Somewhat unfounded rumour creation

So, the ABL is right around the corner, just on the horizon, up around the bend, almost here, and I don't know about you, but I am getting excited.

I am super keen to see what sort of imports the ABL bring in this year, as I think that having solid imports should be one of the key pillars of their strategy. For this reason, I have been keeping a keen eye on possible rumours or news about likely appearances from non-Aussie players. There has already been some speculation that Jose Canseco could be appearing in some sort of capacity - I am not quite sure what I think about this yet...one plus would be that a bucketload of regular Aussies will know who he is, as he has been on The Simpsons...but at the same time, he is probably not someone you would say is blessed with character and integrity.

However, today I put together a few things that suggested there might be something better brewing. I am going to put it all out there - if I am wrong, I am wrong, and you can legitimately call me a crazy fanboy. But in the interests of making some sort of prediction, I offer the following:

We could see a few more high-level minor leaguers [possibly with Major League experience] from the Minnesota Twins organisation playing in the off season, possibly in Canberra.

What makes me say that?

Well, I have noticed a couple of things in recent days/weeks which I think indicate this could be a possibility, they are:

1. The Twins are having a pretty sucky year. They have been plagued by injuries to key players, and are generally performing poorly (team ERA 4.46, 26th in MLB; team Batting Average Against .274, 29th in MLB; on base percentage .307, 28th in MLB). This has been a good thing for some of the young guns in their organisation, including not just Luke Hughes, but guys like Ben Revere, Trevor Plouffe, Danny Valencia and others on the cusp, who have benefited from the injuries to others and have had significant playing time. It seems like Revere, Hughes and Plouffe, as well as Rene Tosoni, have potential to be regular big leaguers, but as John Shipley at TwinCities.com recently remarked, at least Hughes and Plouffe have not really cemented their place in the bigs just yet.

2. Because they have been filling out roster spots with inexperienced players, Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has been playing teacher. In particular, he has been working through some situational plays with the younger guys over the last week or two. In an article in the Star Tribune referencing special work Gardy has been putting in with Revere, Hughes and Plouffe, Gardenhire said he would be encouraging Trevor Plouffe to play Winter Ball to assist in his development. Perhaps he could join his colleague Luke Hughes on a trip down under?

3. Today, Ben Revere took what has been widely recognised as a rather awesome catch (if you love a good defensive play and haven't already seen it, check it out here). This was re-tweeted in a thousand different places, and put up on stacks of Facebook pages. One such page was the Canberra Cavalry page, which added the comment 'This is an amazing catch, maybe the catch of the year. Will there be plays like this at the Fort this summer'. Now, this could be entirely innocuous or coincidental, but when you also think that there has been some interaction between the Cavalry and the Twins in recent times (Twins international scout Howard Norsetter signed Cavalry pitcher Tim Atherton)....it becomes tempting to believe this could be a hint at something.

As I said above, I may be totally off track with this one, and I recognise it would be kind of a big deal for AAA/AAAA/MLB players to drop in to the ABL in the Winter, but maybe we could see it happen....My guess is we would be more likely to see a guy like Trevor Plouffe rather than Revere, but time will tell I guess.

Only 72 days til opening night!

Famous Aussie MLB debuts

Another Australian baseballer has made it to the big show, after Josh Spence successfully debuted for the San Diego Padres yesterday.

It was an impressive start.

Spence faced three quality hitters in Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones and Brian MacCann, and retired them in order. It was an uplifting and energising event, and Spence clearly received a lot of support from the crowd - which included a contingent of travelling Aussies, the team, and of course his Yoda backpack.

Josh Spence's 'rookie backpack'

Spence's exciting appearance got me thinking. Out of the other 28 Aussie major leaguers, who had great first games, and who had not so great. I thought it might be interesting to take a stroll through the history books and find out.

Turns out there are quite a few success stories - including Luke Hughes, who famously homered in his first major league at bat, and Ryan Rowland-Smith, who struck out Ken Griffey Jr. Like anything though, there are also a few shockers...


The winners

Luke Hughes
Luke Hughes has probably the most famous major league debut among Aussies. He first appeared for the Twins on 28 April 2010 against the Detroit Tigers. In his first at bat - which was a split affair courtesy of Delmon Young being caught stealing third base in the second inning - he picked up a home run off Max Scherzer in the third inning. It was a fantastic start to a career that is showing some real promise, although on the day it was not enough, the Twins lost 11-6.

Craig Shipley

Shipley is the first Australian of the modern era to crack the big leagues. While he spent the majority of his career with the Padres, Shipley debuted with their NL West rivals, the Dodgers, on  22 June 1986. The Dodgers met the Padres in front of more than 42,000 fans at Dodger Stadium, with Shipley batting eighth and playing shortstop.

Shipley picked up an RBI in his first at bat in the second inning, when he drove home Alex Trevino from third base on a fielder's choice. In the third inning he picked up his first major league hit - a single. He ended the game 1-for-4, with one RBI, and the Dodgers lost 5-4. 

The remainder of the 1986 season was a bit of a struggle for Shipley - he finished up after 12 games with just three hits from 27 at bats (.111), and it wasn't really until he signed with the Padres in 1991 that he really started to hit his straps.

Travis Blackley
Travis Blackley first pitched for the Seattle Mariners on 1 July 2004 against the Texas Rangers in front of a healthy crowd of 35,000 at Safeco Field.

Blackley struck out the first hitter he faced, and retired the first eight hitters in a row. On top of this, he got plenty of run support from Mariners hitters - who put on seven runs over the first three innings. Blackley did not allow a hit until the fourth inning, when Mike Young picked up a double. After a couple of walks, Mark Teixeira then drove Young in on a fielder's choice - taking the score to 7-1 Mariners. 

Travis then got through the fifth inning without trouble, but couldn't stretch it through the sixth. He retired the first two hitters, but then hits to Teixeira and Hank Blalock set the table for Kevin Mench, he left the game with a 7-4 lead in place, and took the win, with the Mariners eventually winning 8-4.  It was to be Blackley's best performance, and only win, of his rookie season, and he finished 2004 with an ERA over 10.

Dave Nilsson

Still Australia's most successful positional player, Dave Nilsson made his debut for the Milwaukee Brewers - with whom he spent his entire career - on  18 May 1992. While Craig Shipley had enjoyed a rousing 42,000 home crowd at Dodger Stadium, Nilsson met an away crowd of just 9680 at Tiger Stadium. 

Nilsson had an impressive debut, hitting a three-run double in the eighth inning to cement the Brewers 9-1 victory. It took him almost a week to pick up his second hit, but he made it count, hitting two singles and a home run, with three RBI in a game against the Yankees.

Trent Oeltjen
Trent Oeltjen had a whopper of a debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks on 6 August 2009. They met the Pirates on the road, and came away with an 11-6 victory, and Trent racked up six at bats. He singled in his first major league at bat and promptly stole second base. Flash forward to the eighth inning, with the Diamondbacks trailing 6-5, and Trent led off with a home run to tie it at six a piece. On top of that, he picked up an outfield assist, throwing out Delwyn Young at second base.

The game eventually went 12 innings, with the Diamondbacks picking up five runs in the 12th to win it.

Trent kept his form hot, including going 4-for-4 on 11 August, just a homerun short of hitting the cycle. After five starts he was hitting .500, with two doubles, a triple and three home runs.

Ryan Rowland-Smith

Ryan Rowland-Smith had a somewhat interesting debut. He first pitched for the Mariners on 22 June 2007 against the Cincinatti Reds. He started in the bullpen, and was called on in the sixth inning. The Reds had just smacked two home runs, and plated a total of six runs, and the scoreboard was standing at 16-0. Standing at the plate awaiting the rookie was seasoned slugger, and ex-Seattle hero, Ken Griffey.

Not daunted by the occasion, Rowland-Smith went to work, and promptly struck out Griffey. He returned for the seventh inning, and allowed just one hit. He also struck out Josh Hamilton. While the game outcome was pretty deflating (a 16-1 loss), it was definitely a memorable introduction for Ryan.


Rich Thompson
Thompson faced off against the Texas Rangers on 1 September 2007, and worked very effectively. He struck out the first two hitters he faced, allowed a double to Ian Kinsler, and then retired Ramon Vazquez to end the inning.

Mark Hutton

The first Australian to play for the famous New York Yankees, Mark Hutton played his first game on 23 July 1993 at Yankee Stadium, in front of 25,000 fans. He started the game nervously, as he walked the first hitter he faced - Luis Polonia - and it continued to be a little shaky as Polonia stole second base, and then third base! Polonia went on to score on a Damion Easley sacrifice fly, but Hutton escaped the first inning allowing just the one run. 

In the second inning he picked up his first major league strikeout, Chili Davis, and retired the side in order. The Yankees picked up a run in the second inning, and Hutton settled into his work with the game tied at one a piece. Hutton travelled well through the third, fourth and fifth innings, and he started the sixth inning by walking Gary DiSarcina. Di Sarcina then reached second base on a fielder's choice, before Luis Polonia singled, moving him to third. An error on a pickoff play then allowed DiSarcina to score, and after the top of the sixth, the Angels led the Yankees 2-1.

The Yankees' bats came alive in the bottom of the sixth, with Wade Boggs, Don Mattingly, Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill all picking up hits, scoring three runs and taking a 4-2 lead. Hutton returned to the mound for the seventh and eighth innings, and got it done without any further trouble. He picked up the win, and his final line on the day was an impressive 8IP, 3H, 2R, 1ER, 5SO, 4BB.

It was easily Hutton's best outing of the year. In the remaining six games he played in 1993 he was unable to go as deep into games as he did on debut. Later in the year he also spent some time in the bullpen too. He finished the year with 22 innings pitched over seven appearances, an ERA of 5.73, 12 strikeouts and 17 walks.

Micheal Nakamura

Nakamura is the only Australian major leaguer to pick up a save in his first major league appearance. Debuting on 7 June 2003 pitching for the Minnesota Twins against the San Diego Padres, Nakamura struck out the first hitter he faced, and pitched a clean 1.1 innings, allowing one hit, and picking up the save, as the Twins won 6-2.

Grant Balfour
Balfour made his first major league appearance on 22 July 2001 for the Twins, as they hosted the Seattle Mariners in front of more than 44,000 people at the Metrodome. Balfour relieved Kyle Lohse in the fifth inning with one out and runners at the corners. He struck out the first hitter he faced - Mike Cameron - and then escaped the inning with no damage. He returned for the sixth inning, and allowed one run, after walking Stan Javier, and giving up a single to Ichiro Suzuki. His final line for the day was 1.2 innings pitched, 1 hit, 1 run, two walks, two strikeouts. The Twins lost 6-3.

Peter Moylan
Crafty side-armer Peter Moylan began tormenting hitters on 12 April 2006, and who better to start his career against than divisional rivals the Phillies. Moylan pitched the eighth inning, when the Phillies had a 7-3 lead. His first opponent was Ryan Howard, who was fresh off a Rookie of the Year season, and who would go on to be 2006 MVP. Moylan retired him, and then allowed a double to David Bell before retiring the next two hitters. The Braves staged an eighth inning fightback, but were unable to get up, and lost 7-5, but it was a successful entry for Moylan.


Mark  Ettles

Western Australia's Mark Ettles was similar to Josh Spence in some ways. He enjoyed a number of years of minor league success - largely as a reliever in the Padres organisation - and he made his debut courtesy of a June call up (5 June 1993). And, like Spence, Ettles struck out the first hitter he faced the Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine. He went on to have a 1-2-3 inning, and ended his major league career after 14 appearances through 1993.

The shockers
Brad Thomas
Current major leaguer, Brad Thomas, began his career with the Minnesota Twins on 26 May 2001, facing off against the Oakland Athletics at the Metrodome. Thomas got through the first inning without much fanfare - he allowed two walks, but no runs or hits. He did run into trouble in the second inning though.

Thomas allowed a single to Eric Chavez, who then scored on a double from Omeldo Saenz. Thomas gave up another two walks, before a wild pitch allowed another run. A single to Jason Giambi then allowed a fourth run to cross the plate. After 1.2 innings, three hits, four walks and four runs, Thomas was done for the day. He was relieved by none other than Johan Santana, and the Twins went on to win the game 7-6 in the 10th inning courtesy of a walk-off single to Torii Hunter.


Damian Moss
Damian Moss, big left handed reliever, made his debut with the Atlanta Braves on 26 April 2001. The Braves faced off against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, and got off to a good start, plating three runs in the first. However, Arizona hit back quickly, and took a 4-3 lead in the second. The Braves fought back again though, scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth inning, to lead 6-4. Braves' starter Greg Maddux was chased out of the game in the sixth inning by the D-Backs hitters, who plated four runs, taking an 8-6 lead.

Matt Whiteside opened the eighth inning on the mound for the Braves, and promptly gave up back to back homeruns to the first two Diamondbacks hitters. He then gave up a single to Steve Finley, and walked Jay Bell before being replaced by Moss. At the plate stood Luis Gonzalez, who then slugged a three-run homerun to welcome Moss to the big leagues. Moss went on to retire the next two hitters, but the Braves lost 13-6.

John Stephens
John Stephens is a right hander from NSW, who played 12 games for the Baltimore Orioles in 2002. It was a somewhat rude welcome that met him when he took the mound against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on 30 July 2002. The Devil Rays were a terrible team that year - losing 106 games, however they were on song at Tropicana Field on 30 July.

The Orioles were retired in order in the top of the first, and Stephens took the mound to face the Rays in his first appearance. By the end of that inning, he had allowed three singles, two doubles, a grand slam home run, and six earned runs. Mercifully the inning ended when Carl Crawford was caught stealing second base. Stephens gave up home runs again in the second and third inning, and left the game after three innings staring down a 9-0 deficit.

Chris Oxspring

On 2 September 2005, the Milwaukee Brewers smashed the San Diego Padres 12-2. After the Padres' starter Brian Lawrence was hit for three runs in the first two innings, and was unable to close out the second, they called on Chris Oxspring to make his debut. Oxspring entered the game with two outs and runners on first and second. He walked the first hitter he faced - Carlos Lee - and then allowed a grand slam homerun to Geoff Jenkins, taking the score to 7-0. He allowed another home run, this time a two-run shot to Lee, in the fourth inning, and allowed another two runs in the fifth, taking the score to 11-0 to the Brewers.

Oxspring then found his groove, and retired the last six hitters he faced in order, however it was too little too late. The Padres lost 12-2, and Oxspring had the unflattering figures of 5.1 innings pitched, six hits, six runs, and three walks - although he also picked up seven strikeouts.

The first game in the big leagues can certainly be a tough one - but that's baseball. With seven Aussies already in Major League Baseball this year, we are sure to see at least a few great performances. Who will be the next Aussie to make their debut, and how will they go? We look forward to finding out...

Rich Thompson talks with OzMLBplayers.com

Rich Thompson has been climbing his way through the Angels' ranks for a number of years now. He first reached the bigs in 2007, but it has not been until this year that he has really cemented a spot in the big leagues.

I've been following Rich's progress since 2008 and have been excited to see him crack a spot in the major league squad. I was fortunate enough to get a short interview with the very busy Thompson last week.

Rich was one of the few Aussie players with Major League experience who played in the inaugural Australian Baseball League. He pitched in three games for the Blue Sox, and picked up a record of 1-0, striking out four over three innings pitched. The support of major league players is a critical success factor for the ABL, and I was interested to hear Thompson's thoughts on the league.

Rich Thompson pitching for the Blue Sox in the inaugural ABL season

'It was exciting to see professional baseball back in Australia and hopefully we can continue to draw more and more attention to it,' he said. 'It's always good when you go home and spend some time with your mates while preparing for the season. The media during spring training was really interested in hearing about the new league which I think is a great platform for more exposure'.

Following some outstanding performances through spring training in 2011, and a bit of luck through some opportunities arising through injury, Thompson scored a spot in the Angels' bullpen, and he hasn't disappointed. Through his first 20 appearances this year, he has pitched 27 innings, striking out 30, and allowing just three earned runs.

Since he has put quite a number of years into the Angels' minor league system, and is now starting to reap the rewards, I asked Rich how he felt to be in the majors and what he felt was the key to his success. 'I have had time in the big leagues over the last five seasons so it's been easy to become accustomed to how it all works. The Angels are the only organization I have played with, so I can only speak from my experience, but they do a great job preparing their Minor leaguers for the pressures of the Majors'. In terms of his successes this year, Rich said 'I've made a lot of strides in the past few years with more strikes and better pitch command which has given me the opportunity to put up numbers to help establish myself and show more consistency'. He said that for the rest of the season he hopes to pitch later in games and to prove he is 'a reliable go-to guy'.

Off the field, Thompson has also been very much a part of the Angels club, and has been involved in  promoting the development of the game. He was recently involved in a coaching clinic at Angel stadium with a few of his teammates and 250 kids.

Image from OCregister.com

'The organization does several clinics throughout the year and I was approached about helping out. I was happy to volunteer my time. It's run similar to Training With the Pros in Sydney each January so I was familiar with the format and these kids were so eager to learn'. 

Also off the field, Thompson has joined many other MLB stars by embracing social media. The LA Angels are one of the most prolific Tweeting teams in the majors, with Thompson being joined in the twitter-verse by Torii Hunter, Vernon Wells and Peter Bourjos among others. While he is not quite as hardcore a tweeter as his compatriot and fellow reliever Peter Moylan, Thompson boasts more than 4500 followers, and has embraced the interactive qualities of twitter. 'Twitter has changed everything...it's a fun way to interact,' he said. 'A lot of the support I get is from fellow Aussies, and social media opens up a new avenue for fans to gain access to athletes regardless of where they're playing'. [If you didn't check it out at the time, check Thompson's tweet stream for the very cool and original Easter Egg hunt he ran at Angel Stadium].

One thing that differentiates Thompson from some of the other Aussies in the majors at the moment is his extensive array of baseball cards - there are at least ten different cards out there. I asked him how this all came about. 'When I made the Futures Game in 2007, about five or six cards came out. Within the last few years I've come across most of my cards and have gathered at least one of each. The limited edition ones are harder to come by, but I don't really go out of my way to collect them'. For any autograph hunters out there, it seems Rich is happy to help. 'It's always interesting to open up fan mail and sign a new card that I haven't seen before,' he said.

When asked what was the best advice he could give up and coming Aussie baseballers, Thompson reflected back to some words of wisdom imparted from a fellow Aussie many years ago. 'When I was 13 I attended a two-day camp with Mark Shipley,' said Thompson. Shipley's advice was 'Don't drink. Don't smoke. Always be clean shaven. And church on Sundays - That's always stuck with me'. Thompson said. 'Since I can't be bothered shaving and we play games on Sundays, I guess two out of four ain't bad'.

We wish Rich all the best for the remainder of the MLB season, and we look forward to seeing him back in Sydney for the ABL later in the year!

2011 Players to Watch - Part Two

This is part two of a series focusing on the 2011 Oz MLB Players to watch. Today is a focus on some young up-and-comers in the lower levels of minor league ball.

MATT KENNELLY - C - PERTH HEAT/ATLANTA BRAVES

Matt Kennelly is coming off a red hot season for the Perth Heat. He appeared in all 40 regular season games and hit for an average of .306, with nine doubles, two homeruns and 24 RBIs. At the age of 22, Matt has played four seasons of minor league baseball with the Atlanta Braves organisation, culminating in a solid 2010 season for the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, in which he hit seven home runs. He has been rewarded for his success over the past year, and started the season at the Double-A Mississippi Braves.

Bank in 2009, Baseball America rated Kennelly in the top 30 Braves prospects. His 2009 and 2010 seasons were solid, but not stellar. At just 22 years of age, he is still young enough to develop further. Expect him to hit the ground running at Double-A, and continue to improve his game. He has had a chance to play a couple of games in AAA already, and has not disgraced himself (.286 avg with a double and RBI), and will look to get some more time in AAA this year.

Matt Kennelly

JOSH SPENCE - LHP - MELBOURNE ACES/SAN DIEGO PADRES

In June 2010, Geelong-born Josh Spence was picked up as a 9th round draft pick by the San Diego Padres. He battled some issues with an inflamed nerve in his elbow through 2010, and while he didn't require surgery, he did spend some time away from the mound. 

Spence has won quite a few accolades through the College system, after originally learning about the Arizone State University program on the internet and successfully  trying out for the team. He started out playing ball in junior college, and he dominated. Through 2007 and 2008, Spence posted an ERA of 1.40, and struck out 327 hitters over 270 innings, with a remarkable WHIP of 0.88.

In 2009, Spence moved to Arizona State, and again put up some serious numbers - although not without overcoming a few obstacles. He was struck in the face by a line drive, and also suffered a finger injury. In the end he compiled a 10-1 record over 18 appearances, with an ERA of 2.37. He went on to pick up a win in the College World Series, striking out 16 hitters over 14 innings of work. 

Spence earned a lot of respect in Arizona, with Arizona coach Pat Murphy remarking that 'the most important thing about Spence is that in my 22 years in Division 1 baseball, he's possibly the most special kid I've ever been around...he's delightful, sensitive, caring, an extraordinary teammate and he comes over and plays with my son. It just seems like sometimes this kid is too good to be true. He's the type of guy I'm going to get emotional about when he finally leaves campus'.

Josh Spence

After signing with the Padres in mid-2010, Spence appeared in 10 games through Rookie ball up to Class A. He compiled a record of 2-2, with an ERA of 3.00, and 42 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Spence proved himself good enough to kick off the season in double-A with the San Antonio Missions, and he is off to a solid start - he has given up two home runs, but has also picked up ten strikeouts over eight innings, allowing just three earned runs. Spence has shown that he has real quality stuff through his college career, and is well placed to have a big year.

STEFAN WELCH - 1B - ADELAIDE BITE/NEW YORK METS

Stefan Welch has played four seasons in the Mets minor league organisation, and played high-A ball through the end of 2009 and through 2010 at the St Lucie Mets. 

Running off the back of a strong end to the ABL season - he went 4-for-11 (.363) in the ABL Championship series, with two doubles and a home run - Welch will be keen to carry some momentum into the US summer.

Welch has predominantly played first base in his time in the US, but showed some versatility in the ABL - spending most of his time at third base. He will be looking to expand his power hitting and earn a spot at the double-A Binghamton Mets.

Welch is off to a flyer through the first couple of weeks of the season - having started with the high-A St Lucie  Mets. He has whacked six doubles, a triple and a home run through his first 20 games, and is hitting .284 with 13 RBIs.

RORY RHODES - 3B/1B - BRISBANE BANDITS/MINNESOTA TWINS

Rory Rhodes

He's a 19-year old kid from Narangba, Queensland, and he has one of the most American-sounding names going around, but Rory Rhodes is a fair dinkum Aussie prospect with the Minnesota Twins.

Signed at the age of 17 in 2008, Rhodes is yet another Aussie following the path to the bigs through the Twins organisation. In his first season of Rookie ball he found it a little tough, hitting just .198 with 28 strikeouts in 116 at bats, but he improved significantly in 2010. In his second year, Rhodes hit .319 and improved his strikeout numbers.

He is yet to hit a homerun, but at the age of 19 he has plenty of growing to do, and plenty of time to find some power - he did find some more power in the ABL - cracking five homeruns while hitting .279. A recent poll conducted by the Twinkie Town blog found Rhodes as Minnesota's number 50 prospect, and predicted a breakout year in 2011.

BOSS MOANAROA - 1B - SYDNEY BLUE SOX/BOSTON RED SOX

In 2008 Boss Moanaroa had seriously thought about quitting the game of baseball. 'I lost interest in playing baseball and wanted to focus on BMX racing. I was a state champion, national champion and went to the world titles' he said. He didn't quit though, he decided to continue working hard, and it paid dividends when he signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Boss Moanaroa in 2008

At the time he was signed, Red Sox scout and Australian coach Jon Deeble noted that Boss was big and strong, but had 'never lifted a weight in his life'.

Nearly three years on, and Boss has two seasons of Rookie ball, and a strong half-season in the ABL, under his belt. And it seems Moanaroa is getting bigger and stronger.

Boss is an exciting hitter to watch - he has a strong plate presence and is the sort of hitter that always seems on the edge of making something happen. He was a strong performer for the Sydney Blue Sox early in the season, and they missed his bat later in the year.

In two years of Rookie ball, Boss is hitting .281/.367/.366, and he picked up a couple of homeruns in 2010. He will be looking to develop some stronger power numbers, both in terms of extra base hits and RBIs over the next year.

ESPN says Boss is 'essentially a raw athlete with a lottery-ticket chance of developing into an impact major leaguer'. While these are not exactly encouraging words, Boss is someone who shows a lot of potential. He is expected to start the season at the class A Lowell Spinners.

How are the ABL US imports doing this season?

While technically not an 'Oz MLB players' story, I am interested to see how US-based players who played in the ABL perform back in the US leagues. With things starting to progress through the minor league season, I thought it might be worth checking in on some them to see how they are progressing. It is a bit of a mixed bag really, quite a few players have stepped up to AA for the first time, and are not quite hitting their straps - some others are doing real well.

Quincy Latimore has stepped up to AA this year for the Altoona Curve. Through 42 games he has posted an average of .219 (34-for-155) with just 9 doubles and 2 home runs. Probably a bit of a slower start than Latimore would have liked, and his strikeout rate continues to be a concern - he has struck out in 47 of 155 at bats (30%).

Latimore's teammate from the Bite, James McOwen, has also made the step up to AA this year, and is faring a little better. Playing for the Jackson Generals, McOwen has a .252 average (40-for-159) with 9 doubles and 4 home runs.

From the Heat, Ronnie Welty has also entered his first year of AA, with the Bowie Baysox. Like McOwen and Latimore, he is not yet putting up huge numbers, with an average of .212. He does though have seven home runs.

Alongside Welty is Robbie Widlansky - who is in his second year of AA with Bowie - and he is hitting .256 with 14 doubles, three home runs and 28 RBIs.

Also at Bowie is ex-Heat pitcher Cole McCurry. McCurry recently commented that he felt the ABL was a big help to him coming into the American summer, as his arm was in 'midseason form' at the start of the season. His numbers so far certainly support that. They speak for themselves really, and I think they are worth calling out:

• 11 appearances in relief
• Record of three wins and zero losses
• 27 innings pitched
• 12 hits
• One run
• 34 strikeouts

McCurry has not allowed a run in his last 24 innings of work, while picking up 32 strikeouts.

Wow.

Also on the pitching front, Brandon Maurer has had quite a solid start to the year. He started out in Class A with the Clinton LumberKings, where he struck out 44 hitters over 37 innings, mainly as a starter. He put up a record of 1-3, with a 3.41 ERA, and was promoted to Class A Advanced  with the High Desert Mavericks (seriously, I can't get enough of these awesome names). He has pitched in two games for the Mavs, including one just yesterday in which he pitched an eight-inning, three-hit shutout. Remarkably he got a no decision, when the opposition (the Modesto Nuts!!!) put up five runs in the ninth inning. In his two starts for the Mavericks, he is 0-1, with 13 innings pitched. He has given up 10 hits, 2 runs, and has struck out 13 (with zero walks). So things are looking pretty good for him.

We might check in later in the year to see how things progress.

2011 Players to Watch - Part One

Over the next few weeks, as the minor league baseball season gets fully up and running, I will be running a feature on the 2011 Oz MLB Players to watch. Today marks Part One, with a focus on some young up-and-comers in the lower levels of minor league ball.

JAMES BERESFORD - SS - MELBOURNE ACES/MINNESOTA TWINS

In 2010, a 21-year old James Beresford backed up and played a second year of class-A ball with the Minnesota Twins affiliate Beloit Snappers. Signed by the Twins at the age of 16, Beresford had played three years of minor league baseball, and also represented Australia in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. He entered 2010 looking to develop some power - having hit just 19 extra base hits in more than 200 at bats. Through the season he did not quite hit the level of power he might have liked, but he certainly improved. 

Beresford cut his strikeouts from 70 in 2009 to 56 in 2010, and he picked up 25 extra base hits, including his first home run. He ended the year with a line of .297/.349/.363, and he was awarded the Beloit Snappers Player of the Year Award.

James Beresford at the World Baseball Classic

Beresford returned to Australia for the inaugural ABL season in 2010, and he performed well. He appeared in 12 games for the Melbourne Aces, where he struck out just four times in 52 at bats, and put up numbers of .404/.436/.519.

Like Joel Naughton for the Phillies, James Beresford played a few games with the Twins big league squad at Spring Training. Presumably he will spend a lot of time this year at high-A Fort Myers Miracle, and will look to continue to add some pop to his bat.

MITCHELL FIENEMANN - RHP - ADELAIDE BITE/PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Mitchell Fienemann has played two years in the Pirates minor league organisation, and was in Low-A ball in 2010. He has put up some respectable numbers - over two seasons he has struck out 51 hitters and walked just 10 over 77.2 innings.

Mitchell Fienemann

While Fienemann did not play in the ABL in 2010/2011, he has an affiliation in that he was signed to the Pirates by the Adelaide Bite manager Tony Harris in 2009.

Fienemann spent 2010 at the short season State College Spikes, and will this year be pushing to make the roster at West Virginia Power, in the class-A South Atlantic League.

Joel Naughton

JOEL NAUGHTON - C - BRISBANE BANDITS/PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES

Joel Naughton is a guy the Phillies must be taking pretty seriously. At the age of 24, he has accumulated six years in their organisation. He has shown good progression through Rookie Ball, low class A, A, and Advanced A-ball. This culminated in a strong 2010 at Clearwater Threshers, in which he hit a career high .308 while being hampered towards the end of the season by an arm injury. 

Naughton underwent surgery before joining the Phillies in major league spring training this year. It is the second time he has joined the big league squad in the spring. He had a good run of it this time round, getting hits in two of his three at bats, including a walk off single against the Rays. Naughton should play AA ball this year, and he is definitely one to watch.

STEVE KENT - LHP - CANBERRA CAVALRY/ATLANTA BRAVES

Steve Kent

Steve Kent is a 21 year old from Canberra, who signed with the Braves at the age of sixteen. He spent a couple of reasonably successful years in Rookie ball, before a shoulder injury ended his campaign in early 2009. 

Kent spent a year away from the game and returned to A-ball Rome Braves in 2010. He appeared in 19 games (three as a starter), and put together a record of 2-0 with one save.

Kent was a member of the inaugural Canberra Cavalry roster in the 2010/2011 ABL season. He started six games for the Cavalry, and was obviously on pitching restrictions - only pitching 12 innings over six starts. His numbers were nothing to write home about, although he did not have strong offense behind him. I would expect Kent will build on his performances from the ABL season and have a strong year for the Braves again - probably starting in class-A ball.

DAVID KANDILAS - OF - SYDNEY BLUE SOX/COLORADO ROCKIES

David Kandilas

I have written quite a bit about David Kandilas over the past few months. The 20-year old Sydney outfielder had a very impressive ABL season. His defensive skills are solid - and include a cannon of an arm - and his approach at the plate appears to be developing to a professional level.

When I spoke with Kandilas in December 2010, he said he was hoping to get some time at class-A in 2011. His form through the end of the ABL season certainly did not harm his chances of that happening.

Kandilas was one of the most reliable hitters in the Blue Sox lineup, and while he did not pick up a whole bunch of extra base hits, he hit consistently and executed well - picking up ten RBIs and a .274 average. He also swiped fives bases.

David has played two seasons of rookie ball with the Rockies, and seemed to make some improvements in 2010 - he took his average from .205 to .262, and picked up more extra base hits. He will be hoping that this progression, combined with his strong ABL season, will lead to some time with the class-A Tri-City Dust Devils.

Perth Heat to play in Asia Baseball Series - does anyone care?

So the Perth Heat/ABL today announced some groundbreaking news - that the Heat, as ABL champions, will participate in the Asia Series baseball tournament in November. Until today, I had never heard of the Asia Series, so initially didn't really understand what this actually meant. Turns out it is a relatively small tournament, which is quite young. It seems that there has been very little media or other interest in the story today. So why bother? Well, after reading about it some more - I think that the main strategy here must be to increase the exposure of the ABL in Asia - there doesn't seem to any other benefit.

It turns out that the Asia Baseball series has been around since 2005 - according to Wikipedia. And when i say it has been around since 2005, I mean there were four tournaments held between 2005 and 2008, with no tournament since then because it lost financial backing. The tournaments have involved teams from the Korean and Japanese leagues as well as teams from China and Taiwan. Predictably, the Japanese teams have won each of the four previous tournaments.

The ABL touted that the Asia League is a 'prestigious' event which will attract 5 million TV viewers. Having absolutely no idea about the level of prestige held for the league in Asia, it's hard to say whether this is true or not. What you can say is that there was practically ZERO media interest in the story. A google news search shows just one article, this one from Taiwan. I imagine there may have been some more coverage in say Japan or Korea, but certainly looks like there was very little interest here. Even twitter was rather quiet. This suggests that there is not a great deal of interest at home, which is probably not much of a surprise. It was hard enough for the ABL to generate any mainstream media interest in the home league, so generating interest in a small, unheard of tournament many thousands of miles away is unlikely be simple.

However, lack of media attention or public interest does not necessarily mean this is a bad idea. It was apparent during the course of the ABL Season that there was plenty of Asian interest in our league. This came both from Asian players and fans. Getting the premier team from the ABL facing off against top Asian teams will potentially lead to even greater interest in the league from our Pacific neighbors, which could lead to more support - both financially and through the fan base.

I don't expect there will be much local interest in the tournament - although I would be happy to be wrong about this - but I think it is a smart, but maybe premature, strategy for developing our league.

What do you think?

Contrasting fortunes in the Tigers' den?

There is an interesting movement going on in the Aussie ranks within the Detroit Tigers system. Brad Thomas, who has been reasonably consistent in recent seasons, is starting to find things difficult, and is starting to lose favor with some Tigers fans. Meanwhile, Brendan Wise is starting to attract attention for all the right reasons at the Tigers' triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens. It is entirely possible the fates of Thomas and Wise could overlap in coming days or weeks.

Detroit have had some early-season bullpen struggles, and have faced challenges through injury. Brad Thomas has appeared in ten games for the Tigers, and has put up a rather unflattering ERA of 10.38 over eight innings. His opponents have put up a .417 batting average against him. This is a long way from the 3.89 ERA he put up last year, and it has a few Tigers fans up in arms. Check out some of these comments from Tigers fans baying for blood. The folks over at Detroit Tigers Scorecard are calling for him to be designated for assignment, and there is plenty of support from these other faceless critics.

Meanwhile, at AAA Toledo, Brendan Wise has been quietly putting up some solid numbers. Wise is yet to allow a run through eight games (10.1 innings pitched), and hasn't allowed a hit in his past three games. There are some other pitchers getting noticed at Toledo (mainly a bloke called Charlie Furbush), but people are starting to wise up to Brendan's efforts, and he is also getting noticed.

So, all in all, Thomas is a long way from the form he showed during Spring Training. Through Spring, I remarked that "Thomas is a guy who had probably surprised a few people with the quality of his season last year, and he is probably not quite assured of a place on the Tigers' Opening Day roster unless he can keep his form up". Unless something changes quite markedly very soon, it looks like Thomas could be headed to AAA. If he does end up in Toledo, Thomas may well pave the way for Wise to get a call up. Time will tell...

Feature Interview with Josh Spence - Part Two

Following on from Part One of my chat with Josh Spence comes Part Two, in which he talks about the differences between minor league ball and college ball, and what he hopes to get out of season 2011.

OZMLBPLAYERS:

You have been through the Draft a couple of times - and it seems unusual for an Aussie baseballer to go through it, most get signed as free agents. Do you think this makes much difference?

JOSH SPENCE:

Players are only eligible for the draft if they're either American or play college baseball. The draft is a very exciting time when you get to see your hard work pay off – literally, for some players who make millions by signing one contract. But then there’s the other side of the story. The draft doesn't dictate what type of player you are or what type of player you're going to be (nor does what you sign for money-wise).

I will say this, Major League Baseball is a business and with every business there are investments which need to be looked after – the players. At the end of the day it doesn't matter if you're a Free Agent or picked in the draft, it comes down to performing on the field and the truth is you're going to make your money in big leagues. My perspective is not about making as much money as you can upfront (by chancing a big bonus) but being as ready as you could possibly be. Those players are the ones who have long successful careers.  

OZMLBPLAYERS:

You obviously have a lot of fans in Arizona, which is shown by the fact coach Pat Murphy said you were 'possibly the most special kid [he's] ever been around'. That is a pretty big wrap from a guy who has been around the game more than 20 years. What do you put that down to? How would you describe your approach to the game and to people?

Coach Murphy has experienced many things in the baseball realm and without his guidance I wouldn't be the player I am today. He's a remarkable coach and you will not meet a man more relentless in the game as a player or a coach. He pushed me to be something I only dreamed about being and gave me the tools to push myself. I wish I could tell you [what this can be put down to] but maybe that’s something you'd have to ask him. 

I wish there was a complex answer to my approach towards baseball and life in general, but I think the best way to describe it would be just to take things one pitch (/step) at a time. You can’t let things consume you, because the reality is you can do anything. As cheesy as that sounds, I do believe it. It’s all about setting small goals to reach a bigger picture.

OZMLBPLAYERS:

You had a few obstacles or challenges over the past year or two - being hit by a line drive, a finger injury, and issues with a nerve in your arm. Were there any times when you doubted your ability to develop your career? How did you cope in those times?

JOSH SPENCE:

The best way to describe these past two years would be that as ‘a humbling experience’. I've never doubted my ability to develop my career but obviously I sacrificed a lot by turning down the third round, and it was heart breaking to watch my last season of college baseball unfold in front of me and not be able to contribute to the team.

Coach Murphy had this quote; he would say "Its not about where you're going, but who you're bringing" and I know that got me through some tough times.   

     

OZMLBPLAYERS:

After signing with the Padres in mid-2010, you appeared in a handful of minor league games, across a couple of levels - how did you find that? Was there much difference to your college experience? What did you learn? 

JOSH SPENCE: 

It was a great experience last year, I was very fortunate to get my feet wet in preparation for a full season this year. It all started while I was rehabbing my elbow in the Cape Cod league when I received a call from the Padres explaining that they had picked me in the 9th round. After further discussion, and several innings under my belt, I signed.

My journey started in Rookie Ball in Peoria, Arizona. I threw one inning and then was called up to Short Season in Eugene, Oregon. After two starts I was called up to single A for my final stop in Fort Wayne, Indiana (the mid-West League). In 3 weeks I went from the East coast, down South, up North and finally the mid-West. Even though it was a little overwhelming, that’s what pro-baseball is about and something I will not have a problem getting used to. 

The differences between pro-ball and college are very subtle. College ball you swing metal bats, have three to five games a week and - I hate to say it - the strike zone was a pinch bigger. Pro-ball the zone is smaller, you play every day and you better know how to communicate somewhat in Spanish. The biggest difference (and by no means am I trying to deter anyone) is that once you sign, baseball becomes your job.

When you sign, you need to be prepared for the obstacles you will face and honestly the players you will be facing are more than 22 years of age. Nobody tells you that 60% or more of the players who are playing pro-baseball came through college, and that these are young men not just boys, That’s one very important thing I’ve learnt about Minor League baseball that they just don't tell you in Australia.

OZMLBPLAYERS:

What are you focusing on during training at the moment? Any particular pitches you are working on?

JOSH SPENCE:

If I told you I would have to kill you...

All jokes aside there’s no particular area I’m focusing on. I’m really just trying to push the envelope and compete every day. 

OZMLBPLAYERS:

What are your hopes for the season - are you expecting to start, or to work in the bullpen?  What level are you hoping to reach?

JOSH SPENCE:

My biggest hope is the be healthy for the year. I think that’s a hope shared by everyone who plays sport at a high level.

I've been a starter not only my whole college career but essentially my whole life. Right now the Padres plan would have me relieving. As for what level I am hoping to reach, the truth is I’m just happy to have my name above a locker somewhere. But I would be lying if I said I wouldn't want to be moved up if I am succeeding. 

OZMLBPLAYERS:

Did you follow the ABL? What did you think of it? Did you consider playing in it? Will you play in future?

JOSH SPENCE 

I followed the ABL very closely and I think it’s awesome that we have a national league back up. I really hope it’s here to stay! I think it’s a great opportunity for the Aussie talent to be seen on a bigger stage and promoting baseball can only be a good thing for the country.

At the end of the day, Aussie athletes are going to play Australian sports but it’s something you do need to try!

I would love to play in the ABL, I remember watching it in the late 90's out at Altona where the Melbourne Monarchs used to play. But that being said, it falls in a time when I need to be resting and preparing for my long season ahead so unfortunately I don't see myself playing in it anytime soon.  

OZMLBPLAYERS:

Finally, can you give us the inside scoop on some of your teammates in the Padres camp....who should we be watching this year?

JOSH SPENCE:

If i was to give you a handful of names of future big leaguers (2-3 years), I'd start with:

Jason Hagerty (switch hitting catcher)

Anthony Rizzo (1st Baseman)

Jedd Gyorko (3rd Baseman)

Matt Lollis (RHP) 

Miles Mikolas (RHP)

Josh is obviously a very balanced, mature and dedicated bloke, and I found many of his insights to the College system, and his experiences to be very interesting. He is certainly a real up-and-comer in the Aussie baseball ranks and definitely someone we will be keeping a close watch on! We wish you all the best Josh!

You can follow Josh on twitter @joshspence and facebook.