WOW!  We just looked up at the calendar and noticed that it's December 14th today.  Unbelievable!  Since we're less than two weeks away, we're sure everyone has got one thing on their minds - Christmas.  We're certainly thinking that way at metrosbaseball.ca.  So, we're ready to make official the date for our annual Metros Christmas Gala.

The much-anticipated affair will be on Wednesday, December 29...at the home of Metros GM, Mark Walters.  We have already forwarded more information, in the form of emails to the entire team.  There was a bit of confusion around the date of the event, due to a number of players saying they couldn't make the affair this year (due to prior committments).  But we eventually settled on the 29th, as it seemed the date that the majority of the players could make.  Applogies to those that can't!

Metros management has scoured the records, and scorebooks and have come up with the "perfect gift" for each of the Metros players in attendence.  And we will also hand out the hardware...the Metros' Year-end awards (the ones that we've built a tradition with, and have been handing out for 25 years).  The awards featured are Team M.V.P., and Top Pitcher (as voted on by the players)...as well as statistic-driven awards for "Top Offensive Player", "Top Defensive Player", "Most Improved Player", and "Top Rookie".  Finally, the Coaching Staff will name their "Coaches Award" winner, which goes annually to the player who most displays the "intangible qualities" (such as leadership, dedication, heart and desire, and sportsmanship) that every team needs to be successful.

Once again, the party will be held at the home of General Manager, Mark Walters (55 Ann St., in Thorold for you "Google Maps types"), and begins at about 3:00 PM.  And, once again, that's Wednesday December 29th.  We look forward to seeing everyone that can make it.

 
NEW BASEBALL VIDEO ON THE WEBSITE

We haven't featured a baseball brawl in a while, so it is time to fire one up.  This one took place in a class"A" ball game in Michigan, between the West Michigan Whitecaps and the Lansing Lugnuts.  It is one of the better brawls we've seen, and featured some pretty good haymakers from both sides.  I guess the moral of the story is, "Don't hit HR's, if you know what's good for you"!  Just scroll to the bottom of the page, and press play.

Due to our reporting of the "good news and bad news" stories last week, we're a bit late in bringing you the latest from the C.O.M.B.L. Managers meeting, from a couple of weeks ago.  But, better late than never, we now have the report, and can bring you right up to date, with regard to the latest happenings from our league.

1.  The Elimination Tournament will return to Windsor for the 2011 and 2012 seasons.  After the fine job that the Lakeside Lizards did as hosts for the last two years, Bernie Soulliere and the Windsor Stars will act as hosts for the next two.  You'll recall that during the summer of 2009, with a crippling strike affecting the City of Windsor, the Stars gave up the tourney due to a serious lack of park maintenance.  The Lizards came to the rescue, and saved the tournament at the last minute, and were rewarded for that gesture by being allowed to host again in 2010.  But the O.B.A. decided that it was time to get the tourney back in the capable hands of the Stars, and the fine facilities in Windsor.  The tourney will be held on the Civic holiday weekend (August 1st) as always.

2.  Speaking of the O.B.A., there has been a major shakeup in the naming system for Senior baseball in Ontario.  In an effort to make the system the same as their younger counterparts in the Midget and Junior ranks, the Senior Division has done away with their antiquaited Senior "A", "B", "C", and "D" divisions.  Henceforth, the divisions will be referred to as "AAA", "AA", "A", "B", and "C".  The entire C.O.M.B.L., since they attend the Elimination Tourney, are therefore referred to as "AAA" teams.  That includes your "AAA" Niagara Metros.

3.  The C.O.M.B.L., on the heels of a very successful "Hap" Walters Invitational Tournament last July, are investigating ways of expanding the tourney to 20 teams.  Last year, the tournament was limited to 16 teams, due to park availability at that time of the season, in the Mississauga area.  Should the league acquire another park locally, the league would like to invite the 4 or 5 teams that they had to turn away last season, due to being "sold out".  That would turn the tournament into a 20-teamer, which would create a few logistical problems, but would certainly be doable.  Stay tuned.

4.  The controversial  issue of changing C.O.M.B.L. League games to 7 innings was also discussed.  And, while there were no decisions made, the league is almost unanimous in their opinion that a flat out change to 7 innings (from the current 9-inning format) would not be supported.  However, the league did not close the door on a "modified" 7-inning format.  This means that the league could possibly adopt a 7-inning format for part of the season, or perhaps an adjustment in the league's mercy rule, that would make 7-inning mercies more readily attainable.  The league voted to table the issue until the January meeting, to allow more study to be done with these provisions.  There will be a decison made then.

5.  The league did make a decision to keep the traditional All-Star game on their schedule for 2011.  The annual Johnson vs. Andrews Division All-Star game will once again be held at Nelson Park in Burlington.  The date is Sunday July 24th.  Mark it on your calendars.  It is one of the really fun days on the C.O.M.B.L. schedule each year.

That pretty much brings everyone up to date.  Talk to you next week.  Until then everyone, please...be careful, and "stay on the field"!