Border Cats ready to play ball as start of 2023 Northwoods League season approaches

Thunder Bay baseball fans, take heart: it's not much longer until the Thunder Bay Border Cats come back.

The team has not participated in Northwoods League play in three years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But they'll be back on the field for the 2023 season, starting on the road later this month and playing their home opener at Port Arthur Stadium on June 6.

"We definitely are looking for some sunny days ahead in terms of the weather to help dry out the ballpark, and allow the city to complete the upgrades to the field, as we prepare for June 6," Border Cats vice-president Bryan Graham said. "But we've been very encouraged with ticket sales over the course of the off-season.

"The corporate sponsorship has been great so far," he said. "So we're very optimistic getting ready for the the start of the season."

Graham said J.M. Kelly, who was named as the team's new field manager last fall, has put together a strong, balanced roster.

"We have a lot of really good pitching," Graham said. "Obviously pitching and defence is the number one thing when it comes to trying to to win and and move on into the playoffs, which you're really hope can happen this year."

The 2023 Border Cats season officially opens on May 29 with a six-game road trip: they'll play the Mankato Moondogs, Rochester Honkers and Waterloo Bucks.

Then, the Border Cats return to Thunder Bay for the June 6 home opener, kicking off a four-game home stand against the Duluth Huskies.

And the city is working to make sure Port Arthur Stadium is ready for the 2023 Northwoods League season.

"Things are progressing quite nicely," said Franco Marchese, the city's manager of facilities services. "We've worked throughout the winter. We still have a lot of work left to do.

"However, we're looking forward to getting the new season underway. We'll be ready on time for baseball season to start."

Painting and concrete work was completed over the winter, as well as some refurbishments, Marchese said. 

As for the field itself, Marchese said the recent weather has been a problem, although some preparation work has been done in anticipation of the Cats return.

"We're really ahead of the game, just waiting for some warm weather and some sunshine, so that we can get the tarps off and get everything going. Make sure that the grass is fed and growing, get the watering systems up and running.

"We did the warning track last year, and weed control is underway," Marchese said. "So there's not much left other than to basically repair what [was] damaged over the winter months from the frost."

Graham said the Cats are still looking for some local residents to host players during the upcoming season.

"The players are really only at your home for 40 days or less," Graham said. "It's not a long time, because obviously the team spends half the time on the road."

Host families, he said, will receive free tickets, discounted merchandise, and gift cards to help with grocery costs.

"We feed them after all of the games, so it's really just a late breakfast or an early lunch that they require, and then they head out to the ballpark. There's been 13 former Border Cats that have called Thunder Bay home that moved on to the major leagues.

"So if you do sign up, you are going to get a great ballplayer and someone that will become part of your family for a short time over the summer, and you might one day say that I had a future Major League baseball player stay at my place."

More information can be found on the Border Cats website.