Post-season schedule debate

With 2012 marking another victorious Leduc Milleteer finale, it would seem they are running the table quite easily. But some great playoff games and gutsy performances have helped them scratch their way to the top each season.

It’s hard to imagine anything should change when it appears the league has six relatively stable teams.

However, quiet rumblings from players and team reps have echoed throughout the league and on blog comments for a couple years now regarding the league schedule.

Home and away games

One complaint is the inconsistency (or consistency) over the last two years for some teams home and away schedules. For example, the Armena Royals have had eight road games now for two seasons while the Camrose Roadrunners have had only seven.

Some anonymous comments alluded to the fact certain teams have had to go to Leduc or Holden for the extra game of their three game set. This was the first year Leduc didn’t have Wednesday night games, which eases the complications of the scheduling. 

Given this fresh start, Armena, Bardo and Leduc will likely only have 7 home games in 2013 and Camrose, Holden and Ryley will have the extra one with the home-away schedule individually inverted for each series.

• 2012 Teams with 8 home, 7 away: Armena, Bardo, Leduc
• 2012 Teams with 7 home, 8 away:  Camrose, Holden, Ryley

Early start

Oft complained but never changed, the early May start can always be hit or miss. This year’s May 1 falling on a Tuesday meant the second week of May (Always the PBL opening night since at least 1999) was May 8. But it was perfectly fine May 8 to start playing. The difficulty is getting guys thinking baseball in March and April.

The Tuesday-Thursday push pegs a season end usually around early- to mid-July. Once playoffs are done, the PBL and BRBL leagues have historically taken August off to mingle with families and enjoy summer. I doubt anything will ever change, nor maybe should it.

Rainout dates

Past President Larry Lewsaw publicly had concerns of the rainout dates with certain teams still having regularly scheduled games. I guess it would be nice to have full days off for all the teams in case it magically works out, but there’s also the danger of no one, or only two teams needing to make up a game and thus, a wasted warm weather night could go to waste. Maybe that’s OK?

Off the record comments in 2012

Over the course of a few beers and post-game bickering, you hear the odd complaint. Maybe you could just call it whining from someone who doesn’t have answers. But here’s a few I recall. Your thoughts?

“We used to keep things simple, last year’s schedule would just flip. If you were away the first Tuesday in May against (Bardo) you were home the next year that night.”

“It gets too dark in May. We only got in five innings one night. The first few games should be on Sundays at like 4 p.m.”

“We couldn’t make up our games because the two times we were free the team we had to make-up was already playing that night. If you’re going to have rainout dates, make it totally open.”

“We had to go to Leduc three years in a row for two games. We can’t win there.”

“Is it time to talk about expanding the playoffs? It would create less debate if we can’t squeeze in every game. Maybe let everyone make it so no one has to sit the bench late in the season.”