The Barrie Baycats are 0-3—and it shows.
The team's body language after Saturday's 6-3 loss to London was noticeably negative and for a team coming off an IBL championship, it's understandable considering the high they're still coming down from.
It's the worst start to the season for the team in more than 15 years, but the vibes are still strong around a team that knows what it's capable of.
"I don't feel any doubt that our guys are going to pick it up and we're going to get going," said shortstop Brandon Hernandez. "Just a matter of when."
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Saturday's game started well for Barrie, picking up two unearned runs off London starter Travis Keys, but the Baycats couldn't add on, leaving two runners on base. They eventually left nine on in this game.
London immediately answered back, aided by two uncharacteristic walks issued by Barrie starter Frank Garcés which loaded the bases for Ken Sugi.
Sugi just finished his senior year at Western Illinois, and was making his IBL debut Saturday. His first at-bat in the league coming on the road with two outs, bases loaded, and against a former major league lefty.
And he delivered.
Sugi's three-RBI double put the Majors up 3-2, and while Garcés got out of the inning with a strikeout, London got another run off the bat of Kaiden Cardoso one inning later.
Cardoso led off the fourth with a deep flyball to left field, seeing it bounce off the top of the fence and over for his third homer of the season, and giving London a 4-2 lead.
The 2024 IBL Rookie of the Year, is off to a hot start, already eight-for-20 this season with eight extra-base hits.
Barrie had plenty of opportunities against Keys, but grounded into two double plays during his outing, including one that ended a bases-loaded threat in the fifth.
Nolan Machibroda's RBI double off Colby Ring in the seventh inning gave Barrie some hope, making it a one-run game. London added insurance, however. Runs in the eighth and ninth innings made it 6-3 before Skylar Janisse slammed the door on the Baycats to get the save.
The offensive production has been lacking for Barrie through the first three games, with the strikeout totals mounting: 15 Saturday, 37 total.
"It's still early, but when does early end?" said acting manager Andrew White. "The approach has got to change and come with a better attitude."
"I don't think we're being aggressive enough early, and then we get over-aggressive in negative counts," said Baycats designated hitter Ryan Rijo. "We're getting a little bit on our toes and trying to chase stuff and make stuff happen."
Rijo's offensive performance has been one of few bright spots in a young Baycats season. The Barrie-native went two-for-four Saturday, and is five-for-11 with a home run through three games.
"I've been notorious for having cold starts and heating up, so it's kind of nice to be able to do this out the get-go," Rijo added.
The same can't be said for his teammates, especially the Hernandez brothers, who are a combined three-for-25 with 10 strikeouts through three games hitting in the top two spots in the lineup.
"Baseball is a game of failure," said Brandon Hernandez, who attributes the early-season struggles to "shaking off the rust."
"You fail more times than you succeed. That's why you got to be ready for every opportunity that comes to you."
White mentioned postgame that there is the possibility of some lineup shifting next week regarding those two and former major leaguer Willy Garcia who has batted third in all three games.
STARTING PITCHERS
Frank Garcés, Barrie (0-1): 5 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 6 SO, 2 BB
Travis Keys, London (1-0): 6 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 6 SO, 3 BB
KEY STAT
Saturday's loss for Garcés was his first since August 9, a 3-0 defeat to London at home with Keys picking up the win.
UP NEXT
Barrie starts a stretch of four games in four days hosting Chatham-Kent Thursday. Manager Josh Matlow will return to the top step of the dugout after serving the remainder of a six-game suspension that started in August.
"That's where we're going to find out what our identity is and get to see who we are as an individual and as a team collective," White stated.
London will start Jose Arias on the road against Kitchener Sunday afternoon.
