The Victoria HarbourCats tipped their caps to the 2,467 fans Sunday afternoon at Royal Athletic Park, as well they should after delivering an all-too-rare West Coast League victory for the home supporters.
The HarbourCats inaugural season, a rousing success in the stands but not so much on the diamond at 22-32, is in the books following the curtain-dropping 4-3 victory over the Bellingham Bells.
鈥淭he fan support was unbelievable with a lot of fun and energy,鈥� said HarbourCats general manager Holly Jones.
The HarbourCats finished second in league attendance with an average of 1,437 fans over 27 home dates. The Bend Elks led the league at 1,574. The league average among the 11 teams was 1,158.
鈥淭he Victoria fans dug in with us. They stayed with us and we are deeply appreciative of that,鈥� said HarbourCats field manager Dennis Rogers.
That was even the case when a season that started 7-1 began spiraling downward to land with a thud 91脷2 games behind first place and 71脷2 games out of a playoff position in the North Division.
A glorious summer of record sunshine certainly didn鈥檛 hurt the HarbourCats in a sport that is more weather dependent than any other.
In a league which produced 57 current or former players selected this year in the 2013 MLB draft, you have to be on the ball in the WCL 鈥� even the sometimes cringe-worthy errors are understandable considering that while these players are talented they are also still learning and evolving.
Player turnover, however, is an issue in the WCL.
Victoria got so thin on the closing weekend that it used two pitchers Friday from the Abbotsford Cardinals of the sa国际传媒 Premier League. They got rocked. That鈥檚 not what customers are paying to see.
鈥淲e will definitely expand the roster next season,鈥� vowed HarbourCats owner John McLean.
鈥淲e were an unknown commodity this year to college coaches [the WCL is one of several summer leagues in which top U.S. NCAA collegians play to extend their seasons]. Now that we鈥檝e proven ourselves, college coaches are going to be more fully receptive and open to [sending their players] to Victoria.鈥�
HarbourCats slugger Alex Real, who finished seventh in league batting with a .339 average and who closed out with his sixth home run of the season Sunday 鈥� tied for tops on the club with John Schuknecht 鈥� will certainly go back to the University of New Mexico Lobos to spread the word about the HarbourCats.
鈥淭his is a first-class organization and I definitely had a good experience here,鈥� said the Atlanta Braves pick, who plans on re-entering the MLB draft.
鈥淚鈥檝e improved my game in all aspects since I got here.鈥�
But don鈥檛 expect to see many of the same faces back year to year. The top players in the WCL, such as Real, either get signed by pro teams or go on to play in the more highly-regarded summer collegiate Northwoods and Cape Cod leagues.
On the visiting Bellingham squad over the weekend, only two players were returnees on the Bells roster from 2012. That is the nature of this beast called the WCL, and summer collegiate baseball in general. It is built to move players on. It is no different than single-A pro ball in that regard.
But as the youngest club in the WCL 鈥� with a roster loaded mostly with freshman 鈥� the HarbourCats may be in line to return more players than usual in this league.
Not returning, however, will be Austin Russell, a Victoria product who was a revelation this season for the hometown HarbourCats. Heading into his senior year to finish his NAIA career at McPherson College in Kansas, Russell has aged-out of summer collegiate ball. But he will never forget being part of the inaugural season of the HarbourCats.
鈥淚t was a special summer, to say the least,鈥� said Russell.
