Owen Sound Crusaders
Division Last Season: 1st
Wins Last Season: 103
Batting
A big retirement for the Crusaders was 1st base Mc Yett. Yett was traded at the 2022 trade deadline was one of the players to help push Owen Sound to the Beer. He was a 10 times all star and twice won the all star MVP, his power was something Owen Sounded needed in their park. Owen Sound has a maturing team with good coverage all over the park so expect more of the same in 2023.
Pitching
The Crusaders lost reliable spot starter Leo Culnane to retirement over the off season. Culnane was the 1st overall pick in the 2018 supp draft and in his 5 seasons he won 34 games with an ERA of 3.82. Brad Hicks looks better again in 2023 and is surely now the staff ace, while improving Alan Willcox is looking for another chance after an unconvincing 2022.
Overall
We expect the team to do really well in 2023 mainly because of the other teams around them rebuilding. The retirement of Yett will impact the offence but replacements could be traded in. The pitching remains strong and overall the team has good experience. We expect the Crusaders to win the West again in 2023.
Transactions
Yett, Mc, 1st Base - Retired
Montgomery, David, 1st Base - Sent to AAA
Culnane, Leo, Middle Reliever - Retired
Grove, Chad, Starter - Sent to AAA
Havill, Nick, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Kabat, Warren, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Prediction
Division Place: 1st
Wins: 114
London Mustangs
Division Last Season: 1st
Wins Last Season: 103
Batting
With no Mustangs bats retiring after 2022 it's definitely a case of expect more of the same if not better from them in 2023. In fact we'd even go so far as to say we expect them to hit over 2.90 in 2023. London has good coverage and reasonable depth.
Pitching
It's a different story with retirements from the pitching staff at London as the core of their starting rotation finished their careers. Pickles Stackpole won 316 games with a 2.78 era and was 10 time all star in his 20 year career. And Jovon Yakow, perhaps the greatest pitcher the CBL has ever seen, won 437 games with a 2.53. He won the Cy Young award 5 times, was twice the CBL pitcher of the year, a 19 time all star, and had 1 perfect game in 2017 versus St Paul. London still has some very good players left and they also have exciting relieving prospect Danny Parker playing in Alliston just waiting for his call-up.
Overall
London will be relying on their experience to get them over the two big pitching retirements where they lost a combined 440 innings. The effect of the loss of just one of those pitchers was evident in 2022 when Yakow suffered a season ending injury in mid August and London lost their way as they eventually missed out on the playoffs. It depends on the direction London takes as a result of these retirements but they certainly have the bats to compete and the core of good pitchers.
Transactions
Cutchin, Daniel, Right Field - Sent to AAA
Atiwell, Steve, Left Field - Sent to ACT
Stackpole, Pickles, Starter - Retired
Yakow, Jovon, Bullpen - Retired
Tobler, Joey, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Prediction
Division Place: 2nd
Wins: 91
Toronto Polar Bears
Division Last Season: 3rd
Wins Last Season: 60
Batting
Lindsay Musgraves was the only batsman who retired at the end of the 2022 season although he spent the whole season at Gatineau. The Polar Bears batting lineup looks a lot stronger at the start of 2023 with the continued development of Emil Currie and David Cobden as well as the selection of the very good left fielder James Schadel with the 3rd pick in this season's supp draft. In addition to this big hitting short stop Jordan Baxter, the 10th overall pick in last season's draft, and Ashley Dickenson, again the 10th overall pick but in the 2020 draft, have been raised from Gatineau.
Pitching
Cleon Fletcher also retired at the end of 2022 and had been primarily used while Toronto was rebuilding. Fletcher started 112 games, pitching 703 innings, in the last 4 seasons and winning 33 games. Anse LeaderSmith has been called into the rotation but he will struggle to get through the same amount of innings as Fletcher so there'll be increased pressure on the bullpen. Only Alai Westerfield could provide that many innings so perhaps he'll get a shot in 2023. Look for Darren Gomer to have a better 2023 and bring his ERA down below last season's 4.85.
Overall
It's definitely exciting times for Polar Bears fans with the batting in 2023 and their potential beyond as five of their top eight players have a minimum of 1 year of experience. The pitching though is something to be concerned about as it's very thin on quality and experience with next to nothing coming through the system. Toronto will find it tough again in 2023.
Transactions
Sullivan, Bryn, Centre Field - Sent to AAA
Shears, Callum, 1st Base - Sent to AAA
Schlitz, Ken, Short Stop - Sent to AAA
Southcombe, Jerry, 1st Base - Sent to AAA
Kegger, Bubba, Left Field - Sent to ACT
Baxter, Jordan, Short Stop - Sent to ACT
Musgraves, Lindsay, Centre Field - Retired
Fletcher, Cleon, Starter - Retired
Fridley, Sterling, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Skelton, Peter, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Prediction
Division Place: 3rd
Wins: 59
Guelph Storm
Division Last Season: Last
Wins Last Season: 51
Batting
The only retirement was Lee Walker who played 100 games for the Storm after being picked up from free agency in July last season. Walker hit 17 home runs and had an average of .234 and this was only his second season in the big league. Of the remaining players only Hubert Rodrigues looks to have improved over the off season while for the most part the rest didn't look like they were looking forward to 2023. Donald Jones was selected 5th in this season's supp draft and looks to be the Storm's number one batter. Heath Begley finds himself back in Dawson Creek despite a solid few games during the September call up last season, while fellow Dawson Creek star Andrew Lizotte must be wondering who doesn't like him. With this lot it could be a very tough year.
Pitching
Ryan Shreve retires after 4 seasons in the CBL but his last season was a good one for the Storm where he pitched 23 games for an era of 4.52 and won 6 games. Again it's going to be a difficult season in Guelph with the pitching with the only stand out pitcher being reliever Keyuo Tarmann. Julius Watene does return from injury however and could prove to be a handy starter. Mark Lewis is the only other pitcher to have made strides during the off season and should perform better in 2023
Overall
The news is not all bad for the Storm however as they have plenty of batting talent coming through that could step into the team now and make a difference. It's the same story with the pitching staff although the impact wouldn't be as significant. But given the present lineup we can see no hope for Guelph in 2023 and they may even get close the Quebec's record of 36 for the least number of wins in the season set in 2016.
Transactions
Begley, Heath, Left Field - Sent to AAA
Walker, Lee, Right Field - Retired
Shreve, Ryan, Starter - Retired
Byrge, Graham, Long Reliever - Sent to AAA
Watene, Julius, Bullpen - Sent to ACT
Prediction
Division Place: Last
Wins: 38
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