Powerline baseball at its best

If last night was a preview for what is to come for the remaining of the post season, fans and players are in for a treat. To have both games decided late, and to have the pitching battles and defensive gems, have alot to say about where the PBL is this year. Congrats Camrose, Bardo, Ryley and Leduc on a great start to the post season.

On a different note, I think there needs to be some clarity on what has transpired in our league over the last week. There is nothing worse than negative perceptions put on people who don’t deserve it. The 3 game rule has once again reared it’s ugly head in the PBL late in the season. 

A lot has been said of how the rule reads and how it should be handeled. Yet it is a rule and should be followed, no questions asked. In the past, it has been difficult to say the least to be a President in a league that is a full century old, has a ton of history, and still maintains small town qualities than can only benefit those who play in this league. 

Most rules that are outside of the box from the Baseball Alberta’s rulebook, are to accommodate the players that played or continue to play in the PBL. They are catered to get everyone in the game when needed and yet when the play-offs start it is ball as usual.

The reason for the friction over this topic though is fault on no one. How can you blame a player, or his team for wanting him to play in the play-offs? The rule clearly states, that if a player does not play 3 games before the first 12 are played, he is not eligable to participate in the play-offs. 

Yet, I know for a fact, that when the rule was made, that was not the intent. The rule, at least for all of those who were at the meeting, was that player, would not only miss the post season, but the remainder of the regular season. But for some reason, it is not written in that manner in the rules, so no one player, coach, or executive should be held accountable for lost translation of the rule. 

Again, no one is to blame. Paul Offrim, and Ron Oslund should be a lock, when it was asked if they would be eligible for post season play, since they have both been in our league for some time. But what about the Rebels request for Brian Tavaroli? 

Did the Rebels do anything wrong in asking? No! Did Brian do anything wrong in wanting to play? No! But yet the perception is that Bardo has been a little more than whiney on the whole thing. Well there is reason. Not, and I repeat not because of the player, but because of what transpired a few years ago. Acting as president at the time, the Brewers had a player who was not eligible according to the rules in 2003. The acting executive voted, and a long time player was not able to participate in the post season that year. 

The Brewers got burnt. That is when the executive had the rule changed. But for some reason, the wording of the rule, as it stands leaves us a little more than perplexed, which will be discussed in the annual meeting as Larry has mentioned. As it is, the request was made, the decisions came in, and all is well for the 3 players and their respectable teams. 

I’m not a fan of letting everyone know of who voted for who, but what’s done is done. The are some obvious ideas of how it should read, or be modified, but moving forward into the 2010 season, let’s hope we get it right. In the mean time enjoy the rest of the post season.

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Jason Buzzell