Season in the Balance

There have been a lot of questions surrounding the upcoming summer baseball season in Alberta, across this country and around the world. Will it happen? Can we have a shortened campaign? How willing are players and fans to take part?

Those questions and more have been hanging over the head of Kevin Kvame. Over the last few weeks, the Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) president has been trying to stay on top of all of the COVID-19 developments.

We spoke with Kvame about the current status of the WCBL.

Bombers’ New Runway

The air has been cleared over the direction of the Brooks Bombers.

After months of speculation and rumours, the Western Canadian Baseball League approved the sale of the team to the community.

With the new structure in place, team president and Brooks Regional Ballpark Association chairperson Jason Thomasen says the real work is now underway to put a quality product on and off the field.

2020 Vision

Despite a summer that pretty much didn’t happen weather-wise, the Western Canadian Baseball League is touting it as a success.

Now all eyes are on the future, starting with a 2020 season that will feature two fewer teams.

As league president Kevin Kvame told us, 2021 will also be a season of change with expansion coming to Alberta.

7th Inning Stretch: McCoy Pearce

First baseman McCoy Pearce is doing his part to put the “Bomb” in “Bombers” this season.

Making his way to Brooks by way of Kamloops, Kelowna and – more recently – McPherson College in Kansas, the 6-foot-3 batsman has been a consistent performer at the plate through 22 Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) games, leading the team in runs batted in (RBI) with 24, runs (18), hits (35), and home runs (6).

Pearce was recruited to Brooks by Kyle MacKinnon – the head coach for the Bombers and the hitting coach for the McPherson College Bulldogs – along with several of his college teammates.

Brooks Bombers Season Preview

With three seasons in the books, no postseason baseball to speak of, and a potential audience that appears to be finding better ways to spend their evenings than at Elks Field, the Brooks Bombers need a boost this summer.
Last season, the team had Riley MacDonald to entertain the locals. The catcher put the “bomb” in Bombers by smashing 20 home runs and establishing a new Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) record for long balls in a single season.

Despite the hitting display from MacDonald, the Bombers finished the year with a 13-35 record. That put them in last place in the Western Division for a third straight year. Brooks has never won more than 15 games in a season.

So, what can be expected of the team this season?