Baseball Victoria, Author at Baseball Victoria

Andrew Jones is proud to be part of Blackburn Baseball Club, as he appreciates the sense of comradery that allowed the club’s Division One Firsts to take home back to back VSBL premierships.

Jones’ stellar pitching in the championship played a big role, earning him the Harry Wonnacott Medal as the Grand Final MVP in addition to the Harry Douglas Memorial Trophy for the Division One Pitching Award thanks to his 0.54 ERA in the 2019/20 season.

Jones wasn’t the only winner from Blackburn announced during last month’s Baseball Victoria Awards. Teammate Jacob Evans took out the home run and batting awards while Matthew Tayler won the Coach of the Year Award and Brooke Tierney received the Volunteer of the Year Award. Jones says winning the award felt pretty good, but it wouldn’t be possible without the support of his fellow baseballers.

“I would owe a large majority of that success to my teammates," Jones said. "It makes life easy when you have some of the best offence and defence behind you."

A 20-year veteran of the game, Jones has had faith in his team since joining Blackburn back in 2016 after returning from his collegiate career in the U.S. He chased his baseball dreams overseas in 2010, first playing for Grayson County College in Denison, Texas, before being recruited to play for the University of Hawaii. He also spent time in San Francisco ahead of his return home. There were a few main reasons why he decided to join Blackburn, a decision he’s never regretted.

“The coaching group fit into what I was looking for in a baseball club, the playing squad was diverse with a range of veterans that I could still learn from, and the community aspect of the club was perfect for myself and my partner from the US to fit into,” Jones recalled. “The community at Blackburn is like no other.”

Jones notes the club’s strengths are its sense of community and professionalism, which go hand-in-hand to attract and retain talent at the grassroots level. His favorite thing about Blackburn is how valued every member is. “It doesn't really matter whether you are a junior player, senior player, coach, parent, or support staff, the environment they have created makes you feel welcome and excited to get down there, sit on the lawn, and enjoy some games of baseball with friends,” Jones said.

Reflecting on last season, Jones says all the pieces seemed to fit together to make it a fantastic year for not just the top nine, but the entire club. “Everybody played their role and contributed to the success of the season whilst also remembering that they are there to have fun,” Jones said.

Enjoying fresh air and physical activity alongside friends will be especially important after the challenging year, and Jones is pumped for the 2020/21 VSBL season. “It might be a bit different this year with everything that is going on, but I think everybody is keen to get back and start playing or supporting the club to achieve some more titles,” Jones said. “We have a great group both on and off the field ready to enjoy another season.”

Jones is confident Blackburn can continue to strengthen its junior program to develop the next generation as well as the existing senior playing squad. “Off the field, the club is building a support crew that just makes life so much easier for players and spectators of the game,” Jones said. “If you have ever been to a Blackburn game, the chances are you would have had an interaction with one of them.”

With fond memories of singing the Blackburn song after winning premierships, Jones knows he has a lot to look forward to this season. He is especially thankful to the club president and secretary, Russell Hodgson and Brooke Tierney. “If you know Blackburn you know Slugger. The club wouldn’t operate without him," Jones said. "It's not often that you have somebody with the professional world skills willing to make such an impact to a local baseball club, so we are lucky to have Brooke around too."

Dedicated scorer Leah Hodgson, Matthew Tayler and catcher Ryan Berg also make his experience a wonderful one. “Leah is one of the best scorers in Australia, so we have some great talent on and off the field,” Jones said. “Bergy has given me the veteran experience I was looking for when I moved to Blackburn, his knowledge of batters when calling a game from behind the plate is directly related to my success last season.”

When asked why he loves baseball, Jones has a simple and honest answer: “A couple of hours of creating long-lasting memories with your mates on the weekend, who wouldn't love it?”

Click HERE to view the Blackburn Baseball Club page.

Mitchell Majors Baseball Club is back on the field and the club community couldn’t be happier about the return to training in regional Victoria.

Now several weeks into training, club coach and player Matt Whyte is glad to see fellow baseballers taking advantage of the time to catch up and focus on their baseball skills. He hopes to see juniors and seniors taking part in the sport and introduce new players to the game after a challenging year.

“With training being able to resume in regional Victoria, we began training, not just to prepare for the summer season but also as an opportunity to help people with the stress and mental effects the pandemic has had on us,” Whyte said.

Generating local interest in baseball will make a difference as the club looks to build on the success of the recent summer seasons, including a Division 4 North West Premiership in 2018/19, when two teams in the same division made the finals. While personally Whyte hopes to continue improving his coaching skills to make a positive impact as the club coach, he also has high hopes for the growth of baseball and the sport’s exposure in the Mitchell Shire and regional Victoria as a whole.

Whyte acknowledges the tireless dedication and support of the club committee, including club president and founder Phil Minnitt. “He created the Mitchell Majors and has been a fantastic contributor to baseball in regional Victoria for all ages,” Whyte said.

Originally established in 1998, the club spent many years playing winter ball before joining the Victorian Summer Baseball League for year-round activity. Minnitt created the club when his three young sons showed interest in the sport and didn’t want to play football. While he didn’t know much about baseball at the time, he quickly caught on and built the family club from the ground up with the help of the local community. Little by little they’ve grown their junior and senior base in Broadford, with a T-ball program to get kids engaged at a young age.

The club has had the fencing, batting cages and clubrooms donated, setting them up for long-term success. Now, they look to encourage physical activity and recreational sport this summer and beyond. “It’s a great diamond, one of the best ones around, and it’s member-built,” Minnitt said. “We are a nice little family country club, and everyone is welcome, even if they haven’t played before.”

Check out the Mitchell Majors Baseball Club page HERE.

Following announcements made by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews this afternoon on further easing of restrictions, Baseball Victoria confirms the 25km rule and ‘ring of steel’ between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria has been removed.

For VSBL clubs that have returned to training with council approval and confirmed registration of all attendees, this means they can now have members from across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria participate in training. All players and coaches must register to return to training HERE.

Our At-Home Baseball Training: Drills and Exercises for the COVID-19 Break and Ramp Up to Play series feature training exercises for those who wish to continue their solo training for now. Click HERE to check out these training videos.

Clubs can have groups of 20 people (including players and coaches) at training, with two groups on a single diamond separated by 20 metres. At this stage, all training for seniors is non-contact where physical distancing must be maintained, while juniors are able to conduct full training. Access to club canteens/bars will be subject to council approval. More information is available within the hospitality guidelines for the opening of canteens and bars HERE.

Baseball Victoria has updated our Return to Activity/Return to Play Plan with the most recent details, so clubs can continue preparing for the 2020/21 VSBL season based on these confirmed dates, along with the review and penalty process around COVID breaches.

We will continue to provide updates accordingly and wish to remind all members to register for the return to training if they haven’t already so we can have a safe and successful return to activity.

Click HERE for more Victorian Government COVID-19 resources.

Click HERE to register with your club and view registration resources for new and returning members HERE.

Click HERE to view our frequently asked questions, which are regularly updated.

We encourage our members to stay in touch with one another and prioritise their mental health. Click HERE for mental health resources.

Click HERE to view our updated Return to Activity and Return to Play Plan.

To view the outline on the easing of restrictions provided by the Victorian Government, click HERE.

As a reminder, the COVIDSafe app is now available and will allow authorities to quickly track and control the spread of COVID-19. Please consider downloading the app to help save lives, protect the community and get baseball back as soon as possible. Click HERE to learn more.

Monash University Farmers Baseball Club feels like home for Michael Nakai, who was announced as the 2019/20 VSBL Division 4 South MVP last month.

Receiving the award after a great season with his teammates came as a welcome surprise for Nakai. “Winning the Div 4 South MVP was a bolt from the blue for me, since I wasn't aware that I'd even be in the running for it,” Nakai said. “But I can't lie, it feels great!”

Nakai has been working at Monash Uni for two years, but only joined the Farmers last year, making his win even sweeter. “Baseball has been a part of my life since I was a kid in the U.S., but since I always played it semi-casually and wasn't as competitive with it as some of my peers, I was worried that I'd be the worst of the pack in the Monash Uni team and would be pulling them down,” Nakai said.

Luckily, he had nothing to worry about and quickly fit right in with the rest of the team. “ After joining the team, it's easy to see that my worries were overblown,” Nakai said. “Everyone's very welcoming to anyone new regardless of skill or talent. I'd say this ability to pull people together from different backgrounds and still create a cohesive team is the club's core strength.”

Nakai and his teammates share the sentiment that as long as they are having fun on the field, that’s all that matters at the end of the day. “I always felt that whether we win or lose, everyone's having a good time just being out in the sun, hitting and fielding some baseballs,” Nakai said. “That being said, this team became competitive when we needed to, and people got invested in some spectacular games.”

The last game of the VSBL season was a particularly memorable one for the Farmers. “With every inning being a heartstopper, our team really came together to try and eek a win out,” Nakai recalled. “While we ended up losing the game 1-2 thanks to the other team's great pitching, everyone gave it their all and it turned out to be a real gem of a game that I still remember vividly.”

One of his other favourite memories was a walk-off in the middle of the 2019 winter season. The Farmers came back to win it in the bottom of the eighth with eight consecutive hits after being down by four or five runs. “It was a whirlwind of a game, with many quick outs during the middle innings including some great fielding plays from our team leading to a huge eighth inning rally” Nakai said. “Any fatigue I had from the 128 pitches I threw got blown away from the joy of coming back from such a deficit, and I remember the excitement running through the air after the game had finished.”

Looking ahead to the future, Nakai hopes to keep winning while having the most fun possible and working to further improve his control. “I'm lucky enough to have a catcher that leads me extremely well - I probably only shook him off two or three times last season - so it'd be nice if I could consistently put the ball where he wants it,” Nakai said. “Otherwise, I'd like to improve my velocity and perhaps develop a changeup alongside my curveball, since breaking balls are always real fun to throw.”

Nakai is grateful for his teammates who were always there to field every ball and provide great defense, keeping him out of some dicey situation. “I'd like to shout out Thomas Tang, our catcher. In my eyes, he's earned this MVP at least as much as I have, if not more, for his great catching and offensive production,” Nakai said. “He called some great games which allowed me to solely focus on my pitching mechanics without worrying about pitch sequence or baserunners. Special thanks to our player-manager Michael Hibbert for organizing and managing our team throughout the season.”

After months of lockdown the club is preparing for the summer season, and Nakai hopes to see more players getting involved and enjoying the grassroots baseball experience. “If you're located near Monash University and have an interest in playing baseball, I'd really encourage you to give our team a try,” Nakai said. “It's a great environment to play in whether you're just starting out or a veteran in the sport.”

Following the welcome news on the easing of restrictions announced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday, 26 October 2020, Baseball Victoria has confirmed how these changes apply to Victorian baseball and our return to activity.

In summary, VSBL clubs are now able to return to training, so long as they have council approval and are able to confirm the registration of all attendees. All players and coaches must register to return to training HERE.

Those people who reside more than 25kms from their club or any baseball club will not be able to attend training at their registered location but may arrange training with another club or maintain their solo training regime until 8 November 2020, when it is anticipated both the 25km rule and the ‘ring of steel’ between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria will be removed. Our At-Home Baseball Training: Drills and Exercises for the COVID-19 Break and Ramp Up to Play series feature training exercises for those who must continue their solo training for now. Click HERE to check out these training videos.

Clubs will be able to have groups of 20 people (including players and coaches) at training, with two groups on a single diamond separated by 20 metres. At this stage, all training for seniors is non-contact where physically distancing must be maintained, while juniors are able to conduct full training. Access to club canteens/bars will be subject to council approval. More information is available within the hospitality guidelines for the opening of canteens and bars HERE.

“We are excited to welcome our Victorian baseballers back to the diamond after a challenging year," Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We remain dedicated to the health and safety of our members and are working diligently to create a memorable season despite the circumstances. Thank you to all of our baseball members for their patience and continued support during lockdown, and we look forward to the summer season ahead."

Baseball Victoria has updated our Return to Activity/Return to Play Plan so clubs can continue preparing for the 2020/21 VSBL season based on these confirmed dates, along with the review and penalty process around COVID breaches.

We will continue to provide updates accordingly and wish to remind all members to register for the return to training so we can get back on the field as soon as possible.

Click HERE to register with your club and view registration resources for new and returning members HERE.

Click HERE to view our frequently asked questions, which are regularly updated.

Click HERE to view our updated Return to Activity and Return to Play Plan.

To view the outline on the easing of restrictions provided by the Victorian Government, click HERE.

Click HERE for more Victorian Government COVID-19 resources.

Baseball Victoria is pleased to confirm plans for the 2021 National Showcase Series – Victoria early next year. This follows Baseball Australia’s announcement on the cancellation of the 2021 Australian Youth Championship due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 AYC will be replaced with local state events featuring a showcase and underage tournament to ensure athletes still receive extensive high performance and development opportunities with exposure to college and professional scouts.

The National Showcase Series – Victoria will be held at Melbourne Ballpark from Tuesday, 5 January – Wednesday, 13 January 2021.

Similarly to the traditional AYC tournament, the Victorian event will take place during the January school holidays and include the Under 16 and Under 18 age brackets with a combination of showcasing and a series of games.

“We are excited to bring this new AYC format to Victoria in 2021 following an eventful year,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “While we have had to make adjustments along with other states and territories, we look forward to creating a challenging and memorable experience for Victorian baseballers who would typically be playing in the Australian Youth Championship.”

Tryouts for the National Showcase Series – Victoria will be held at the end of November, with specific dates and times to be confirmed as soon as possible.

The National Showcase Series – Victoria will include:

1. Local Showcase

Tuesday 5 and Wednesday, 6 January 2021

Players will participate in a showcase for data collection and scouting purposes. The showcase format and data collection will be coordinated nationally with all players across Australia participating in the standardised event.

2. Local Underage Tournament

Two teams in both the Under 16 and Under 18 age brackets will compete in a 7 game series from Thursday, 7 January – Wednesday, 13 January 2021.

3. National Underage Squad Selection and National Program

The Under 16 and 18 National Junior Squads will be selected from the players who participate in the National Showcase Series. Subject to government restrictions, the National Junior Squads will be invited to a camp in Canberra over Easter 2021. Following this camp and again subject to restrictions, the national teams will be invited to a Perfect Game event in Florida.

4. Baseball Victoria Aces Academy

The National Showcase Series – Victoria will be used as one component of player evaluation for potential invites to the 2021 Baseball Victoria Aces Academy.

Below are several frequently asked questions regarding the 2021 National Showcase Series – Victoria.

How do I enter the showcase?

Two teams for Under 16 and two teams for Under 18 will be selected to participate in the National Showcase Series from the tryouts. Baseball Victoria will provide a link to register in the coming weeks, along with all the tryout details as dates will be confirmed ASAP.

What do I need to do before turning up at tryouts?

All players must register before arriving at tryouts. Players must also be free of COVID-19 symptoms to attend tryouts. Players need to ensure they are physically prepared to throw, sprint, field and hit.

How much will the showcase series cost?

We are still confirming the costs based around the changing COVID landscape. At this stage we anticipate the costs for the local showcase, along with the 7 day tournament series, to be less than $250.00.

Will my parents or other spectators be able to attend the showcase?

At this stage that is not certain, we will need to adapt to COVID restrictions, including those associated with this field being used for professional baseball. We will continue to update players and parents on the requirements, if we are not able to accommodate spectators, we will provide alternative ways to stream all the action.

What are the COVID-19 safety measures in place for tryouts and the showcase?

There will be player and spectator safety restrictions in line with Baseball Victoria’s Return to Activity and Return to Play Plans, along with additional restrictions or safety protocols applied on the professional grounds. All protocols will be clearly outlined before the tryouts.

What will the uniforms for the showcase be?

Uniforms will be provided once you have been selected to participate. They will be included in the costs.

What happens if I can’t attend the showcase?

If you are unable to attend the showcase, you can discuss your absence with Baseball Victoria’s Talent Development Manager Damian Shanahan. Click HERE to view the National Junior Selection Policy.

How are Baseball Victoria and Baseball Australia making sure the showcase provides the same level of opportunity and exposure as the AYC?

Baseball Victoria and Baseball Australia are collaborating in the collection and distribution of data and video plus performance assessment within the National Showcase Series to ensure player exposure is maximised at a level that exceeds the traditional AYC.

Following the welcome news on the easing of restrictions announced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Monday, 26 October 2020, Baseball Victoria is confirming how these changes apply to Victorian baseball and our return to activity.

“We are pleased to learn about the easing of restrictions and look forward to seeing our Victorian baseballers out on the diamond,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We are working diligently to finalise these changes and confirm all details so our members can enjoy a safe and smooth return to activity with proper COVID-19 precautions in place. We thank the entire baseball community for the support and cooperation during lockdown and we are excited to return to the sport we all love soon.”

We will be updating our Return to Activity/Return to Play Plan within the next 24 hours and expect to provide further details on the next steps for baseball activities in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria shortly.

Stay tuned for more updates and in the meantime, please register to return to training so we can get back on the field as soon as possible.

Click HERE to register.

Click HERE to view our frequently asked questions, which are regularly updated.

We encourage our Victorian baseball community to stay in touch and prioritise mental health. Click HERE for mental health resources.

To read the Premier’s full statement, click HERE.

Following recent announcements from Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, Baseball Victoria continues to consult with Sport and Recreation Victoria to confirm details of how these updates apply to baseball across the state.

While the dates and restrictions are subject to change, currently the Victorian Government will ease restrictions for community sport on Sunday, 1 November 2020, when junior baseballers will be able to return to full training and senior baseballers can commence non-contact training in metropolitan Melbourne.

As Baseball Victoria keeps planning for our return to activity, we will provide any further updates to dates and resources as required. To help clubs plan for the season ahead and get an accurate idea of numbers, we are kindly asking all those interested in participating in the 2020/21 VSBL season to register HERE.

The Premier has suggested the possibility of this date moving forward seven days with a continued reduction of daily case numbers. Baseball Victoria is preparing for both options but at this stage, we continue to plan on 1 November 2020 for our return to activity.

“The situation is improving, and we are hopeful we can return to play at the end of November when we have completed four weeks of training and our clubs and players are ready to go,” Baseball Victoria President Myles Foreman said. “The Baseball Victoria Board and staff have been working very closely with the Victorian Government to make sure we can provide this hybrid season with discounts, such as no team fees for juniors and team fees for seniors being less than half of last year’s costs. This will allow clubs to assess their financials and focus on getting back to the sport we all love.”

Fees for Baseball Victoria and Baseball Australia are frozen at the same rates as last summer and the senior team fees are reduced by 50% with the junior team fees completely removed – junior teams are free for 2020/21. These significant reductions will allow clubs to determine their fees with these reduced costs, to pass those onto players as part of their overall club fees. Exact club fees are being determined by clubs now, and the return to activity will be free until such time as our return to play as part of the summer baseball season.

Baseball Victoria continues to work with the Victorian Government on financial support for our members and clubs – it is possible we will be able to apply additional discounts once we have finalised the season format and fixtures.

“We are working diligently to adhere to the Victorian Government’s changes and timelines so that we can be prepared for a safe, successful return to activity and eventual return to play, keeping in mind that dates and plans may continue to shift,” Baseball Victoria CEO Kristie Middleton said. “We are incredibly conscious of the many difficulties members of our Victorian baseball community have faced this year, which is why we wanted to make the appropriate adjustments to our fee structure. We have prepared a number of club resources, most importantly our updated Return to Activity and Return to Play Plan, to guide our clubs through this new chapter of grassroots baseball.”

“We continue to work with our clubs, and we are pleased with this much more optimistic outlook as we feel confident we can return to play before the Christmas break. We are finalising the return to on-field training for the Baseball Victoria Aces Academy and our 2021 AYC plan to ensure we have a Victorian-based event.”

Players, coaches, volunteers, and officials are all asked to register to help teams and clubs make sure they are ready to play in a COVID-safe environment.

Click HERE to register with your club and view registration resources for new and returning members HERE.

Click HERE to view our frequently asked questions, which are regularly updated.

We encourage our members to stay in touch with one another and prioritise their mental health. Click HERE for mental health resources.

Click HERE to view our updated Return to Activity and Return to Play Plan.

To view the outline on the easing of restrictions provided by the Victorian Government, click HERE.

Further to the easing of the restrictions announced by the Victorian Government today, Baseball Victoria continues to consult with Sport and Recreation Victoria about the details of these updates and how they will apply to baseball.

In summary, the same restrictions currently in place will apply to community sport from this evening at 11:59 PM, Sunday 18 October 2020 until the next easing of restrictions on Sunday, 1 November 2020.

On 1 November 2020, junior baseballers will be able to return to full training, while senior baseballers will be able to return to non-contact training. This date is subject to change and Premier Daniel Andrews has today suggested it is possible this date may be moved forward seven days with a continued reduction of daily case numbers. We will prepare for both options, but at this stage, the 1 November 2020 date is set.

At this time, this easing of restrictions is still subject to the 25km radius of travel that is relevant for each Victorian in metropolitan Melbourne and we will await further updates in this respect to ensure that every Victorian baseballer can return to training with their club.

From now until 1 November 2020, subject to any updates, Baseball Victoria members in metropolitan Melbourne are not permitted to attend organised sport at sporting facilities, access change rooms or attend club facilities even within the 25km radius. The only exception is if you are a permitted worker with a work permit who is contracted by the facility manager to undertake repairs.

Baseball Victoria is working with the Victorian Summer Baseball League Clubs to update draft fixtures and COVID specific rules based on this new information to ensure that we are ready to safely return to training.

We have updated our Return to Activity and Return to Play Plan, subject to further clarifications, and have also updated our Frequently Asked Questions in anticipation of the changes.

Further information on the start of the 2020/21 VSBL competition, along with all costs, updates to the format and rules of the VSBL will be provided to members in the coming days after consultation with our clubs and the Victorian Government.

To view the outline on the easing of restrictions provided by the Victorian Government, click HERE.