, and the loss drops them back down to fifth place. With the Red division so bunched up, however, these kind of wild swings are bound to happen.
Finally, the Moonshiners scored enough runs to spread out over a few games, with 17 Moonshiners crossing the plate against the embattled Thunder. At 3 and 8 (and only a game behind the Razorbacks) there is still plenty of time left for the Moonshiners to make up ground in the division.
Some big divisional matchups games to watch out for next week will be the Classics vs. Bell Cartage and The Diamond Jaxx vs. the Selects.
And with nothing but blue skies forecasted for the upcoming week 8, the KFL should get its full schedule of games in.
Here’s hoping to see you out at the ballpark next week.
- Matthew Fries
lluvia (rain in Spanish), and lots of it, poured down on the KFL this past week. Six games were postponed. Thankfully, the KFL All Stars and the Diamond Jaxx did manage to get their games in against Team Argentina. But before we get to those games, let's see what happened in the few league games that took place.
On Wednesday June 25th, the Razorbacks and the Moonshiners battled it out in a close one. In the end, the Razorbacks got the edge and brought home a 5-4 victory.
In the late game, the 37s lowered the boom on the Thunder scoring ten runs to take the win.
Both the 37s and the Razorbacks are looking up in the standings right now, but might be hitting their mid-season strides. These two teams seem to be fairly evenly matched, and I look forward to seeing the outcome when they meet up next.
Now onto the Thursday night games.
Team Argentina is a really good ball club. I don't think anybody expected any less. They are a group of young men who have been chosen to represent their country, and they obviously do so with a great deal of pride. Watching them play was a lot of fun.
Other than the pitching performance put on by the Team Argentina pitching staff, I think the highlight of the night (for me anyway) was seeing a team Argentina player hammer a home-run up and out of Budd Park, actually striking the hydro wires on Homer Watson Blvd.
Who knows where that ball would have landed. Probably either in some poor motorist’s lap, or on the other side of Homer Watson.
But it wasn't all about Team Argentina.
A lot of credit should also go to the KFL All Stars and to the Diamond Jaxx. There was no quit in either team. With impressive performances by Kevin Buckley and Mel Ross, pitching out of some tight jams, the KFL representatives gave it everything they had against a fantastic ball club.
So what were the scores?
Well, let me just say this: when it was all said and done, I noticed some big smiles coming up the hill from the dugout. I don't think it mattered much to anybody what the scores were. For once it wasn’t about winning and losing. It was fastball appreciation night all over Budd Park, and I, for one, really appreciated what I saw. Here's hoping that special events like this become a KFL tradition.
Kudos to everyone who participated, umpires included.
- Matthew Fries
There’s a few things you can count on in the KFL. You can count on washouts. You can count on blowouts. You can count on good weeks; you can count on bad. You can count on Dogs and Jays, Razorbacks and Jaxx, you can count on Classics with bats.
You can count on the fans, out with lawn chairs and kids, count on the Thunder, tornadoes, and … hitting the skids ...
(All right, what the hell am I doing? It’s tough without the sing-song voice of Mel Allen and the swelling orchestration of the classic television theme song, “This Week in Baseball”. Anybody remember it as well as I do? Or am I just dating myself?)
So stay with us, because what you CAN count on is fastball headlines and highlights coming up next on … This week in the KFL.
In this rain-shortened week five, teams in the Black division are looking to keep pace, while teams in the Red division are in a bunched-up race.
In the Black Division, the Jays pecked up two big wins against the Mustangs and the Predators, and now find themselves perched in top spot.
Also in the Black division, the Razorbacks pigged out on six runs to take a game from the Smoke. That’s a team that’s not just hunting for truffles. They are capable of making a big push.
Meanwhile (on the other side of town) in the Red division, the Classics continue to play good ball. They tied the Diamond Jaxx this week 2 - 2. With Billy Carson getting his second MVP nod this year. If the Classics keep rolling out the hits, then look out Red division.
Let’s also give a nod to the Moonshiners and the 37’s for posting timely wins against the Mustangs and the Smoke. Those might prove to be big wins when all is said and done.
Next week’s key matchups to watch out for will be the Jays vs the Diamond Jaxx and the Classics at the 37s.
And remember, next week is a shortened week, with the KFL hosting team Argentina on Thursday, June 26. The Diamond Jaxx, and the KFL All-Stars, will face Team Argentina in double-header action. If you’re not headed up to the cottage early, you might want to stop by and watch a few innings. I know I am going to.
And I hate to say it, but the weather doesn’t look that great for next week, with rain predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that we get most of the games in.
So queue up the blooper reel with errors and fans fumbling for foul balls, queue up the Ozzie Guillen backflips, and Pete Rose hitting another single, queue up the Gillette Player of the Week Award and let’s get ready because ....
That’s all for this week, folks. See ya next week on This Week in the KFL.
Blast from the Past - TWIB
- Matthew Fries
Good pitching and good hitting are an unbeatable combination in fastball; so, this week, let’s take a look at run differential and some simple odds. (This is being done in jest. No one in their right mind would actually gamble on KFL games.)
Let’s see what it is going to take to win it all this year.
On Monday night, The Classics climbed a rung closer to first place in the black division by punishing the Moonshiners in a 10 - 0 victory. It’s been a tough start for the Moonshiners, but they are a quality team and they will soon be posting some big wins.
With a run differential of plus 9 on Tuesday morning the oddsmakers have the Classics at 7 - 1 to take it all this year.
With a run differential of minus 16, the bookmakers have the Moonshiners landing at 16-1. (We’ll see where they sit in week seven.)
On a Tuesday night game the Kings put up 6 runs while blanking the 37s. The win puts the Kings at 500 for the season and with a run differential of plus 4 they come in at 10-1.
The 37s future predictions number in at 13-1.
Of note, on Tuesday, the Mustangs got their first win of the season, doubling the Thunder’s 7 runs. Congratulations on your first win in the KFL, Mustangs. Many more to come.
Wednesday’s slate of games had the Bulldogs facing the Jays and the Diamond Jaxx at the Smoke.
It was a dogfight between the Bulldogs and the Jays, a real crowd pleaser, that ended in a 2-2 tie, and although the Bulldogs did not pull off the win, they were more than happy to stain the proverbial carpet that had been the Jays perfect record in 2014. Both teams pitched very well and the defences held tight. For the Bulldogs, Leighvi Batte and Adam Detzler were an iron curtain at the left side of the infield, and behind the plate, Bulldogs catcher, Junior Dennis, called a great game.
With the tie the Jays drop a spot in the standings, but remain 3-1 upstarts to take it all this year. The scrappy Bulldogs SIT at 12-1.
In the lone nine o’clock game, the Diamond Jaxx continued their winning ways, extinguishing the smoke 8-3. With a run differential of plus 61 the odds on, league leaders in runs, are (anyone care to take a guess?) even.
The Smoke are 7-1 with a run differential of 0.
On Thursday the Predators were on the hunt for a big win against the Thunder, and they got it, moving up a spot in the standings to take second place in the red division.
With a run differential of plus 12 the Predators sit pretty at 6 - 1.
So, what’s it all mean? Not much.There’s no formula ever made that can predict an upset. You can’t add up grit plus determination divided by divine intervention (equals WIN), but you can appreciate the teams that show up at the ballpark every night and give it their all, despite the odds.
Weather: The weather for next week seems decent, with lots of sun, but a chance of showers on Wednesday.
Games to watch out for next week will be the Predators vs the Jays and the Razorbacks at the Classics.
(Any coaches out there want to share some game highlights with me? Want your players mentioned in the weekly updates? Send me an email with the details, and I will include them in my updates.). Matt.s.fries@gmail.com
Hope to see you at the ballpark.
- Matthew Fries