Long-time Yorkton Cardinals manager Bill Sobkow says things are in place for the 2010 Western Major Baseball League season which kicks off Sunday afternoon at Jubilee Park."We are pretty well set for the start of the season, we've got all the players in place," he said.
The team will have a few late arrivals with four players from California on the college quarterly system, which means they will arrive after June 10, and two other players are involved in the college World Series so will arrive late as well.
Even with the late arrivals Sobkow said he expects to start the season with 18, or 19 players on the bench. It helps that this year the Cardinals will have a more local feel.
"We have five local guys on the roster this year, so that will give us some insurance," said Sobkow.
The local element is there because the players are ready, observed Sobkow.
"I think the talent pool looks a little bit better this year," he said.
The local players include Logan Calanchie, Dane Kobylko, Colby Parachoniak, Matt Poier and Dalane Lamb.
The team will have to veteran arms this season in Jordan Herbison, and Jeff Chase. Both will assume assistant coaching duties with the team as well, noted Sobkow.
Overall Sobkow sees the Cardinals having a slightly different field make-up than last season.
"I don't think we'll be quite as good as last year in pitching and defence, but I think we'll hit the ball a little bit better," he said.
As for the league, Sobkow said he expects the competition to be tough.
"I've looked at the rosters," he said."Swift Current has beefed up its roster to no end. They're all third, fourth, fifth year guys. They'll be highly skilled. I think they're going to be the cream of the crop."
Sobkow added Moose Jaw and Regina appear to have stronger line-ups this year as well."It's going to be far and away tougher," he said.
The reason is simply college players want to play in the WMBL. He said there are players with options to go to the Cape Cod League, widely viewed as the premier summer league, and instead are headed to this league.
"They chose the Western Major Baseball League, because of the league's reputation," said Sobkow. "So you can see the quality that's going to be here this summer."
In the Cardinals case Sobkow said he had to turn away 50 players who contacted him about playing in Yorkton this year.
Good news for local fans is that Melville has managed to stay active after the league suspension of long-time manager and club president Garnet Keller.
"They did yeoman's work getting the organization back on track," said Sobkow.
