Majors, finding ways to win, face challenging weekend

Around the Diamond: Despite quiet bat, Reichstein reaching base; Reliever Henry honing arsenal; Good record aside, much room for improvement for London; Osika, Mosher give Majors a good problem …

(Photo: Wild Ave Photography).

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It wasn’t pretty. Too many errors and mental mistakes. A lack of timely hitting. Missed opportunities. And yet the London Majors found themselves, in extra innings, with a chance to win, anyway. And they managed to pull it out – on a walk-off walk …

Down 6-4 after the Chatham-Kent Barnstormers scored two in their half of the 10th inning Tuesday, the Majors rallied in the bottom half, and Eduardo de Oleo delivered a clutch two-RBI single to tie things up. After a Kaiden Cardoso walk to load the bases, Byron Reichstein came to the plate. 

“In that situation, I was looking to drive the ball to the outfield,” Reichstein told Gameday London. “A run any way wins it, and that was a tough game for us. We didn’t play at the potential I know we can, so I was ready to scrap for that run any way possible, even if it meant getting hit by a pitch. I wanted us to win.”

Reichstein drew a one-out walk to bring in the game-winning run. Not the most exciting finish, but a big moment for a team with championships aspirations. They managed to win a game they perhaps didn’t deserve.

“We’re finding ways to win,” said Roop Chanderdat, the team’s GM and field manager. “We’re showing signs that we can be a top team. Are we there? No. But we’re showing signs that we could be there, and that we can compete with the best teams in the league.”

The 9-4 Majors will get that opportunity this weekend with contests against Welland and Guelph – and they’ll hope to continue finding ways to win …

UPCOMING GAMEDAYS

Friday (June 21, 7:35pm) vs. Welland Jackfish (Jose Arias probable starter)
Saturday (June 22, 7:30pm) @ Guelph Royals (Travis Keys probable starter)
Sunday (June 23, 4:05pm) vs. Chatham-Kent Barnstormers (Starter TBA)
Tuesday (June 25, 7:35pm) @ Chatham-Kent Barnstormers (Starter TBA)

1) Walk this way. A game-winning walk perhaps shouldn’t have come as a surprise to Majors fans when Byron Reichstein did the honours Tuesday night. Putting aside the additional fact that the team drew nine walks on the evening overall, Reichstein specifically has been reaching via the base on balls a lot this year.

With 11 walks in 43 plate appearances, the 30-year-old slugger leads the team in that category and is tied for third in the league. He currently boasts more walks than strikeouts. And that keen eye has led to Reichstein, despite not hitting to his capabilities, sitting second in the IBL with an impressive .535 on-base percentage in his nine games this year.

“I’ve actually felt pretty uncomfortable at the plate this season so far, so I’ve forced myself to be more patient,” the outfielder said. “My approach hasn’t changed much over the past couple of years, but I’m really going back to my basics of hitting and what I know I can do.”

Despite the high OBP, Reichstein is hitting just .296 so far (8-for-27), with two home runs and seven RBIs. He’s capable of much more, and he’s a prototypical middle-of-the-order bat in this league who’s earned the reputation as a bopper who can do damage. While he tries to unlock that potential, he’s drawing walks, and that’s welcome news for everyone – including his manager.

“When you have a good lineup, you take the walk, because the next guy’s a good hitter too. (Byron) is getting on base, which is good. Generally, we’re getting on, and we’re having good at-bats. I say to guys, get on because the next guy can hit.”

Majors players celebrate with Byron Reichstein after his game-winning bases-loaded walk Tuesday night (June 18) at Labatt Park. (Photo: Wild Ave Photography).

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2) Henry honing arsenal. He got off to a bit of a quiet start to his Majors career, but pitcher Jonathan Henry is starting to come around, says Chanderdat, showing more what he’s capable of in his last couple of appearances. The right-hander, who hails from Whitby, Ont., was tasked with multiple innings for the first time Tuesday, and he fared well.

“He’s progressing the right way for us, so that’s good,” said Chanderdat. “We’ve been trying to build him up, and we’re going to keep ramping him up. He kept (Chatham-Kent) off balance, and his fastball looked good, so I like the way he’s progressing.”

In his outing Tuesday, Henry worked three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk. He struck out two. On the year, he’s now pitched to a 3.85 ERA in five outings (seven innings). He will certainly see work over the next five days as the Majors play four games. So, too, will the rest of the bullpen.

“We’ve got a lot of guys that are ready for more work, so the busy schedule is all good,” said Chanderdat. We’ll get to see a lot of our pitchers. I’d like them all to be multiple inning guys, if we can. It’s just better for everyone.”

That includes arms like Braeden Ferrington, Skylar Janisse, Daniel Gore, Jaryd Lund, Christian Coombes and, when he’s available from the junior St. Thomas Tomcats, Alex Springer.

With four games in five days, Lund – or even Henry – could get a start in one of the games against Chatham-Kent Sunday or Tuesday. Even if Victor Payano goes one of them, there’s still a starting spot open for a reliever to seize this week.

3) Infield influx. It’s a good problem to have – although it may require some patience for the players involved. With Tommy Reyes-Cruz back from a stint away from the team, the Majors now have several infield options – and only four spots available.

Kaiden Cardoso, arguably London’s best addition this season, is essentially the everyday first baseman. Reyes-Cruz will slot back into his starting shortstop role. Victor Plaz has played third base, while Gibson Krzeminski has manned second. The latter has also played left field, though, because Tristan Osika and Tyler Mosher, two additions to the squad, have performed very well so far.

In six games, Osika has seven hits in 15 at-bats (.467). In eight games, Mosher has six hits in 16 at-bats (.375) with four walks. That’s good production for both, and they’ll continue to get their chances.

“Osika is battling some injuries, but he’s a helluva ballplayer,” said Chanderdat. “Smart, my kind of player. He can do a lot of little things for us, and he can play all infield positions at a good level.

“With Mosher, it’s spin and repeat. Same kind of thing. He can handle the bat well. He can play short, second and third. These are guys that can hit and run, they can move runners over. They’ve come in and done some good things for us.”

The logjam leaves six players for four spots. Again, a good problem to have, but a challenge to keep everyone happy.

“It’s going to be a bit of good internal competition,” said Chanderdat. “There’s a lot of guys for those infield positions, and I’m confident in all of them.”

Fans take in the annual Father’s Day ‘Pack the Park’ game on Sunday, June 16 at Labatt Park. (Photo: Wild Ave Photography).

4) Room to grow. They’re 9-4 and tied for second place in the Intercounty Baseball League standings heading into a new weekend, but if there’s one thing Chanderdat doesn’t want for the club is complacency. For as good as their record is, they haven’t been playing at their best. Last Sunday’s Father’s Day loss against the Hamilton Cardinals offered a good example.

Like Tuesday’s game against Chatham-Kent, the Majors’ play has often left much to be desired – at least from a club that hopes to compete for a title later this summer. The lack of timely hitting has been an issue, for sure, but it’s been more about the little things – including mental errors.

“I say to players all the time, physical errors happen at every level, including the big leagues. It happens. You put in the work and try to be best prepared. But mental mistakes … you can’t make too many. The team that makes the most usually loses.”

The Majors have been making too many.

“We need to focus more on knowing the situation,” Chanderdat said. “We’re not making a ton of mental errors, but we’re definitely making a few too many to win a championship – and that’s our goal.

“We need to find more consistency, across the board. I say to the guys, if you really want to win a championship, you’ve gotta do the little things almost to perfection.”