INSIDE THE PARK: Loss of Wesmen program a blow to provincial baseball community

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This article was published 03/05/2017 (3323 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The loss of the self-funded University of Winnipeg Wesmen men’s baseball team on Tuesday has eliminated Manitoba’s sole post-secondary opportunity to play the sport in the province.

The university cut the program as part of a $3.7-million budget purge that also saw the school’s men and women’s wrestling teams trimmed and the men’s soccer team put on hold.

Miniota product Keenan Lewis, 18, played his freshman season with the Wesmen this year. He said the team learned about it around 10 a.m., when they received a message from head coach Morgan de Pena.

“It was very, very sudden,” he said. “We didn’t have a clue.”

The third baseman, who grew up playing in the Midwest program that is based out of nearby Hamiota, said he has no idea what’s next, although he suspects he may stay at the school.

“It’s been baseball all my life and I’m not sure where I’m going to go now,” Lewis said.

Lewis, who will play senior AA again this summer with the Oak River Dodgers of the South West Baseball League, said he enjoyed his time with the Wesmen.

“Playing for the team was great,” he said. “I loved every minute of it. It was very fun and I learned a lot. I wish I could have been here longer.”

De Pena told Mike Sawatzky of the Winnipeg Free Press that he was puzzled by the move.

“We’re a totally self-funded program,” he said. “I don’t know, other than maybe some administrative workload, there’s no financial implications to it at all. I’m trying to get an answer from the president and the dean as to why our program had to be cut. I don’t know.”

A university spokesman said the program ran a $21,000 deficit on a $130,000 operating budget, but de Pena said it was his understanding that the six-year-old team had until the end of July to make good and had fundraisers planned.

Sawatzky reported that all of the 24 players and red-shirts paid $3,500 to play, and the team was coached entirely by volunteers. It had just completed its third season in the NAIA’s North Star Athletic Association.

John Patmore of Pipestone officially signed his letter of intent on March 27 to join the Wesmen next season. He found out on Tuesday afternoon on Twitter that the program had been axed.

“I never got an email or notification or anything,” he said.

The 18-year-old pitcher and infielder had no idea there was even a possibility of it happening, saying it completely came out of the blue.

“It’s devastating,” Patmore said. “You’ve mentally prepared yourself for what you’re going to do next year and then all of a sudden it’s gone. I’m pretty upset.”

He had other collegiate offers in the United States but said he’s unsure whether it’s now too late to accept them or if they are even still on the table.

Longtime provincial coach Faron Asham, who will manage Manitoba’s baseball entry into the Canada Games, said it’s a bad day for baseball.

“The loss of the program certainly means a lost opportunity for some of our players to play at the post-secondary level,” he said. “Not all of our guys are going to be able to get scholarship offers down south, and a lot of them want to stay at home based on the curriculum that the U of W offers. Also, at times, the low Canadian dollar makes it prohibitive to go down and play on a baseball team.”

ON DECK: With the loss of the Manitoba Senior Baseball League, the Brandon Marlins can provide a nice afternoon or evening of ball for fans. They kick off their Manitoba Junior Baseball League home schedule with a doubleheader against the Pembina Valley Orioles on Sunday, May 14 at 1 and 4 p.m. Admission is just $5.