The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox

Braves Defeat Red Sox in Game 5

2011-08-25T01:06:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox hosted the Petit-Rocher Braves last night in Game 5 of the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi-final and were defeated 6-2. The Braves will move on to face the Atholville Cardinals in the league championship while the Red Sox season comes to an end.

The Red Sox had won 5 consecutive RCIBL championships coming into this year but the Braves ended that streak with timely hitting and a great pitching performance by Guy Robichaud on Wednesday night. Brent Nelson took the loss for Bathurst.

The Braves had a 4-1 lead mid game but a two RBI single by JR Roy pushed the gap to 6-1 and Petit-Rocher cruised from there.

The winner of the championship series will represent the RCIBL at the NB Provincial "A" championships in Caraquet while the runner up will be the "B" representative in Chatham Head.

Red Sox Host Braves on Wednesday

2011-08-23T14:12:00.003-03:00

It's all come down to one game. The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will host the Petit-Rocher Braves in Game 5 of their Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi-final on Wednesday night. The game will take place at Vickers Field in Coronation Park at 8 p.m. with the winner moving on to face the Atholville Cardinals in the championship while the loser will see their season come to an end.

The game was slated for Tuesday night but field conditions were not acceptable due to the rain over the last 48 hours.

Red Sox Win Thrilling Game 4 on the Road

2011-08-21T22:37:00.004-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox got some timely hits and a great starting pitching performance on Sunday afternoon as they defeated the Petit-Rocher Braves 5-4. This was the 4th game of their best of 5 Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi final and with the Bathurst victory, the series will go to a 5th and deciding game on Tuesday night in Bathurst.

The Braves jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning but Bathurst responded with three runs in the second inning on a bases loaded, 3-run double by Jason Martell. The Red Sox added two more runs to take a 5-2 lead before an hour long rain delay halted play in the middle of the 4th inning.

The Braves scored two runs in the 6th inning to close the gap to 5-4 but that's as close as they would come as Andrew Collins shut the door in the 7th to nail down the complete game victory. Kevol Landry took the loss for the Braves as he gave up 4 runs in just an inning and a third while Marc-André Godin pitched the remainder of the game for Petit-Rocher.

Martell, Andrew MacLaggan, Rich Gallacher and Jason Leblanc all had 2 hits each for the Red Sox while seven Braves had one hit each in the loss.

Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday night in Bathurst at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

In the other league semi-final, the Atholville Cardinals completed the upset of the season as they defeated the Dalhousie Dodgers 4-3 in extra innings to win their series 3 games to one and advance to the RCIBL championship. The Dodgers were 15-5 in the regular season as they easily finished in first place overall while the Cardinals won only 7 games all season and finished last in the league.

The Cardinals will face the winner of Tuesday night's game between Bathurst and Petit-Rocher in the league final while Dalhousie's promising season comes to an end.

Top 2 Seeds in RCIBL Face Elimination

2011-08-21T09:03:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are facing elimination today as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves in Game 4 of their Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi-final. The Braves have a 2-1 series lead and can advance to the finals with a victory today over the Red Sox. Game time is 4 p.m.

In the other league semi-final, the Dalhousie Dodgers are also facing elimination as they travel to Atholville to take on the Cardinals at 6 p.m. The Cards hold a 2-1 series lead despite finishing 9 games behind the Dodgers in the regular season standings.

Braves Take Game 3

2011-08-19T23:40:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox were downed 7-0 last night by the Petit-Rocher Braves in game 3 of their Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi-final.

Luc Roy picked up the win for the Braves while Shane Couture took the loss for Bathurst. The Braves scored three runs in the first inning and that was more than enough for the victory as Bathurst was unable to drive in runners on base in almost every inning.

The Braves lead the series 2 games to 1 and can close out the Red Sox with a win in Game 4 on Sunday at 4 p.m. in Petit-Rocher.

Game 3 On Tap for Friday

2011-08-18T23:43:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will host the Petit-Rocher Braves Friday night in Game Three of their semi-final series in the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League.

The Red Sox won the opening game of the series on Monday with a 3-1 victory but they were defeated 6-2 in Game Two on Wednesday.

Tonight's game kicks off at 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox Lose on the Road

2011-08-18T11:41:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox travelled to Petit-Rocher last night to face the Braves in game two of the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi final and were defeated 6-2. The series is now even at one game each with game three on Friday night in Bathurst at 8 p.m.

The Red Sox took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning but the Braves responded with three runs on a bases loaded double by Marc Comeau. The Red Sox scored again to pull within one but a Guy Robichaud 3 run homer put the game away for the Braves.

Robichaud got the win on the mound while Brent Nelson took the loss for the Red Sox.

Game 2 Tonight

2011-08-17T08:09:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action tonight as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves in game 2 of their RCIBL semi-final series.

The Red Sox have a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five affair after a 3-1 win in the opening game on Monday night in Bathurst.

Game time in Petit-Rocher is 6:00 p.m.

Game 2 Postponed

2011-08-16T15:59:00.002-03:00

Tonight's semi-final game 2 between the Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox and the Petit-Rocher Braves has been postponed due to rain. The game will be played Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. in Petit Rocher.

How to Enjoy Today's Game Without Getting Fired

2011-08-16T14:13:00.003-03:00

Today, or tomorrow depending on the weather, the Bathurst Caisse Populaie Chaleur Red Sox play against the Braves in Petit-Rocher at 6 p.m. If you’re a working stiff like myself, you’re gonna miss out on the start of the game as many people work until then.

Thankfully, here at our headquarters, we’ve never felt that employment should interfere with one’s enjoyment of a game that occurs during normal business hours. So, as a public service to you, we present our tips for soaking in the Sox action in spite of obvious professional commitments.

The “Web Seminar”:
Start off your morning tactical by announcing that you’ve gotten “the call” to moderate a quick “web seminar” to assist several client contacts with “the roll out.” [You don't need to specify exactly what it is you're "rolling out." The phrase "roll out" is so powerful in and of itself that any would-be naysayers will instantly be silenced and, even better, reduced to feelings of inadequacy, especially if they have nothing to roll out.] At 4 pm put a sticky note on your door with the words “Web Seminar in Progress.” People will steer clear, enabling you to sneak out, grab a beverage and enjoy the game.

The “Visit from the Home Office”:
Find a transient or vagabond with no substantial plans for the day (best places to look include street corners, off-track betting shops, or, if you want to go “full hobo,” abandoned railroad stations). Set him up with a decent shirt and tie and parade him around the office, explaining that “Larry from Home Office is here for the day and I’ll be taking him around.” Nobody wants to play tourguide, nor does anyone with any whit of sense want home office to get hip to the fact that they spend most of the day doing nothing, so your co-workers will avoid you like the plague. All the better for you to hit the ballpark (but not before dropping your new-found ally off at a local shelter or the Blackjack Country Bar).

The “I’ve Got Something Important to Mail”:
If you carry a pocketbook or briefcase into the office, then you’re gonna have to carry it out with you when you try to make your break — a dead giveaway that you’re “done for the day". So here’s the workaround: take a stroll down to shipping and tell Hank that you need a box “big enough to hold a briefcase or as hank calls it - a 2-4” Slip your briefcase into the box, then sashay right out the door, confident that anyone who sees you figures you’re just heading to the mailroom or the post office or wherever the hell people carrying giant boxes go.

The “Brutal Honesty”:
Stand up in the middle of your 6 p.m. meeting and declare, “I’m sorry, but what’s going on right now with Greg Love and Rich Gallacher is infinitely more important than anything you oafs will conjure over the next two hours.” Get up, walk out the door, and enjoy the game.

Red Sox Take Game 1

2011-08-16T06:39:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox defeated the Petit-Rocher Braves 3-1 last night in Game 1 of their Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League semi-final. The game was played in front of the largest home crowd of the season at Vickers Field.

Andrew Collins picked up the win for Bathurst as he pitched a complete game allowing 6 hits while Kevol Landry took the loss for the Braves.

The Red Sox scored all three of their runs in the 4th inning and that was all the run support Collins would need.

Game two of the series is slated for tonight in Petit-Rocher at 6 p.m. weather pending.

In the other RCIBL semi-final, the Atholville Cardinals upset the Dalhousie Dodgers 3-1 in the opening game of their best-of-five series.

Red Sox Set for Game 1 Monday Night

2011-08-14T15:32:00.005-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be looking for their 6th consecutive Championship as they open their 2011 playoff run in the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League.

The Red Sox will host the Petit-Rocher Braves in game 1 of their best of five semi-final series on Monday night at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

The Red Sox have won 5 of their last 6 games and finished the regular season with a record of 12-8 while the Braves were at 10-10.

In the other league semi-final, the Dalhousie Dodgers will take on the Atholville Cardinals after the Cards defeated Beresford 3 games to 1 in the league quarterfinal.

Red Sox Back in Action Saturday

2011-08-12T12:47:00.004-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action Saturday afternoon as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves. This game will be a completion of a suspended game from earlier in the season as the teams were tied at the end of regulation when darkness set it. Tomorrow's game is slated to start at 3:30

The Red Sox will then face the Braves in the RCIBL semi-final which will be a best of five series. Home field has not yet been decided and game one will either be slated for Sunday or Monday.

Jays and As in 1989

2011-08-10T13:13:00.001-03:00

The other day at practice, we were talking about the Jays run in the late 80's and early 90's and the topic switched to Jose Canseco's 5th deck home run in game 4 of the ALCS. With the advance metrics we have now, the blast is estimated to have gone 518 feet and is still one of the most jaw-dropping home runs in history.

Playing 7 Innings......

2011-08-06T13:58:00.003-03:00

...where a trip to Atholville means a ballgame and a beer run.

1) So game one the playoffs is in the books and the Atholville Cardinals came back from an 11-3 deficit to beat the Beresford Aces 16-13....not exactly a pitcher's duel but this should be an interesting series. After a terrible, start, the Cards have played .500 in the second half and have Luc Fallu back in the fold. On the Aces' side, they still have a dangerous offense so this series might take 5 games to crown a winner.

2) Great article on www.si.com yesterday from writer Tom Verducci. He explains how ball players and pro athletes are taking a spray made from the antlers of deer and how this substance mirrors the properties of HGH without being detected. I guess it's time to put all the convicted PED guys in the hall of fame because the chemists are always one step ahead of MLB......we'll never really know who is dirty.

3) Considering that the RCIBL has not had a functioning president in 4 years, things have continued to progress. Consider the mess in the Miramichi Valley League last year in which Newcastle and Grand Falls had to get BNB to assign the A and B reps because they never finished the finals. Even worse, the Southern NB League just finished a two week mess in which teams protested and then overturned the results of 5 inning doubleheaders because the teams had not voted on them....the grass is not always greener folks.

4) With the above in mind, there are a few small issues that have to be looked at and one of them is the baseballs used in the league. The only balls that should be used are the "ROML" baseballs that retail for around 80-85 dollars per box. I have seen some "80CC" balls this year which are close in quality but have also seen the Rawlings "Blue Label" balls that actually have a rubber center and retail for about 50% less than the ROML models. It's one league with 5 teams but the baseball has to be the same in every game.

5) I've had a few folks email me for info on the provincials.....They will be the 9-11 of September with the A's being held in Caraquet and the B's in Chatham Head.

6) Hats of to Dalhousie for getting a team website up and running this year. It's a great way to update fans, players and media on the team's results and news and it would be great to see all of the sites maintained.

7) And finally for today's totally random baseball card.....

Happy trails Stairsy.....the best ballplayer ever to come out of NB calls it a career.

Yankee Fan Takes Foul Ball to the Face

2011-08-01T23:57:00.003-03:00

BWAHHHHHHAAAAAAHHHHHHHAAAAAA........just outstanding! Not only should adults never bring a glove to a major league game but the fact that this guy was a NY fan, makes it even sweeter!

Unrelated Basketball Post

2011-08-01T20:36:00.001-03:00

Had to share this.....if you grew up enjoying Michael Jordan's career, this is killer funny.....enjoy

Playoffs Set to Begin

2011-07-31T19:57:00.003-03:00

After 10 weeks, the regular season has come to an end in the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League and playoff action will begin this week. The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox along with Dalhousie and Petit-Rocher earned first round byes so they will get a few extra days of rest.

In the meantime, the Beresford Aces will take on the Atholville Cardinals in a best-of-five series with a trip to the semi-finals on the line. Game one is slated for Wednesday in Beresford with game two and three being played on Thursday and Friday. If necessary, game four and five will be played on the following Monday and Tuesday. The winner of this series will face Dalhousie in the second round.

In the other semi-final series, the Red Sox will take on the Braves in a best-of-five. The start date for these semi-final match ups will depend on the length of the Beresford / Atholville series.

Red Sox Defeat Cardinals

2011-07-30T12:47:00.005-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox defeated the Atholville Cardinals last night 5-1 and improved their record to 11-8 as they prepare for the 2011 RCIBL playoffs.

Brent Nelson picked up the victory for the Sox and also added two hits at the plate. Andrew Collins, Brad Chamberlain and Jason Leblanc also added a pair of hits each for Bathurst.

Robbie Gillis took the loss for Atholville while Phil Nazair had a pair of hits for the Cards.

The Red Sox also called up a trio of players from the Bathurst Red Sox midget team to make their RCIBL debut. Jeremy Valley pitched three innings allowing one earned run for Bathurst. Sam Guitard handled the catching duties and added a base hit while Nathan MacDonald played in right field in the victory.

The Red Sox will now begin to prepare for the playoffs where they will meet the Petit-Rocher Braves in a best-of-five semi final. Beresford will take on the Cardinals in a best-of five before that though with the winner of that series moving on to face Dalhousie in the other league semi-final.

The league champion will advance to the New Brunswick "A" championships in Caraquet while the runner up will represent the RCIBL at the "B" championships in Chatam Head.

Red Sox Bats Continue Assault

2011-07-26T00:22:00.004-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox scored early and often as they pounded the Atholville Cardinals 14-0 in a 5 inning game shortened by the mercy rule.

Shane Couture was excellent again on the mound for the Red Sox as he picked up the win with a complete game 2 hitter.

Andrew MacLaggan paced the Bathurst offense with three hits while Greg Love and Rich Gallacher had a pair of hits each.

The Red Sox are back in action Tuesday night as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves. Game time is 6:30/

Red Sox Host Cardinals Tonight

2011-07-25T08:24:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action again tonight as they host the Atholville Cardinals.

The Red Sox enter play tonight in second place with a record of 9-8 and have three games on tap this week to conclude the regular season.

Tonight's game is at 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox Rally Falls Short

2011-07-25T08:19:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning yesterday but their late rally fell short as they were defeated by the Dalhousie Dodgers 8-5.

Andrew Carter picked up the win for Dalhousie while Brent Nelson took the Loss.

Andrew Collins continued to mash the ball for the Red Sox in the loss. He was 2-4 with 3 RBI and leads the league with a .510 batting average. Daryl Doucet also added a pair of hits for Bathurst in the loss.

Mitch Donnelly and Todd Parker paced the Dodgers offense with two hits each.

Baseball and Fireworks on Tap for Sunday

2011-07-23T22:07:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be looking for their third consecutive victory on Sunday as they host the Dalhousie Dodgers at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

The Red Sox offense has started to roll as they have scored 25 runs in their last two games highlighted by a 14-2 victory in Dalhousie on Friday.

The Red Sox have moved the start time for this game up to 6 p.m. to allow fans to also attend the Hospitality Days fireworks show after the game.

The 9 Most Valuable Players in the RCIBL....

2011-07-23T10:59:00.001-03:00

Last year at about this time, I posted a column based on my opinions of the top 9 players in our league. Little did I know that several players would threaten my life and/or offer me a fastball in the ribs. So with that in mind, let's do it all over again!

Remember, the following is an opinion only and is based on what these players bring to their team at the plate this season....so if a perennial monster is hitting .188 75% into the reg. season, they may not make the list. I came up with 14 players that I would build a team around but only 9 could make the 2011 list so the honorable mentions are listed as well. This list looks at what these players bring to their teams at the plate, on the mound and on defence so let's hear from you in the comments section as well as the chat board.

Now, in no particular order.......

- Ronnie Lavigne.....Hasn't pitched as well as usual but plays a solid SS and simply can't be defended at the plate. He hits the ball hard from line to line.

- Andrew Carter.....Great mound presence and the only pitcher in the league who throws a true slider. Has become better with the bat every year since joining the league.

- Andrew Collins....No one works harder....Has cut down on his swing and is driving the ball to all fields as a result. On the mound, not overpowering but he can put the ball in a teacup and half the battle in this league is keeping the base on balls to a minimum.

- Todd Parker....Hits the ball hard.....every.....time. Thankfully we got rid of the metal bats a few years back. Also eats up some innings on the mound as well.

- Andrew MacLaggan....Best defensive outfielder in the league and a perennial .380-.400 hitter with great speed and baseball instincts.

- Miguel Basque.....quickest bat in the league and way above average defensively. Lots of dents in the Beresford arena courtesy of him.

- Brent Nelson.....great bat, money behind the plate with a great arm and still one of the top 5 pitchers in the league (plus I can't go another year dodging batting practice chin music for leaving him off last year's list)

- Greg Love.....hits .400 every year with a pile of doubles and plays excellent defence on either corner......I've had a number of pitchers tell me that Love and Parker are their two most uncomfortable ABs in the league.

- Guy Robichaud.....Limited innings but appears to be back full time and is hitting the ball hard as usual. Also gives his team a chance to beat anyone when he is on the mound.

- Just off the list due to games played etc...Pat Aube (great catcher, hits well and is clutch, Eric Boudreau (only off the top 9 because of a dip in offensive numbers....still can go 5-5 on any night),Serge Boudreau (still a great bat and good behind the plate), Corey Parker (hits the ball to all fields, plays a solid OF and has speed to burn) and Phil Nazair (batting average has dipped but still dangerous, excellent glove and hates to lose).

So there it is. My top 9 MVPs for the 2011 season so far so let the arguments begin....

Red Sox Heating Up

2011-07-23T00:17:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox were in Dalhousie last night and posted a convincing 14-2 victory.

The Red Sox pounded out 17 hits off Dalhousie pitching including home runs from Brent Nelson and Andrew Collins. Greg Love and Collins paced the Bathurst offense with three hits each.

Collins also picked up the victory on the mound for Bathurst as he went the distance while striking out six.

The Red Sox are in action next on Sunday as they host Dalhousie at Vickers Field in Coronation Park. The game has a special 6 p.m. start time to accommodate fans for the Hospitality Days fireworks show.

Red Sox Bats Come Alive

2011-07-19T00:04:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox hosted the Beresford Aces on Monday night and came away with a convincing 11-3 victory in front of a large home crowd.

The Red Sox battered Beresford starting pitcher Marc Boudreau in the third inning as 14 consecutive Bathurst players reached base as the Red Sox scored 10 runs in the inning.

Brent Nelson got the victory for Bathurst in a complete game effort and also paced the offense with three hits. Andrew MacLaggan, Greg Love, Daryl Doucet and Rich Gallacher added a pair of hits each for the Sox while Miguel Basque and Eric Boudreau each had two hits for the Aces.

The Red Sox are back in action on Friday night as they travel to Dalhousie to take on the Dodgers at 8 p.m.

Red Sox Host Beresford Tonight

2011-07-18T12:28:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back on the field tonight as they host the Beresford Aces. The Red Sox split a double header last night against Atholville winning 1-0 in the opener before dropping a 4-2 decision in the nightcap.

Tonight's game is at 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park

Red Sox Split Doubleheader with Cardinals

2011-07-17T22:28:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox hosted the Atholville Cardinals on Sunday in a makeup of a pair of previously rained out games.

The Red Sox won the opener 1-0 as Shane Couture bested Tyler Firth in a pitcher's duel and tossed a no hitter in the process.

Robbie Gillis got the win in the second game over Rich Gallacher in another low scoring affair. The teams were tied at one after 5 innings and it stayed that way until Atholville scored three runs in the top of the 9th inning. Andrew Collins took the loss for the Red Sox in relief of Gallacher while Gillis went the distance for the Cardinals.

The Red Sox are back in action on Monday night as they host the Beresford Aces. Game time is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Sunday Doubleheader for Red Sox

2011-07-16T19:16:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action on Sunday as they host the Atholville Cardinals for a pair of games.

The games will be 5 innings each and the first game gets underway at 5 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox Lose Heartbreaker

2011-07-15T10:29:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox took a 4-0 lead into the final inning last night only to see it slip away as they were defeated by the Petit-Rocher Braves 5-4.

Brent Nelson took the loss for the Red Sox while Guy Robichaud picked up the victory for the Braves.

Daryl Doucet and Andrew Collins paced the Red Sox offense with a pair of hits each while the Braves had 7 players with 1 hit.

The Red Sox are in action again this weekend as they host the Atholville Cardinals for a doubleheader on Sunday. The first game gets underway at 5 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation park.

Red Sox in Petit-Rocher Tonight

2011-07-14T09:35:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves. The two teams are tied for second place in the league standings and tonight's game gets underway at 6:30.

Red Sox Travel to Petit Rocher Tonight

2011-07-12T12:12:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they travel to Petit Rocher to take on the Braves. Thunderstorms are in the forecast again as tonight's game is scheduled for a 6:30 start.

Hosts for Provincial Championships Chosen

2011-07-12T06:03:00.002-03:00

Baseball New Brunswick has announced the host sites for the 2011 intermediate "A" and "B" provincial championships.

The "A" championship will be held in Caraquet while the "B" championship will take place in Chatham Head.

Mother Nature Ends Game Early

2011-07-12T00:03:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox had the Dalhousie Dodgers on the ropes last night but a severe thunderstorm halted play in the bottom of the 4th inning.

Dalhousie jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first but the Red Sox battered Dalhousie starter Alex Winton to take a 6-2 lead after three innings. With one out in the bottom of the 4th, the game was called as storms moved into the area quickly. The game will be wiped from the league record as 5 innings must be played for a game to be considered official.

Andrew Collins was on the mound for the Red Sox and Brent Nelson and Greg Love paced the Bathurst offence with a pair of hits each.

The Red Sox are in action again on Tuesday as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves. Game time is 6:30

Red Sox Host Dodgers Tonight

2011-07-11T11:29:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action tonight as they host the Dalhousie Dodgers. The Red Sox dropped a 3-2 decision in Dalhousie on Friday night and a win tonight would move them into second place in the league standings.

Game time tonight in 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Sponsor Spotlight

2011-07-10T16:24:00.004-03:00

We've been highlighting our sponsors all year long and I can't think of a better way to thank our partners at Labatt Breweries and Budweiser than with this.....enjoy!

Red Sox Drop Game in Extra Innings

2011-07-09T00:58:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox dropped an extra inning affair last night as they lost in Dalhousie to the Dodgers, 3-2.

The game was scoreless until the sixth and Shane Couture and Andrew Carter went the distance. The Red Sox scored 2 runs in the top of the inning but the Dodgers battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the frame.

The game remained tied until the bottom of the 8th when Andrew Carter singled through a drawn in infield to give the Dodgers the victory.

Greg Love, Brent Nelson and Rene Dugas had a pair of hits each for the Red Sox while Carter, Todd Parker and Cory Zakrveski each had two hits for the Dodgers.

The teams play again Monday in Bathurst at Vickers Field. Game time is 8 p.m.

Red Sox on the Road Tonight

2011-07-08T10:25:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action tonight as they travel to Dalhousie to take on the Dodgers.

The Red Sox have won three games in a row with the last two coming via the shutout. The Dodgers meanwhile, continue to lead the standings in the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League with a 9-1 record.

Game time tonight in Dalhousie is 8 p.m.

Start Your Day with a Little Vitamin Dunny

2011-07-06T16:58:00.003-03:00

Been getting some requests for this.....Our good friend Dunny in a video that has been featured on espn.com, sportsillustrated.com and the Boston Globe website to name a few! On a recent trip to Boston, we arranged without his knowledge, for him to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Portland Maine, Sea Dogs game. This team is the AA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox and there were about 4000 fans in attendance......the result was worth every penny!

Red Sox Win Third in a Row

2011-07-05T00:22:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox won their third consective game last night as they defeated the Beresford Aces 1-0 in front of a large home crowd at Vickers Field.

Andrew Collins went the distance for Bathurst as he allowed only 4 hits while striking out 4. The Red Sox also turned a rare triple play in the 4th inning as well to shut down a key Beresford rally. Roger Luc Boudreau was impressive as well in the loss for the Aces as he pitched a complete game 4 hitter.

The offence for the Sox came from Jason Martell who was 1-2 with a double while Collins, Brent Nelson and Andrew MacLaggan all added singles. The lone run of the game came on an RBI sacrifice fly in the second inning off the bat of Daryl Doucet.

The Red Sox are in action next on Friday night as they travel to Dalhousie to take on the Dodgers. Game time is 8 p.m.

Red Sox have Three Games on Tap this Week

2011-07-03T22:49:00.005-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will look for their third consecutive victory Monday night as they host the Beresford Aces. Game time is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

On Wednesday, the Sox host the Atholville Cardinals in Bathurst at 8 p.m. in a makeup of a previously rained out game and then on Friday, they travel to Dalhousie to take on the first place Dodgers.

Red Sox Shutout Cardinals

2011-07-01T17:59:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox won their second game in a row as they blanked the Atholville Cardinals 3-0 last night.

Shane Couture got the win for Bathurst as he hurled 4 innings of 1 hit baseball while Andrew Collins handled the final three innings also allowing only 1 hit. Mikael Savoie took the loss for the Cards as he allowed 11 hits in the complete game effort.

Andrew MacLaggan paced the Bathurst offense as he had 3 hits including a pair of doubles while Andrew Collins and Brad Chamberlain had a pair of hits each.

The Red Sox are back in action next week with a trio of games. They will host Beresford on Monday night and Atholville on Wednesday night before travelling to Dalhousie to take on the Dodgers on Friday.

Red Sox on the Road Tonight

2011-06-30T10:24:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they travel to Atholville to take on the Cardinals. Game time is 8 p.m.

It's Funny Because It's True

2011-06-29T11:24:00.001-03:00

Red Sox Host Cardinals Monday

2011-06-26T19:59:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will look to move above .500 Monday night as they host the Atholville Cardinals in Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League play.

The Red Sox enter the game with a record of 4-4 while the Cardinals have struggled to a 1-7 mark early in the season.

Game time tonight in Bathurst is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox Drop Braves 10-1

2011-06-24T11:51:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox pounded the Petit-Rocher Braves 10-1 last night in Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League play and moved into second place in the standings in the process.

Shane Couture was brilliant in the win as he went the distance giving up only 1 earned run on 4 base hits. J.R. Roy took the loss for the Braves.

The Red Sox scored three runs in the first inning to take control early. The top of the lineup did the bulk of the damage last night as Andrew MacLaggan (pictured right), Andrew Collins and Greg Love were a combined 11 for 13 with 7 RBI and 6 runs scored.

The Red Sox are in action again on Monday night in Bathurst as they host the Atholville Cardinals at Vickers Field. Game time is 8 p.m.

Red Sox in Action Tonight

2011-06-23T12:54:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they host the Petit-Rocher Braves. The Red Sox dropped a 2-1 decision to Beresford last night despite a solid pitching effort from Michel Doucet.

Game time tonight is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox in Action Tonight

2011-06-22T12:38:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight at they travel to Beresford to take on the Aces. The Red Sox have a record of 3-3 while the Aces are 3-4. Game time tonight in Beresford is 8 p.m.

Red Sox Halt Skid

2011-06-16T23:33:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Red Sox turned in one of their best efforts of the year as they defeated the Dalhousie Dodgers 5-3. The Red Sox improved to 3-3 while the Dodgers suffered their first loss of the year but still the lead the RCIBL at 4-1.

Andrew Collins got the win for Bathurst with a complete game effort while Serge Labelle took the loss for the Dodgers

Collins and Greg Love had a pair of hits each to pace the Red Sox attack. The Red Sox had 6 singles the 4th inning to score 3 runs and take command of the game/

The Red Sox are in action again on Monday night as they host the Petit-Rocher Braves on Monday night. Game time is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park

Canucks Fans Riot........over Bathurst Red Sox????

2011-06-16T12:53:00.003-03:00

Last night the Vancouver Canucks lost game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins. Sadly, many citizens of the city took to the streets in violent fashion as cars were burned, police were assaulted and widespread looting occurred.

Many of the mainstream media outlets have reported that the outbreak was a result of the game 7 loss but our reporters here at this site dug deeper to find the real cause of the frustration.

"We just can't believe it" said a crying woman on the street. "One day your life is good and the next day something like this happens and everything falls apart."

A reporter tried to console the woman and assured her that hockey would be back next season.

"Hockey?????" she said. "I don't give a damn about hockey.....I'm miserable because the Bathurst Red Sox are 2-3!!!!....It's just not fair!!"

Other fans echoed her sentiments throughout the night.

"This is the worst thing we've ever gone through in our lives dude." said fans who only would identify themselves as "Dunny and Riley G as the riot raged around us, "I mean, how am I supposed to go to work the next day when the Red Sox are losing games at home to Petit-Rocher.....It's just so......Oh (expletive), they just lit my 88 Grand Am on fire!!"

A nation hopes for healing tonight when the Red Sox welcome the Dalhousie Dodgers to town......Game time for those that have the inner strength to carry on and attend is 8 pm at Vickers Field in Coronation Park

Red Sox in Action Tonight

2011-06-16T08:34:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they host the Dalhousie Dodgers. The Red Sox have a record of 2-3 while the Dodgers are a perfect 4-0.

Game time tonight is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park

Red Sox Drop Game in Extras

2011-06-15T10:01:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox hosted the Petit-Rocher Braves last night in Restigouce Chaleur Baseball League play and came away with a 9-6 extra inning loss.

The Braves jumped out to a 5-1 lead early in the game but the Red Sox battled back to tie the game at 5 and send it to extra frames. Petit-Rocher scored 4 runs in the 8th inning to break the game open and move ahead of Bathurst in the league standings.

Andrew Collins and Andrew Maclaggan each had two hits for Bathurst while Jason Martell was 1 for 2 with a pair of walks to pace the Red Sox offense. Pat Aube and Luc Roy each had a pair of hits for the Braves in the victory.

Marc Andre Godin got the win for the Braves while Brent Nelson took the loss after starting pitchers Kevol Landry and Shane Couture left the game.

The Red Sox are in action next on Thursday night when they host the first place Dalhousie Dodgers in Bathurst. Game time is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox in Action Tonight

2011-06-14T08:55:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action tonight as they host the Petit-Rocher Braves. The Red Sox come into the game with a record of 2-2 while the Braves are 2-3.

Tonight's game starts at 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Playing 7 Innings......

2011-06-13T20:46:00.005-03:00

......while hoping the Bruins put the wood to Vancouver in game 6.

1) Tough start to the year for us as we've played very well defensively in a pair of games and very poorly in two others.....Every team in the RCIBL can mash.....it's the teams that defend and pitch that will win.

2) The weather has been brutal. Jason Rae in Dalhousie confirmed that the Dodgers are going to try and play 7 games in 8 days. If Mother Nature doesn't back off, we may end up with the old 16 game schedule.

3) Nice to see Brad Chamberlain off to a torrid start for the Red Sox. This is a guy that platooned last year and is hitting everything on a line this year and hits the cage a ton. Shane Couture looks filthy as well as he has always had a nasty heater and curve but this year he has started mixing in a change.

4) Tough night for us in Dalhousie last Friday. Hard to watch a teammate struggling on the ground because of the dirtiest play any of us have ever seen. Still hard to believe that it actually happened and we're all fortunate that the injury was not a lot worse.

5) Carl Crawford, David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury win back to back to back player of the week in the AL........Adrian Gonzalez must be thinking "What the heck?"

6) If there's a better homeplate umpire than Kenny Valdron in this part of the province, I have yet to see him.

7) And Finally for today's outstanding pic from the world of sports...

Have a great summer Queen James!

Red Sox in Action Monday Night

2011-06-12T22:26:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are back in action on Monday night as they host the Dalhousie Dodgers. The Red Sox come into the game with a record of 2-2 while the Dodgers sport a perfect 4-0 mark.

Game time Monday is 8 p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

Red Sox Fall in Dalhousie

2011-06-12T22:11:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox dropped back to .500 on Friday night as they lost to the Dalhousie Dodgers 4-2.

Andrew Carter picked up the win as he allowed 4 hits, 4 walks and hit a pair of batters. Michel Doucet took his second loss of the season for the Red Sox as he allowed 6 hits, 2 walks and hit a batter in 5 innings of work.

Andrew MacLaggan, Jason Martell and Greg Love were 1-2 in the loss while Roger Hickey and Justin McCurdy each had a pair of hits for the Dodgers.

Red Sox In Action Tonight

2011-06-10T10:00:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will travel to Dalhousie tonight to take on the Dodgers at 8 p.m.

The Red Sox come into the game with a record of 2-1 after dropping Beresford 13-3 on Monday while Dalhousie leads the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League with a perfect 3-0 mark.

Red Sox Pound Beresford

2011-06-06T23:48:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox played their first home game of the season Monday night and ended up on the winning end of a 13-3 decision against the Beresford Aces.

Andrew Collins got the complete game victory for Bathurst while Phil Bourque took the loss. Denis Jean relieved a wild Bourque in the 4th as the two pitchers combined for 7 walks and 4 hit batters.

Brad Chamberlain paced the Red Sox attack with a 3-3 performance while Michel Doucet was 2-3. Serge Boudreau and Miguel Basque were both 2-3 for the Aces in the loss.

The Red Sox are in action again on Friday night as they travel to Dalhousie to take on the Dodgers. Game time is 8 p.m.

Red Sox in Action Monday

2011-06-05T18:55:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be in action Monday night as they host the Beresford Aces. Game time is 8p.m. at Vickers Field In Coronation park.

Mother Nature has been wreaking havoc on the league schedule as both of the Bathurst's games last week were postponed due to weather. Monday night's matchup with the Aces marks the home opener for the Red Sox.

Red Sox 2011 Home Opener set for Wednesday

2011-05-31T14:23:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action on Wednesday night as they take on the Atholville Cardinals. Game time is 8:p.m. at Vickers Field in Coronation Park.

The Red Sox have split their first two games of the year as they opened the season with a 3-1 victory in Petit-Rocher before dropping a 6-4 decision in Beresford last week.

Red Sox Lose to Aces

2011-05-26T14:27:00.003-03:00

Photo by Katherine Hunt - Northern Light

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox were defeated by the Beresford Aces last night 6-4 in Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League play. The loss evened the Red Sox record at 1-1 on the young season while Beresford improved to 2-0.

Michel Doucet took the loss for Bathurst in a sloppy defensive game for both sides while Ronnie Lavigne picked up the win for the Aces. A positive for the Red Sox came from Richie Gallacher who pitched well in relief to keep Bathurst within striking distance.

Greg Love had three hits to pace the Bathurst offense and Rene Dugas chipped in with a home run in the 7th inning while Ronnie Lavigne helped his own cause on the mound with a pair of hits.

The Red Sox are in action on Monday night as they travel to Atholville to take on the Cardinals. Game time is 8 p.m.

Red Sox in Action Tonight

2011-05-25T08:28:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox are in action again tonight as they travel to Beresford to take on the Aces.

The Red Sox are coming off a season opening 3-1 victory against Petit-Rocher on Monday. Game time tonight in Beresford is 8:00 p.m.

Red Sox Open Season with a Win

2011-05-23T22:37:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox picked up where they left off last year as they defeated the Petit-Rocher Braves 3-1 in their opening game of the Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League.

Michel Doucet was 2-4 in the game with 2 RBI in the 4th inning while Jason Martell was 1-3 and scored the game's first run.

Andrew Collins picked up the win for Bathurst as he gave up just 2 hits over 4 innings while Shane Couture earned the save with three strikeouts in three innings of relief. Kevol Landry took the loss for the Braves.

The Red Sox see action next on Wednesday night in the second game of a three game road trip as they take on the Aces in Beresford. Game time is 8:00 p.m.

Red Sox Open 2011 Season

2011-05-23T10:08:00.002-03:00

Finally, the wait is over as banks of snow have given way to green grass and baseball. Tonight, the Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will open their 2011 season as they travel to Petit-Rocher to take on the Braves.

The Red Sox are looking for their 6th consecutive Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League title this season and are also the defending New Brunswick champions. Game time tonight in Petit-Rocher is 6:30.

Red Sox Begin Quest for 6th Consecutive Crown on Monday

2011-05-19T20:53:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will begin their season on Monday as they look for their 6th consecutive Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League championship.

The Red Sox will open their season with a trio of road games starting with a 6:30 start in Petit-Rocher against the Braves on Monday.

After defeating the Newcastle Cardinals last September to claim the 2009 New Brunswick championship, Bathurst saw some minor changes to their lineup starting with the head coach. After two highly successful seasons, Don MacLaggan opted not to return for 2010 and his role will be filled temporarily by his son, Jamie MacLaggan who is still recovering from a knee injury suffered in last year's gold medal game. MacLaggan who handled catching duties for the Red Sox while batting .442 in 2009 is expected to return to the lineup in the second half of the season.

The Red Sox pitching ranks were bolstered in the off season as hard throwing righthander Shane Couture returned to the team after a year off along with pitcher Michel Doucet who spent the last two seasons in Petit-Rocher. They join the anchors of the pitching staff Brent Nelson and Andrew Collins.

It will be status quo for much of the remainder of the 2011 roster. In the infield, the big bats of Greg Love and Rene Dugas are joined by Jason Leblanc, Jason Martell, Rich Gallacher and Riley Good. In the outfield, 2009 batting champ Andrew MacLaggan will be joined by Daryl Doucet, Steve Hartwell and Brad Chamberlain. The Red Sox also have a couple other players in camp as well as players available for roster emergencies and injuries.

Practice Tonight

2011-05-18T09:02:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be holding one of their final practices tonight before the start of the regular season on Monday. Tonight's workout is at Vickers Field with a 6:30 start time.

Practice Monday at 6:30

2011-05-13T14:23:00.002-03:00

There will be a practice for the Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox Monday night at 6:30 p.m. at Vickers Field.

Pitchers are also reminded to complete their bullpen sessions this week. Finally, the forecasted weather over the next week is calling for a fair amount of rain so players are encouraged to use the batting cage as much as possible before opening day.

Practice Tuesday Night at 6:30

2011-05-07T21:18:00.003-03:00

There will be a practice Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. for all players. The opening game of the season is less than two weeks away so all players are urged to attend.

Sponsor Spotlight

2011-05-07T11:18:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox would like to thank Clovis Septic and Maritime Infrastructure Technologies Inc. for being part of our vital corporate sponsorship team for the 2011 season.

Check out the webpage for both companies in the "Our Sponsors" links as they offer a fullrange of septic services as well as trenchless sewer repair.

Thanks again to Clovis and MITI for being part of our winning team in 2011!

Sponsor Spotlight

2011-05-05T10:27:00.004-03:00

During the 2011 season, we will be taking the opportunity to thank and recognize our invaluable sponsors. Despite record attendance, the Red Sox have made a commitment to keep admission to games free to the public and that can only be possible with the support of our local business partners.

Today, we would like to thank Big D Drive in in Bathurst. The Big D is an institution in Bathurst and one of the "must-do" stops on a trip here. Take a read of this online review from one of their customers......it says is all!

"I grew up in Bathurst, New Brunswick. If you've ever lived there you already heard about the locally famous Big D drive in restaurant. For those whom plan a trip to northern new brunswick in the future, if you ever get the opportunity to treat yourself to a 'Danny Burger' you will fall in love with one of the simplest but most flavor filled burgers across Canada. The sauce is what you crave even after you've just finished your first one. Its like you cant get enough of it, you'll get off work one day and not be able to stop thinking about it..... irresistible. Definitely one of this small town's best kept secrets. Oh! And the milkshakes are fabulous, strawberries' my personal favorite. Located less than 5 minutes from downtown, 3 minutes from youghall beach, and less than a minute from Bathurst's biggest golf course.......love the Big D!!!"

Thanks again to The Big D Drive In for their support in 2011

2011 Schedule Released

2011-05-04T23:37:00.002-03:00

The Restigouche Chaleur Baseball League has released its schedule for 2011 and there are a few changes of note for all teams including defending league and NB champion Bathurst.

First of all, the scheule has moved from 18 regular season games to a 20 game slate with teams playing each other 5 times. The season is also starting on May 23rd which is a week earlier than usual to accomodate the two extra games.

The Red Sox will play their first three games on the road as their lease with the City of Bathurst does not begin until June 1st.

There's Simply no Place for Violence in Hockey....

2011-04-19T15:30:00.002-03:00

Unless of course, it involves a member of the Canadiens taking a haymaker to the chops....then I'm all for it.

Practice Tuesday at 8 p.m.

2011-04-17T09:46:00.003-03:00

Yes, with each passing day, the season gets closer and this picture of Vickers Field reminds me that the dirty snowbanks in my yard will eventually disappear.

We had a great turnout last week and we will be taking sizes for everyone for the new uniforms on Tuesday night as we have some samples from Maritime Sports......feel free to stay home and also feel free to spend the season in a pair of extra small pants. If you are not interested in coming to camp in shape this year or don't feel like practicing, there are a number of things to occupy your time.....allow me to suggest a few.....

- drink 30 beer, go through the KFC drive thru and sign up for the City and District Masters Softball League.

- stand at the entrance to Wal Mart with no shirt on. Ask each customer who enters, "Hot enough for ya?"

- Stay up late watching infomercials, order a Bowflex, a Snuggie and a Shamwow.

Or you could come out to practice.....radical concept......give it a try......you might like it.......8 p.m. boys and girls.......see ya there

In Honor of the NHL Playoffs......

2011-04-14T11:53:00.001-03:00

Bonds Convicted on Obstruction of Justice

2011-04-13T22:32:00.005-03:00

So there we are.......Barry Bonds is going to jail for a couple months (more likely house arrest) but the wrap up of his federal perjury case coupled with Manny Ramirez's exit from the game this week got me thinking about Bonds' last season.

Take a look at the numbers he posted in his last year in San Francisco......just ridiculous and even more outrageous to think that this was his final season in the bigs....a season in which he posted stats that many HOFers could never approach even once.....if you ever wonder why convicted drug cheats will never get the necessary votes for Cooperstown, just look at these numbers.

Bonds 2007 Season
=================
at bats.......477 (about 80% of the season)
walks........132!!!
on base %.......480!!!
OPS.........1.045

Indoor Workouts Start Tuesday

2011-04-07T22:08:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be holding indoor workouts at Bathurst High School beginning this Tuesday at 8 p.m. All players interested in playing in 2011 should attend and use the BHS entrance facing Vickers Field. The following list includes the 18 players who will be in camp this year and anyone else interested in playing is asked to attend on Tuesday.

- Jamie MacLaggan
- Andrew MacLaggan
- Brent Nelson
- Jason Martell
- Andrew Collins
- Steve Hartwell
- Richie Gallacher
- Brad Chamberlain
- Michel Doucet
- Jason LeBlanc
- Rene Dugas
- Greg Love
- Shane Couture
- Josh Gammon
- Riley Good
- Daryl Doucet
- Matt LeJeune
- James Mallory

Sox and Rangers 5:05

2011-04-01T14:42:00.004-03:00

It's opening day for the Sox as they take on the Rangers at 5:05. I'll be the guy screaming at the TV as soon as Carl Crawford goes 0-4. Couple of interesting tidbits from opening day.....

- Why did the Nats pay Jason Werth 126 million dollars to hit 2nd in their order?
- Rangers opening day starter CJ Wilson's comment after being asked about facing the improved Boston lineup today...."No big deal.....It's not like they signed the ghost of Ted Williams"
- And finally, I am looking forward to the Brewers home opener to see if Zack Grenkie gets booed during the intros for landing on the DL because of pickup basketball.

And finally, with up to 30 cm of snow forecast for tonight, Kevin Youkilis has this public service announcement for Mother Nature and the entire team at Environment Canada.

The Season is Almost Here

2011-03-29T21:28:00.005-03:00

While the last 39 hours passes before the MLB season starts, I'm killing time with some great baseball movies......If there are any other suggestions, leave a comment.

Auditions for Mascot Now Open

2011-03-27T19:34:00.001-03:00

Check out the great footage of this minor league baseball dance-off.......this has got Amac written all over it!

Team Meeting this Saturday

2011-03-21T09:17:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be holding their 2011 kickoff meeting this Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at 335 Youghall Drive.

All players interested in playing in Bathurst for the 2011 season are asked to attend as the meeting will cover a number of important topics including.....

-field and clubhouse upgrades
-volunteers
-new uniforms
-coaching staff.
-sponsorship for players
-and more

If you have any questions or concerns, just drop us a line at bathurstredsox@hotmail.com

Playing 7 Innings......

2011-03-12T21:56:00.004-04:00

......while counting down the minutes until opening day.

1) I've received a few suggestions on a manager for the 2011 season but nothing serious. We'll have to put this to bed before the end of the month as indoor workouts will start shortly....(Maybe Dmac will get the itch after a few weeks at spring training.......we can always hope)

2) The roster is really filling out as the only regular from 2010 yet to confirm for 2011 is Greg Love. At this point, that list includes 16 players with Jamie MacLaggan, Andrew MacLaggan, Andrew Collins, Brent Nelson, Rene Dugas, Daryl Doucet, Jason LeBlanc, Jason Martell, Richie Gallacher, Josh Gammon, Brad Chamberlain, Steve Hartwell and Riley Good returning. Shane Couture is returning after a year off and Michel Doucet and Matt Lejeune have both confirmed that they will be in camp as well.

3) There will be a team meeting on Saturday, March 26th to review the details for the 2011 season.

4) Most indications are that we will be looking at a five team league again this season. Dalhousie and Atholville are strong and Beresford was excellent last season as well. PR should also be in good shape after hosting a very successful provincial event last year.

5) We are looking at adding a PA system to Vickers Field on game nights this season so we`ll need a couple of volunteers if anyone has someone in mind. The biggest request from the fan base last year was to know which player was at bat for both teams as well as the score.

6) All sponsorship will most likely be due on May 1st as we will need to know the names of the 2011 sponsors in order to have the business names on the current and new uniforms.

7) And finally, if you are looking for amazing prices on baseball gear with 6.50 shipping from the USA, check out Baseball Express at http://www.baseballexp.com/home.jsp

Red Sox Look for New Manager for 2011

2011-02-04T18:44:00.003-04:00

It won't be easy to find a replacement for outgoing manager Don MacLaggan but that is exactly what the Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox have to do.

After two seasons which included two RCIBL titles, a NB title and an Atlantic Canadian championship, MacLaggan is stepping down as head coach. MacLaggan had a profound effect on the Red Sox program with not only his passion for the game but with his tireless work ethic.

Don made himself available for anything and everything regardless of the day or time, whether it was hitting ground balls, feeding the pitching machine or making repairs at the field, he poured his energy into his team and helped to secure 4 total championships in his 2 seasons.

On behalf of the entire Red Sox team, volunteers and fan base, the Red Sox would like to thank "D-Mac" for everything and wish him well this summer.

The Red Sox would like to have their new head coach in place before indoor workouts begin in March. With this in mind, the team is now ready to meet with anyone interested in being part of the coaching staff for 2011.

Red Sox Renew Sponsorship Agreement with the Caisse Populaire Chaleur for 2011

2011-01-24T23:10:00.003-04:00

The Caisse Populaire Chaleur and the Bathurst Red Sox have renewed their partnership for 2011. The Caisse has been the principal corporate sponsor for the club for the past 4 seasons during which time, the Red Sox have won the RCIBL crown each year in addition to NB titles in 2008 and 2010 and the Atlantic Canadian championship in 2009.
In addition to the funding that the Caisse provides as the main corporate sponsor, General Manager Annie Cyr Savoie also announced today that the CPC will be funding new uniforms for the 2011 Red Sox.

The partnership between the Red Sox and the Caisse Populaire Chaleur has been great for both parties and the team and our management would like to thank Annie and her team for their continued support and commitment to our program.

Bathurst Red Sox Begin Planning for 2011 Season

2011-01-03T18:03:00.003-04:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox will be looking to defend their RCIBL and provincial men's baseball title this summer when they return to action.

The first step for team though is to start to put together the roster for the upcoming season. The Red Sox will begin indoor workouts as usual in March but now, team organizers are looking to hear from all players interested in playing in Bathurst this year.

If you are a returning player or have interest in joining the Red Sox for the 2011 campaign, please contact one of our team representatives as soon as possible or email us at bathurstredsox@hotmail.com

Jason Martell - 506-546-3836
Brent Nelson - 506-546-1390
Jamie MacLaggan - 506-350-0582

2011-01-01T20:25:00.000-04:00

Who wants 72,00000.00?

2010-12-18T21:33:00.002-04:00

The other day, Tony Maserotti of the Boston Globe was discussing the odds of the 4 Boston sports teams winning the championship this year. Obviously, the Red Sox are having a great off season and look terrific while the NFL looks for a way to stop the Patriots offense and Tom Brady. Add in the Celtics who still look like the best team in the East and you have a small chance of three parades in the hub in 2011.

The fly in the ointment is the Bruins as they enter today as the 7 seed in the East and would surprise everyone if they made it to the conference finals......but, if you feel like laying down a wager with the Caesar's Palace sportsbook, a 20 bet would yield $72640.00 if all 4 teams took home the hardware.......that's a great bet, just for entertainment sake!

2010-11-11T10:23:00.000-04:00

Let the Offseason Begin

2010-11-02T20:53:00.001-03:00

2011 Free Agent Listing

First Basemen

Lance Berkman NYY *
Russell Branyan SEA
Adam Dunn WAS
Jason Giambi COL
Troy Glaus ATL
Aubrey Huff SF
Nick Johnson NYY *
Paul Konerko CWS
Mark Kotsay CWS
Derrek Lee ATL
Adam LaRoche ARZ
Mike Lowell BOS
David Ortiz BOS *
Lyle Overbay TOR
Carlos Pena TB
Mike Sweeney PHI
Jim Thome MIN
Ty Wigginton BAL

Second Basemen
Willie Bloomquist CIN
David Eckstein SD
Mark Ellis OAK *
Orlando Hudson MIN
Adam Kennedy WAS
Akinori Iwamura OAK
Jose Lopez SEA *
Julio Lugo BAL
Kaz Matsui COL
Aaron Miles STL

Shortstops
Orlando Cabrera CIN *
Craig Counsell MIL
Alex Gonzalez ATL *
Cristian Guzman TEX
J.J. Hardy MIN
Jerry Hairston Jr. SD
Omar Infante ATL *
Cesar Izturis BAL
Derek Jeter NYY
Jhonny Peralta DET *
Edgar Renteria SF *
Jose Reyes NYM *
Jimmy Rollins PHI *
Juan Uribe SF
Ramon Vazquez HOU
Chris Woodward SEA

Third Basemen
Garrett Atkins FA
Adrian Beltre BOS *
Geoff Blum HOU
Miguel Cairo CIN
Jorge Cantu TEX
Eric Chavez OAK *
Pedro Feliz STL
Bill Hall BOS *
Brandon Inge DET
Maicer Izturis LAA
Melvin Mora COL
Nick Punto MIN *
Aramis Ramirez CHC *
Miguel Tejada SD
Chad Tracy FLA
Omar Vizquel CWS

Catchers
Brad Ausmus LAD
Rod Barajas LAD
Josh Bard SEA
Henry Blanco NYM
John Buck TOR
Ramon Castro CWS
Ramon Hernandez CIN
Reed Johnson LAD
Gerald Laird DET
Jason LaRue STL
Victor Martinez BOS
Chad Moeller NYY
Jose Molina TOR
Miguel Olivo COL *
A.J. Pierzynski CWS
David Ross ATL
Yorvit Torrealba SD *
Matt Treanor TEX
Jason Varitek BOS
Gregg Zaun MIL *

Outfielders
Alfredo Amezaga LAD
Rick Ankiel ATL *
Rocco Baldelli TB
Pat Burrell SF
Frank Catalanotto FA
Carl Crawford TB
Coco Crisp OAK *
Michael Cuddyer MIN *
Johnny Damon DET
Jim Edmonds CIN
Jody Gerut SD
Jay Gibbons LAD
Vladimir Guerrero TEX *
Jose Guillen SF
Bill Hall BOS
Willie Harris WAS
Brad Hawpe TB
Eric Hinske ATL
Brad Hawpe TB
Andruw Jones CWS
Gabe Kapler TB
Austin Kearns NYY
Jason Kubel MIN *
Hideki Matsui LAA
Kevin Mench WAS
Xavier Nady CHC
Magglio Ordonez DET *
Corey Patterson BAL
Jay Payton COL
Scott Podsednik LAD
Manny Ramirez CWS
Matt Stairs SD
Fernando Tatis NYM
Marcus Thames NYY
Jayson Werth PHI
Randy Winn STL

Starting Pitchers
Bronson Arroyo CIN *
Erik Bedard SEA *
Kris Benson ARZ
Jeremy Bonderman DET
David Bush MIL
Chris Capuano MIL
Bruce Chen KC
Kevin Correia SD
Doug Davis MIL
Jorge De La Rosa COL
Justin Duchscherer OAK
Jeff Francis COL *
Freddy Garcia CWS
Jon Garland SD *
Aaron Harang CIN *
Rich Harden TEX *
Hiroki Kuroda LAD
Cliff Lee TEX
Ted Lilly LAD
Braden Looper MIL
Rodrigo Lopez ARZ
Noah Lowry SF
Kevin Millwood BAL
Brian Moehler HOU
Jamie Moyer PHI
Vicente Padilla LAD
Carl Pavano MIN
Brad Penny STL
Andy Pettitte NYY
Nate Robertson PHI
Ben Sheets OAK
Ian Snell SEA *
Jeff Suppan STL
Hisanori Takahashi NYM
Javier Vazquez NYY
Brandon Webb ARI
Jake Westbrook STL
Dontrelle Willis SF

Chris Young SD *

Relief Pitchers
Jeremy Affeldt SF
Grant Balfour TB
Miguel Batista WAS
Joe Beimel COL
Joaquin Benoit TB
Randy Choate TB
Jose Contreras PHI
Jesse Crain MIN
Elmer Dessens NYM
Octavio Dotel COL *
Scott Downs TOR
Chad Durbin PHI
Kelvim Escobar NYM
Kyle Farnsworth ATL
Pedro Feliciano NYM
Randy Flores MIN
Frank Francisco TEX
Jason Frasor TOR
Brian Fuentes MIN
Chad Gaudin NYY
Kevin Gregg TOR
Matt Guerrier MIN
Mike Hampton ARZ
Aaron Heilman ARZ
Mark Hendrickson BAL *
Trevor Hoffman MIL *
Mike Lincoln CIN
Mike MacDougal STL
Ron Mahay MIN
Guillermo Mota SF
Will Ohman FLA
Darren Oliver TEX *
Chan Ho Park PIT
J.J. Putz CWS
Chad Qualls TB
Jon Rauch MIN
Dennys Reyes STL
Arthur Rhodes CIN
David Riske FA
Mariano Rivera NYY
J.C. Romero PHI *
Bobby Seay DET
Scot Shields LAA
Brian Shouse TB
Rafael Soriano TB
Jorge Sosa FLA
Russ Springer CIN
Matt Thornton CWS *
Koji Uehara BAL
Jeff Weaver LAD
Dan Wheeler TB
Kerry Wood NYY *
Jamey Wright SEA

Go Cubbies!

2010-10-03T13:42:00.000-03:00

Debating Ichiro's Place in History

2010-09-27T00:17:00.003-03:00

Great article from JoPo at si.com. Make sure you have 15 free minutes before you start it as his stuff is notoriously long but worth the read........enjoy!

By Joe Posnanski - si.com

This is going to be about Ichiro Suzuki, and so you may find it strange that it begins with Nolan Ryan. I think the comparison will make sense by the time we’re done here, but frankly I’m a bit worried about something. I’m worried that people will think I’m making judgements about Ichiro and Ryan, about the way they play the game, about their CHOICES in baseball. I’m not. I don’t even know that they have actually MADE choices. This probably doesn’t make any sense to you at all. Maybe it will. Well, we will just dive in and see where this thing goes.

Let’s start with an odd question: Was Nolan Ryan (compared with the greatest pitchers in baseball history) better at striking out batters or better at walking them?

An odd question, yes. Ryan, you probably know, is the all-time record holder in strikeouts with 5,714. Only Randy Johnson, in baseball history, is within 1,000 strikeouts of Ryan. Nobody is within 800 K’s.

Ryan, you probably know, is also the all-time record holder in walks with 2,795. Only Steve Carlton and Phil Niekro are within 1,000 walks. Nobody is within 950.

So which record is more impressive, if impressive is the word to use? Well, by quick-and-dirty percentages, the walk record is far more impressive. Ryan struck out 17% more batters than No. 2 Randy Johnson, which is amazing. But he walked 53% more batters than Steve Carlton, which is off the charts. To give you an idea just how remarkable that is, look a this:

• Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record with 2,857 points.
• Mark Messier is second with 1,887 points.

That means that Gretzky has scored 51.4% more points than any player in the history of the NHL. That also means that the gap between Gretzky and anyone else when it comes to points is SMALLER than the gap between Ryan and anyone else when it comes to walks.

Look at this:

• Jerry Rice holds the NFL record with 22,895 receiving yards.
• Issac Bruce is second with 15,208 yards.

That means Rice has gained 50.5% more receiving yards than any player in the history of NFL. And yes, that gap, too, is smaller than the gap between Ryan and any other pitcher in walks.

Ryan is simply untouchable as a walker. Yes, he was amazing at striking people out — especially considering that hitters didn’t strike out as much in the era when he pitched — but there are other people in the “greatest strikeout pitcher” argument. Johnson, after all, struck out 10.6 per nine innings, more than one strikeout per game higher than Ryan. Pedro Martinez had a significantly better strikeout rate. Sandy Koufax’s career was much shorter, but once he figured things out — the last eight years of his career — his strikeout rate was virtually identical to Ryan’s. Walter Johnson led the league in strikeouts 12 times when hitters didn’t strike out. You certainly could argue that Ryan was the greatest strikeout pitcher ever, and you would have the hammer stat of “career strikeouts” as your closing argument. But there IS an argument.

But when it comes to walks — no argument. None. If Bobby Witt or Johnny Vande Meer had managed to hang on a bit longer, maybe they could be in the discussion. But for pitchers with enduring careers — 2,500 innings or 150 wins — Ryan is all alone. His 4.67 walks per nine innings is epic. He averaged a full walk per nine more than any pitcher in the 300-win club. Only Feller and Bobo Newsome, among pitcher who won 200 games, walked more than 4 batters per nine, and neither are within a half walk of Ryan.

OK, but, those are just numbers. What do they mean?

Well, I think this means something pretty obvious: Nolan Ryan pitched a certain way, and never really stopped pitching that certain way. He pitched for the strikeout. Always. Now, here’s where I want to again make the point about choices. I don’t know that this was a choice on Ryan’s part. I’m not sure that Ryan (as many people have suggested) COULD have pulled back, induced more contact, sacrificed some strikeouts for better control. The theme that surrounded Ryan, as Bill James pointed out in the New Historical Abstract, is that he never compromised, never gave in, and people disagreed whether this was being true to himself and his craft (the majority opinion) or bullheadedness that prevented him from being a greater but less noteworthy pitcher (the minority opinion). Again, I really don’t know. Maybe Nolan Ryan DECIDED to pitch that way. Then again, maybe he HAD to pitch that way.

The reasons why Ryan pitched the way he did — by choice or by need — are not really material here. The point here is that Ryan was quite possibly the best ever at two pretty significant (and related) pitcher things:

1. He was probably the greatest strikeout pitcher ever.
2. He was probably the hardest pitcher ever to hit.

Those two things could have made Ryan the best pitcher in baseball history. But they didn’t. No pitcher in baseball history has given up fewer hits per nine innings (6.55). And yet, when you look Ryan’s walks and hits per inning — his WHIP — he suddenly jumps up to, well, take a guess. Go ahead. Where do you think Ryan ranks in WHIP, remembering that he’s No. 1 in hits per nine innings pitched?

I suspect you guessed low. Try 265th. Marty Pattin had a lower WHIP than Nolan Ryan. Bill Swift had a lower WHIP than Nolan Ryan. John Smiley had a lower WHIP than Nolan Ryan. And so on.

No pitcher struck out more batters. But then you add in the walks. You throw in his remarkable skill at throwing wild pitches — his 277 is 50 more than second-place Phil Niekro. You throw in his preposterous inability to prevent runners from stealing bases — Ryan’s 757 stolen bases allowed are BY FAR the most allowed; that’s 200-plus more than Greg Maddux, who is second on the list. You throw in his general struggles with fielding his position. No good pitcher in baseball history did the big things better; but perhaps no good pitcher in baseball history did the little things worse. And that is how a guy most would call the most unhittable and greatest strikeout pitcher in baseball history ends up with a bland 112 ERA+ and ends up over an astonishingly long career allowing more runs than any pitcher in history except Niekro.

Because of all this it’s hard to really define Ryan as a pitcher. He’s the most extraordinary pitcher who ever lived, I think. But I also think he’s not especially close to the best.

Which leads us to Ichiro. I would say that Ichiro Suzuki, even with his career still going and even though he spent his first few years in Japan, is already the greatest singles hitter in the history of major League baseball. At this point, I’m not even sure there’s a runner-up.

You already know all about Ichiro’s hit exploits. He is:

• The first player in baseball history to get 200 hits in eight, nine and now 10 consecutive seasons.
• About to lead the league in hits for the seventh time — and in his other three big league seasons he finished second.
• The only player in baseball history to get 675 plate appearances and hit .300 10 years in a row (Lou Gehrig was close but one year he fell three plate appearances short).

Let’s put it this way: Ichiro came to America when he was 27 years old. At that point, he had 1,278 hits in Japan. You cannot count those hits in the major leagues, of course, but I’d say if anything, 1,278 hits is probably FEWER than he would have had if he had started his career here. Anyway, for fun, let’s give him those 1,278 hits.

He doesn’t turn 37 until October, so that means that through his age 36 season, he has had 3,510 professional baseball hits. Here’s how that would rank in baseball history.

Hits through age 36:
1. Ichiro, 3,510
2. Ty Cobb, 3,453
3. Hank Aaron, 3,110
4. Robin Young, 3,025
5. Pete Rose, 2,966*

*Put it this way: When I talked to Pete for The Machine, he flat told me: “Hey, tell Ichiro he can even count his hits in Japan. I don’t care. He ain’t getting to 4,000 hits.” Yep, Pete was a big man then. But Ichiro has had something like 700 or 800 hits since then, and I now see interviews with Pete singing a different tune about how — COME ON! Japan is Triple A baseball! You can’t count those hits! You’ve got to be KIDDING ME! What, do you want to count my hits in MACON?

That little change sums up Pete Rose the man just about as well as anything else.

So, you know what kind of hit machine Ichiro has been. Well, you should also know that 81% — EIGHTY ONE PERCENT of his hits — have been singles. If that sounds high, well, yeah, it’s historically high. We’ll get to that in a minute. Ichiro is a singles man. He has four of the Top 10 singles seasons in baseball history, and half of those Top 10 seasons were in the 19th century.

If you start in 1901, the Top 5 singles seasons look like this:

1. Ichiro, 225 (2004)
2. Ichiro, 206 (2007)
3. Lloyd Waner, 198 (1927)
4. Ichiro, 192 (2001)
5. Wade Boggs, 187 (1985)

He has led the league in singles every single season he has been in the big leagues. Every single year. And not only has he led the league, he has DESTROYED the league.

2001: Led league by 53 singles (Shannon Stewart runner-up)
2002: Led league by 18 singles (Derek Jeter)
2003: Led league by 14 singles (Michael Young)
2004: Led league by 73 singles (Young)
2005: Led league by 5 singles (Jeter)
2006: Led league by 28 singles (Jeter)
2007: Led league by 48 singles (Young)
2008: Led league by 36 singles (Orlando Cabrera)
2009: Led league by 13 singles (Jeter)
2010: Leads league by 18 singles (Juan Pierre)

He is simply untouchable as a literal-sense “hitter.” He is the Nolan Ryan of hits. He is the Nolan Ryan of singles. Like with Ryan, you cannot help but feel awe watching the man perform. He’s absolutely amazing.

But, wait. Amazing is one thing. How GOOD an offensive player is Ichiro? And this takes us into more complicated territory. Because, like Ryan, it seems that Ichiro does big things a lot better than he does little things. Ichiro is probably the best at hitting ‘em where they ain’t since the speaker of that quote, Wee Willie Keeler. But that’s not all there is to being a great offensive player, is it?

No. It’s not. Yes, Ichiro has 200 hits every single season — he’s leading the lead for the seventh time — but do you know how many times he has led the league in times on base?

Once. That was 2004.

In fact, except for 2004, he has never finished second or third in times on base, either. His 260 hits in a season is a record, of course, but his career-high 315 times on base actually ranks in a tie for 58th all-time, just one ahead of Chuck Knoblauch’s 1996 season and one behind Mo Vaughn’s 1996 season.

And, more, that’s the ONLY time that Ichiro has gotten on base 300 times in a season. His next-best was 290 times on base in 2007 — and that ranks in a tie for 257th all-time (tied with, among others, Bobby Abreu in 2006, Tony Phillips in 1996 and Bernie Williams in 2002 — and those were not the career-high seasons for any of the three).

The big reason for the gap is that Ichiro doesn’t walk. He just doesn’t. He has led the league in hitting twice and finished second twice more. But he has never led the league in on-base percentage, only once finished in the Top 5, and three times finished in the Top 10.

His .376 on-base percentage is certainly good, but he’s hitting .331 — it’s almost all batting average. Put it this way; There are 25 players in baseball history with 3,000 or more plate appearances and a batting average of higher than .325. Twenty five super-high average players. Ichiro Suzuki has the lowest on-base percentage of any of them.

He is walking one time in 16 plate appearances. That’s just an extremely low number, especially for a good hitter.

So he doesn’t walk. That means that while his hitting is historically great, his on-base percentage is not. Among players with 3,000 or more plate appearances, his on-base percentage is tied for 131st.

OK, well, what about those hits? Well, as I mentioned, 81% of his hits are singles. Even among those relatively light-hitting players, that’s really high.

Here is the singles percentage for some players you might consider light-hitting greats:

• Ichiro, 81%
• Tony Gwynn, 76%
• Pete Rose, 76%
• George Sisler, 75%
• Wade Boggs, 75%
• Ty Cobb, 73%

Ichiro’s singles percentage is higher than Ozzie Smith’s. It’s higher than Jason Kendall’s (yes, it is). It’s higher than that of Luis Aparicio, Bert Campaneris, Bill Buckner and Kenny Lofton. It’s not the all-time mark — other very good hitters such as Richie Ashburn, Stuffy McInnis and Lloyd Waner have higher singles percentages. But in fact, those are probably the ONLY three good hitters who have higher singles percentages — maybe Maury Wills, depending on how good a hitter you think he was.

So, what’s wrong with a single? Nothing. But it ain’t a double. Ichiro’s .430 slugging percentage is certainly low for a .331 hitter, especially in today’s big-hitting era. Jef Cirillo slugged .430. Hal Morris slugged .433.

So, mainly what Ichiro gives you are lots of singles — line drives, hard grounders up the middle, bloops, bleeders through the infield, high-choppers. Are these aesthetically pleasing? Absolutely. Are these valuable? You bet. Are these more valuable than walks? Yes, of course, well, somewhat. But do a barrage of singles without many walks put Ichiro in the luxury line of hitters with Albert Pujols or Miguel Cabrera or Josh Hamilton or Robinson Cano or those sorts of guys?

I’d have to say no.

And the numbers would say no even more forcefully. This year, Ichiro does not rank in the Top 50 in batting runs according to Fangraphs.

In 2009, Ichiro ranked 36th.
In 2008, he did not rank in the Top 50.
In 2007, he ranked 31st.
In 2006, he did not rank in the Top 50.
In 2005, he did not rank in the Top 50.
In 2004, he ranked 20th.

And so on. His career OPS+ is 117, which ties him for 367th all-time and ranks lower than, among others, Mickey Tettleton, who hit 90 points lower.

I hear from people in and out of baseball all the time that Ichiro could be a different kind of hitter if he wanted. He could take some points of the average and hit with more power. He could muscle up and hit 25 homers a year. He could attack pitchers differently and draw 100 walks a season. As I said at the top, I have no idea if this is true.

What I do think is that Ichiro Suzuki is one of most dazzling and unforgettable hitters I’ve ever seen. I get a jolt every time I see him step to the plate. And of course, here we’re only talking about his hitting — he’s an amazing base stealer and base runner; he’s an awesome outfielder with a terrific arm. I love watching Ichiro Suzuki play baseball. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer, no doubt in my mind.

Still, as we try to look honestly at his career, we are left with two questions and two seemingly conflicting answers:

1. Is Ichiro Suzuki one of the greatest hitters in baseball history? Absolutely.

2. Is Ichiro Suzuki one of the greatest offensive forces in baseball history? No, probably not.

The Missing Photo.....

2010-09-20T23:29:00.003-03:00

Photo by Katherine Hunt - The Northern Light

This photo was taken just before we loaded Jmac into the ambulance. Thanks to Peter Assaff for forwarding it in hi-res for anyone who wants a copy.

Titan Honor Red Sox

2010-09-19T22:51:00.004-03:00

Photo By Ron Melanson

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox were at the Acadie-Bathurst Titan game on Sunday as guests of the team to celebrate their latest NB championship. The Red Sox were on the ice for the ceremonial puck drop as the Titan defeated Moncton 4-1.

Baseball's Worst Crime

2010-09-19T00:58:00.002-03:00

Great article from Rick Reilly about the 25th anniversary of Pete Rose's hit....amazing to hear him talk about the reaction from the crowd in Cinncinnati as well as his take on Ichiro.

by Rick Reilly - espn.com

I never saw a man enjoy his work more than Pete Rose. He played every game like he'd been let out of solitary confinement for the day. He didn't read books, never went to college and was unfit for cocktail parties. He was 99-44/100 percent baseball, from that butcher-block head to his endlessly tapping feet.

He would sprint to first on walks, slide face-first into second and slam baseballs into the AstroTurf on third outs.

He could compute his average on the way to first. He knew which were strike umps, ball umps, high umps, low umps, hitters' umps and pitchers' umps. Rose even knew which ground crews were bunt-friendly.

"He thinks about baseball day and night," Sparky Anderson once said of him. "He can't sit five minutes in a chair and talk to you about something else. He'll get up. Baseball is all he thinks about. He'll never leave the game."

Instead, the game left him. Banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling on it, there was never a crueler punishment devised for one person. It was like taking beer from Norm or mirrors from Demi Moore.

Which makes this Saturday night in Cincinnati that much more delicious for him.

Rose has been granted one evening's pardon by MLB commissioner Bud Selig to re-create base knock No. 4192, the one that made him the undisputed hit king. It will be 25 years to the day at Great American Ball Park. And it will be the first time he's stepped foot on a Reds infield in 21 years, a kind of solitary confinement in itself.

Naturally, a lot of cranky dandruff collections have their boxers in a wad about it.

"When the keeper of the Rules does not enforce the Rules, there are no Rules," former commissioner Fay Vincent e-mailed the NY Post. "...I totally disagree with the Selig position. Either enforce the Rules or reinstate him. ... I do not believe Selig wants to bring Rose back. But he wants to be loved in Cincinnati."

I called Rose at the rather sad job he has now -- signing baseballs at the Field of Dreams souvenir store at the Caesar's Palace shops five hours a day. (For $357 you can get a baseball signed with "I'm sorry I bet on baseball.")

Who else but Pete could turn shame into shekels?

"Fay Vincent's never had a nice thing to say about me in his whole life," says Rose, now 69 and a resident of Sherman Oaks, Calif. "That's fine with me. But he's bashing the commissioner. And when you bash the commissioner, you bash baseball. I would never bash baseball."

He must want to. Compared to what so many cheats have done to the game -- paging Roger Clemens -- Rose's punishment is so many exits past fair it's nearly a crime itself. That one of the top five hitters in baseball history has to come on hands and knees to a city he made famous, to a team he led to six World Series, has to show up like some kind of work-release inmate to celebrate one of the greatest nights in baseball history -- a night he created -- is sickening.

And yet Rose is joyful.

"I'm so excited. Just to be able to circle the base paths will be great," he says. "I have to thank commissioner Selig and [Reds owner] Bob Castellini for the OK. They've sold 40,000 tickets, I hear. For a game with Pittsburgh!"

Oh, yeah, Rose still has a healthy pride in what he did with a baseball bat. He should. Do you realize the closest man to breaking his record -- Derek Jeter -- is still 1,358 hits behind him? That's nearly seven more 200-hit seasons. He's had only seven in his whole career, plus he'd be 43.

"Man, those first 3,000 aren't easy, but they're nothing compared to those last 1,000," Rose says. "You don't feel at 41 like you did at 31. The guy they're trying to sell to pass me is Jeter, but if you're gonna catch me, you can't be having years like this year [Jeter is hitting .262]."

And don't even get him started on Ichiro, who trails Rose by more than 2,000 hits.

"Do you realize that Ichiro has had three or four seasons where about 27, 28 percent of his hits are infield hits? The guy has to be the luckiest guy in the history of the world to get that many infield hits!"

Q: Ichiro had 1,278 hits in Japan. Should those count?

"OK, you gonna let me go over to Japan and play for five or six years? Nothing against Japanese baseball, but it's basically Triple-A ball."

Fires well lit, Rose returns to Cincinnati to relish that moment a quarter century ago. That night, after the hit, the standing ovation lasted six minutes, then seven, then eight. All the celebrators and congratulators and backslappers fell away until Rose was just standing there, alone on first base, washing in the goose-bump noise. At nine, it finally got to him and he began weeping.

For those of us who knew him, it was like seeing an Easter Island statue break down.

"Only time I was on a baseball field I didn't know what to do," he remembers. "I started thinking about everybody that was responsible for me standing there that were gone now. Little League coaches, my uncle who signed me, my father who mentored me. I looked up at the sky and saw my father and I lost it."

That night, his son Ty (after Cobb), was 11 months old. Saturday night, he'll be 25, and 6-foot-5.

And Ty's not the only one who's changed.

"I think it's made me a better man, admitting it," Rose has decided. "I was absolutely wrong. I wish I could change it, but I can't."

What, and quit retail?

"Believe me, I would give this gig up in a heartbeat to be back in the wonderful world of baseball."

Saturday night, he can at least pretend.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ferrell and Reilly's ESPY Audition

2010-09-17T09:29:00.000-03:00

A Little Hardball Trivia

2010-09-15T23:13:00.003-03:00

Here are 10 random baseball questions to chew on.....drop a post on the chatroll with your score out of 10.......honor system gents!!......BTW, the picture of Pedro firing Don Zimmer to the ground has nothing to do with trivia....it just makes me happy.

1 - What major league catcher holds the record for the most Gold Glove awards?

Ivan Rodríguez is the catcher with the most Gold Glove awards. He has 13, 10 with the Texas Rangers (1992 - 2001) and 3 with the Detroit Tigers (2004, 2006, 2007).

2 - was the first pitcher to have 30 or more saves in each of their first five complete seasons?

Jonathan Papelbon of the Boston Red Sox holds the record for being the first pitcher to have 30 or more saves in their first five complete seasons in the league (2006 - 35, 2007 - 37, 2008 - 41, 2009 - 38, 2010 - 30 and counting).

3 - Who was the first pitcher to pitch a perfect game in a World Series?

Don Larsen of the New York Yankees pitched the first and only World Series perfect game in the fifth game of the 1956 World Series. He threw only 97 pitches striking out 7. The Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers in that game 2-0. The Yankees also took the Series 4 games to 3.

4 - What was the first year that the MLB All-Star game decided which league gets home field advantage in the World Series?

2003 was the first year that the league who won the All-Star game earned home-field advantage in the World Series

5 - Who was the first major league baseball player to earn the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in both the American League and the National League?

Frank Robinson was the first major league baseball player to earn the MVP award in both leagues. He won the National League MVP award in 1961 with the Cincinnati Reds and the American League MVP in 1966 with Baltimore Orioles.

6 - What major league baseball player went by the nickname "The Scooter"?

Shortstop Phil Rizzuto who played for the New York Yankees from 1941 to 1956 was nicknamed The Scooter.

7 - In baseball what does OPS stand for?

OPS is the acronym for on-base plus slugging. It is a sabermetric baseball statistic that is the sum of a player's on base percentage (OBP) and slugging percentage (SLG). The formula is OPS = OBP + SLG. It is considered to be a good measure of a player's offensive worth.

8 - What major league player holds the record for the highest career on-base percentage (OBP)?

With an OBP of .4817, Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox (1939–1942, 1946–1960) holds the major league record for career on-base percentage.

9 - What pitcher holds the record for the most starts on opening day?

Tom Seaver holds the record with the most opening day starts with 16 (11 for the Mets, 3 for the Reds, and 2 for the White Sox).

10 - What major league team holds the record for the best single season winning percentage in the 21st century?

The 2001 Seattle Mariners have set the high-water mark for best single season winning percentage in the 21st century with their 116 and 46 season, for a winning percentage of .716.

This Makes Me Laugh Everytime!

2010-09-14T22:44:00.000-03:00

Playing 7 Innings....Championship Edition!

2010-09-14T19:00:00.003-03:00

1) Well, it's Tuesday and I still have a smile on my face after winning the provincial title again on Sunday afternoon. We had a lot of things happen that could have derailed us this year......losing Guy, Shane, Joe, Christian and Norris was a huge blow......Beresford was good enough to beat us in the playoffs.......and I was just glad the weather kept our fans away from PR for game 1 on Thursday so they didn't have to see our worst effort in years.

2) We lost some amazing players but they guys that came in really were the missing piece for us. Brad Chamberlain, Josh Gammon, Richie Gallacher and Ryley Good all made huge contributions on the field, improved all year and were all fantastic teammates.

3) I've probably played in a hundred or so tournaments since I started in t-ball but I don't remember playing in one that was better organized that the 2010 provincials. Thanks to Denis and the entire PR squad for a job very well done......the feedback we've been getting from the hundreds of Bathurst fans in attendance on Sunday has been 100% positive.

4) A word of thanks to Andrew Collins and Brent Nelson. Our pitching was not overly deep this year and these two took the ball three times each because they knew they had to.....the only problem now is that I have to put Brent in my top 9!

5) Hats off to the Dalhousie Dodgers who lost a close game in the final of the Provincial B tournament. In the last three seasons our small 5 team league has won 5 of the 12 available medals at the provincials......that's 42% of the medals for a league with only 19% of the province's intermediate teams.....not too shabby.

6) On the side of our supporters both fans and sponsors, we can't begin to describe how sweet it was to share that Sunday with so many folks who have given up their nights to watch us play ball all summer. Our sponsors have been amazing and we have already secured a number of new sponsors who want to be on board for 2011. Even the Titan are getting involved as they have asked us to attend Sunday's game against Halifax as their guests where the team will be introduced on the ice in the first intermission.

7) And finally for today's completely random baseball card.....

Just one more catcher who popped his knee out......Stay out of the cage for a few weeks Jmac!

Red Sox Win New Brunswick Title

2010-09-12T23:28:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox defeated the Newcastle Cardinals twice on Sunday to claim their second New Brunswick Men's "A" baseball championship in the three years.

On sunday morning, the Red Sox drubbed the Cardinals 8-1 as Andrew Collins picked up the win while Chris McKay took the loss. Greg Love paced the Bathurst offence as he had thee hits including a home run.

With the win, Bathurst forced a one-game playoff for the provincial title and although they fell behind by scores of 3-2 and 5-4, they prevailed to defeat the Cardinals 6-5.

Greg Love earned the win while Andrew MacLaggan and Jason LeBlanc had three hits each to lead the Red Sox attack.

In a year where many expected the Red Sox to be in a rebuilding mode, the team went 21-9 overall and also added their 5th consecutive Restigouche Chaleur Baseball Championship as well.

Big Day for Red Sox

2010-09-11T23:52:00.002-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox accomplished exactly what they needed to on Saturday as they won a pair of games to keep their title hopes alive at the NB Men's Baseball Championships.

The Red Sox started the day by crushing the Saint John Angels 11-0 on the back of a home run from Andrew MacLaggan and a shutout from Brent Nelson.

With that game being called after 5 innings due to the mercy rule, Nelson was able to start the nightcap for the Red Sox against Fredericton and he prevailed again as Bathurst won 8-5. Nelson helped his own cause on offence with a huge home run late in the game and Andrew Maclaggan added a pair of hits in the win.

The Red Sox will now face the Newcastle Cardinals in the final game of the round robin on Sunday morning at 9:30 in Beresford. If Bathurst can win that game, they would face the Cardinals again at 1:30 in a one game, winner-take-all for the 2010 New Bunswick title.

Red Sox Back in Action on Saturday

2010-09-10T21:59:00.003-03:00

The Bathurst Caisse Populaire Chaleur Red Sox were rained out on Friday night but they will be in action twice on Saturday in the New Brunswick Men's Baseball Championships.

The Red Sox will take on Saint John at 2 p.m. in Petit-Rocher and then face off against Fredericton at 8 p.m. in Beresford.

Bathurst, Saint John and Fredericton all have a record of 0-1 so far while Newcastle is 1-0 and the host Petit-Rocher Braves lead the tournament at 2-0.