Roger Lajoie Blog: The future is bright

By Roger Lajoie The future is bright for the Hamilton Cardinals. While the Cards didn't take the final step to success they wanted to in 2026 - winning the Canadian Baseball League championship - it was still a season to remember for Hamilton, with high hopes now in place for 2027. There is every reason for that optimism. The 2026 CBL success of the Hamilton Cardinals was no fluke. You don't fluke out winning a pennant. You don't fluke out a 31-17 record either. And you don't fluke out a six-game semi-final playoff series win over an experienced Barrie Baycats team that had been to three straight league finals. That is an impressive season by anyone's standards. The defending champion Welland Jackfish were just too much to handle in the finals, sweeping the Cardinals in four games while out-scoring them 23-10. So while there is still obviously some work to do for the Cards to win a playoff title, they still proved they belonged with the CBL's elite teams all season. Success starts at the top of any sports organization, and the Cards are second to none in that department. Eric and Anna Spearin are tremendous owners and in four short years have completely turned around the franchise after years of failure. They are deeply committed to the team and the city, so local baseball fans can feel good about that. Speaking of those fans - their support has been terrific. Every team needs a solid home field advantage, and the crowds at The Nest got larger and louder as the season progressed. The game day operations are excellent. The baseball management staff did a great job recognizing talent and put together a solid lineup from top to bottom, with some great imports, which is such a key piece in this league. The finals loss to Welland was tough to take, no doubt. And there is work to do in the off-season to make a really good team a championship team. Make no mistake about that. But the solid ownership is in place, the fan base is solid, and the off-field and baseball departments are excellent. The future is indeed bright for baseball in Hamilton. It was a season to remember. But the best is yet to come. The 2027 season can't get here soon enough! Secure your 2027 Season Membership today