FL New Jersey Jackals

Canadian Travel Plans?

Published on July 12, 2021 under Frontier League (FL)
New Jersey Jackals News Release


Will they or won't they? Will the New Jersey Jackals be taking a 500-mile trip to the beautiful, French-speaking city of Quebec in a few weeks?

The answer at this moment is: peut-etre... maybe.

The U.S.-Canada border has been closed since March 2020 because of the pandemic, but things have begun to ease up recently with more and more exceptions to the rule, and a full border opening could be coming soon, according to government officials in both countries.

But the Frontier League has a firm deadline looming: July 23.

That was the make-or-break deadline set by the league a month before this season began.

If the border is open by July 23, then the Jackals will be traveling to Quebec for a three-game series on Aug. 17, 18, and 19. And, there would be a second trip north for a four-game series Sept. 3, 4, 5, and 6.

If the border remains closed on July 23, then the makeshift, one-year team known as Equipe Quebec will continue to play the rest of the season on the road, even if the border opens up after that July 23 deadline.

If the border remains closed on July 23, then those seven "road" games become additional home games for the Jackals to host Equipe Quebec at Yogi Berra Stadium.

The U.S. and Canada agreed to close the border last year in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic.

Since then, both governments have agreed to extend the closure on a month-to-month basis. The current closure agreement expires July 21, which would meet the Frontier League's July 23 deadline. But another monthly extension of the closure to Aug. 21 would quash any travel to Canada.

The closed border has hit the Big Leagues, as well. That's the reason the Toronto Blue Jays are playing all of their home games at their Triple-A location in Buffalo.

So far this year, the Jackals have a 3-3 record against Quebec. Playing all of its games on the road, Quebec is currently 18-22 and tied with the New York Boulders for first place in the league's Atlantic Division.

Equipe Quebec was formed out of thin air right before the season started, combining selected players from the Quebec Capitales and the Trois-Rivieres Aigles. The third Canadian team in the league, the Ottawa Titans, took the entire year off, due to return in 2022.

If the border does open by July 23, then the Jackals would get to visit Stade Canac, a 4,300-seat ballpark on the banks of the peaceful St. Charles River a mile before it empties into the mighty St. Lawrence River. Originally named Stade Municipal when it opened in 1939, it is now named after the Canac hardware store chain.

Division Race Will Intensify

So far, the Jackals have only faced their in-state rival, the Sussex County Miners, four times this year, in the battle for the top spot in the Frontier League's Northeast Division.

But they'll get to know each a lot better from here on out.

Including rained-out makeup games, the Jackals and Miners will square off in14 games over the rest of the season, beginning tomorrow night with a three-game series in Little Falls.

In their first two series, Sussex County won three out of four games, with two games postponed.

The Miners come to town with a first-place record of 25-12, winning four of their last five, including Sunday's 4-3 decision over Tri-City.

The Jackals will take the field with a 19-18 record, six games behind the Miners. New Jersey is in the middle of a 12-game homestand - the longest of the year - and has rebounded from a four-game losing streak with two straight victories, including Sunday's 7-4 win over Quebec.

Roster Roulette

First baseman Dalton Combs is the only Jackals player to appear in every game so far this season. In those 37 games, the 26-year-old lefthander is batting .288 and leading the team in doubles with 11. And, his defense has been outstanding, committing just two errors in 205 chances for a .990 fielding percentage.

Catcher Jason Agresti has appeared in 33 games and is batting .319, including a 2-for-4 performance in Sunday's victory. Agresti is currently the only catcher on the Jackals roster. Backups Marcus Chavez and Nicco Toni were placed last week on the Inactive List and Injured List, respectively.

The Jackals have used just 14 position players so far this year. By comparison, the Miners have used 21. And, in a strange coincidence, the Jackals have used 21 pitchers so far; the Miners have used 14.

Outfielder Todd Isaacs continued his hot hitting on Sunday, going 2-for-2 to raise his batting average to .422. Of course, he's only played in 16 games, joining the club on June 20. Since then, he's had just two hitless games. The 25-year-old came to New Jersey after four seasons with Cleveland Indians farm teams and the 2019 season in the minors with the Colorado Rockies.

By Carl Barbati, former sports editor of the New Jersey Herald, Daily Record and The Trentonian.

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Frontier League Stories from July 12, 2021


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