Bulls ready to charge
seniors last year, (Travis) Steinke and (Mitch) Dornblut, so we have a new crop of PBA guys coming in this year and they’re going to have take over the reins of the old PBA almumi guys. I really like that group we have.
“We have Carter, he’s coming back as a catcher and he’s a second-year. (Tanner) Jesson-Dalton and Chris Stoldolka are back. He was with us two years ago and he’s a PBA alum. We have about four of the new PBA guys.”
“That’s one of the biggest things the Bulls have had in their whole time. They have the PBA there and it’s almost like a feeder for the Bulls. We can take the top guys from the PBA each year and put them on Bulls. They come in and they’re impact guys. Seven years in a row. This PBA team this last year was one of the best PBA teams I’ve ever seen. I think we have seven or eight of the PBA guys on the Bulls.”
That also includes a host of players from south of the border coming up for a little summer ball.
“We have a handful of guys coming in from the States and they’re going to be impact guys for us, too,” said Sawyer. “We have a good group and guys that have played together before. So hopefully the team chemistry comes together.”
For his part, Witbeck can’t wait to get behind the plate and not only call the pitches with his PBA alumni, but to check out the new arms.
“I’m excited to see our pitching staff,” said Witbeck. “We have guys coming from the PBA, so I’m excited to see those guys and learn some new arms. I was looking at some hacks in batting practice yesterday and some people can swing it. I think overall we’ll be a good contender.”
After Friday, the Bulls weekend homestand continues with the second game Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and wraps up with the Sunday afternoom game at 2 p.m.
“We always have goals and our goal every year it to be right at the top of that West Division,” said Sawyer. “We’re going to go out there and compete every night. We have a really tough division with Okotoks and Medicine Hat and Edmonton last year had a run all the way to the final. Brooks and Fort McMurray are the two newer teams and they’re going to come in strong. It’s going to be a real tough year, but we’re excited and ready to go out there and compete every night.”
Prior to tonight’s season-opener, the Bulls were at Spitz Stadium Wednesday night for the annual Tanner Craswell and Mitch MacLean Memorial Game against the Vauxhall Jets.
Before Wednesday’s game, some potential future Bulls were afforded the chance to take the field, take a few swings at the plate and field some grounders as part of the Tanner Craswell and Mitch MacLean Memorial Kids Camp.
“It’s year two with the camp,” said Sawyer. “We had a huge number, it had to be close to 120 kids again, four-years-old all the way up to 15. We split them up and they got a little hitting and some outfield and infield. Both the Vauxhall players and our Bulls players helped. The kids enjoyed it and the parents said they enjoyed it. It’s fun for them to get out there and meet these guys. Hopefully we can have a good game tonight and do those two boys proud.
“In a city like Lethbridge the Bulls is as high as it gets as far as baseball. So to these kids, it’s like the big league team. They look up to our players and I think they had a great time.”