SABL
Dec 23 - Dec 29
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Braves are the 2024 SABL Champions

Barnett-Schade I



(Scarborough) In a highly-anticipated matchup that has recreational baseball fans clamouring throughout the Greater Scarborough Area, SABL’s top two left-handed pitchers will face off for the first time ever in a game that Royals’ manager Phil Hiemstra has dubbed “The Beard versus The Feared".

In the annals of SABL, no other pitcher can make a stronger claim as the league’s best than stalwart Royals left-hander, Michael “Barny” Barnett. In the modern website era (2009-present), Barnett is the all-time league leader with 50 regular season wins, to go along with a stellar 2.51 ERA and 327 strikeouts (ranking second behind Brandon Marini of the Blue Jays) in 373 innings. If SABL were to erect a Hall of Fame, Barnett would be a surefire candidate for enshrinement. 

Incredibly, Barnett’s opponent in this matchup can boast even more dominant results, albeit in a shorter sample size. Since bursting onto the scene in a 2014 season that saw him take home the league Rookie and Pitcher of the Year, John Schade has been nothing short of phenomenal.

The numbers speak for themselves: 20 games started, 15 wins, 5 losses, 15 complete games, 159 strikeouts in 133.1 innings to go against just 32 walks, along with a sparkling 1.58 ERA. Even more impressively, Schade has dragged the once-hapless Pirates towards respectability in a league where respect is hard to come by.

Following last Sunday’s Royals-Blue Jays doubleheader, Schade and Barnett struck up a gentleman’s agreement to face one another when their respective teams meet on Sunday July 19 at Wishing Well Park (first pitch at 1:20 EST).

Barnett approached Schade prior to the Pirates’ doubleheader against the White Sox and proposed the marquee lefty matchup. Schade surely thought the proposal was a joke. After Barnett assured him that it wasn’t, the two southpaws shook hands before realizing that true southpaws would shake with their southern paws. So they shook hands with their lefts.

While Barnett is part of SABL’s very fabric, Schade is a relative newcomer (some might call him an enigma) to SABL fans near and far. According to Royals outfielder/infielder Brennan Corey, who plays hockey with Schade on Tuesday nights, the multi-pitch phenom spends his winters playing defence with a stick that’s about two feet too short, proving yet again that lefties are strange people.

The question that everybody wants to see answered is this: Who is SABL’s best lefty? Make your way to Wishing Well on July 19 to find out, or check back here to see the box score on this website.

Posted by Phil Hiemstra - Monday Jul 13, 10:18 PM
2014 SABL Award Winners

MVPJohn Frederick
Pitcher OTYJohn Schade
Rookie OTYJohn Schade
Playoff MVPJohn Frederick
Veteran OTYGord Smardenkas

All Stars1st Team2nd Team
CSean BallentineGreg McLean
1BJohn FrederickLuke Hall
2BColm BlaneyMike Murphy
SSAndre SteerJeff Snow
3BShawn CarriereMike Visconti
OFAntony WarrenAlex Siddiqi
OFSteve HerschGbenga Ajasin
OFJason AndrewsMike Hersch
DHGord SmardenkasJason Forbes
PJohn SchadeBrandon Marini

Posted by Phil Hiemstra - Friday Nov 21, 4:31 PM
Vote for SABL 2014 All-Stars

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XWPDDCP

Posted by Phil Hiemstra - Thursday Oct 30, 3:30 PM
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