This summer, the BID Group Grays will swing for a B.C. title on their home diamond. In their quest for a championship, they'll take an important developmental step this weekend.
The Grays, formed by players from the Shooters Bar & Grill Prince George Senior Baseball League, will be in Maple Ridge for the Twin Cities Invitational. The Grays will play at least four games -- five if they make it to Monday's final -- and will use the tournament to shake off some winter frost and gain some cohesion.
"It will be a good chance for everybody to get away and get playing early because our men's league is just starting now," said Grays player and assistant coach Jay Cook, whose team has been practicing indoors at the Northern Sport Centre since March. "It will be nice to get the guys working together because last year we didn't play any meaningful games until provincials. We're a little more organized this year and a little bit better in that sense."
The Grays will host the B.C. Senior Baseball Association provincial championship tournament Aug. 3-6 at Citizen Field. The provincial draw will include two Lower Mainland clubs, two teams from the Okanagan, the Victoria Mavericks, Nanaimo Coalminers and Trail Orioles and will determine Team B.C. for the 2013 Baseball Canada Senior Championship.
In a forgettable 2011, the Grays traveled to Edmonton for a June tournament, only to have it rained out. Then their plans for games on the July long weekend collapsed. At provincials in Kelowna, they stumbled to a 0-3 record.
In Maple Ridge this weekend, the Grays will have Saturday games against Gibsons and the Langley Knights. On Sunday, they'll step to the plate against the Maple Ridge Jerks. Monday will see the Grays clash with the Ridge Meadows Twins and possibly play in the championship game.
Grays members scheduled to make the trip to Maple Ridge are Cook, fellow player/coach Kalen Kirkpatrick, Adam Norn, Angelo Desantis, Lyndon Toews, Calvin Todd, Garrett Belanger, Chris Clark, Doug Clark, Paul Wilson, James Haviland, Brandon Hunter, Graham Allard, Jon Bourassa and Jesse Dill. Craig Horswell is the head coach but won't be traveling this weekend.
Cook said catcher/infielder Jeremy Kral, who suited up for Team Canada at last summer's World Baseball Challenge at Citizen Field, could join the club later in the season. Kral is currently with the Douglas College Royals of the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges League.
Cook said the Grays are much improved this year, especially their pitching staff. Allard and Bourassa both throw heavy fastballs and are adept at mixing in off-speed and breaking pitches while Dill brings valuable experience to the mix on the mound.
"Jesse is a transfer from Victoria and they won provincials last year," Cook said. "He's a real good guy. He's a pitch-to-contact kind of guy and he gets a lot of outs."
In advance of provincials, the Grays are also planning trips to Vernon and Red Deer for tournaments.
