The Pitch is a weekly news review of Australian’s in the Majors, Minors, College and other Professional Leagues compiled by Major League Baseball International (Australia).If you would like to subscribe directly to receive the pitch email majorleaguebaseball@bigpond.com
Current statistics of all active Australian and New Zealander players are attached.
AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS
Week in Review
Grant Balfour (Glenwood NSW) is 0-2 with a 5.18 ERA in 33 appearances, 33 innings, for the Tampa Bay Rays this season. He has recorded 11 saves from 13 opportunities while allowing 19 runs, all earned, on 25 hits, two homeruns, and 23 walks while striking out 31.
The Rays are 38 - 49 (.437) in 5th place in the American League East, 9.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
·27 June – Grant pitched one inning in the Rays 5-2 win at Baltimore. He came on in the 8th with the final score in place and faced three batters: Nick Markakis grounded out to second; Steve Pearce grounded out to third; and Adam Jones grounded out to first.
·28 June – Grant pitched 2/3 of an inning at Baltimore allowing an earned run on two hits in the Rays 5-4 win. He came on in the 8th, with the score 5-3 Rays, two of the O’s runs having just been scored on a Manny Machado homer, and faced four batters: Jonathan Schoop flied out to centre; Delmon Young singled to centre; Nick Markakis singled to right; and Steve Pearce popped out to second. He was relieved but the next batter singled to score Young.
·30 June – Grant pitched one inning allowing one hit and striking out two in the Rays 4-3 12-inning win at the Yankees. He came on to start the 10th with the scored tied at 3-all and faced four batters: Derek Jeter singled to centre; Jacoby Ellsbury flied out to left; Mark Teixeira struck out swinging; and Brian McCann struck out on a foul tip.
·1 July – Grant earned his 11th save pitching one inning, walking two and striking out one in the Rays 2-1 win at the Yankees. He came on in the 9th with the final score in place and faced five batters: Carlos Beltran walked; Brian McCann called out on strikes; Brian Roberts lined out to centre; Kelly Johnson walked; and Yangervis Solarte grounded out to first to end the game.
AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE IMPORTS IN THE MAJORS
Brandon Barnes (Sydney Blue Sox) is batting .261 for the Colorado Rockies with 11 RBI, 10 doubles, two triples and three homeruns in 161 at bats over 72 games while playing right field. Over his last ten games, dating to 20 June, he’s batting .120 with one runs on three hits, including one homerun, in 25 at-bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Rockies are 36 - 49 (.424), in fourth place in the National League West and 11.5 games behind the Giants.
Didi Gregorious (Canberra Cavalry) is batting .200 with 12 hits scoring 10 runs, two home runs, in 60 at bats over 17 games with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Over his last ten games, dating to 14 June, he’s batting .162 with four runs on six hits, with two RBI, in 37 at-bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Diamondbacks are 35 - 51 (.407) in fifth place in the NL West 13 games behind San Francisco.
James Jones (Adelaide Bite) is batting .293 with eight RBI, six doubles and four triples while playing centre field for the Seattle Mariners. He’s scored 34 runs on 60 hits and has stolen 17 bases in 205 at bats over 57 games. Over his last ten games, dating to 22 June, he’s batting .289 with nine runs on 11 hits with two RBI and five stolen bases over 38 at bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Mariners are 47 - 38 (.553) in third place in the AL West 4.5 games behind the Oakland A’s.
Kevin Kiermaier (Canberra Cavalry) is batting .298 with 13 RBI, eight doubles, two triples and seven homeruns while playing centre field for the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s scored 13 runs on 36 hits and has stolen one base in 121 at bats over 38 games. Over his last ten games, dating to 23 June, he’s batting .289 with four runs on 11 hits with six RBI over 38 at bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Rays are 38 - 49 (.437) in 5th place in the American League East, 9.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays.
AUSTRALIAN ESPN BROADCAST SCHEDULE (All times AEST)
DOUBLE-A LEAGUES:
SAUPOLD LEADS SEA WOLVES PAST RUBBER DUCKS
Tom Reisenweber, Erie Times-News – 4 July
SINGLE-A LEAGUES:
THORPE SHOWS HIS PROMISE FOR KERNELS
Teenager’s strongest start leads to 6-5 win over Clinton
Jeff Johnson, The Gazette – 27 June
ROOKIE LEAGUES:
CONNOR McDONALD NAMED DSL ASTROS BLUE TEAM’S PLAYER OF THE MONTH
THE AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE:
CANBERRA CAVALRY A MODEL OF AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE SUCCESS
David Polkinghorne, The Canberra Times – 25 June
AT A GLANCE
• Here’s a little clip with Grant Balfour (Glenwood NSW) from the video series “Ask the Rays”.
• Liam Hendriks (Perth Heat; Carine WA) has been named to the International League All-Star Team set to play their Pacific League peers in the Triple-A All-Star Game on 16 July in Durham, North Carolina.
• The Cincinnati Reds have signed Ryan Rowland-Smith (Newcastle NSW) to a minor league contract and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville, Kentucky.
• IF Ben Shorto (Perth Heat) has been released by the Cleveland Indians.
• Josh Tols (Adelaide SA) earned the win for the North All-Stars in the Independent Pecos League’s All-Star game
• A tip of the hat to Nathan Walker who this week became the first Australian to be drafted by a National Hockey League team. When he takes the ice for the Washington Capitals he will become the first Australian to play in the NHL – the last of the four major North American sporting leagues to add an Aussie.