Schedule issues linger for Valleycats
Team to start its first season in a new league on road trip in Canada
The Tri-city Valleycats are scheduled to open their first season in the independent baseball Frontier League with an eight-game road trip to Canada starting on May 27.
It’s a trip the Valleycats can’t make under the current Canadian border restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. The United States and Canada most recently agreed to extend those restrictions through at least March 21.
“If the season started today, no, we would not be able to (play in Canada),” Valleycats general manager Matt Callahan said recently. “But my understanding is that May 1 is going to be a significant, I guess, deadline where there are going to being reciprocal business travel which would allow the teams to travel in and out of Canada. I don’t know that’s set in stone, but everything I’ve heard has been optimistic and points to
that date.”
The schedule calls for the Valleycats to play at the Ottawa Titans May 27 and 28, the Quebec Capitales May 29 to 31 and the Trois-rivieres (Quebec) Aigles June 1 to 3.
Tri-city is set to make its home debut against the Capitales on June 4 at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium.
Frontier League assistant commissioner for operations Steve Tahsler said the league is in weekly contact with its three Canadian teams to find out what information they’re getting from their local government officials. The Frontier League has a board of directors meeting on April 6 and 7 to review how the situation is progressing and, if necessary, to adjust the schedule.
“Our three Canadian teams are all confident by mid-may enough will have opened to allow business travel on a private charter bus, which is what we’d be using to get back and forth, without any unusual issues,” Tahsler said.
Callahan said there have been discussions of a Plan B in case the Valleycats can’t open in Canada, but nothing definitive. Thirteen of the Frontier League’s 16 teams play in the United States.
The Valleycats had to open on the road to avoid potential conflicts with Hudson Valley Community College, which operates Bruno Stadium. The ballpark was scheduled to play host to Section II high school playoff games in late May, but the plan has changed to hold them in mid-june.
“We’re optimistic about (opening in Canada) right now, and I know that the league is going to be monitoring the situation and if we have to explore contingencies and schedule adjustments as we get closer to that time frame, that will be on the table and part of the conversation,” Callahan said.
Callahan said the Valleycats are ready to pay for any COVID-19 testing that might be required for them to travel into Canada.
“We’re hearing very good news on the vaccine and the rollout process and how quick the government believes it’s going to happen, as well,” Tahsler said. “We normally would have started (the season) May 13, and giving us those extra two weeks should work out really well.”