Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS

Week in Review

Grant Balfour (Glenwood, NSW): After being designated for assignment on 19 April, Balfour was released by the Tampa Bay Rays on 27 April. Reports say that the Chicago Cubs could be interested in signing the veteran reliever, spurred by Grant’s connection to current Chicago and former Tampa skipper Joe Maddon.

Liam Hendriks (Carine, WA): After a strong start to the season and an up-and-down period in the middle of April, Liam closed out the month on a high note with a scoreless outing against the Boston Red Sox. Still working in middle relief out of the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen, Liam has a 4.70 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 7.2 innings pitched.

Though the Blue Jays (10-12, .455) slipped down to last place in the AL East, they remain just three games out of first place.

28 April – One pitch was all it took for Liam to record the third out in the bottom of the eighth inning, inducing a groundout to end the frame and earn his first hold of the season when the Blue Jays beat the Red Sox 11-8.

*Statistics for players are being compiled. Pitchers can be found here and batters here.

AUSTRALIA BASEBALL LEAGUE ALUMNI IN MLB

Didi Gregorius (Canberra Cavalry 2010/11): Gregorius continues to struggle at the plate as he settles in to the New York spotlight, hitting just .206 in 19 games. After working with Yankees third baseman Alex Rodrigiez, Gregorius showed signs of fluid defence, making several great plays. Still, the Yankees (13-9, .591) have won seven of their last ten games and are atop the pedestal of the AL East in first place.

Kevin Kiermaier (Canberra Cavalry 2011/12): Kiermaier has stayed consistent for the Rays through the team’s first 22 contests of the year, maintaining a .293 batting average and continuing to make breathtaking catches in centre field. He recently posted two multi-hit games against the Yankees, and hit a two-run triple that kickstarted the scoring in a 13-inning contest that the Tampa went on to win 3-2. The Rays (12-10, .545) sit tied for second place with the Red Sox, one game behind the first-place Yankees.

Brandon Maurer (Adelaide Bite 2010/11): After tossing a scoreless 1.1 innings against the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, Maurer struggled in his most recent appearances against the Houston Astros, allowing two runs in 1.2 combined innings. Still, his transition from starter to reliever has been successful so far, with the 24-year-old posting a 1-0 record and 4.50 ERA in 10 innings pitched. The Padres (11-12, .478) sit tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks for third place in the NL West, one game behind the second-place Colorado Rockies and three games back of the first-place Dodgers.

UPCOMING TV SCHEDULE – MLB ON ESPN

All times AEST

Sat 2 May	9:00 am	ESPN’s Friday Night Baseball	ESPN
Sat 2 May	9:00 am	Washington Nationals v New York Mets	ESPN3.com
Mon 4 May	9:00 am	Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown	ESPN
Mon 4 May	9:00 am	ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 5 May	7:30 am	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2
Tue 5 May	9:00 am	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Tue 5 May	10:00 am	ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 5 May	2:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2
Wed 6 May	10:00 am	ESPN’s Tuesday Night Baseball	ESPN 2
Wed 6 May	2:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Thu 7 May	7:30 am	Baseball Tonight Presented by Fan Duel	ESPN 2
Thu 7 May	9:00 am	ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball	ESPN
Thu 7 May	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Thu 7 May	2:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

• TRIPLE A: Perth native Matt Kennelly had his best game of the season for the Gwinnett Braves, driving in two runs against the Durham Bulls… After a few rough outings, John Holdzkom earned a win for the Indianapolis Indians as they walked off against the Louisville Bats… James Beresford raised his season batting average back above .300 with a trifecta of multi-hit games for the Rochester Red Wings.

• DOUBLE A: NSW’s Tim Atherton earned a promotion to Double A Midland, after posting a 1.17 ERA and striking out 31 batters in 23 innings pitched for High A Stockton… Perth native Warwick Saupold’s struggles continued for the Erie Seawolves when he earned his first loss of the season by surrendering seven earned runs in 4.2 innings on 26 April.

• HIGH A: Melbourne native Daniel McGrath is 1-1 with a 3.65 ERA in three starts for the Salem Red Sox… Sydneysider Todd Van Steensel has a 1.59 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched for the Fort Myers Miracle.

• LOW A: Sydney’s Zac Shepherd is hitting .282 with eight RBIs in his last 10 games for the West Michigan Whitecaps… Sam Street has 14 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched for the West Virginia Power.

• EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING: After being released by the San Francisco Giants in Spring Training, Melbourne native and former Major Leaguer Travis Blackley is back in affiliated baseball, signing a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins.

COLLEGIATE NEWS

• Young talent is in the air in the American spring, with first-year shortstop and Perth native Robbie Glendinning in full bloom for the North Iowa Community College Trojans. Read more about Robbie here.

• 2010 MLB Academy participant and Darwin native Greg Mosel is 3-1 with a 5.21 ERA in 15 relief appearances for Southeast Missouri State University.

AT A GLANCE

• After earning a promotion to High A Fort Myers, Queenslander Logan Wade’s versatility is making an impression in South Florida.

Former Canberra Cavalry outfielder and current Rays centrefielder Kevin Kiermaier fielded questions from fans in MLB’s Edward Jones Chatting Cage. Watch Kevin talk about everything from his unorthodox pregame routine to his family’s old van here.

To subscribe to receive The Pitch direct to your inbox, click here.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS

Week in Review

Though the Blue Jays (10-12, .455) slipped down to last place in the AL East, they remain just three games out of first place.

*Statistics for players are being compiled. Pitchers can be found here and batters here.

AUSTRALIA BASEBALL LEAGUE ALUMNI IN MLB

UPCOMING TV SCHEDULE – MLB ON ESPN

All times AEST

Sat 2 May

9:00 am

ESPN’s Friday Night Baseball

ESPN

Sat 2 May

9:00 am

Washington Nationals v New York Mets

ESPN3.com

Mon 4 May

9:00 am

Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown

ESPN

Mon 4 May

9:00 am

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball

ESPN

Tue 5 May

7:30 am

Baseball Tonight

ESPN 2

Tue 5 May

9:00 am

Baseball Tonight

ESPN

Tue 5 May

10:00 am

ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball

ESPN

Tue 5 May

2:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN 2

Wed 6 May

10:00 am

ESPN’s Tuesday Night Baseball

ESPN 2

Wed 6 May

2:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN

Thu 7 May

7:30 am

Baseball Tonight Presented by Fan Duel

ESPN 2

Thu 7 May

9:00 am

ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball

ESPN

Thu 7 May

12:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN

Thu 7 May

2:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN 2

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

COLLEGIATE NEWS

• 2010 MLB Academy participant and Darwin native Greg Mosel is 3-1 with a 5.21 ERA in 15 relief appearances for Southeast Missouri State University.

AT A GLANCE

• After earning a promotion to High A Fort Myers, Queenslander Logan Wade’s versatility is making an impression in South Florida.

To subscribe to receive The Pitch direct to your inbox, click here.

The picturesque Trinity Beach Baseball Facility in Cairns will play host to the 2015 Under 25 National Championships in September.

The event will be staged in partnership with the Cairns Baseball League, Tourism Tropical North Queensland and Cairns Regional Council following the success of the 2014 Championships.

State and Territory representative teams will compete in the six day event, with many ABL clubs now using the extended age division as a local talent scouting opportunity.

What: 2015 Under 25 National Championships
Where: Trinity Beach Baseball Facility. Nautilus Street, Trinity Beach QLD
When: Saturday 5 to Thursday 10 September 2015
Host: Cairns Baseball League

The sun rises on the Trinity Beach Baseball grounds, the fields are looking amazing and playing even better. Watch the drone clip above.
Posted by Cairns Baseball League on Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Further information will be provided by Baseball Australia closer to the event.

State and Territory representative teams will compete in the six day event, with many ABL clubs now using the extended age division as a local talent scouting opportunity.

What: 2015 Under 25 National Championships
Where: Trinity Beach Baseball Facility. Nautilus Street, Trinity Beach QLD
When: Saturday 5 to Thursday 10 September 2015
Host: Cairns Baseball League

The sun rises on the Trinity Beach Baseball grounds, the fields are looking amazing and playing even better. Watch the drone clip above.
Posted by Cairns Baseball League on Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Further information will be provided by Baseball Australia closer to the event.

The sun rises on the Trinity Beach Baseball grounds, the fields are looking amazing and playing even better. Watch the drone clip above.
Posted by Cairns Baseball League on Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Further information will be provided by Baseball Australia closer to the event.

Essendon Baseball Club have secured the most signatures of the BV inclusion Deed. As a result they will have two club team entries paid by BV through the Access for all Abilities funding agreement. The response was terrific with over 60 different Clubs represented in singing the Deed. This shows that there is a want to formalise the approach to becoming the most welcoming sport in Victoria. The inclusion Deed is now embedded in the registration process so that we, as a sport, can greatly expand our reach of awareness & continue to sustainably grow Baseball, locally & in the wider community.

Thank you to everyone that took the time to sign the inclusion. Deed, your dedication to opening Baseball to all has resulted in physical & immediate actions throughout the state.

For more Info on this Deed, its placement, or BV Inclusion Action Plan contact Thomas Dicker at Baseball Victoria. Thomas.dicker@baseballvictoria.com.au

Graeme started his baseball career at the Preston Baseball club when he was around fifteen or so years old, and was an avid cricketer, shooter and loved ferreting. I suppose the hunting came out of necessity for food back in the day? There is a story about OMB and missing cats in and around the Heidelberg, Northcote, and Thornbury areas in those days, and he finally admitted in his latter years of catching and skinning cats with one of his uncles for the monetary gain on the fur trade.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS

Week in Review

Grant Balfour (Glenwood, NSW): Despite starting the season strong and allowing just three hits in his first 3.2 innings this season, the Tampa Bay Rays designated Balfour for assignment on 19 April after a rough outing against the New York Yankees. The Rays (7-8, .467) are tied with the Baltimore Orioles for last place in the AL East, just two games out of first.

Liam Hendriks (Carine, WA): Showing increased comfort in the Toronto Blue Jays bullpen, Hendriks continued to establish himself as one of manager John Gibbons’ go-to arms with a pair of shutout appearances against the Atlanta Braves. After allowing his first earned run of the season in his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles, Liam’s ERA sits at 1.29 in six appearances, and he’s struck out nine batters in seven innings pitched.

The Blue Jays (8-7, .533) are tied with the New York Yankees for second place in the AL East, one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox.

17 April – It was a quick outing for Liam as the Blue Jays hosted the Atlanta Braves for an interleague rumble at the Rogers Centre. Entering the game with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, he easily retired the lone batter he faced on a fly ball to right field.

18 April – In a close ballgame against the Braves, Liam kept the Blue Jays in the game by tossing a scoreless eighth inning and striking out two batters to maintain a one-run lead. The Braves tied the game in the top of the ninth before Toronto won on a 10th-inning walkoff solo shot.

21 April – Liam gave up his first runs of the season in a rough outing against the division rival Orioles, surrendering two runs (one earned) on two hits in the sixth and seventh innings. However, the runs had little impact in the grand scheme of the game as the Blue Jays cruised to a 13-6 win over the Orioles.

AUSTRALIA BASEBALL LEAGUE ALUMNI IN MLB

Didi Gregorius (Canberra Cavalry 2010/11): After starting the season slow, Gregorius has shown some improvement at the plate 15 games into the season, raising his batting average to .205 thanks in part to a two-hit performance against the Tampa Bay Rays. He also drove in a pair of runs in his most recent game against the Detroit Tigers. The Yankees (8-7, .533) sit tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for second place in the AL East, one game out of first place.

Kevin Kiermaier (Canberra Cavalry 2011/12): Kiermaier’s April hit a small speed bump when the outfielder missed several games with illness. He returned to action on 22 April, his 25th birthday, and went 0-for-2 against the Boston Red Sox. Kiermaier is hitting .282 with two home runs on the season.

Brandon Maurer (Adelaide Bite 2010/11): After tossing a scoreless inning in his first 2015 outing for the San Diego Padres, Maurer struggled in his next two appearances, surrendering three earned runs in two combined innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago Cubs. He found his groove in his most recent outings against the Cubs and Colorado Rockies, tossing a pair of shutout innings and picking up the win in relief on 21 April. The Padres (10-6, .625) are tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top spot in the NL West.

UPCOMING TV SCHEDULE – MLB ON ESPN

Fri 24 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Sat 25 April	9:00 am	ESPN’s Friday Night Baseball	ESPN 2
Sun 26 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2
Mon 27 April	9:00 am	Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown	ESPN
Mon 27 April	10:00 am	ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 28 April	9:00 am	ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 28 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Wed 29 April	9:00 am	ESPN’s Tuesday Night Baseball	ESPN 2
Wed 29 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2
Thu 30 April	10:00 am	ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball	ESPN

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

• TRIPLE A: Pirates prospect John Holdzkom has one save and a 3.86 ERA in five appearances for the Indianapolis Indians… Matt Kennelly is hitting .250 with two RBIs in seven games for the Gwinnett Braves… After starting the season hot, James Beresford is being consistent for the Rochester Red Wings, with a .258/.333/.258 slash line.

• DOUBLE A: Perth native Warwick Saupold fared better in his second start for the Erie Seawolves, surrendering three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings.

• HIGH A: New South Welshman Tim Atherton shined in his most recent outing for the Stockton Ports, striking out 11 batters in seven innings while allowing one run on two hits. He’s now struck out 22 in 17 innings and has a 1.59 ERA and 0.65 WHIP… Logan Wade recently went 3-for-4 for the Fort Myers Miracle. Teammate Todd Van Steensel is 0-1 with a 1.29 ERA and 10 strikeouts in four relief appearances.

• LOW A: Melbourne native Sam Street has a 2.25 ERA in four relief appearances for the West Virginia Power… Robbie Perkins has three RBIs in four games for the Asheville Tourists of the Colorado Rockies organisation… Zac Shepherd recently hit his first home run of the season for the West Michigan Whitecaps.

• SHORT-SEASON A / ROOKIE: Opening Day for both the Short-Season A and Rookie levels is still months away, in June.?

COLLEGIATE NEWS

• Max Brown of Kansas State University is hitting over .350 in the month of April and was recently named Big 12 Player of the Week. Read a piece on the senior centrefielder from The Wichita Eagle here.

• A 2010 graduate of the MLB Australian Academy Program, Lucas Bakker is 3-5 with a 5.83 ERA for Elon University in North Carolina.

GRASSROOTS RESULTS AND NEWS

• The World Baseball Softball Confederation announced the groups for the 2015 18U World Cup, held in Osaka, Japan from 28 August – 6 September. Australia will play in Group A against Japan, USA, Mexico, Brazil, and the Czech Republic. See the official announcement here.

AT A GLANCE

• Oklahoma teen Chancey Luna was found guilty of murdering Melbourne baseball player Chris Lane in 2013. Read one reporter’s account of the trial here and another piece about the impact of the verdict here.

• After mixed results as a starter, Liam Hendriks has finally found a home in the Blue Jays bullpen, writes the Toronto Sun.

On the heels of John Holdzkom’s success story, Baseball New Zealand is on the hunt for more baseball talent to display at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

To subscribe to receive The Pitch direct to your inbox, click here.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS

Week in Review

The Blue Jays (8-7, .533) are tied with the New York Yankees for second place in the AL East, one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox.

AUSTRALIA BASEBALL LEAGUE ALUMNI IN MLB

UPCOMING TV SCHEDULE – MLB ON ESPN

Fri 24 April

12:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN

Sat 25 April

9:00 am

ESPN’s Friday Night Baseball

ESPN 2

Sun 26 April

12:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN 2

Mon 27 April

9:00 am

Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown

ESPN

Mon 27 April

10:00 am

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball

ESPN

Tue 28 April

9:00 am

ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball

ESPN

Tue 28 April

12:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN

Wed 29 April

9:00 am

ESPN’s Tuesday Night Baseball

ESPN 2

Wed 29 April

12:00 pm

Baseball Tonight

ESPN 2

Thu 30 April

10:00 am

ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball

ESPN

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

• DOUBLE A: Perth native Warwick Saupold fared better in his second start for the Erie Seawolves, surrendering three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings.

• SHORT-SEASON A / ROOKIE: Opening Day for both the Short-Season A and Rookie levels is still months away, in June.?

COLLEGIATE NEWS

• A 2010 graduate of the MLB Australian Academy Program, Lucas Bakker is 3-5 with a 5.83 ERA for Elon University in North Carolina.

GRASSROOTS RESULTS AND NEWS

AT A GLANCE

• After mixed results as a starter, Liam Hendriks has finally found a home in the Blue Jays bullpen, writes the Toronto Sun.

On the heels of John Holdzkom’s success story, Baseball New Zealand is on the hunt for more baseball talent to display at the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Baseball players across Victoria will honour those that fought for our wonderful country, marking the moment with a minutes silence before all games.

Associations across Melbourne and Regional areas have requested that games are preceded by the minutes silence, with many having family members of those who served in World War 1 and other conflicts sharing their thoughts with those in attendance.

Lest We Forget.

At the Baseball Victoria Board meeting held 21 April 2015, the Board reviewed the priorities developed at the Forum and endorsed developing the priorities further to support growth of participation in women and girls baseball.

The Board further resolved to play an active role in the consultation phase to finalise the specific priorities to be implemented for the commencement of the next Summer Season of Baseball.

Myles Foreman, President Baseball Victoria said, “The Board of Baseball Victoria is committed to delivering upon the organisations Vison to provide every Victorian with the opportunity to participate in Baseball. The recent Women & Girls Forum and development of priorities is consistent with Baseball Victoria’s goals to gain, train and retain members of our Baseball Community”.

The Berwick City Cougars had a very successful season on field last season with the Division 2 Seconds and the Division 2 Fourths teams both winning Premierships. The Club has had a very successful junior program over the last decade and we are looking to capitalise on the hard work of the dedicated members.

The Club is looking for an experienced and dedicated Head Senior Club Coach who can see and share our vision of gaining Division 1 and being a powerhouse Victorian club for many years to come.

The successful applicant will be required to fulfil the following duties as Head Senior Club Coach;

Coach and manage the senior playing group’s training and games

Appoint assistants & coaches to lead the top 2 senior teams

Implement KPI’s for the playing /coaching groups and maintain these throughout the season

Lead the coaching group in a Thursday night selection process

Set a code of ethics for all players, coaches and members to abide by on and off the field

Attend and promote all club social functions with the playing group and coaches

The successful applicant must possess the following qualities and attributes;

Strong management, leadership and interpersonal skills both on and off the field

Ability to coach at a high level and show an understanding of in-game strategies

Plan and implement a high performance training program for the senior teams

Ability to work and communicate with junior coaches/players to better prepare them for senior baseball

Set the standard of what is required to be a club member and team player on & off the field

Have strong communication skills with Committee, members & players.

Written applications are now invited for the position of Club Coach at Berwick City Baseball Club. If you feel you have the necessary skill set for the job we encourage you to apply in writing to secretary@berwickcitycougars.com. Applications close 31 May.

AUSTRALIANS IN THE MAJORS

Week in Review

Grant Balfour (Glenwood, NSW): Balfour opened the season strong, appearing in five of the Rays’ nine games so far. He has not allowed a run in 3.2 innings this season, while holding opponents to a .154 batting average.

The Rays (5-4, .556) are in a three-way deadlock for second place in the AL East, one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox and two games ahead of the last-place Yankees.

6 April – Against the Baltimore Orioles, Grant entered the game in the top of the eighth inning, retiring Delmon Young on a fly ball.

7 April – Grant once again tossed 0.1 innings against the Orioles, retiring Caleb Joseph on a line drive in the top of the seventh inning and surrendering a single and a walk in the eighth before exiting the game.

10 April – In the Rays’ interleague series against the Miami Marlins, Grant pitched a scoreless fifth inning as the Tampa Bay fell to Miami 10-9.

14 April – Grant picked up his first hold of the season by tossing a scoreless eighth inning as the Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2.

15 April – The Rays fell to the Blue Jays 12-7 as Grant tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

Liam Hendriks (Carine, WA): Hendriks made the Toronto Blue Jays Opening Day roster and quickly established himself as a reliable reliever in a Toronto bullpen that raised some questions about its depth out of the gate. Several strong outings — along with a little time as a trending topic on social media in Canada — later and there’s no doubt that Liam is in the right place.

The Blue Jays (5-4, .556) are in a three-way tie for second place in the AL East with the Rays and Baltimore Orioles.

10 April – Liam preserved starter Mark Buerhle’s gem by tossing a scoreless seventh inning in his first appearance of the season.

11 April – The Blue Jays fell to the Orioles 7-1 but Liam closed out the game strong for Toronto, pitching the final two innings of the ballgame and striking out four batters in the process.

14 April – The Ks continued to come together for Liam as he struck out three in 1.2 scoreless innings against the Rays.

AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE ALUMNI IN MLB

Didi Gregorius (Canberra Cavalry 2010/11): Gregorius faces the most prominent new role of any ABL alumnus in the 2015 MLB season, taking over shortstop for the New York Yankees in the place of the retired Derek Jeter. After an okay Spring Training, he’s off to a slow start in the new season, hitting .172 with six RBIs in 29 at bats. Nine games into the season, the Yankees (3-6, .333) sit in last place in the AL East, three games out of first place.

Kevin Kiermaier (Canberra Cavalry 2011/12): Taking over centre field full-time for the Tampa Bay Rays, Grant Balfour’s Rays teammate is off to a hot start. In addition to producing a year’s worth of web gems in the season’s first week, Kiermaier has also been electric at the plate, hitting .321 with four RBIs in the Rays’ first nine games. The Rays (5-4, .556) are in a three-way deadlock for second place in the AL East, one game behind the first-place Boston Red Sox and two games ahead of the last-place Yankees. See two of Kiermaier’s best plays of 2015 so far here and here.

Brandon Maurer (Adelaide Bite 201): Maurer started the 2015 season at Triple A El Paso, but when the injury bug bit the Padres early in the season he earned the call-up to San Diego. The righty tossed a scoreless inning in his first appearance in the Padres’ 10-2 rout of division rival and reigning World Series Champion the San Francisco Giants, striking out two and walking one. He struggled in his second appearance, surrendering one run on two hits against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Padres (6-4, .600) sit in third place in the NL West, 1.5 games out of first.

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

• TRIPLE A: Returning to Rochester for his second season in Triple A, James Beresford started the season hitting .357 in five games as the Red Wings sit comfortably in first place in the International League North.

• DOUBLE A: After helping the Perth Heat win another Claxton Shield, Warwick Saupold gave up six runs in four innings in his first start of the season for the Double A Erie Seawolves.

• HIGH A: Cavalry skipper Michael Collins now leads the Lake Elsinore Storm of the High A California League, marking his fifth promotion in five years as a manager in the San Diego Padres system. Samuel Holland, who enters his third season with the Padres, was assigned to Lake Elsinore as well… Former Sydney Blue Sox GM Matt Cooper witnessed another cycle hit, this time at High A Visalia, where he now serves as Baseball Operations Manager. Former Canberra Cavalry outfielder Todd Glaesmann accomplished the feat on 14 April against San Jose.

• LOW A: The West Michigan Whitecaps, Low A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, feature a pair of Sydneysiders. Andrew Graham returns for his second season as the team’s manager, while Zac Shepherd joins the team for his first season in Low A. Further south, Robbie Perkins began his season at Low A Asheville in the Colorado Rockies organisation by going 2-for-4 with an RBI in his first game. He’s 2-for-7 in two games with the Tourists so far, after having a breakout season in the ABL with the Cavalry…

• EXTENDED SPRING TRAINING: Several players remain in extended spring training, with Short Season A and Rookie opening days still months away.

COLLEGIATE NEWS

• Left-handed New Zealander Mak Fox has one save and five strikeouts in 4.2 bullpen innings for the Oregon State Beavers. Read a profile of Fox here.

• Playing shortstop for the NCAA Division I University of Hawai’i Ranbow Warriors, Melbourne native Jacob Sheldon-Collins is hitting .269 in 32 games as the collegiate season picks up.

• Sydneysider Max Brennen is tearing it up for West Texas A&M University, ranking third on his team with a .311 batting average. He also has 14 RBIs in 26 games as the Buffs sit in second place in the Lone Star Conference.

GRASSROOTS RESULTS AND NEWS

• The inaugural Australian Junior League Championships were held at Surfers Paradise Baseball Club from 4-9 April. Perth Metro Central defeated Perth Metro North to earn the right to represent Australia at the Asia-Pacific Junior Championships in Saipan in June. Read more here.

• Several states also held their respective Little League Championships, with the winners earning the right to move on to the national championships. Baseball Australia will officially announce which teams qualified for the Little League National Championships in Lismore, NSW, in the coming weeks.

AT A GLANCE

• Grant Balfour spoke with the Tampa Tribune at the tail end of Spring Training, elaborating on his father’s passing and its meaning to him in 2015.

• Indystar.com profiled NZ pitcher John Holdzkom, who’s currently with the Triple A Indianapolis Indians. In the article, Holdzkom credits his time in the ABL with changing the direction of his career. Read the full piece here.

• According to Oklahoma authorities, the jury selection process for the trial of the death of collegiate baseball player Chris Lane could take days, because of the shockwaves the tragedy sent through the community and across the world.

UPCOMING TV SCHEDULE – MLB ON ESPN

All times AEST

Sat 18 April	4:30 am	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Sat 18 April	10:00 am	ESPN’s Friday Night Baseball	ESPN
Mon 20 April	9:00 am	Baseball Tonight: Sunday Night Countdown	ESPN
Mon 20 April	10:00 am	St Louis Cardinals v Cincinnati Reds	ESPN 3
Mon 20 April	10:00 am	ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 21 April	9:00 am	ESPN’s Monday Night Baseball	ESPN
Tue 21 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN
Thu 23 April	9:00 am	ESPN’s Wednesday Night Baseball	ESPN 2
Thu 23 April	12:00 pm	Baseball Tonight	ESPN 2