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2022 was one for the books.
Overall, the SIBL continued it's trend of league competitiveness, evident by the one game difference between the middle of the pack, and the upsets that keep our playoffs interesting year after year. We added a brand new team, and rebranded another: The Lambrick Whitesox entered their inaugural year, replacing the now folded Lambrick Braves, and the Layritz Athletics took on a new persona as the Monarchs, hoping to improve on their underachieving 2021 season. Both of these teams found success on the field.
However, one returning team, last appearing in the league in 2019, did not. The Astros struggled to keep pace this year after losing key components to their lineup, going 2-16 and looking to rebound next year in 2023.
With the Duncan Brewers cementing themselves as a force in the league, coming in first place with a 14-4 record (and 10-4 in 2021), as they have proven that their consistent pitching, proven defense and contact heavy lineup doesn't lose easily. The Layritz Reds stayed consistent this year with the help of a couple of new additions , albeit less runs scored than an ungodly 2021, placing second with a 13-4-1 record (ties in this league are possible due to time limits placed by house ball regulations).
The middle of the pack was a tight race, with the final 2 games of the season deciding the final standings for 6 teams heading into the postseason schedule.
Andrew Reid Memorial Game
In March of 2022, the Lambrick Pirates suffered a tragic loss. One of their teammates, Andrew Reid sadly passed away. With the player's, the loved one's and the baseball community's support, we were able to honour Andrew on the field on May 11th as the Pirates hosted the Astros in their regular season home opener. All of our fans in attendance donned their sports jerseys to show support, and a moment of silence was held for Andrew when his spot in the lineup came up to hit, occupied by his brother and teammate Collin. The Pirates rallied together to come out with a 2-1 win on the meaningful night.
Standings don't matter in a small sample size
One of the challenging things in the SIBL is the small sample size of regular season games. With 18 games per season, each win is extremely impactful, making up fifty points on your winning percentage each. This makes it hard to gauge a team's true skill and makes postseason schedules full of upsets. This year, the upsets included the 3rd seed upset by the 6th, 2nd upset by the fourth, and 1st upset by the 4th. True talent lies in those that show up the field ready to grind out wins, and the better team on the day usually comes out with the win, despite what the standings say.
Thank you to everyone who makes this possible.
Thank you to our volunteers who spend countless hours working on the field improvements, scheduling our games and umpires, organizing our league on the board of executives, or coaching our teams.
Thank you to our fans for consistently supporting us throughout the season, and bringing a positive environment to watch a baseball game. From family and friends to coworkers and community members, we love seeing each and every one of you at the game cheering for the next big play.
Thank you to the umpires who service our league despite the increased work load over the past couple of years. The dedication to their craft, and the love of the sport, is second to none and we wouldn't be able to enjoy our passion without their commitment to us.
Moving forward...
In 2023 our teams hope to address certain rule concerns to improve playing conditions for our league. Our coaches and league executives will bring forth these propositions to the Greater Victoria Baseball Association with the goal of our players staying healthy and happy on the field.