Border Cats back on the field Monday for 2025 Northwoods League season
The Cats open the season on the road, facing the Eau Claire Express in Wisconsin on Monday and Tuesday, before returning to Thunder Bay for Wednesday's home opener at Port Arthur Stadium.
"I think we're going to be pretty good defensively," team general manager and vice-president Bryan Graham said during a practice Sunday afternoon at Port Arthur Stadium. "We've got some kids that can really throw strikes, and it's just a matter of, you know, being able to put bat on ball and score some runs."
"The Northwoods League, it's a real running league," he said. "Teams don't rely, obviously, on the long ball and the home run."
"Hopefully we can run the bases and create some chaos and score some runs."
This year's team includes a mix of new and returning players, Graham said.
"We've got Trey Fikes behind the plate again, who is a really solid catcher," he said. "Last year he threw out like 32 per cent of would be base-stealers, which is an unbelievable stat. I mean, major league catchers that do 25 per cent are considered top-rate defensively."
Fikes said he had a good experience in Thunder Bay last year.
"I'm so excited," Fikes said. "I cannot wait to get on the field. I really missed it."
Fikes said he was happy with how the Cats played last year — they didn't make the playoffs, but finished the season in third place in the Great Plains East division with 35 wins and 34 losses.
"I think it really just takes like locking in every day, and just not checking out, because it's a long season, you know?" he said. "It takes a lot to stay locked in the entire 70 games."
One of this year's new players is Toronto-born outfielder Calvin Warrillow, who plays collegiate ball at Dodge City Community College in Kansas, Okla. That team is coached by former Border Cats field manager J.M. Kelly.
"I wanted to play north of the border," he said. "Spent a lot of time as a Canadian baseball player down south, and I wanted to play for one of the better teams in Canada."
Warrillow agreed that pitching and defence will be key for the Cats in 2025.
"I think we gotta pitch it well, hit it well, play good defence, and everybody just does their job," he said. "I think we'll have a good year."
Fans may see a slight difference on the field at Port Arthur Stadium this year — the Northwoods League has adopted the double "safety bags" at first base.
Field manager Joe Ellison said the change will "lead to hopefully some safer plays at first, but also a little bit more fun with the rules and whatnot with it."
Ellison said the Cats will be bringing a slightly-smaller roster on their first road trip, as players finish up their college seasons.
"We're going down with 23 (players). But by the home opener we should be up to 28, 29," he said.
"A lot of returners, 7-8 returners, heavily Canadian," he said. "I think we're gonna have 24 (Canadians) that put the jersey on over the course of the year, and then balance it out with some good American talent as well."
The Thunder Bay Border Cats host the Rochester Honkers for their home opener on Wednesday at Port Arthur Stadium.
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