The London Majors will open their 2019 Intercounty Baseball League season on Friday night against the same team that ended their playoff run in 2018, however there is plenty of optimism about the ball club’s prospects this year.
“It’s a fresh slate,” said co-owner and manager Roop Chanderdat. “Everyone is 0-0. Everyone has an opportunity to win… You get a clean start and you see where the team goes. You are ready to improve and try to go and win a championship.”
In 2018, the London Majors turned in a solid regular season, notching their eighth straight year of winning at least 20 games in the Intercounty Baseball League season. Their success helped them to finish in third place overall.
However, all of that quickly disappeared in a 3-1 series loss to Hamilton in the opening round of the playoffs, delaying the chase for London’s first IBL title since 1975.
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In 2019, London’s team will once again be anchored by the bats and ability of IBL veterans like Cleveland Brownlee and Byron Reichstein. Mike Ambrose returns as a catcher, while Braeden Ferrington and Owen Boon are back on the mound. That might sound like a long list, but Chanderdat says there is a major infusion of new talent.
“We’ve only got two pitchers returning from our 10-man staff and three of our 10 position players,” he said.
Those returnees are true cornerstones led by Brownlee, who will be playing his 10th season for London.
“Nowadays, that’s very rare,” said Chanderdat. “If you go back before, it was normal. Guys would stick around for their whole career with the same team. What Cleveland is doing is fantastic. He had a great regular season last year and he looks to be in great shape so we are looking for him to put up big numbers this year.”
Brownlee led the Majors in hits, home runs and RBIs last year and has made London his home.
“The organization here is great,” said Brownlee. “The fans are great. Ownership gave me an opportunity and a chance to play.”
Given the movement that can exist on IBL rosters, picking a favourite would be awfully difficult at the beginning of the season, but the league has truly been dominated by two teams since 2008. The Barrie Baycats have won the past five championships. Before that, the Brantford Red Sox won six in a row.
The Majors are about to take their first step toward trying to end Barrie’s reign in 2019.
The first pitch will be at 7:35 p.m. at Labatt Park.