The Bruno Bisons have enjoyed a terrific run of success over the last decade plus, but the realities of senior baseball caught up with the club this season.
The Bisons closed the year with losses in nine straight games, thanks in large part to a difficulty finding enough players on any given night, says Bison Jeremy Sibley, who added players were just unable to commit to making every game, including himself.
“My wife and myself welcomed our second child so I didn’t make a whole lot of the games and that was kind of the case across the board with our team… We played okay but when you have guys playing out of position because you only have nine guys at the field or whatever it may be it does make things tough.”
With attendance strong at the beginning of the season, the Bisons got off to a solid start posting wins in their first four contests, and five of six.
After starting the year 5-1, the Bisons posted a 2-5 record in June to fall below .500.
Unfortunately for the Bisons, with attendance woes worsening, the club fell into a funk they could not snap out of as they lost nine straight falling from, at one time first, all the way to ninth and no playoff appearance.
The club also elected not to attend provincials this year.
“We had thought that we would have been going down to Estevan or Carnduff and we just decided that we’d skip it this year and consider next year. I have no idea what the plans are for next year, if they intend on going again or not.”
With attendance woes being an issue at times, the Bisons will be going through a bit of a transitional phase, with Sibley and a couple of the other original Bisons looking at hanging up the glove.
“There’s quite a few younger guys that are coming up and they may just have to get some other guys on board just so that you do have 12, 13 guys showing up to the field on a nightly basis,” says Sibley.
Reflecting on his last 12 years or so with the Bisons, Sibley says he has loved every minute of it but says with commitments changing he just cannot continue.
“The team’s changed a lot throughout the years but for the most part the core has stuck together and I loved every season, even this one where we didn’t fare so well.”
With Sibley set to take a step back next season, he says he will really miss coming to the park with the other Bisons.
“The competition’s always good and I won’t be replacing that with anything except my attempt to pick up golfing a little bit more so the competition I’ll miss too but mainly just being at the field with the guys.”
Of course, the show must go on for the Bisons, and Sibley says he hopes and thinks the future of the team will remain bright.
“I have two other brothers who play on the team, I know the youngest one will continue playing and I hope that for the most part the core sticks together and continues to play but we’re probably going to have a wind up in a few weeks here and maybe discuss it a little more but me and one or two of the other older guys will be stepping away.”
If the club does continue, Sibley says it will be important for those who stick around next season to get comfortable playing a variety of different positions.
“Over the last few years we’ve lost a lot of the middle part of our lineup and even middle infield, which is never good,” he said.
“Errors and walks basically kill you in this league so it’s getting guys who throw strikes and throw well and then getting a little bit better defensively and then if you don’t make errors and you don’t walk guys you’ve got a shot to win every game.”
