London Majors sending eight players to Intercounty baseball all-star game

The London Majors are sending eight players to the Intercounty Baseball League’s all-star showdown July 20th in Welland.

Pitcher Travis Keys, outfielder Starling Joseph and designated hitter Kaiden Cardoso were voted in as Team South starters by fans and media, while catcher Eduardo De Oleo, infielder Victor Plaz, outfielder Drew Lawrence and pitchers Victor Payano and Braeden Ferrington also earned all-star honours.

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London’s eight players are second most in the league, one behind the host Welland Jackfish. Fans will have one last opportunity to influence the rosters with a final player vote and an additional nominee for each team.

The decision on the final player will be made by fans via on online poll.

The Majors are 14-9, good for third place in the nine-team IBL. The Jackfish are in first place, at 19-4, followed by the second-place Barrie Baycats at 13-8.

London has lost three straight, including both ends of a double-header against Kitchener last weekend, and have two home games at Labatt Park this weekend – Friday night, 7:35 p.m., against the Guelph Royals and Saturday night, 7:35 p.m., against the Brantford Red Sox.

The expansion Chatham-Kent Barnstormers are so far 8-15 in their inaugural season, putting them in second-last place as the midway point nears. They’re sending five players to the all-star game, including catcher Mitsuki Fukuda, first baseman Seth Strong and pitcher Aden Ryan.

The Barnstormers manager is Dan Norman, a former big-league outfielder with the Mets and Expos who lives in Arizona. As the season began, he expressed high expectations in an interview with The Chatham Daily News.

“I told them (the players), I came here to win,” Norman said. “I ain’t coming 2,000 miles to lose.”

rpyette@postmedia.com
@RyanatLFPress

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