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
Here is the latest on the Australians participating in Major League Baseball. Note: hyperlinks in this section lead to MLB.com pages wrapping up these particular games, in-text hyperlinks are to video clips of those plays.
Grant Balfour (Glenwood NSW) is 1-5 with a 5.29 ERA in 51 appearances, 49.1 innings, for the Tampa Bay Rays this season. He has recorded 11 saves from 14 opportunities while allowing 29 runs, all earned, on 41 hits, two homeruns, and 38 walks while striking out 44.
The Rays are 63 - 73 (.488) in 4th place in the American League East, 7.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles.
·17 August – Grant pitched one inning allowing one hit and striking out one in the Rays 4-2 loss to the visiting Yankees. He came on in the 9th with the final score in place and faced four batters: Martin Prado singled to short, deflected by Grant; Brett Gardner was out on a sacrifice bunt to Grant, Prado advanced to 2nd; Derek Jeter grounded out to short, Prado advanced to 3rd; and Jacoby Ellsbury was called out on strikes.
·19 August – Grant copped the loss allowing three earned runs on three walks and a hit without recording an out in the Rays 8-6 11-inning loss to visiting Detroit. The less said of this appearance, the better.
·23 August – Grant pitched 1.2 innings allowing one hit in the Rays 5-4 10-inning loss at Toronto. He came on in the bottom of the 7th with a runner on second and one out recorded. He faced two batters: Danny Valencia grounded out to short and Munenori Kawasaki grounded out to short to end the inning. In the 8th he faced three batters: Jose Reyes grounded out; Melky Cabrera singled to left and Jose Bautista grounded into a double play to end the inning.
AUSTRALIAN BASEBALL LEAGUE IMPORTS IN THE MAJORS
Brandon Barnes (Sydney Blue Sox) is batting .253 for the Colorado Rockies with 22 RBI, 13 doubles, four triples and seven homeruns in 241 at bats over 110 games while playing right field. Over his last ten games, dating to 10 August, he’s batting .259 with seven hits and three RBI, with two home runs, in 27 at-bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Rockies are 51 - 77 (.398), in fifth place in the National League West and 17 games behind the Dodgers.
Didi Gregorious (Canberra Cavalry) is batting .213 for the Arizona Diamondbacks with 20 RBI, three doubles, four triples and six homeruns in 178 at bats over 53 games while playing short stop. Over his last ten games, dating to 13 August, he’s batting .079 with two runs on three hits, two of them homeruns, with five RBI, in 38 at-bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Diamondbacks are 55 - 75 (.423) in fourth place in the NL West 18.5 games behind Los Angeles.
Kevin Kiermaier (Canberra Cavalry) is batting .270 for the Tampa Bay Rays with 29 RBI, 12 doubles, six triples and nine home runs in 248 at bats over 80 games playing right field for the Tampa Bay Rays. He’s scored 30 runs on 67 hits and has stolen five bases. Over his last ten games, dating to 13 Aug, he’s batting .207 with two runs on six hits with one RBI over 29 at bats. He’s made several video highlights which can be viewed here. The Rays are 63 - 73 (.488) in 4th place in the American League East, 7.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles.
AUSTRALIAN ESPN BROADCAST SCHEDULE (All times AEST)
TRIPLE-A LEAGUES:
SINGLE-A LEAGUES:
SINGLE-A LEAGUES:
INDEPENDENT LEAGUES:
PITCHERS HEIN ROBB AND JOSH SPENCE BRING INTERNATIONAL FLAVOUR TO THUNDERBOLTS
Steve Millar, Sun-Times Media – 17 August
EUROPEAN LEAGUES:
WATCH AN ESPN NEWS STORY ON AUSTRALIA’S FIRST EVER WIN AT THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES HERE.