The ottawa champions have come to terms on a contract for the 2017 season with their starting pitching ace RHP Austin Chrismon. The stout righty was effective as the ballclub’s top inning-eater last year while on his way to becoming an All-Star and earning the Can-Am League Pitcher of the Year award for his consistently impressive pitching performances. The 24-year-old native of Newport News, VA, posted a nifty 8-4 ledger as Ottawa’s top gun in 2016. Chrismon recorded a league best ERA of 2.39 over 135.1 innings and hurled three complete games.
The crowning achievement for Chrismon came in the deciding game of the Can-Am League’s championship series when he went the distance in leading the Champions to the victory over the tough Rockland Boulders. It was Ottawa’s first championship in only the team’s second season in the independent league.
Champions re-sign speedster Adron Chambers
Meanwhile, in an earlier signing, the Champions brought back their lineup’s speed demon. OF Adron Chambers and the ballclub signed off on a deal that will see the former major leaguer again setting the table from the leadoff spot. Chambers came over for the stretch drive last year in an August deal with the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the American Association.
Chambers recorded a stellar .304 batting average and cracked a home run while chasing home 10 RBI as Ottawa marched toward its successful playoff run. In the club’s two winning playoff series against the New Jersey Jackals and Rockland Boulders, Chambers batted a solid .289 and drove in six runs. Chambers’ career history included being drafted in the 38th round by the St.
Louis Cardinals during the 2007 draft. He made it up to the big club in parts of three seasons and was on the roster when the Cards won the 2011 World Series over the Texas Rangers and as they dropped the 2013 series to the Boston Red Sox.
Ottawa opens 2017 season May 18th with Trois-Rivieres
The Champions will open their 2017 season on May 18 with a series against their rivals, the Trois-Rivieres Aigles.
The five-game set will feature the league’s previous two champions. In this the 150th year of Canada’s existence as a country, its capital city of Ottawa will host the 2017 Independent League’s All-Star Game on July 25 at RCGT Park. A Home Run Derby and Skills Competition is slated to happen on July 24 to kick off the festivities.
