Credit given
Jays need to turn things around in a hurry
The Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings won the Island Junior Hockey League title on Tuesday. Columnist Joe MacIntyre says the victory is good for the league.
Any sports league has a better chance of success with a competitive balance amongst its teams. The Island Junior Hockey League has a new champion for the first time in eight years and many would say the Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings seven-game series win over the Kensington Vipers is good for the league. There are those in Kensington that may not agree, but when a team like the Vipers wins 11 of the last 14 league titles and the last seven straight, it kind of gets old, but gives hope to the other teams when there is a new champion.
Full credit to the Vipers for their incredible streak that puts them as the most successful hockey team this province has ever seen as far as winning consecutive league titles go. Dethroning the champs must be very sweet for the Red Wings who have lost four of the last five league finals to the Vipers.
They deserve credit for going into Kensington and winning Game 7, after almost blowing a 3-1 series lead. The Wings now set their sights on next week’s Don Johnson Cup Atlantic Championship in Fredericton, N.B. The Wings have a tough opening day on Wednesday with a doubleheader – first against Newfoundland and then versus host Fredericton. Congratulations to sponsor Robert Arsenault and all those associated with the Red Wings and good luck in Fredericton.
Islanders
The Charlottetown Islanders opened their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League semifinal against BlainvilleBoisbriand Friday with Game 2 slated for Saturday in Charlottetown.
This is the only meaningful hockey left on the Island, which will result in capacity crowds at the Eastlink Centre. The Islanders franchise has never had success like this before and most think they are on their way to a league championship series date with the Saint John Sea Dogs, who opened their semifinal Friday night at home against Chicoutimi.
A series between Charlottetown and Saint John would have a little extra significance with Islanders Spencer Smallman and Bailey Webster playing for the Sea Dogs. It would be great to have an all-Maritime final and it would be a great series.
Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are off to a horrible start with the worst record in Major League Baseball.
They have only three wins and 12 losses after 15 games and many fans are starting to push the panic button. One of the biggest Jays fans from this area, Kevin Wile, thinks they should begin the rebuild process right away and get rid of some of these high-priced, under-performing players. It is a bit too early to throw in the towel, but as one fan said the other day, they can’t win the pennant in April, but they can lose it.
They need to turn it around immediately and that starts with their most overpaid star – Jose Bautista. He took a paltry .109 batting average with zero home runs and one run batted in into Friday’s game. He leads the team in strikeouts and, no, he is not a pitcher.
He found out this past offseason what he was really worth on the free-agent market when no serious long-term offers came his way and then had to settle for a one-year, $18-million deal with the Jays. He is not the only Jay who needs to turn it around, but is a long-standing Jay who needs to lead by example and get his game in order or there will be no pennant race for Toronto this year.
Have a great week.