'It’s about us and nobody else': Baycats manager

The Barrie Baycats head into this year’s Intercounty Baseball League playoffs as hot as the proverbial two-dollar pistol, and fully expecting to take all the marbles, much like 2017’s team.

That bunch waltzed to first-place in the Intercounty Baseball League standings with 33 wins and only three losses, en route to capturing their fourth straight IBL playoff title.

This year’s entry won its final 13 games of the season, closing out the regular campaign with a 6-4 win over London, Sunday night. Barrie’s 27-8 record beat out nearest rival Kitchener by 3.5 games.

The Baycats kick off the post-season Thursday night at home to Burlington.

Manager Angus Roy tells BarrieToday finishing first never gets old.

“Winning is fun. Last year was a once-in-a-lifetime season. It was a lot of fun. It was something that I will never forget. But every year can end in a quality memory if you win it all and that’s our main focus.”

While their skipper is loath to single out any one player, the Baycats have received outstanding individual efforts this year, particularly the eye-popping pitching of Frank Garces, who has posted seven wins against no losses, and a microscopic earned-run average (ERA) of 0.38. Teammate Santos Arias sported a 4-2 record with an ERA of 2.42.

And hats off to IBL batting champion Jordan Castaldo, who hit .403, with nine home runs and 38 runs batted in (RBIs).  Kevin Atkinson finished third in batting with a .352 average and 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.

Still, Roy hammers home the idea that, if it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a whole team to bring home the pennant.

“It is a group effort with us. Everyone does something major at some point in the season to help us out. You can’t pinpoint one or two specific guys and say they are doing it for us. Our team is leading the league in hitting and (that, combined with the pitching) helps us win a ball game.”

And good baseball means focusing on the basics, “(we have to) pitch and play good defense, capitalize on scoring opportunities and play with energy. The theory is very simple; the execution is far more difficult.”

Roy counts on that same momentum to see his charges through the playoffs, which begin Thursday at 7:30 p.m., at Coates Stadium, against the Burlington Herd.

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BARRIE vs. BURLINGTON (best-of-five)
Game 1: Thursday, Aug. 9, at Barrie 7:30 p.m.
Game 2: Saturday, Aug. 11, at Burlington 1:05 p.m.
Game 3: Sunday, Aug. 12, at Barrie 7 p.m.
* Game 4: Monday, Aug. 13, at Burlington 7:15 p.m.
* Game 5: Tuesday, Aug. 14, at Barrie 7:30 p.m.

(* denotes if necessary)