The GOAT, dynasty or just champions.
Whatever words you choose to describe the Barrie Baycats, there are two that are crucial in the description: And Still.
The Barrie Baycats defeated the Kitchener Panthers, 6-3, on Thursday night to claim their fifth consecutive Intercounty Baseball League championship and sixth in franchise history.
It was a banner year for both teams, including one which finished first (Barrie) and the other that placed second (Kitchener) in the regular season, went undefeated in the first two rounds of the playoffs before facing each other in the final and in six games had two that went to extra innings and saw some of the best pitching of the year.
If you have attended a Baycats game over the last few seasons you will know that one of, if not the most popular player is No. 10, Glenn Jackson.
The spirited outfielder has been a smiling face for the team for four of the six championships in Baycats history and is loudly cheered with every mention of his name.
The busload and car loads of Baycats fans have never cheered louder, though, for 'Glennie' as they did last night when it was announced that he had been named playoff MVP.
“If we went seven games I knew Frank (Garces) would get MVP; he’s been a stud on that mound all season for us,” Jackson told BarrieToday on Friday. “But I’ve also learned over all these years that when Kyle (DeGrace) says it, just believe it. He’s rarely wrong. He and a couple of the guys said I might get it and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel amazing.”
Jackson was certainly worthy of the playoff MVP award, hitting .419, leading the league in extra-base hits, runs and placing third in RBIs with a critical home run in last night’s Game 6.
Besides winning the MVP, Jackson says that this championship win was a little more special than last year’s dominating season, when the team went 33-3 in the regular season and then undefeated in the playoffs.
“Last year was great, obviously, but it felt like we won it in June,” Jackson said. “This was a grind and took everything we could put together to get this. We earned this sweat and this exhaustion.
"We’re going to enjoy this, party this weekend and really enjoy the win and each other," he added.
It's been noted many times over the years how the Baycats are like a family and hang out in the off-season as well as on game nights as some players who live in Barrie will take in some of the out-of-town guys on a late night.
Jackson loves everyone of the teammates he has just met this year and the ones who he has known in what seems like forever.
“These imports, man, what can you say except they made a huge difference,” Jackson said. “Starlin Rodriquez has been a champ for us here and fit right in. And I can’t say enough about (Santos) Arias. Then the guys like (Brandon) Dhue, (Jordan) Castaldo and so many others that I’ve played with for so long and, of course, there’s DeGrace, who I’ve been seeing since T-ball.
"This whole team is unreal and I love them all like brothers.”
At 35 years old, the questions are coming up regarding Jackson’s future with the team and with the league itself. While he refers to himself sometimes as “the old man," it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing where the vibrant Jackson does, but he is going to hang out with his three children a lot this off-season and check in with the person who has the most say about his future in the league.
“I’ll have to convince my wife to let me keep playing,” Jackson said. “I am getting older and feeling it more than I used to for sure, but I still feel like I can go out there and give what it takes when needed.
"That said, if this was it and if someone up above was telling me to hang it up, how can you argue with how it was orchestrated? Playoffs MVP, four straight IBL titles, going out on a high note in front of my parents, wife and kids. I am a man with not a thing to complain about. I know how very lucky and blessed I am.”
Jackson’s longtime friend, Kyle DeGrace, is a clubhouse leader, a role he relishes. The veteran catcher admits he felt beat up this morning, but is enjoying his fifth championship victory with Barrie and sixth overall.
“All the wins are different, but this one felt really good because of the season itself,” DeGrace said. “There was so much parity in the league this year and every game was a must-win. This truly was a fantastic IBL season.”
One key moment in last night’s victory was a seventh-inning home run turned bat-flip by Barrie’s Starlin Rodriquez. Much has been made of the moment, as it led to some pushing and shoving and Rodriguez being ejected, but despite the season now less than 24 hours removed, as a team leader DeGrace said he wants to set the record straight. It's no surprise he does so defending his teammate.
“Listen, earlier this year we had barely anyone able to make it to a game (June 7) and we had Stevie (Lewis) in there pitching while Kitchener lit us up 20-6 and were enjoying it,” DeGrace said matter-of-factly. “All I’ll say is Starlin hit his when it mattered, in a crucial game and smashed it to the parking lot, so yeah, I’m glad he stood there and watched every second of it go over the fence.
"Besides all that, though, we’re a very close-knit team, we’re all good friends and I’m proud of every single person in this organization," DeGrace added.
The Baycats will post details on a community celebration at Coates Stadium in the coming days.
