I just heard that both the 16U & 18U Canadian Thunderbirds Baseball teams have pulled out of the PBLO.

Has anyone else heard this? I heard they were going to play either Great Lakes Sandlott or WNY Boys of Summer.

interesting. where did you hear this from ? thunderbirds never took the pblo serousily anyway.

I find that hard to believe. There is no comparison in league competition. We won the great lakes sandlot a few years ago and the boys of summer has OBA teams playing in it from what I have heard.
PBLO doesn't keep their site up like they used to so it is hard to say if that is true. Really hard to believe..

I was told they sent out an email to that effect. If they have pulled out, I sure hope they are up front about this the parents. Having to deal with crossing the border every week-end to play your games seems to be a big pain.

On the other hand this could just be the Thunderbirds blowing smoke. I've heard that they keep getting their wrists slapped for fielding a 14U team in Boys of Summer.

I can't see people wanting to pay the price without the better exposure that PBLO offers. They have always prided themselves on placing players in US college ball.
A few years ago they were one of the best organizations for learning how to play the game. Their winter workout were unbeatable.
They were often accused of stretching the envelope.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
I can't see people wanting to pay the price without the better exposure that PBLO offers. They have always prided themselves on placing players in US college ball.
A few years ago they were one of the best organizations for learning how to play the game. Their winter workout were unbeatable.
They were often accused of stretching the envelope.

I think players get exposure when playing in the US regardless of what organization they are part of. Thunderbirds are no longer the best - coaching or otherwise. If you look at Team O and OBJ currently they attract the best coaches in the country. Again, CURRENTLY - not talking 5 years ago.

I just got back from a Rebels final tryout and apparently the T Birds are kicked out of the PBLO depending on which story you believe. Half the guys at the tryout had left the Birds.
Team O Inc is not the team it used to be. Their coaches are good but they have been at the low end of the league for a few years and many of the better players left. Some of the coaches also left but they still have a few good ones. The T O is not the provincial team. The Ontario Youth Team is. There are a few that haven't figured that out but most have. Last year was their best year in a few years and their record was similar to the T Bitds. They were 5th in the league witha 9-9 record. Usually they are 8th or 9th.

5 years ago you might be right but not today and for the last 4-5 years.

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
I just got back from a Rebels final tryout and apparently the T Birds are kicked out of the PBLO depending on which story you believe. Half the guys at the tryout had left the Birds.
Team O Inc is not the team it used to be. Their coaches are good but they have been at the low end of the league for a few years and many of the better players left. Some of the coaches also left but they still have a few good ones. The T O is not the provincial team. The Ontario Youth Team is. There are a few that haven't figured that out but most have. Last year was their best year in a few years and their record was similar to the T Bitds. They were 5th in the league witha 9-9 record. Usually they are 8th or 9th.

5 years ago you might be right but not today and for the last 4-5 years.

Team O 9-9 record ? where did you get that from ?

The pblo website. They are just another Elite team and that is their best year in several years. Foe a while people didn't catch on that it no longer was Team Ontario but an incorporated team that is Team Ontario Inc.

http://www.pblo.ca/index.php?option=com_pbloteams&task=...eason=2007&Itemid=58

That link points to the old PBLO site and shows results from 2007.

Here is the link to the new PBLO site - checkout Team O's record.

http://www.leaguelineup.com/standings_baseball.asp?cmen...l=pblo&sid=153419856

Nobody that I know is confusing Team O with the Ontario Youth team. It's simular to OBJ - again nobody is confusing this team with the Toronto Blue Jays.

I have not seen the new site. I haven't followed that ball for the last year.

You are right no one is confused anymore. I believe that is what I said. There was a couple years where the OYT was unable to use non OBA players. Several Elite players joined OBA teams like Team Toronto so they could play for the OYT. Eventually the OBA snartened up and started opening up the team to all Elite team players and once again started to win the Canada Cup.
I see that even the Rebels did well lats season. There will be lots of changes comming with teams not being able to afford the cost of travel and cost of parks etc. It now costs $5200. to play for the Rebels.Last year it was $4900. When my son played it was $2200 4 years ago.

Those rankings are strange. Some teams played 18 gtames and some played 30 games. Ranking by % is a strange way to do that when there is such a huge difference in games played..

Hi Folks:

Just so its clear, the T-Birds left PBLO under their own power and I saw the letter that was sent from the T-Birds to the PBLO. The letter cited many reasons, including some of the points that Bobble raised about the standings (one team only played home games) etc.

Bobble – A while back you warned me about the potential disappointment of heading to the WNY BOS, and although I can see reasons why you cautioned, overall we had a good experience and it worked out for us.

All in all, besides Bullett’s, there were about six guys who came across to play for Buffalo-based teams. Although there were a number of people who were skeptical that the competition was better, the records show that at least a few of the Buffalo teams at 12U are more advanced than their Ontario counterparts. At the New Era Classic our Wing’s team beat the 4-time Ontario AAA Champions North York Blues 10-2. New Era beat them 12-2. Out of 21 teams, the last nine teams were the Ontario teams. Another example, Ontario sent 10 or 11 teams to Cooperstown this summer – best Wednesday record 2-5. The Wings won the Round-the-Horn competition in the NATC week and placed 31st on Wednesday with a 5-2 record (beating 3 California-based teams to do so).

As Buffalo Middle Schools go to the 90’ diamond with -3 bats, our 12U team played a 13U loop, as well to gain experience on the larger diamond. My guy would have been a Minor PeeWee in 2008, so that experience is 2 years in advance of Ontario. Although a bigger guy, that exposure was a tough pill; on the hill, defensively, and at the plate.

One of the things that was quite clear with the difference in play between Buffalo and Ontario at 12U was the pitching. The combination of winter-training at 60’ and having pitching coaches that called pitch types and locations resulted in the ability to keep hitters off-balance. I saw no Ontario team that called pitches. This was common across four different pitchers we used against Ontario teams. Parents of Ontario players that my son used to play with confirmed that they were flummoxed by the pitched we threw at them. Indeed, it took my son the first month and a half to get used to this.

In the 13U league, although we didn’t throw curves, our hitters were subjected to them on numerous occasions.

The Thunderbirds are trying to build a better base of players at the grass roots level. They believe that more baseball is better baseball. They believe that player development at the younger ages is important. They believe that no player should be limited in their ability to choose where they play baseball and how much baseball they can play (sounds Human Right’ish doesn’t it). At my son’s age, he has only 4 years to determine whether he will be able to get to the next level.

Rather than become entangled in rules and restrictions, here’s a new approach to consider: OFFER A BETTER PRODUCT

I would suggest that a program for the best development possible be constructed. I would also suggest that some analysis be performed about why masses of kids rejected at 9YO (Rookie Ball Try Outs), take this failure to heart and leave one of the greatest games on the planet. Baseball Ontario still has the opportunity to make something great here. For the life of me, I don’t know why they are so inept. It’s like they are transfixed watching the monitor of a dying patient. C’mon guys – it’s too late for my kid but, for the sake of others coming up: Do Something! Drop the ineffective protectionist rules and offer the better product!

Interesting.
The T-Birds would leave PBLO for 1 reason only and that is cost. They used to be one of the best developmental teams around. Obviously economics is cathing up to them. They are losing players left and right. I ran into several parents who were leaving due to the team leaving the PBLO.
Why would anyone not want to play against the best teams which are in the PBLO.
Wnen my son played T-Bird and Rebels they were in the CEBC. It was an inferior league to the PBLO and it was only in the fall he got to play teams like Ont Blue Jays, Astros and Team O Inc.
We used to play Buffalo teams and we always won handly. I enjoyed the games in the Sal Maglie Stadium. My concerns were the lack of competition in that league. The cost of playing is only worth it if the competition is high quality. I cannot speek to the level of 11-13 yo but the 17-18 level we dominated and we won the Great Lakes Sand Lot division .
If you want your son to develop you should be in the PBLO. I can see where economics will factor in to the quality of BB in the near future. I am glad my son is not going through that now.
OBA still offers a reasonable level of BB for younger players .

Hello;

Can anyone tell me the best baseball team and or organization in Eastern Canada for players 16-19.

Goodwill Series has a International event June 26-27-28 in the Cooperstown Hall of Fame Field.

Bob Williams

Just noticed your question.

The PBLO has the top teams in the Ontario area which is around Toronto.
The best team is The Ontario Blue Jays . They usually have a half dozen drafted players every year.
Here is a list.

http://www.leaguelineup.com/standings_baseball.asp?cmen...l=pblo&sid=153419856

half a dozen drafted to what ?

here are the Canadians drafted in the MLB 2007 draft.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/Canada/Draft/pf-draft_2007.html

quote:

Originally posted by BobbleheadDoll:
Just noticed your question.

The PBLO has the top teams in the Ontario area which is around Toronto.
The best team is The Ontario Blue Jays . They usually have a half dozen drafted players every year.
Here is a list.

http://www.leaguelineup.com/standings_baseball.asp?cmen...l=pblo&sid=153419856

half a dozen drafted to what ?

here are the Canadians drafted in the MLB 2007 draft.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/Canada/Draft/pf-draft_2007.html

here is the 2008 Canadians draft list
Home › Draft › Historical Draft Lists Archive › 2008
2008
Round (Overall) Club Pos. Name Hometown University/Team
1st (16th) Brewers C/INF Brett Lawrie Langley, B.C. Brookswood H.S.
10th (315th) Padres LHP Andrew Albers North Battleford, Sask. University of Kentucky
11th (323th) Rays RHP Brad Furdal Ancaster, Ont. Ancaster H.S
12th (315th) Braves RHP David Francis Mississauga, Ont. Walters State College
15th (469th) Angels SS-RF Marcel Champaigne Bolton, Ont. Arizona State University
16th (479th) Reds CF Carter Morrison Langley, B.C. Clayton Heights SS
16th (488th) Brewers RHP Stosh Wawrzasek Langley, B.C. Walnut Grove S.S
16th (315th) Blue Jays OF Mike Crouse Port Moody, B.C. Centennial S.S
18th (548th) Brewers RHP Nick Bucci Sarnia, Ont. St. Patrick's HS
21th (634th) Athletics RHP Mathieu Poirier Montreal, Que. Academie Baseball Canada
21th (650th) Yankees 1B Mitch Delaney La Salle, Ont. Western Texas College
23th (698th) Brewers OF Marcus Knecht Toronto, Ont. St. Michael's College
23th (703th) Tigers INF Mike Gosse Pitt Meadows, B.C. Oklahoma University
24th (726th) Twins OF Lionel Morrill Edmonton, Alta. Vauxhall Academy
25th (759th) Blue Jays OF Brad McElroy St. Thomas, Ont. University of Charlotte
31th (939th) Blue Jays LHP J.R. Robinson Burnaby, B.C. New Mexico Jr. College
33th (1003th) Tigers 1B Jordan Lennerton Langley, B.C. Oregon State University
34th (1017th) Giants RHP Fran St-Bruno, Que. Academie Baseball Canada
35th (1066th) Phillies OF Ruddy Rio-Nunez Montreal, Que. Eduardo Montpetit H.S
36th (1075th) Royals RHP-OF Nicholas Purdy Grafton, Ont. St. Mary's S.S
38th (1160th) Yankees RHP Clay Caufield Toronto, Ont. College of Charleston
40th (1208th) Brewers LHP Nick Fogarty Richmond Hill, Ont. Thornlea S.S
42th (1259th) Reds RHP Benson Merritt Smithville, Ont. South Lincoln H.S
44th (1329th) Blue Jays OF George Agyapong-Mensah Mississauga, Ont. Western Texas College
44th (1334th) Mets LHP Jean-Francois Ricard Montreal, Que. Academie Baseball Canada
44th (1337th) Diamondbacks SS David Cooper Edmonton, Alta. Mt. Olive College
45th (1357th) Brewers 2B James Kottaras Markham, Ont. Milliken Mills H.S
45th (1359th) Cubs LHP Ashton Florko Trail, B.C. University of British Columbia
45th (1361th) Tigers LHP Nathan Linseman Aris, Ont. Our Lady of Lourdes H.S
48th (1428th) Giants 2B Leonardo Ochoa Longeuil, Que. Academie Baseball Canada

ballboy,

your list does not show the players Elite team.

check this out

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/Canada/Draft/draft_2008.html

Blex that site has been around for years. It doesn't show the teams of the guys who weredrafted out of Uni.
I not sure what the point is. The OBJ is and has been for several years the top team in Ontario. The year my son played them they beat several US college teams including the D1 JC WS winner Connor State. Waltenbury hit for the cycle against a D1 4 yr college.
I was pointing out the PBLO teams and I don't follow that ball closely anymore bur approx 5-6 were drafted the year my son played them.