PBL Season
Around the Corner, GM’s Set to Meet
The
Powerline Baseball League (PBL) is set to hold its annual Spring Meeting on
Thursday March 17th 2011 in Camrose. General Managers will meet to
discuss the current state of the league as well as additional changes meant to
improve the league.
The GM’s
along with the PBL President and other board members will discuss some very
interesting new items that are being proposed for the 2011 season, most notably
a PBL vs. Battle River League Baseball Championship Series. While details are
vague and the naysayers out weigh the optimists that this would actually
happen, the PBL has agreed to have a formal discussion about the idea.
The two
leagues, which traditionally have only had a relationship with each other once
per year (annual PBL vs. BRL All-Star Game), have decided the time is now to
throw this on the table. First and foremost the PBL Board will have to gain
support from the GM’s in order to pursue. While there is no set time for the
event, the event would have to happen after the PBL and BRL Playoffs in order to
have a championship series. It might be a tough sell to some PBL teams as year
after year teams look to have the season and playoffs wrapped up by August.
While the NFL recently pulled the proposed 18 game schedule off of the table
due to opposition from the NFLPA and players, would the PBL pull the series off
the table with little support from teams and players? It would appear that the
PBL has taken a leadership role in the event to try and get some legs under it.
Making what
seems to be a standing item on the PBL GM Meeting agenda is the annual PBL vs.
BRL All-Star game. Former PBL President Larry Lewsew is scheduled to make a
presentation to the PBL with regards to the annual event including a proposal
to form an All-Star Committee to deal with some of the logistics of the game.
Year after year the PBL seems to struggle with an identity of the All-Star team
trying to balance between a fun event to represent the league and a competitive
team to challenge the BRL.
In 2010 the
PBL was tantalized with the opportunity to expand into the Holden and Sherwood
Park markets despite contracting in the City of Camrose after the Roadrunners
folded. After the dust was settled only Holden stood as the Sherwood Park
franchise proceeded with their bid to enter the North Central Alberta Baseball
League (NCABL) due to what many felt was tampering by the Camrose Axemen.
While the
Sherwood Park franchise never materialized, the Holden Blue Jays finished 2010
with a 9-5-1 record on their way to the PBL Playoffs. In 2011 the PBL seems to
be once again tickled to have some level of interest from a Sherwood Park
franchise. With the Tofield Lakers moving from Tofield to Camrose after a
bitter divorce from the Town of Tofield to assume the Roadrunner name, a
Sherwood Park franchise would increase the PBL team count to seven, the highest
since an eight team league in 2004.
While no
concrete yes or no has been given to the PBL by the Sherwood Park team, the PBL
will discuss extending the time line for the team while they try to come to a
decision, much like in 2010.
PBL
President Steve Pahl will bring forward a proposed six team schedule that will
see each team play a 15 game season which would kick off on Tuesday May 10th
2011. Should the league expand into a seven team league with the Sherwood Park
franchise entering play in 2011, alterations to the schedule would obviously
take place to reflect seven teams and possibly a 15 – 18 game season.
The PBL GM’s
will also look at renewing the affiliation with Baseball Alberta, which was new
in 2010 and provided some much needed umpiring support for teams such as the
Armena Royals.
While there
is no drastic changes set to happen at the meeting, the PBL GM’s will try to
make small nickel and dime changes to tweak the quality of the league.
