Weekend offers big Barrie test for Majors

Around the Diamond: Champ Garner making big first impression; London lineup more like 2022 than 2023; Bullpen steps up vs. Brantford; Majors battling some injuries. Our latest news & notes …

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

* * *

It’s one foe and two games this weekend for the London Majors, who will play a hockey-style home-and-home series against the Barrie Baycats Friday and Sunday. Friday’s contest will be at Labatt Park, with Sunday switching to Barrie.

With London’s Thursday game against the Kitchener Panthers postponed due to a downpour of rain in the third inning, the Majors still sport a record of 6-2 on the 2024 season thus far, which has them currently in a three-way tie for second place in the IBL standings (with Barrie and Hamilton) heading into a new weekend of action.

And it’ll be a big test for the new-look Majors, who have already shown a much-improved offense this year than last (their 63 runs in eight games – 7.9 per contest – is second most in the league, behind the Hamilton Cardinals).

The Baycats are expected to be a top team in the league this summer, and they’re coming off a win over first-place Guelph Tuesday (they’ve also beaten Hamilton and Toronto twice).

The Majors’ pitching will need to be on point. They’ve been solid – if not outstanding – so far this season, with arms like Jose Arias, Victor Payano and Travis Keys doing the heavy lifting. This weekend marks the first time this season these two teams have met. Arias will get the start Friday night.

1) The Champ is Here. Michael ‘Champ’ Garner is making his presence felt in the London Majors’ lineup – and his recent play may be garnering him more playing time as the Majors look to put their best foot forward and be contenders in the IBL this summer.

A dual citizen, Garner was brought in to join the mix for outfield playing time alongside Starling Joseph and Byron Reichstein. After an 0-for-3 outing in his first start May 19, he announced his arrival two night later in Chatham-Kent with a big three-run homer that tied the game, at the time, in an eventual 15-12 London win.

“He’s got a little bit more pop than I expected, to be honest,” Roop Chanderdat, the Majors’ GM and field manager, told Gameday London. “He has some gap power.”

Garner finished that contest 2-for-5 with three runs scored. Then, getting the opportunity to start two games in a row, he enjoyed a big last weekend, combining to go 5-for-9 with three extra-base hits and four RBIs in games against Brantford and Welland. That raised his small sample size batting average to .350 (7-for-20) on the year.

“The thing about Champ is he’s been a .300 hitter everywhere he’s played,” said Chanderdat. “And he’s fast as heck. He’s making a good case to be an everyday guy.”

Garner, who spent three collegiate season (2017-19) with the Benedict College Tigers in South Carolina, also played a pair of years at the NAIA level with the Middle Georgia Knights. Last summer, the 25-year-old had a stint with the Roswell Invaders of the Independent Pecos League, where he went 11-for-31 (.355) in a small sample.

“He’s a guy that needs someone to play him a full year so he can put up some numbers and then leverage that (for a pro job),” said Chanderdat.

(Photo: Matt Hiscox Photography).

* * *

2) A leading lineup? Champ Garner isn’t the only one rolling at the plate in the early going for the Majors. As mentioned, their 63 runs scored are second in the league heading into action this weekend. London boasts the third best team batting average (.293) and second best on-base percentage (.395).

This is a better lineup than the team rolled out last year.

“I’m holding this team to a different standard,” said Chanderdat. “This is a team that has the potential to put up runs like the 2022 [IBL champion] team. On paper, we’ve got a lot hitters.”

But, the manager says, their numbers could be better. They’ve stranded a lot of runners, and they’ve lacked some of the timely hitting required to win close contests.

“It’s not how many hits you’re getting, but when you’re getting them. And I think we’re missing a little bit of the when. We’re missing a little bit of that killer instinct and focus to put teams away.”

First-year Major Kaiden Cardoso leads the squad with an impressive .394 (13-for-33) batting average through eight contests. The left-handed hitter has three homers to his name. Starling Joseph has started out hot, too, with a .382 (13-for-34) average and a team-high 11 RBIs.

Tommy Reyes-Cruz has also started out well. He’s batting .333 (9-for-27) in his first eight games. Eduardo de Oleo has three long balls and nine RBIs, but he’s scuffled a bit to just a .200 average (7-for-35) in the early going. Other slow starters include Cleveland Brownlee and Byron Reichstein, although the latter has a team-high seven walks.

3) Bullpen bailout. Unfortunately for the Majors, Daniel Gore didn’t have it last Friday against the Brantford Red Sox. Getting the start, the right-hander couldn’t find the strike zone, walking seven batters in a short 3 1/3-inning outing. He wasn’t punished too badly on the scoreboard, allowing just a pair of runs, but he was forced into an early exit.

That meant the London bullpen had their work cut out for them – and they were up to the task. Skylar Janisse (2.2), Jonathan Henry (2.0) and Braeden Ferrington (1.0) combined to allow just two earned runs over 5 2/3 innings of relief in the Majors’ win.

Janisse struck out five, while he and Henry combined to allow just two hits in their 4 2/3 innings. Henry’s two frames were scoreless, and he walked two and struck out two.

“Those guys deserve credit. They put in the work, waited their turn, and answered the bell,” said Chanderdat.

Often, Majors relievers can experience lengthy stints between appearances, and although they throw live batting practice during the week at workouts, it can make it difficult to ramp up the adrenaline when seeing infrequent outings. Last Friday, though, a trio of London relievers did just that, and it would be a boon to the team if they can keep that up.

Through eight games, relievers Jaryd Lund, Alex Springer, Janisse, Henry and Ferrington have combined to post a 3.24 ERA over 16 2/3 innings, allowing 20 hits and seven walks while striking out 16.

4) Banged-up ballclub. No sooner did he join the club, infielder Tristan Osika suffered an unfortunate injury that put him out of action the next day. Against Brantford last Friday, Osika’s Majors debut got off to an inauspicious start, as the former Hamilton Cardinal was hit by a pitch in his first plate appearance. That’s not what knocked him out, and, in fact, he came around to score a run.

But in his chance in the field, Osika was taken out on a hard slide at second base by Brantford’s Nick Burdett while turning a double play. He had to be removed from the game with a knee injury – and then he missed Sunday’s contest in Welland, a 6-5 Majors loss.

There’s hope the Majors newcomer won’t have to miss too much time, but knee injuries can be tricky. On Sunday, Ty Mosher, taking a turn at second base, suffered an injury late in the game – on a fantastic play in the field. Mosher fielded a ball, rolled over on his ankle, and still managed to get off a strong throw to first while falling down to retire former Majors catcher Robert Mullen.

With a short bench, Mosher stayed in the game, but it wasn’t an insignificant injury. Outfielder Drew Lawrence, too, missed Sunday’s game with a thumb injury. Chanderdat is hopeful none of the injuries are longterm, but the margin for error is slim in the IBL, and any missed time from regulars will impact the lineup.