Express look forward to next season

On the surface of it a team that made the playoffs by a run and were then swept wouldn't appear to have a lot of cause for optimism.
Still looking deeper, there were some positive strides taken by the Moose Jaw Miller Express this season.
In the first season under new head coach Michael Hunt, the Express returned the post-season after missing a year ago. The team battled injuries and absences and still played an entertaining and competitive brand of baseball.
"(The playoffs) and the first week of the season are really the only times we've had the full team in uniform," said Hunt. "This is what we can expect next year. Obviously we have some restraints on imports, but there are some quality guys out there that we can add on and I expect the majority of these guys to come back."
Hunt will return for a second season and he's hopeful the nucleus will rejoin him. Junior college players who plan on making the jump to four-year universities may heed their new team's wishes and play close to their new school next summer. Beyond that, the imports are open to returning.
"Everybody I've talked to, our imports, want to come back and I want them to come back," said Hunt.
Outfielder Jordan Smith can't predict his situation in a year, but the Longmont, Colo. would come back if he can.
"It's 50-50," said Smith. "It all depends what other options there are out there.
"I would be more than happy coming back here. I can't complain about the family I lived with. This town is so nice to us. They treat us well."
If the core of the team comes back Hunt feels they're well-positioned to make more big strides next year.
"The only thing I really think we need to do to get over the hump is to add a few more bats - a little more depth at some positions," said Hunt. "I certainly enjoyed that I got to actually play this year, but I don't want to have to. With the injuries we had it was kind of a forced situation.
"Next year we'd like to add a little more Canadian content to the team to go along with the imports. It's just adding a couple more bodies. The tools were here this year, there were just a few too many injuries and we were a few bodies too short."

Matthew Gourlie can be reached at 691-1261