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| Johnathan Solazzo serves up some pre-season BP at Christie Pits on May 5th. The Toronto Maple Leafs new season starts this Sunday. |
Generally abysmal is the state of organized sport in Toronto in 2024.
Six weeks into the season, the Major League Blue Jays are in last place with a losing record. Dismayed fans are calling for the roster to be dispersed and front office to be dismissed.
In the NBA, where it is virtually impossible to miss the playoffs, the Raptors missed the playoffs.
TFC are coming off a dead-last finish in the MLS.
The CFL Argonauts situation seems deadlocked. They could go winless and still draw 10,000 fans. They could also go undefeated, win the Grey Cup, and still draw 10,000 fans.
The lacrosse team left town.
Enough ink, beer and blood has been spilt agonizing over the NHL Maple Leafs, who seem trapped in an endless spiral of mortification.
Enter the baseball Leafs. Here comes the sun.
Shove the other sporting disappointments aside and check out all the shiny new things there are to see at Christie Pits this year.
It Starts at the Top
Over the winter, the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club was sold by the estate of Jack Dominico to a multi-partner ownership group. A final sale price was not disclosed but according to chatter it may have ticked over the 7-figure mark.
Regardless of the final price, the new regime brings an infusion of fresh spending and new partnerships that will be evident at the Pits this summer.
The ballpark's crackly old sound system is being replaced with a new $30,000 kit.
Corporate partners will enhance the gameday experience. Innovative Fitness will lead a revived 7th inning stretch, and Left Field Brewery will provide food and drink.
The announcer's booth and concession stand have both been repainted.
Home Sweet Home
Speaking of the concession stand, a family was discovered living in the rear of the building, having camped out there since last August.
Mitch Stridor, his wife Weezie and their children Jason and Valentina all suffer a respiratory condition that leaves them easily-winded. One evening last summer, the family strolled down to field level to watch a Leafs game close-up. Afterwards, they found themselves unable to leave the park. They were so easily-winded, none of them could scale the Christie hillside back to street level. Finding themselves alone at night, they sought refuge inside the concession stand and stayed the winter.
The Stridor family was discovered by team volunteers during the recent repainting project. Being clean and humble, they had subsisted on chips and drinks from storage but they had also taken good care of the place, leaving no trash or damage. There being no harm done, a short negotiation took place with the DIY Skatepark Team.
The easily-winded Stridors have now taken up residence inside one of the cinderblock structures at the Christie Pits Skatepark. They are breathing well and we wish them all the best.
A Monstrous Arrival
Speaking of taking up residence at Christie Pits, another unexpected presence is a massive new extension to the outfield fence.
From centerfield to the right field corner, the extension has doubled the size of the fence, instantly earning a nickname among Leaf fans: The Caged Monster.
Thing is, no one can explain why it's there. The ballclub did not request it. The league did not require it. Locals have no clue who or what caused it to be installed. It seems the Municipal Government -- totalitarian in deed if not word -- mandated the towering structure. Beyond this outfield extension and out past the ballpark's dimensions, the city has declared a Forbidden Zone. No entry, no lights, no children.
Determined to find some answers, I contacted the Department of Parks and Public Containment. When I finally got through to a staffer, I put the question bluntly: who asked for this new fencing? The response was 30 seconds of quiet breathing, followed by the sound of the call being disconnected.
Adios Tak and Tamane
Speaking of disconnecting, the Maple Leafs bade farewell to a couple of celebrated players over the winter.
Grant Tamane is now coaching the baseball team at Wilfrid Laurier University. Tamane will be remembered for hitting one of the most memorable home runs in Leafs history. His two-run bomb off the light tower in Labatt Park carried the Leafs to a Game 7 victory over the London Majors and sent them to the 2016 IBL Championship Series.
Garrett Takamatsu has signed with the Guelph Royals. This brings an end to a rollicking career with the Leafs that he launched in 2018 as a rookie-of-the-year sensation, on to an MVP season in 2021 and a stunning debut as the Leafs manager in 2022.
Tak explained the move: since he's no longer playing baseball full time and actually having to work, the commute to Toronto didn't make sense anymore. He played with or against a lot of the players on the Royals roster, and Guelph is a way easier drive. (No kidding, with the Gardiner lane closures about to make hell for anyone travelling in or out of the city.)
On the Christie Hillside says thanks for the memories, Tak and Tamane!
The Lounsbury Masterplan
Speaking of memories, Jeff Lounsbury has been given the opportunity to make more of them at the Pits. The Leafs general manager was invited back by the new owners, and he continues his project of bringing a championship back to Christie Pits.
The Lounsbury Masterplan is three-pronged and sensible:
1) Sign the core for one more. Other than Takamatsu and Tamane, virtually the entire Leafs roster from 2023 is back for another run. Castaldo, Marra, Marra, Marra, Vinicio, Solazzo, Hodges, Lewis, Carrington, Santos, Knecht, Alvarado, Greene, Procopio, Deska, Nagorski, Richardson, Tymochko, Valdez and Sekulovich are all back. A handful of others have been placed on the inactive list, and could potentially return: Dutton, Elliott, Lepard, McAskie and Sloan.
2) Sign Toronto talent. With a core of long-serving veterans, Toronto-born or based players have had to find spots on other clubs in order to play regularly. Lounsbury wants to turn this around and make sure that the Leafs provide a home for more local players. Among Lounsbury's new signings are local boys Dionysius Chialtas and Charlie Towers.
3) Sign guys who sound like cowboys. In this lane, Lounsbury has inked Cole Murchison and Justice Magee. They sound like winners and valuable additions already.
And there you have it. Everything is in place from ownership to roster, with Rob Butler managing the show on the diamond. Toronto Maple Leafs gamedays promise a new and thrilling experience at Christie Pits, starting this Sunday, May 12 at 2:00 pm.
