COBA Preview: Etobicoke Rangers

Brad Crone is back with the Etobicoke Rangers after going was 4-1, with a 3.11 ERA. In 46 1/3 innings, he walked 16 and fanned 52.

OBA Major Preview Article – Etobicoke Rangers

By Dan Estey

The Etobicoke Rangers had another very solid season in 2018 in the COBA Major Baseball League. The club, led by skipper Jon Kielb (25th year; second as manager), went a solid 36-10 overall on the year including a 24-4 record in league play which was good for top spot in the league and their fifth Anson Buck Trophy (emblematic of the top record in league play) in the past six seasons.

Also joining Kielb on the coaching staff is third base coach John Ferracuti (second year) and first base coach Bill (Bounce) Thompson (seventh year). The Rangers also had a successful year off the field as the team volunteered with the Etobicoke Eagles who are a local Special Olympics baseball team based out of the Etobicoke area.

The Rangers club took part in three tournaments last season. In early July, they attended the Lakeside Tournament in London. After a successful round robin going 3-0 they dropped a tough game to the Ilderton Red Army in the semi-finals ending their run.

At the Hap Walters Tournament, the defending tournament champs came out on the short end of some close contests and went 1–2 in league play missing out on the playoff round. At the Senior eliminations, the club was looking to build on their third place finish from a year ago but fell a bit short as they went 3-2 on the weekend.

Etobicoke will be bringing back many players for the 2019 season. Key returnees will be led by league batting champion and all-star 3B Ryan Panas (.422, 34 runs, 57 hits, 15 doubles, a triple, two home runs, 35 RBIs and COBA Major Playoff MVP SS Michael Ferracuti (.377, 33 runs, 58 hits, eight doubles, three triples, a home run, 26 RBIs, 18 stolen bases). Also returning are: All-Star 2B Mark Capone (.328, 27 runs, 41 hits, four doubles, 16 RBIs), OF Daniel Murphy (.308, 18 runs, 36 hits, five doubles, 18 RBIs, 15 stolen bases), DH AJ Iafrate (.311, 22 runs, 38 hits, 11 doubles, two home runs, 30 RBIs) and P-1B Brad Crone (.350, 13 runs, 28 hits, seven doubles, a triple, 15 RBIs, while on the mound he was 4-1, 46 1/3 innings, 52 hits, 25 runs, 16 earned runs, 52 strikeouts, 16 walks, 3.11 ERA).

Among those joining Crone back on the Rangers pitching staff are: Adam McBride (4-1, 51 innings, 62 hits, 23 runs, 22 earned runs, 37 strikeouts, five walks, 3.88 ERA), Andrew Hyde (3-2, 35 innings, 34 hits, 18 runs, 15 earned runs, 35 strikeouts, 20 walks, 3.86 ERA) and Kyle Angelow (5-2, 45 innings, 40 hits, 19 runs, 17 earned runs, 28 strikeouts, 10 walks, 3.40 ERA).

The Etobicoke squad has added several new bodies this summer as well. Joining the Rangers for 2019 are: OF Dennis Dei Baning (High Park Jr.), OF Liam Sutherland (Etobicoke Jr.), P Matt Stoddert (Etobicoke Jr.), and INF-OF Robin Fox-Pappas (East York Bulldogs). There are a few other additions to the team and they will be listed on the Etobicoke roster for the start of the season.

There are a handful of players not returning to the Rangers as well in 2019. Most notably is former All-Star and COBA Major League Pitcher of the Year Kyle Breitner, who will remain in the Tecumseh area this summer. Three other long-time players will not be returning, including COBA Hall of Fame inductees P Kevin Breitner and OF Rob Borden as well as P Andrew Perryman, who have all decided to move on from COBA Sr. ball.

C Zach Prisciak will remain in BC this summer for school, while P Brent Cleland has relocated for work. OF Brandon Costa is taking this year off, while OF Alex Thrower has moved to the Mississauga Southwest Twins for this season.

The Rangers will be looking to defend for the Anson Buck Trophy as well as the COBA Major League Playoff trophy again in 2019. They were scheduled to open their home schedule on Friday, when they hosted the Mississauga Southwest Twins at Connorvale Park.