April 10, 2020

Written by AJ Iafrate

Note: A panel of players selected the team.

Is anyone else all quarantined out? We know we are!

With no sports on TV and everyone’s favourite pastime on an indefinite hiatus, we needed to find a productive way to pass the quarantine time.

Hence, the Etobicoke Rangers All-Decade Team.

The Etobicoke Rangers senior team has been one of the most successful amateur baseball programs in Canada over the last three decades. Famously run by Bob Smyth and the late Steve “Whitey” Breitner, the club has seen some significant highs over the last thirty years or so, and the last decade was no different. Although they failed in their ultimate goal of winning a provincial title, the Rangers had an excellent run of baseball in the 2010s.

The Rangers were a force in the last half of the decade, winning the Dr. Anson Buck Award for the best regular season record in COBA in 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. The 2016 season saw the Rangers break the all-time COBA record by going 25-3 over the course of the summer. The squad won back to back COBA playoff titles in 2017 and 2018 and won the 2013 Vaughan Vikings Invitational and the 2017 Hap Walters Tournaments.

In 456 games over the decade, the Rangers went 299-157, good for a winning percentage of .656. From 2013 to 2019, the Rangers went an eye-popping 232-90!

Given this incredible decade of baseball, a selection committee was formed in order to create the Etobicoke Rangers All Decade Team. Using stats from the 2010 to 2019 seasons, we assessed each player based on position, performance, tenure, and impact to the club. Several of the positions had multiple front runners, in those cases, we added honourable mentions as needed. We also included the stats from the decade that were used to evaluate each position’s selection. Given the level of talent that the Rangers have been lucky enough to have pass through their system, selecting a limited number of guys to the All Decade Team was not an easy task.

Let’s get to the list.

Catcher:

Winner: Tanner Young-Schultz (2016 – 2017). Even though he only played two seasons with the Rangers, Tanner was a difference maker for the club. He was one of the most feared sluggers in the lineup during a deep run at the Eliminations in 2017, and managed the Rangers pitching staff effectively throughout his tenure with the team. Tanner captured the 2016 COBA Rookie of the Year award after hitting a blistering .346 to go along with a .993 OPS. Tanner retired from baseball after moving to Kingston following the 2017 season, although members of the Rangers scouting department are busily working on a plan to lure him back to the game.

Honourable Mention: Kyle Bowers (2015 – Current). The former University of Toronto standout has been the best left-handed catcher in the province over the last several seasons. Bowers joined the senior club after helping lead the Rangers’ junior team to city championships in 2013 and 2014. His ability to effectively play multiple positions (outfield and first base) while providing plus speed and a solid bat in the lower half of the lineup has made him an indispensable member of the Rangers. Bowers never takes a game off, in fact, he memorably played six games in the 2017 eliminations tournament with a broken wrist in his catching hand.

Honourable Mention: Stu Fraser (2013 – 2017). Fraser was a workhorse who answered the call every time the Rangers needed him to. Stu played through a litany of injuries, mostly caused by having to catch Andrew Hyde’s adventurous bullpen sessions for five straight seasons. Those injuries led Stu to hang up the cleats after the 2017 season, but he was a vital part of the club for half the decade due to his quiet leadership qualities and the toughness that was always on display.

First Base:

Winner: Brett Sanders (2010 – 2014). In his prime, Sanders might have been the most feared hitter in Ontario, putting up video game stats in 2012 and 2013. Sanders was on his way to another huge season in 2014, hitting a staggering .559 with 4 home runs and an OPS of 1.800 in just the first 15 games of the year. Unfortunately, a severely torn hamstring ended his season prematurely, and he never returned to the diamond.

Honourable Mention: John Suomi (2014 – 2015). Suomi returned home to Etobicoke and joined the Rangers after a 13 year catching career in the minor leagues. Suomi played in several different pro organizations, and also represented Canada at the 2013 World Baseball Classic. His knees prevented him from suiting up behind the dish for the Rangers, but Suomi was a steady defensive option at first base who added some pop to the middle of the Rangers lineup during his 2 seasons with the club.

Second Base:

Winner: Mark Capone (2005 – Current). Former Etobicoke Ranger Joey Votto rates Capone as one of the best hitters he’s ever played with, and for good reason. Capone and his silky smooth swing rewrote the record books during a stellar collegiate career manning the keystone for the UBC Thunderbirds, and he has maintained that same high level of performance since joining the Rangers in 2005. The 2016 COBA Hall of Fame inductee and league MVP, Capone has been the heart and soul of the Rangers for well over a decade, a quiet leader who is both respected and loved by his teammates. The Rangers are hoping “Cappy” still has a few years left of lacing 0-2 pitches into the left-centre gap before he decides to hang ‘em up.

Third Base:

Winner: Ryan Panas (2011 – Current). Panas has been an offensive juggernaut for the Rangers since he joined the club in 2011 as a junior call-up. Over the decade, Panas led the Rangers in hits, doubles, and RBIs while putting up some statistically monstrous seasons. He was also recently named to the Wilfrid Laurier University all-decade team and was the first baseball player to ever be inducted into the Laurier Athletics Hall of Fame. He combines a reliable defensive skillset at the hot corner with the ability to hit for power to all fields. Panas won the COBA MVP in 2018 and was named the COBA Rookie of the Year in 2012.

Honourable Mention: Pip Murray-Smith (2010 – 2014). Pip spent several solid seasons playing on the left side of the infield at Connorvale Park before joining the Erindale Cardinals in 2015, where he continues to punish the Rangers for letting him go. A graduate of the High Park junior program, Pip hit for a solid average and added some speed to the Rangers lineup during his time with the squad.

Shortstop:

Winner: Michael Ferracuti (2016 – Current). The Rangers were blessed with 3 excellent shortstops over the last decade, but Ferracuti takes this prize. Mike is a defensive wizard who has developed into a potent 3-hole hitter in the Ranger lineup. Mike enjoyed a successful college career down south at Erie CC and University of Saint Mary before returning home and joining the Rangers. He won the COBA Playoff MVP award in 2018, leading the club to their second consecutive league title.

Honourable Mention: Damien Eccleton (2010 – 2014). Known for throwing guys out from shallow left field using his cannon of an arm, “D-Ecc” was a mainstay in the Rangers lineup for five solid seasons. He hit .373 in his rookie season while playing near flawless defence. His always positive and upbeat attitude also made him a favourite in the clubhouse.

Honourable Mention: Kevin Cleland (2012 – 2016). Cleland scuffled in his first two seasons with the big club, but he bounced back in a huge way in 2014 and 2015, where he hit .441 and .320, respectively. Work commitments led to him walking away from the game prematurely, but Cleland was a solid defensive shortstop with a knack for coming up with a big single when the club needed it most.

Outfield:

Winner: Daniel Murphy (2012 – Current). Murphy has stolen an absurd 174 bases during his 8 seasons with the Rangers, including a career high and Rangers record of 41 in 2013. He has excellent speed both on the basepaths and in the outfield and has developed gap-to-gap power over the last few seasons. Together with Ryan Panas, Murphy led Wilfrid Laurier University to their first ever OUA championship in 2013. Now a veteran, “Murph” has taken on a more significant leadership role with the club and will be relied upon as one of the most potent hitters in the Rangers lineup in the years to come.

Winner: Alex Thrower (2016 – 2018). Although his tenure was short, Thrower’s time with the Rangers was dynamic to the say the least. He hit .432 with 32 stolen bases to win the 2017 COBA Rookie of the Year award while playing elite defence in centre field. He left the Rangers in 2019 for crosstown rivals, the Mississauga Twins.

Winner: Rob Borden (1999 – 2018). A fixture in the Rangers outfield for nearly two decades, Borden bled Rangers red and before leaving the club after the 2018 season. He was a productive member of the 1999, 2002, and 2004 Rangers clubs that won provincial eliminations titles. “Boogie” was known for his fierce competitiveness, base running savvy, and his ability to manufacture runs out of thin air. He was elected to the COBA Hall of Fame in 2013.

Honourable Mention: Jeff Altpeter (2011 – 2015). Jeff was a speedy outfielder who hit for some power over the course of several seasons spent patrolling right field at Connorvale Park. He had a plus arm from the outfield and stole 50 bases in 177 games during his career with the Rangers.

Honourable Mention: Adam Raithby (2016 – Current). “Raith” is entering his prime years after four solid seasons with the big club. The Rangers expect this High Park grad to continue to play excellent defence while using his speed to create problems on the basepaths for opposing teams. Raithby hit .393 during his breakout 2016 rookie campaign.

Designated Hitter:

Winner: AJ Iafrate (2004 – Current). The Rangers’ former first baseman endured a pair of significant injuries early in the decade which caused him to miss the entire 2012 season and forced a permanent move to DH upon his return to the club in 2013. He put together a big year in 2017, hitting .368 with 43 RBIs and an OPS of .981. Always a solid run producer, Iafrate has been a model of consistency throughout his Rangers career, winning the COBA MVP in 2009 and the COBA Playoff MVP in 2017. He was elected to the COBA Hall of Fame in 2015.

Honourable Mention: Kyle Clancy (2010 – 2014). Clancy also spent time as a catcher and at first base during his career with the Rangers. He put together back to back productive seasons in 2012 and 2013, hitting .352 and .354 respectively. Clancy clubbed 9 home runs during his career, some of which may not have landed yet.

Starting Pitcher:

*TIE* Kyle Breitner & Andrew Hyde

Winner: Kyle Breitner (2010 – 2018). Under his late father’s tutelage, Kyle developed into one of the premier right handed pitchers in Canada. “Bones” used a plus fastball and a lights out change-up to win and close out a ton of huge games during his time as a Ranger. In addition to his success with the Rangers, Breitner won a national collegiate title with the St. Clair Saints in 2017 and has been a pickup for every Ontario team playing at the senior nationals between 2014 and 2019, winning gold with the Tecumseh Thunder in 2015 and 2016. Kyle moved to Windsor for work reasons in 2018, joining Tecumseh full time for the 2019 season and beyond.

Winner: Andrew Hyde (2010 – Current). A product of the Rangers junior system, Hyde joined the senior club in 2010 after a successful collegiate career in Ohio. He led Rangers pitchers in almost every statistical category throughout the decade (including wild pitches). He had an especially impressive 2013 season, going 7-1 over 87 2/3 innings with a 2.46 ERA and 94 strikeouts. He brings a bulldog mentality every time he toes the rubber and remains a significant part of the Rangers’ rotation going forward.

Honourable Mention: Kyle Angelow (2014 – Current). Angelow pulls double duty for the club, acting as one of the Rangers’ best pitchers while overseeing player personnel moves. Another graduate of the Rangers’ junior team, he led the Toronto Baseball Association in strikeouts and innings pitched prior to joining the big club. Angelow memorably put the Rangers on his back during their championship run at the 2017 Hap Walters Tournament, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA, including a masterful 1-hit shutout victory over a tough East York team in the semifinals.

Honourable Mention: Kevin Breitner (2003 – 2018). The 6 foot 4, 280 pound Breitner joined the senior club in 2003 after a successful junior career in the Rangers organization. From 2010 until his retirement following the 2018 season, the big man was a workhorse for the club, logging over 300 innings on the bump. His best season of the decade came in 2014, when he went 4-1 in 59 1/3 innings while sporting an ERA of 4.10. He was elected to the COBA Hall of Fame in 2015.

Honourable Mention: Adam McBride (2015 – Current). A graduate of the Toronto Mets U18 program and the Rangers junior team, Adam joined the big club in 2015 after helping Laurier win the OUA title in 2013 and the Rangers junior team win city championships in 2013 and 2014. Adam posted an outstanding season in 2017, going 10-0 with a 2.87 ERA over 62 2/3 innings, including a complete game victory over eventual champion Tecumseh during the Rangers’ deep run at the eliminations that year. McBride will be relied upon heavily to win big games for the Rangers over the next several seasons.

Honourable Mention: Brad Crone (2018 – Current). Crone was the prize of the Ontario baseball free agency market in the 2017 offseason. He signed with the Rangers after several excellent years spent playing for Newmarket and Thornhill in the GTBL, and he has continued to dominate in the Senior Circuit. The southpaw possesses a plus fastball and a sharp slider that keeps opposing hitters off balance. Also worth mentioning is that Crone is a legitimate two-way player, hitting a solid .325 with 30 RBIs in 151 at bats while playing solid defence in the outfield and at first base.

Honourable Mention: Andrew Perryman (2012 – 2018). The “P-Man” joined the Rangers in 2012 after graduating from the High Park junior program. Perryman was a reliable mid-rotation starter for the Rangers for 7 seasons. His two best years were in 2013 and 2016, where he went a combined 13-0 with a sparkling 2.17 ERA.

Honourable Mention: Brendan Lyons (2017 – Current). Lyons underwent Tommy John surgery following the 2015 season and his long road to recovery eventually saw him sign with the Rangers in 2017. Though he scuffled in his first season with the club, Lyons has since emerged as a fierce competitor with a plus fastball and hard breaking slider. He led the Humber Hawks to a national collegiate title in 2018, garnering the team MVP award for his exceptional two-way play on both the mound and at first base. Lyons has lowered his ERA and WHIP in every season while establishing himself as a big game pitcher with top of the rotation stuff. He will anchor the Rangers pitching staff for the foreseeable future.

Relief Pitcher:

Winner: Bryan Vardzel (2013 – 2016). Bryan joined the Rangers in 2013 and immediately seized the closer role. His arrival gave Manager Steve “Whitey” Breitner a much needed reliable late inning option that the squad had lacked in previous years. Vardzel appeared in 77 games in just 4 seasons, proving how often the club utilized him to close out tight games. His best season came in 2016, when he sported a 0.98 WHIP and a 2.93 ERA in 43 innings.

That’s the list! Tweet us at @EtobRangers and let us know who we left out (we’re sure we missed some deserving players).

More importantly, let’s all hope that our friends and family make it safely through these difficult times and that we can get back to baseball sooner rather than later.

Etobicoke Rangers chose All-Decade team