Red Sox hope next season is a home run; team currently looking for billets

People in Regina will soon be able to take their friends and family out to a ball game.

The Regina Red Sox are gearing up for their next season and the Western Canadian Baseball League team is currently looking for billets.

Team president Gary Brotzel told the Greg Morgan Morning Show this week that the team needs at least three new billets for the upcoming season.

“(Billets need to provide things like) shelter, food, a washing machine … We play so many games (that) our guys aren’t even around that much,” he said. “They get off the bus late, sleep in a little bit, and then do it all over again the next day … They’re not around for supper that much, probably mostly breakfast and lunch and then they’re gone.”

Brotzel added billet families receive a per diem of $550 a month, which he says is comparable to the amount hockey billets receive.

When it comes to building the Red Sox roster, he said the process is pretty simple.

“My director of recruiting, Rye Pothakos, from Saskatoon does most of that for us. He’s actually down in Scottsdale, (Arizona) right now watching … college games (and) spring training games,” Brotzel said.

He said they often bring in players after being impressed by videos of how they play.

“Sometimes it’s the opposite, where we get some footage and we bring someone in and they’re not as good as what the video shows,” Brotzel jokingly added. “It goes both ways.”

As for where the Red Sox will be playing, he said he’s disappointed a new baseball stadium wasn’t considered to be a catalyst project by the city.

“I believe the direction they want to go now is just to try to handle that renovation (at Currie Field) or new build out of the regular parks and rec city budget,” Brotzel said. “The city hired a consultant to do up some drawings. We’ve seen them. They look pretty good. (I’m) still not convinced maybe that’s the right place for it.”

Brotzel said it’s still in the early planning stages, adding Currie Field is almost 60 years old.

“It needs some work. It’s just a matter of how far (to) go with the renovation versus starting from scratch and just blowing it up and building new,” Brotzel added.

Anyone interested in becoming a billet can download the application form from the team’s website.