When the 5 members of the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball hit the diamond this coming week, there are many questions to be answered for each team. Can the aging Dartmouth Moosehead Dry, especially with the retirement of ace Jason Bailey, continue its winning ways? Can the Halifax Pelham Molson Canadians return to the top, after having won the league title in 2009? Can the Sydney Sooners after winning 12 games in 2010 compared to just 3 in 2009 finally capture the title that has eluded them for many years? Will the Kentville Wildcats take the next step from the middle of the pack to the top with the addition of numerous college players this season? Will the Truro Bearcats rebound from a tough year last season with the addition of talented youngsters, especially on the mound?

 

Here’s a look at each team for 2011 with highlights from last season as the first pitch is ready to be thrown on Fri., 7:30  at the TAAC Grounds in Truro when the Sooners pay a visit.

 

Dartmouth (2010- 1st place 19-8, defeated Halifax 4-1 in league final)

Coaches: Head Coach, Darren Doucette, Asst. Bobby Gillis

 

The retirement of Bailey is a huge void for the Dry to fill, he was simply the best pitcher in Canada amateur baseball over the past decade. Ex-pros, Steve Nelson (8-0) and Craig Langille

(5-2) will be counted on for lots of innings. Jeff Reeves who battled arm problems last season is healthy once again. An interesting addition to the squad is 16-year-old Anthony McKinley who attends the Vauxhall Baseball Academy in Alberta.  The offense will be driven by the big 3 – MVP Joel Irvine, who led the league in hitting at .393, Greg West, playoff MVP who hit .324, and Darren Doucette who led the league with 10 HRs and 40 RBIs. Chris Head, an all-star who hit .341, and Matt Thomas (.351) set the table from the #1 and 2 spots. All-star, Colin Johnson (.303), and the dependable double-play combo of SS Chris Gallivan and 2B Dan Comeau also returns. Justin Stephens will do the catching.

 

Halifax (2^nd place, 17-10, defeated Sydney 3-1 in semis, lost 4-1 to the Dry in final)

Coaches: Mark Pelham, Mark Haverstock, Ryan Veinot

 

With the departure of coach Jim Pelham the Canadians have a very different look. The coaching trio will look to the veterans to hopefully jump back to the top of the league. Top lefty Barrett Bellefontaine (6-2) and RHP Haverstock (5-3) along with Steve Ivey anchor the pitching staff. Pat MacInnis and Mike Butler are gone.  LHP Reggie Snow, Dartmouth Juniors, will add some innings. Veterans Adam Lucas (.343), Veniot (.323), and Pelham (.319) will supply the offensive sock with support from CF Paul Davie, 3B Josh Pelham,  and 1B Sean Peverill. The squad is deep behind the plate with Shawn Walsh, Brandon Devlin, and ex-Dry, Randy Stewart.

 

Sydney (3^rd place, 12-16, lost to Halifax in semis, 3-1)

Coaches: Head Coach: Jim (Rico) McEachern, Asst. Beau Chiasson

 

Going from just 3 victories in a tough 2009 season to 12 wins in 2010 provides lots of motivation for the Sooners with almost every player returning and some top juniors moving up. Beau Chiasson, runner-up as league MVP, hit .379 while C Matt Denney had a breakout season offensively hitting .354. Veteran SS Jason Snow, 3B Cory Christie, and P/OF Paul Doucette will add some big bats. Coach McEachern is excited about the juniors joining the club as they showed their talent last year, winning the provincial title. Those to watch for are P/OF Jonny MacLeod, 2B Greg MacKinnon, SS Matt Oliver, P R.J. Barrett, C Jonathan Boutilier, and P Anthony Ianetti.  On the mound the Sooners will look to Justin Brewer (5-4), Kenny Long, Doucette, and Nick Shaw who led the league in ERA last season to provide the bulk of the innings. Aussie Tyler Anderson has returned to Australia and will be missed.

 

Kentville (4^th place, 11-17, lost 3-0 in semis to the Dry)

Head Coaches: Ian Mosher, Chris Salsman

 

No team has as many players striving for roster spots as the Wildcats. While veterans like DH/P Curtis Falls (.374), SS Ian Lockhart (.341), and brother Mike Lockhart (.341) drive the offense, Nick Hill, Les Berry, and Kevin Benjamin, returning after 3 years away, will help. Benjamin hit .402 in ’08. In addition ex-pro P/DH Trevor Wamback returns after a year away. The biggest addition just may be Kevin Matheson, returning after a year off. The former Truro Bearcat is a 3-time batting champ and a member of the all NSSBL all-star team. Veterans LHP Kevin Nichols, Falls, and righties Cory Kent, Kevin Daurie, Bobby Selby, and  Shayne Conrad are back. However, the excitement around the addition of college stars Joel Holland (U. of Calgary) and Dartmouth native Codey Shrider from Allan Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California is obvious in coach Mosher’s voice. Shrider led the team with a 5-2 record. Other returnees are outfielders Jason Pleasant-Sampson, Rob Sheppard, and Ryan Pearl. Galen Acker (U. of C.) and Dartmouth junior Josh Parker will catch.

 

Truro (5^th place, 10-18, missed playoffs)

Head Coach: Scott MacGillivray

 

The loss of the great Craig Higgins and stars Kevin Matheson, Jason Hoyt, and Billy MacKenzie was too much last year and the record showed it. There is plenty of optimism this season as many new players have joined the Bearcats. For starters, MacKenzie is back, he hit .352 in ’09 and .420 in 2008. Guy Pellerine had a phenomenal offensive year last season hitting .383 with 7 homers while veterans J.P. Wood (.325) and Joe MacPherson will add some clout. Also returning are Tyler Delaney from the U. of Maine, Darson Murphy, and the Davis brothers, Jason and Matt. Returning pitchers are Craig Field, Matt Black, Jason Smith, John Chapman, and lefty Brandon Mullaly. Excitement abounds with the new hurlers joining the team – RHP Jacob Moffat via the Prairie Baseball Academy and Dal, and lefty Shane Dupuis who played at the U. of Maine with Delaney. Two righties, Daniel Bates and Wesley Mosher, join the Cats from the defunct Truro Intermediates and the Stellarton Albions respectively. Of particular interest is the return of 46-year-old Greg Marquis, a former Dry great who was league MVP in 1991, he stroked a home run in a pre-season game last weekend.

 

From the Sidelines – the league is partnering with Rawling’s again this year for the Rawling’s Minor Ball Week, to be held June 29 to July 5. The league has a new web address www.nssbl.com. The Dry will represent the league at this year’s senior nationals in Chatham, N.B. Aug. 25-28, Halifax will join the Dry as an invitee of Baseball Canada.