Year End

Our final meeting went well. There were no major issues to resolve as fields, umps and our WYSA relationship all are well. The league had a surplus financially and is looking to expand by three or four teams.

2005 Championship

The 2005 Milwaukee Baseball League Championship offered a not anticipated match up between two American Division teams- The Division Pennant winning Blue Jays and the 2004 MBL Champion Supreme Builders. Both teams finished the regular season 7-7, but then pulled out victories against strong competition in the playoffs. The Blue Jays road to the championship was a classic pitching and fielding display as they began with a narrow victory over perennial power Kaspers (formerly Riverbend Shoes in the late 1990s and Twins Tap back into the 1980s), and a near escape against the rapidly improving Colonel Hart's team. Supreme Builders took on heavyweights O'Brien's who sported the league's best record in 2005 and Johnny V's- the 2004 runner-up, to get their bats warmed up for the championship.

In the top of the first inning, on a very nice early evening at Zirkel Field, Supreme Builders indeed came out swinging, and walking, tallying a seven run rally to immediately take control of the game. Chad Olsen started things with a lead off walk and was followed by six more consecutive base runners- Tom Rapp, Chris Moser, Eric Belter, Johnny Baierl, Dan Rischmann and Josh Yachnitch. Olsen later added an RBI double in his second at bat of the inning, which saw eleven Supreme Builder's batters.

On the hill, Supreme Builders pitcher Ryan Diaz set down the Blue Jays in order in the first, before allowing two runs in the second and one in the third. The Blue Jays threatened to close the gap as Eddy Cook tripled in the second to get an RBI and later score, and Don Klimek homered in the third to bring the game to 8-3. However, in what could have also been Supreme Builders bat night, the Builders put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth with five runs on five hits, including RBI by Yachnitch, Brian Rapp, Olsen, Tom Rapp and Moser. The game finished with a flurry of year end hitting in the eight and ninth- including a triple by Olsen- as the Supreme Builders laid claim to a consecutive Championship winning 18 to 6.

2005 MBL Championship
Saturday, August 20th
Supreme Builders 18
Blue Jays 6

The 2005 Playoff MVP award went to Chad Olsen of Supreme Builders who went 7 of 12, with 5 walks, 8 runs scored and five RBI, while playing a solid shortstop and gaining a victory and a save on the mound.

The 2005 Outstanding Playoff Pitcher award goes to Ryan Diaz who started all three playoff games on the mound for Supreme Builders, providing three quality starts and gaining two victories.