Dundas’ Stefan Strecker named to baseball league’s top 100 players of past century

By Craig Campbell Dundas Star News

Dundas’ Stefan Strecker has stood out during 15 seasons with the powerhouse Brantford Red Sox of the Intercounty Baseball League, setting high standards as a starter and reliever.

Now, as Strecker prepares for his final season on the mound to mark the IBL’s 100th anniversary, he’s been named to the league’s list of top 100 players of the last century.

“It’s humbling,” said Strecker. “There are a lot of great players on that list, and a lot of great players were left off.”

He has already accomplished the rare feat of pitching 15 seasons with the same team and was part of the Brantford franchise that won seven league titles between 2006 and 2013 — including six in a row.

Strecker won six games as a starter, with 10 or fewer starts, four times between 2001 and 2008. He reached new heights out of the bullpen with eight saves in 2011, plus six more in 2009 and 2012. In 2009, his earned run average of 0.79 was the league’s best.

A two time all-star and two time playoff most valuable player, Strecker also ranks number 1 all time in career pitching appearances, 10th in total innings pitched, 13th in wins (44) and 15th in strikeouts (422).

His love for baseball started as a kid growing up in the Valley Town, heading out with his father and brother to field fly balls and take batting practice. After playing minor baseball in Ancaster, while a student at Pleasant Valley, Dundana and Dundas District, Strecker pitched and played outfield for the Parkside Panthers in the middle to late 90s.

He moved on to play for Glanbrook in the Central Ontario Baseball Association and at Brock University where he was named number five in the top 50 all-time greatest Brock baseball players and inducted into the school’s baseball hall of fame.

When representatives of Brantford Red Sox visited Brock to scout one of Strecker’s teammates, they happened to see Strecker pitch, and the rest is, almost, history.

Strecker was one of Brantford’s top starters between 2002 and 2008, but when the team acquired a couple of starters with Major League experience, he was moved to the bullpen where he thrived on the pressure of getting the final three outs of a game.

As a starter, there was a set routine preparing to pitch every fifth day. As a reliever, Strecker could pitch every day.

“There was always a chance I was going to get the ball,” he said.

With Strecker as stopper, Brantford dominated the league from 2009 to 2013. Then his shoulder gave out under the pressure of 20 years of pitching. He took the 2016 season off to help coach Brantford after playing just fractions of the previous two years.

“It only hurt doing a pitching motion, it didn’t effect my day-to-day life,” Strecker said.

But knowing he wouldn’t be able to toss a baseball with his three children as they grew up, Strecker decided to get surgery to fix his shoulder. The doctor said afterwards he had a 95 per cent chance of returning to throwing form on the mound, so he decided to come back last season. In 15 games, he pitched just over 17 innings and picked up four more saves, giving up just seven earned runs.

“This will be my last season. It’s the 100th, it’s very special and will never happen again,” Strecker said.

Strecker still lives in Dundas, with his wife Jaqueline, and children Brooke (6), Maddux (4), named in honour of Strecker’s favourite pitcher, Greg Maddux, and Kole (18 months).