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2009 League Awards!
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Owner Of The Year: League Voted
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Michel Bernier: Calgary Remparts
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Man Of The Year: League Voted
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Graham Colvin: Owen Sound Crusaders
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Journalist Of The Year: League Voted
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Torin Stefanson: Moose Jaw Dragons
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Player Of The Year: League Voted
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Jeovany Grief: Kelowna Americans
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Pitcher Of The Year: League Voted
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Jovon Yakow: Leduc Grizzlies
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League MVP
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Fishermen League
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Farmers League
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Hayden Revelez
Fredricton Bandits
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Skeeter Manderson
Leduc Grizzlies
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Cy Young
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Fishermen League
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Farmers League
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Kardell Ayalla
Toronto Polar Bears
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Jovon Yakow
Leduc Grizzlies
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Rookie of the Year
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Fishermen League
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Farmers League
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Erik Brown
Toronto Polar Bears
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Yasuyoshi Nakada
Saskatoon Yellow Jackets
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CBL Playoffs 2009!
| Division Championship |
| Fishermen League |
Fredricton - 1
vs
Owen Sound - 3
Game 1: FRE 1 at OWE 3
Game 2: FRE 4 at OWE 11
Game 3: OWE 1 at FRE 13
Game 4: OWE 8 at FRE 3
Owen Sound Advances!
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Windsor - 3
vs
Ottawa - 0
Game 1: WIN 2 at OTT 0
Game 2: WIN 8 at OTT 3
Game 3: OTT 2 at WIN 6
Windsor Advances!
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| Farmers League |
Leduc - 1
vs
Calgary - 3
Game 1: LED 5 at CAL 0
Game 2: LED 1 at CAL 3 (23)
Game 3: CAL 7 at LED 3
Game 4: CAL 9 at LED 3
Calgary Advances!
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Moose Jaw - 0
vs
Kelowna - 3
Game 1: MOO 6 at KEL 7
Game 2: MOO 0 at KEL 2
Game 3: KEL 6 at MOO 5
Kelowna Advances!
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| League Championship |
| Fishermen League |
Owen Sound - 4
vs
Windsor - 0
Game 1: WIN 0 at OWE 5
Game 2: WIN 2 at OWE 4
Game 3: OWE 4 at WIN 3
Game 4: OWE 9 at WIN 4
Owen Sound Advances!
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| Farmers League |
Kelowna - 3
vs
Calgary - 1
Game 1: KEL 1 at CAL 0
Game 2: KEL 7 at CAL 4
Game 3: CAL 5 at KEL 6
Game 4: CAL 3 at KEL 2
Game 5: CAL 4 at KEL 11
Kelowna Advances!
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| Battle for the Beer |
| Two Teams, One Beer |
Owen Sound - 4
vs
Kelowna - 3
Game 1: Kelowna 5 at Owen Sound 4
W: Dziedzic, L: Barrett, S: Pavlo
Game 2: Kelowna 5 at Owen Sound 1
W: Twist, L: Campbell, S: None
Game 3: Owen Sound 2 at Kelowna 3
W: Murphy, L: *Burke, S: Cremin
Game 4: Owen Sound 5 at Kelowna 1
W: Bigsby, L: Drake, S: None
Game 5: Owen Sound 5 at Kelowna 2
W: Barrett, L: Wilkinson, S: None
Game 6: Kelowna 0 at Owen Sound 4
W: Bigsby, L: Porter, S: None
Game 7: Kelowna 0 at Owen Sound 2
W: Campbell, L: Politi, S: Barrett
Owen Sound are the CBL Champions!
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Round 2 Playoff Preview
(CBL Newswire) By: Jim Hunt PEI Gazette
As this years Fishermen played out a very predictable playoffs the Farmers decided to send the underdogs to the conference championship. None of the present four teams have ever won the Beer so this will make it even more exciting for everyone. Only Windsor has even advanced to the beer before! www.thecbl.com/pastchamp.htm . This is the nicest part of the site in the CBL! I love it!
Windsor vs Owen Sound
Season Series: Owen Sound 7-6
Pitching: Large advantage Owen Sound.
Hitting: Tied
Past Playoff Success: Owen Sound is one of the most shocking CBL teams. They have won the wildcard a record 7 straight years and have never even made it into the Battle of the Beer! Windsor has NEVER won the beer but made it into the Battle of the beer in 2007.
Prediction: While everything is pointing Owen Sounds way, these 2 97-65 teams will play deep into the series but only the best will move on. While they are COMPLETELY undermanaged the Spitfires will find a way to move on! Windsor in 6.
Calgary Vs. Kelowna
Season Series: Kelowna 8-4
Pitching: Huge advantage Calgary
Hitting: Kelowna
Past Playoff Success: Kelowna won the division back in 2001 but has never made it to the second round of the playoffs. Calgary made the playoffs for the first time ever.
Prediction: With 2 very green teams, and Kelowna offering up injured all-star Jeovany Grief up for trade, this series – like I said last time – should be no contest. Calgary just made the best sit down and are starting to make a small bit of a name for themselves. What makes this series so interesting, is that it can be highly expected Calgary will go after the coveted 1B Grief. However, when all is said and done, Calgary will go on to win in 5.
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Double Header in Calgary?
(CBL Newswire) By Weazel of the Lethbridge Endeavor
The Calgary Flames fans were out late tonight! No they weren't raising hell in the streets, they were at the ballpark watching a barn burner of a ball game. In the infamous words of Ed Whalen, it was a Ring-a-ding-dong-dandy! What started out as a relatively unnoticed game of baseball in a city enthralled in hockey, turned out to be the place everyone wanted to be.
The sports fans in Calgary were treated to a double header of a different sort tonight. It started out at 7:00 on a perfect Wednesday night where at one end of town 20,000 red cloaked fans packed into a dome shaped like a saddle to cheer their beloved Flames on to the Stanley Cup Finals. On the other side of town, 2,000 fans sat in a mostly baron Fortress Stadium (formerly Burns Stadium). As the night went on, the Flames fans were treated to one of the best hockey games played in years, with action flowing form one end to the other. While at the Fortress, Remparts fans were watching CBL favorite Leduc clinic the hometown team.
The Flames ended up winning the game 3-1, and taking the Western Conference Championship, and team captain Jarome Iginla skating off the ice with a cup in hand. The game lasted about 3 hours and was over at 10:00. With the celebration pouring into the streets, fans were going wild and could be heard throughout the city. 17th Avenue was abuzz, and car traffic was routed to nearby streets. This was a time for cheering in a city that hasn't seen a winner in a long time.
As the cheering went on, you could hear some mumblings about a baseball game on the other side of town. Along with the screaming, car horns, sea of red, homemade Stanley Cups, Flaming C's, and flashing of breasts, you could hear peaple asking about the "other game".
The "other game" was the hometown Remparts taking on the rival Leduc Grizzlies. And what once was the "other game" was continuing to gain popularity. As fans started hearing the news that at 11:00 the baseball game was still going, interest peaked, and flashing dwindled (shit). Yes indeed, the Remparts had given the Grizzlies an early 1 run lead in the game, but were able to tie it up in the 8th!
With thousands upon thousands of gleefull fans roaming the streets, it wasn't long before there were thousands of peaple walking into a now free for all park showing a great game of baseball. By the 12th inning the game was still tied, and the attendance had grown to 10,000 with more strolling in by the second. By the 16th inning the stadium was packed solid with 18,000 and another 20,000 standing around the park either watching from a post, building, or tree or just taking in the sheer delight of getting caught up in a wonderful party.
What was once the distant second of fan appreciation had become the must-be place for all in the city. With the game still knotted at 1 in the 18th, fans were going crazy and the stadium was shaking. Any other time a 1-1 tie in the 18th would bring empty seats, but not tonight... not on THIS night. Every pitch was huge, and every play was spectaculat. And for every great play, there was a great cheer. The peaple in attendance knew they had happened upon a special time.
With each inning, and each hour rolling by, the fans just became louder. By the 20th inning, the whols city was north end of the city was awake. City officials were called upon to open McMahon Stadium and turn on the jumbotron, so fans on the streets would have somewhere to watch the finish. As 48,000 peaple jammed into the football stadium, there was still thousands left to wander 16th avenue and try to find somewhere to watch the most important game the Remparts have ever played.
The game stayed tied at 1 until the 23rd inning when Duncan Haston, who was brought in as a pinch runner earlier in the game, hit a triple to bring in not only SS Barr, but C Irle as well! The backup right fielder had become the hero of the night in front of at least 70,000 live fans. The fans poured on the field and carried Haston around the field, as fireworks went off at the Fortress.
Asked later how he felt, Duncan said "it's just one game and we need two more wins. But with the way the night went this is incredible!" As of press time, the streets of Calgary are still alive, and Rempart baseball has just caught fire.
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Dragons Deliver
(CBL Newswire) by Niko Jackoman of the Moose Jaw Melorist
The Moose Jaw Dragons won the Battle of Saskatchewan and are back in the playoffs after an off season in which the team was plagued by injuries. This is the Dragons eighth consecutive winning season and the sixth time they have reached the post-season winning the Farmers East Division title each time.
In July the Dragons were 9-12 in one run games and locked in a three way battle with Saskatoon and Regina for top spot in the Farmers East Division and so GM Torin Stefanson went out and added some proven pitchers to the bullpen to help down the stretch. The move paid off big time as the Dragons pulled away from their rivals in September and ended up winning the Division by 11 games. The Dragons final record in one run Games is 22-12 meaning that since the trade they went 13-0 in one run games. The Dragons starting rotation had an incredible season with the top three pitchers each winning at least 21 games led by Caden Sharif who also led the CBL in wins with 25. The Dragons played very well the last two months of the season and finished the campaign with 103 wins. The second best record in the CBL this season and the second best record in franchise history.
The Dragons now face the potent offence of the Kelowna Americans in the first round of the CBL Playoffs. The Dragons won the season series 7-5 and Kelowna slugger Jeovany Grief will miss the series but the Dragons aren't taking this team lightly. "They have a dangerous line-up and their pitching is improved. We will not be coasting we expect a tight series that will be fought out to the end", said Dragons pitching coach Clifton Saban.
The first game of the series showed exactly that as the Americans squeaked by the Dragons 7-6 handing them their first one run loss since July. The Dragons now must win three of the last four games against Kelowna or face a disappointing end to an otherwise stellar season.
"We want to win 11 more games before we go home for the winter," said hitting coach Marc Gakeler referring to the number of post-season victories necessary to claim a CBL Championship, "and then we will be satisfied... at least until next season starts."
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Inside The Dugout
Playoff Preview
(CBL Newswire) by B-Mac of the Sherwood Park Shenanigan
(Teams are listed by the odds of winning the beer)
Leduc Grizzles (7-2) - Leduc won the Farmers Central again this season and with a powerhouse team like that, no one would have expected any worse. Leduc is one of the big favourites to win it this season again but are playing the wildcard winners Calgary in a tough first round series.
Pitching Ace - Jovon Yakow; Leduc had 3, 20 game winners this season and will be every tough to beat.
Team Leader - Skeeter Manderson; The former triple crown winner still has it and Leduc wouldn't be the same without him.
Moose Jaw Dragons (8-1) - Moose Jaw bounced back this season after missing the playoffs last year after being hampered by injuries. The have won the Farmers East and are once again contenders.
Pitching Ace - Elisha Ryhmer; Ryhmer had 22 wins and led the team in ERA. Moose Jaw also had 3, 20 game winner including Caden Sherif who led teh CBL in wins with 25.
Team Leader - Menachem Gamba; Gamba once again led this team. He led the team in diggers and rib-eyes.
Fredericton Bandits (10-1) - Fredricton once again had a excellent season in the Fisherman's East. The question still remains, can Fredericton win in the playoffs and go all the way?
Pitching Ace - Simon Cockburn; Cockburn holds this team up. He went 18-9 this year and is one of the better pitchers in the CBL
Team Leader - Hayden Revelez; This guy is a legend. He is patience at the plate, only striking out 32 times this year.
Calgary Ramparts (11-1) - GM Michel Bernier has built this team up and this team is going no where but up. The Ramparts will give Leduc a run for their money in the first round.
Pitching Ace - Taijuan Soileau; Soileau led the team in win and had a strong ERA. Clagary has five starters who are all capable of winning games.
Team Leader - Russel Glasser; These second baseman was released by Sherwood Park a few years ago to make room for younger players. Glasser came to Calgary and led teh team in batting average this year.
Owen Sound Crusaders (11-1) - Owen Sound is another tough wildcard team with talent. Owen Sound is not a favourite to win but may surprise.
Pitching Ace - Tony Barrett; Barrett didn't have a Cy Young effort like he did last year but still gives Owen Sound a chance to win ballgames.
Team Leader - Ole Ducotey; He had a very strong year for Owen Sound leading the team in average.
Kelowna Americans (13-1) - GM Frank Halpa has a team of aging stars but is a strong ballteam ready to win. This may be Kelowna best year of getting a chance to win in years.
Pitching Ace - London Porter; Porter is a tough righties with a good curve. His ERA is higher than most ace but will win games with Kelowna offence.
Team Leader - Jeovany Greif; Greif became close to winning the triple crown before getting injured in teh dying weeks of the season. Greif is still out for 1-2 weeks.
Windsor Spitfires (14-1) - Last season, Windsor was in Leduc's position, a strong ballclub that was a definite winner. This season, Windsor slipped are lost the firm grip on teh top of the CBL.
Pitching Ace - Boots Azevado; Azevado was teh only consistent Spitfire pitcher this year. The team expected more out of Mauro Bothman who had a CY Young campaign last year.
Team Leader - Pat Douglas; Like Azevado, Douglas was the only consistent Spitfire regular. He was the only Spitfire to hit .300.
Ottawa Milkmen (21-1) - Ottawa's chance are very slim. The might surprise but it's highly unlikely. Kudos to GM Aaron Candy getting them there but it won't be this year.
Pitching Ace - Desmond Stram; Very good season for Stram, the only Milkmen to win 20.
Team Leader - Lennie Brodais; Brodais had a good season for the Milkmen and he'll have to continue that success in the playoffs for teh Cows to have a chance.
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Round 1 Playoff Preview
(CBL Newswire) By: Jim Hunt PEI Gazette
In the playoffs we usually see some surprises. One thing I can guarantee you is that this year will be full of surprises. Everything from the wind to the weather to injuries to upsets will happen this year. For the first round an analysis is provided for each series to keep you in tune with your favourite team, and to see how well the great PEI’ers can predict. Did I forget to mention that my dad is a psychic and my mom is a gypsy. I definitely have some insider info worth checking out!
Fredericton vs Owen Sound
Season Series: 8-4 Owen Sound
Pitching: HUGE advantage Owen Sound
Hitting: HUGE advantage Fredericton
Management: Slight advantage Owen Sound. It will come down to who can outsmart the other, but one of the smartest owners in CBL history should be hard to beat!
Prediction: While Owen Sound is the pitching king of the Fisherman, Fredericton is the hitting king of the East. It will basically go down to whether the hitting machine can still hit against those powerful Owen Sound pitchers. The Owen Sound closer Markway is also a huge advantage. However, when all is said and done, everyone knows that the playoffs are all about pitching. Owen Sound in 5.
Ottawa vs Windsor
Season Series: 7-5 Windsor
Pitching: Windsor
Hitting: Windsor
Management: Ottawa
Prediction: One of the weakest teams to ever make the CBL playoffs, Ottawa has poor hitting (.266) and a 4.10 ERA. This lack of talent will be the reason why the poorly managed Spitfires will advance. Ottawa only made it this far because they dominated the weak teams in the league and they are very good at small ball. Windsor in 4.
Leduc vs Calgary
Season Series: 7-5 Calgary
Pitching: While Calgary is good, Big Advantage Leduc.
Hitting: Large advantage Leduc.
Management: Tied
Prediction: While Calgary has made huge strides, they cannot compete with the best. After last years disgusting defeat at the hands of Creston look for the Grizz to come back flying! Leduc has an advantage in every single category except management. Most times Leduc would have the advantage in the ownership, except that Bernier brought the boys this far, so he must be doing something right! With an injury to Yakow, Leduc must scramble to find a #1 starter! Leduc in 4.
Moose Jaw vs Kelowna
Season Series: Moose Jaw 7-5
Pitching: Huge advantage Moose Jaw.
Hitting: Tied
Management: Slight advantage Moose Jaw, due to lack of American experience.
Prediction: With the lack of Kelowna experience, I see this series being no contest. While Kelowna has a bit of an advantage in batting most nights, that advantage is shot dead with the injury to Jeovany Greif. Moose Jaw has stellar pitching while Kelowna has maritime-quality pitching (Ex. PEI, Fredericton, West Bay). Everything is pointing towards a quick silent exit by Kelowna. With the exception of the owner, everything in Kelowna will be quiet in a few nights. Moose Jaw in 3.
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PEI Responds In Typical Fashion
(CBL Newswire) By: Mike Hunt of the PEI Gazette
PEI has responded in typical PEI fashion. After a press release ripping up the entire squad, the team responded with 4 wins in as many days. The crappy Red Skulls, that they vowed they would finish ten games ahead of, were swept by the Argonauts during this tirade. The Argonauts batted above .300 and their pitchers had some of their best performances of the season, including a 7 Inning 2 hit performance by Deontae Hyer. The team looks to continue this momentum through September. Rememebr, if PEI does not finish 10 games ahead of the last placed team in their division, and they dont win 70 games, the team would then fall behind their expectations and goals, and this would hold the PEI plan back another year or two!
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PEI Promises Better
(CBL Newswire) By: Mike Hunt of the PEI Gazette
The PEI Argonauts are promising their fans that if the team does not finish above .400
and above West Bay, PEI will give every season ticket holder 2009 free 2010 season tickets. PEI is disgusted with their performance as of late, and promise 2 wins in the next 4 games. Ever since the deadline PEi has struggled, not because of hitting, but because of perennial powerhouse Passmore leaving town. The team promises to workout extra hard to snap this disgusting losing streak
Eyebrows have been raised about a possible steroid investigation in PEI this year, so the players have stopped there weekly vists to BALCO and Tijuana. THis has affcted them dearly.
PEI has just signed P Deon McCaa, who was ironically released by PEI just last year. Deon brings veteran leadership to the squad.
The team is expecting Deon, and fellow star (PEI standards) Elisyo Appleyard (4.23 ERA) to retire this season.
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Is Steroid Testing Coming To The CBL?
CBL Newswire - Heywood Jablomi
Jun 13 2009, Lethbridge AB - Under pressure from fans, media and the Canadian Government, CBL Commissioner James Wesley announced today that Steroid testing could be in effect in the league as early as 2010. "We are pleased to be able to say that we will prove that our league is clean, and any  connections to our league with Jack U. Upp were purely coincidental" The Commish said proudly along side Deputy Prime Minister Sheila 'if I stick around long enough I'll be PM' Copps "This is a great day for Canadian sport" Copps said. "As a leader in the world for anti doping it was crucial that the Canadian Baseball League stepped forward to test!"
The Commissioner laid out the testing plan that would go into effect in time for the 2010 season. "We will randomly test five players from every team in the CBL" However this seems to be questioned as he refused to comment on whether or not the times of the testing would be random. "That has to be determined with the CBLPA" was all Wesley said.
The Canadian Baseball League Players Association President Hayden Revelez of the Fredericton Bandits had the following comments. "It will be a cold day in hell before we allow any sort of random testing to be done in our league!" he continued "Random testing will never be agreed to by the players association. It is unfair to just walk into a team's locker room at any time a person sees fit and tells you to pee in a cup." Revelez was adamant in his words.
PEI Argonauts owner Justin Herrin was quoted as saying "My players will pee in a cup whenever I tell them to, or I won't sign their paychecks! And look at our team anyways our biggest player is Passmore and he barely hit 200 lbs. We need steroids in PEI" Gym monkey and PEI first baseman San Denyer was surprised to hear these comments from his owner "I really don't care what Mr. Herring says, because I will not pee unless the union tells me to"
With this development more questions have come up. Are we heading towards labor problems in the CBL? Will Steroid testing take any meaningful place in the league? Also we have to wait and see on the trial of Jack U. Upp. The Supreme Court today denied Upp's plea to have the case thrown out due to a 'Bad trial thingy' as his attorney Mr. Hutz called it. Now the case is set to go to trial on July 11th. It will be interesting to see what happens if CBL players are called to the stand at any point of the trial.
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Steroid Investigation Leads to Charges!
By Heywood Jablomi - CBL Newswire
May 20 2009, Lethbridge AB - Today Jack U. Upp was charged with 18 counts of drug trafficking. The court of Queens bench decided that there was sufficient evidence that a trial can begin. Mr. Upp pictured here  arriving at the court house this morning, made no comments, and was led away in the early afternoon once charged with the counts of trafficking.
Mr. Upp's attorney Lionel Hutz briefly spoke with the media and stated that he was fully confident that the charges would not be proven in court, and mentioned that he has argued in front of every local judge in the area "Sometimes as a lawyer too!" he exclaimed. Canadian Baseball League commissioner James (don't call me Kojak) Wesley defended the CBL saying that the league had no knowledge of any wrong doing happening in the league. "We will immediately launch our own investigation into the scandal in an attempt to prove that the CBL is clean!" the beleaguered commissioner stated.
More updated as soon as they happen, look ahead as we investigate the Calgary Remparts own dealings in the case, as suggestions of being connected to French Canadian mob rings are starting to follow team owner Michel Bernier.
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Steroid Investigation Underway In the CBL
By: Heywood Jablomi - CBL Newswire
May 8 2009, Lethbridge AB - CBL commissioner James Wesley today announced that a federal task force led by Deputy Prime Minister Shelia Copps was ordered to search into the alleged scandal in the Canadian Baseball League over rampant steroid use in the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Prime Minister Paul (I dunno where the money is) Martin demanded the investigation after the previous allegations rose to the surface and because his favorite team the Ottawa Milkmen were trailing the Drummondville Doughboys in the standings.
A Warrant was issued last night to search the premises of the Pump and Go athletic center in Moose Jaw SK. Which is owned by the former announcer for the Moose Jaw Gamblers in the early years of the CBL. Jack U. Upp but was fired for shady dealings with opposing team's star players. Jack U. Upp was issued a warrant and ordered to testify in front of the inquiry about his dealings and possible sales of steroids to CBL players.
Also being asked to testify are five of the games greats from the CBL past and present. North Beville, Hayden Revelez, Keegan Moers, Kris Nunn, and Johnathen Sarrett have all been ordered to appear but no charges appear to be forthcoming to these player
The Commissioner released the following pre written statement to the press. "We in the Canadian Baseball League are shocked and dismayed over the allegations that Mr. Upp had been selling steroids to certain players in our league. The CBL has at no time ever condoned the use of any illegal drugs or narcotics, and is certain that no fault can be attributed to the league." When asked if drug testing would take place in the CBL the Commissioner replied "No comment at this time" and left the offices to the airport to attend the hearings.
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League investigates possible infractions
CBL Newswire - Jes Wamsley of the Lethbridge Meliorist
League officials reported today that there has been some angry owners on the phone with comish Wesley. Sources say that no less than 3 teams have contacted Wesley, and that 4 other teams had contacted him late last season. The league officials we talked to said that they are definitely looking into the situation, and that there could be severe penalties if any infractions have occurred.
The reason for the uproar is the Saskatoon Yellow Jackets, or their ballpark and fans to be exact. It seems that the Yellow Jackets have used sophisticated electronic billboards, paint schemes and other devices such as mirrored decals around the back fence of the ballpark. These devices can be changed during gameplay and team managers have noticed that the ads and other parts of the fence are changed to shinier and glowing ads while the visiting teams are up to bat. Some team owners and managers have even said that the fans have also used objects that make it hard for the players to see the ball coming out of the pitchers hand.
The stats do show that Saskatoon does get a lot more strike-outs than other Farmers teams. They are atop the league with 68, with Calgary having 58. Saskatoon also has 3 of the top 4 pitchers in strike-outs. The players we questioned say it isn't really a problem with the pitches themselves, as the pitchers don't look like they are using emory boards, vaseline, or any other substance. It is just the fact that they cannot see the ball coming out of the pitchers hand.
We have not been able to reach Saskatoon owner, Guy Chabot for comment.
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Keegan moers: Vancouver Giants
Lenny Emerson: Drummondville Doughboys
Mc Yett: Quebec Bulldogs
Dane Loftus: Guelph Storm
Ossee Meluso: Yellowknife Bluenotes
Scipio Lamar: Creston Kokanee
Bill Tyack: Blackwater Kolts