While America’s exports to Australia amounts to over $27.5 billion, baseball is a priceless Aussie favorite. No matter how many machines, engines, pumps, vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, gems, precious metals, coins, pharmaceuticals, plastics, rubber and chemical goods make their way Down Under, these were some of the Top 40 American imports (#11-20) in the thriving
2012-13 Australian Baseball League.
Thanks to all the @sydneybluesox fans for a great season and making al the imports feel at home. #WhoRocks
#20 Zach Penprase of the Sydney Blue Sox was 16-for-20 in ABL stolen base attempts.After being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft from Mississippi Valley State University, #20 Zach Penprase spent the following three years honing his skills in Single-A ball within the Phillies and Red Sox organizations. Despite being released from MiLB in 2008, the talented infielder was determined not to give up playing baseball professionally. When the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks offered refuge from the minor league madness, he gratefully accepted the invitation and has since become a leader and fan favorite in the Independent American Association League for the past three seasons. Making waves across the U.S. that were felt as far as Bondi Beach, Penprase got the attention of Sydney Blue Sox GM David Balfour. Given the opportunity to redeem himself in front
of MLB scouts while experiencing unrivaled Aussie hospitality in the ABL, the 27-year-old Southern California native signed up to play ball in the state capital of New South Wales. #20 Zach Penprase with Blue Sox teammates (Photo courtesy of Joe Vella / SMP Images / ABL)Representing Team World in the ABL All-Star game at the end of round six of ABL action, Penprase was one of the top three hitters in the league with the second-best batting average (.370) and the third-best on-base percentage (.469). Setting new team records in games played (45) and stolen bases (16), the Sydney Blue Sox second baseman and shortstop proved to be a valuable American import with a respectable season-ending .282 batting average and
.365 on-base percentage.
One last thank you from all the way across the globe to all Aussies and especially to @sydneybluesox for never saying a bad word about me.
#19 Quincy Latimore of the Adelaide Bite (Photo courtesy of Sarah Lee / The Advertiser)Recently traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Cleveland Indians, prospect Quincy Latimore returned for his second ABL season in 2013.
(Ryan Schembri/SMP Images/ABL)#19 Quincy Latimore replaced injured Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Justin Howard on the Adelaide Bite roster shortly after Christmas. He was a welcome addition to the team’s ailing line-up after an impressive 2010 ABL campaign in which he played in 31 games for Adelaide with a .313 batting average and was sixth in the ABL in both slugging percentage (.548) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.923). Selected in the fourth round of the 2007 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates out of Middle Creek High School in Apex, North Carolina, Latimore competed in rookie ball until 2010. While at Single-A Advanced Bradenton, the left fielder crushed 19 homes runs with 100 RBI and earned Florida State League post-season All-Star honors. In each of his last two seasons at Double-A Altoona, he has hit 15 homers, while exercising more plate discipline by taking more walks and cutting down on strikeouts. With a minor league career .255 batting average, Quincy Latimore was recently acquired by the Cleveland Indians in exchange for the MLB-experienced right-handed pitcher Jeanmar Gomez. The 24-year-old put together a .286 batting average and a .400 on-base percentage in 16 games for the 2012-13 Bite.
Finally off to Australia! Lets hope this flight goes by fast! 😒
#18 Brenden Webb of the Perth Heat#18 Brenden Webb was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles as a 19-year-old in the 30th round of the 2009 amateur draft out of Palomar Community College in San Diego County. Ranked #31 by Orioles Nation in their 2013 Top 50 Baltimore prospects feature article, lefty outfielder is a five-tool player with potential to make a positive impact on the major league level. His aggressive defensive prowess is demonstrated in this youtube video of him throwing out Canberra’s Kody Hightower at the plate. Featured in last season’s Top 20 Americans in the ABL article after hitting .270 and ranking fourth-best in walks (25) with only 100 at-bats, Brenden Webb returns again in this season’s Top 20 despite having only joined Perth in early January. In 2012 between his stints at Single-A Delmarva and Single-A Advanced Frederick, the 23-year-old power-hitter had career-highs in both walks (98) and home runs (14) while greatly increasing his on-base percentage.Baltimore Orioles prospect Brandon Webb displayed raw power in his limited at-bats in the ABL in 2013. Of his 11 regular season hits for the Heat, five were home runs.
Heading back to the states. Thanks @perthheat for the amazing time. The great fans and people is what makes Perth so special to me.
#17 K.C. Hobson of the Canberra Cavalry was named to the ABL Team World All-Stars roster but could not play due to a calf injury. (Photo by Adam East/ozcards.blogspot.com) Named ABL Player of the Week for Round One of 2012-13 action, #17 K.C. Hobson of the Canberra Cavalry absolutely raked at the plate by going 6-for-10 and hitting two home runs in three games. Named to the ABL World All-Stars roster after being Canberra’s most consistent bat as well as their clean-up hitter from the moment he set foot in Australia’s capital city at the start of the season, the aspiring 22-year-old Toronto Blue Jays prospect’s time in the ABL was cut short by a calf injury which prevented him from playing against Team Australia in the 2012 ABL All-Star game and sent him home early before Christmas. Picked up by the Jays in the sixth round of the 2009 draft out of Stockdale High School in Bakersfield, California, Hobson had a breakout year in 2012 for Single-A Lansing–where he hit .276 and set a single-season franchise record 43 doubles. The Cavalry first baseman’s injury cost him a possible ABL batting title as his average plummeted from a league-leading .600 to a season-ending .271.
#16 Jim Schult of the Brisbane Bandits had the fourth-lowest ERA (2.47) and WHIP (1.12) in the Australian Baseball League. (Photo courtesy of Charles Knight / SMP Images / ABL) #16 Jim Schult of the Brisbane Bandits was named the 2011 Division III National Player of the Year while playing at Eastern Connecticut State University. A First Team All-American Collegiate Pitcher, Schult joined the Can-Am NYSL Federals in 2011 and the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers in 2012. With unlimited potential and a bright baseball future ahead, the 23-year-old New Yorker made a great debut pitching in the ABL with a superb 4-2 record and will be welcome back.
#15 Zachary Arneson of the Melbourne Aces
(Photo courtesy of Brett Crockford / SMP Images)#15 Zachary Arneson of the Melbourne Aces was drafted by the San Francisco Giants out of Cal State Bakersfield in the 21st round of the 2010 draft, but chose to return to college and transfer to Lewis-Clark State in Lewiston, Idaho. After posting a 2-1 record with a 2.82 ERA and 46 strikeouts in his senior year, he was drafted by his favorite team–the New York Yankees–in the ninth round of the 2011 draft. The hard-throwing relief pitcher signed immediately
and has since moved up the ranks
rapidly to Single-A Charleston.
New York Yankees pitching prospect Zachary Arneson Marred by nagging injuries throughout his brief minor league career, Arneson was used primarily in a setup role out of the bullpen during 2012 and pitched two scoreless innings in his last outing for the Single-A Charleston RiverDogs to earn his only victory (1-0) before heading to Australia. The day news got out that the Melbourne Aces had scored the first American import affiliated with one of the most prestigious MLB franchises to play in the ABL, the entire Australian state of Victoria buzzed with anticipation. Melbourne Aces general manager Windsor Knox said, “It’s a fantastic day for the Aces and our fans to be associated with the New York Yankees. We look forward to seeing Zachary’s contribution to the team’s success this season.” Aces manager Phil Dale commented that it was great for the ABL to have the biggest team in the world willing to send out players. With opponents failing to connect with the 24-year-old flamethrower’s fastball early on, Arneson rightfully earned a spot on the ABL World All-Star team roster and continued to dominate with a 1.77 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
@zacharneson In Melbourne 3 months and already know who runs this City. You just claimed your Victorian citizenship mate!
#14 Anthony Claggett of the Perth Heat made his MLB debut on April 9, 2009 for
the New York Yankees and also played that same season for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
#14 Anthony Claggett of the Perth Heat (Photo courtesy of
Ryan Schembri / SMP Images) Originally selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 11th round of the 2005 draft out of the University of Califoria, Riverside, #14 Anthony Claggett of the Perth Heat was acquired by the New York Yankees in the 2006 Gary Sheffield trade. Equipped with a sinking 92 mph fastball and a 85 mph slider, the Southern California hurler came into 2009 Yankees Spring Training as the 26th-ranked prospect in the franchise and the third-ranked right-handed relief pitching prospect. Five months after making his MLB pitching debut on April 18, 2009 against the Cleveland Indians, Claggett was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was designated for assignment by the Pirates when Octavio Dotel was acquired in 2010 and was granted free agency at the conclusion of the 2011 season. Prior to signing on with the Perth Heat in the ABL, he pitched for the Somerset Patriots and the St. Paul Saints. The 2012 ABL Team World All-Star (4-5, 3.31 ERA) was second-best in strikeouts (77) and was also named ABL Pitcher of the Week for Round Five after throwing 6.2 innings of shutout ball against the Aces with seven strikeouts and no walks allowed.
I’m very happy to be apart of the #perthheat family. We’re going to the ship #Heat3Peat
Vaughan Harris and Geoff Klein of the Sydney Blue Sox (Joe Vella / SMP Images)#13 Geoff Klein of the Sydney Blue Sox was drafted by the Saint Louis Cardinals in the 15th round of the 2010 draft from Santa Clara University in Northern California, where the switch-hitting 2009 West Coast Conference batting champion was named a 2010 preseason All-American. The 24-year-old Huntington Beach catcher and first baseman has fared well in the Cardinals minor leagues. He set career-highs in games played (102), home runs (7), RBIs (34) and walks (30) in his second season for Single-A Advanced Palm Beach prior to joining the Blue Sox in the ABL. Klein was the unsung hero calling games behind the plate for Sydney as
the Blue Sox pitching staff was the ABL’s best with the league’s lowest ERA (2.91) and WHIP (1.20). He also produced offensively for the squad–ranking third in doubles (10) and walks (20) and fourth in hits/runs (43) and RBI (21).
Last day in Oz. Bittersweet, leavin behind a lot of good mates and great experiences but can’t wait to get home and back to the grind #2013
#12 Carlo Testa of the Melbourne Aces was voted by the public as the recipient
of the second annual ABL Fan Choice Award. Italy’s Alex Maestri won in 2012.
Thanks to everyone that voted for my mate Carlo Testa.He came out on top as the ABL’s Fan Choice Awards.Well done my man! #goaces
Kansas City Royals prospect & ABL All-Star Carlo Testa#12 Carlo Testa of the Melbourne Aces beat out 29 other players for this year’s ABL Fan Choice Award. The Kansas City Royals’ selection in the 18th round of the 2008 draft out of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee was a 2012 Texas League Mid-Season All-Star as an outfielder for Double-A Northwest Arkansas with career-highs in home runs (15) and RBI (54). Playing in all 46 games for Melbourne this season,
the 26-year-old Midwestener was the driving force behind the ABL’s last place offense by leading the Ace’s regulars in nearly every category including: doubles (11), home runs (6), stolen bases (10), batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.394), and on-base plus slugging percentage (.835).
Big homer by Cody Clark to send the storm chasers to another win!!
#11 Cody Clark of the Brisbane Bandits spent six seasons in the Kansas City Royals minor leagues before embarking to play for the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League.#11 Cody Clark came to Brisbane, Australia after spending the 2012 season with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. Bouncing between the Texas, Atlanta and Kansas City franchises, the 31-year-old journeyman has played 10 years in the minor leagues. The veteran catcher needed an outlet such like the Australian Baseball League to show-case for international MLB scouts as he entered free agency. The Arkansas native ventured over 8,600 miles to get Aussie baseball love.#11 Cody Clark was named a 2012
ABL Team World All-Star. (Photo by Brett Crockford/SMP Images/ABL) Taken in the 11th round of the 2003 draft by the Texas Rangers, Clark moved over to the Atlanta organization in 2006 before signing with Kansas City
in 2007. A fixture at the Triple-A level ever since, the versatile catcher got a lot of action in 13 games at Royals Spring Training last year. Clark was 6-for-18 for a .333 average, and he drew four walks to give himself a healthy on-base percentage of .435. Despite rubbing shoulders with the elite and handling major league pitching at camp, his MLB debut still eludes him to this day. However, his seasoned level of play in the ABL would make one think he had broken into the Bigs
a long time ago. In addition to being an ABL Team World All-Star, the Brisbane backstop was named ABL Player of the Week for Round Four. During the four-game series against the Adelaide Bite at the Norwood Oval, Clark went 8-for-15 with two home runs, two doubles, two walks, two runs scored and nine RBI. There was nothing bush league about the Bandits’ leader in hits (50), runs (25), doubles (13), and RBI (28) or nothing minor about his .299 batting average.
Former LA Laker legend and new LA Dodger owner Earvin "Magic" Johnson will have to wait
patiently like the rest of us True Blue Dodger Fans for Melbourne pitcher Shane Lindsay to get healthy and up-to-speed before lighting up area radar guns with his atomic splitting fastball.Shane Lindsay will start the 2012 season with Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes. (Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE)It’s a warm day outside the gate of the players’ entrance to Camelback Ranch.
As the players enter in their SUVs with radios blaring and bling flashing in typical Hollywood style, they simply nod to the semi-retired security guard working the players’ gate entrance prior to driving in one-by-one. However, when Aussie Shane Lindsay approaches, a modest smile and a cordial “g’day” is offered.
After parking his vehicle, the fashionably-conscious Lindsay exudes confidence. Despite not having thrown one pitch for the Dodgers and being reassigned to the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Albuquerque Isotopes, Shane remains optimistic that he will be making his debut in a True Blue uniform at Chavez Ravine shortly. The 27-year-old Lindsay made his MLB debut for the Chicago White Sox in September 2011, and the LA Dodgers took notice.Shane Lindsay made his MLB debut on September 2, 2011 pitching in relief against AL MVP Justin Verlander in
front of a sold-out Comerica Park. Shane Lindsay pitched one inning as a reliever at Comerica Park that night and allowed no hits with a strike out and a walk. The six-foot-one, two hundred five-pounder made three other relief appearances before the end of the 2011 season. Lindsay elected free agency in October 2011, and agent Paul Kinzer reported in November that his client had signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Shane said, “We were in discussions for a while. We had talked to around ten different teams. I sort of left it in the agent’s hands (to choose) the best suitoring situation and what he felt. That’s kind of his job I guess. So far it’s been good, you know. Obviously I haven’t played for them yet or even thrown a pitch, but I like it so far. It’s a bit slow of what I had hoped it to be. I unfortunately suffered a setback–a strained lat muscle right before Spring Training–and it sidelined me for a majority of it so far. So we’ll see how it comes up in the end.” Lindsay has been working hard to be ready for the start of the 2012 Albuquerque Isotopes season and for his eventual call up to the LA Dodgers.From Browns to Dukes and eventually Isotopes,
ABQ baseball history dates back over 120 years.
Despite being injured, Lindsay has nothing but praise for the Dodger franchise. “You don’t ever want to be hurt,” Shane continued. “But as far as places to be hurt and the treatment and stuff…I don’t think you can beat this. (They are a) very forward thinking organization and very modern in the way they go about things. So love it so far and hopefully it will be a longtime stay.” With the recent announcement of the group led by Magic Johnsontaking over Dodger ownership, Lindsay remains upbeat. He commented, “It’s an organization with a lot of heritage, a very prestigious organization. I’m just really excited of it all. I’m sure there are big changes on the horizon, and hopefully it’s a very exciting change.”Fellow Aussie Trent Oeltjen is elated to have Shane Lindsay in the LA Dodger organization. Lindsay joins another Australian in the Dodger organization, Trent Oeltjen. Shane spoke of their friendship and the warm reception he received at Dodger camp in Glendale, Arizona. “We’ve lived together and been mates for a longtime now. (During) a few different Spring Trainings, he has stayed with us. We’ve become close over the years. It’s been very good for the both of us to sort of play together. I think he’s excited as I am…I know his wife is too. So it’s good to have another Aussie, and everybody here has been fantastic–very friendly, very outgoing.” Australia has produced over 330 players who have signed professional contracts with Major League Baseball (MLB) clubs and boasts more MLB contracted players than talent pools from China and its province in Taiwan, Japan, Korea and Cuba. Australia set a country-best record in 2011 with nine Aussie major leaguers.
When Lindsay was asked what Big League goals he has set himself for 2012, he responded confidently: “Establish myself at the major league level and prove to everybody else what I know I can do. I’m just trying to contribute in whatever way I can and help us get towards that World Series Championship. It’s what everybody’s goal is…” Magic Johnson along with new co-owner Mark Walter share the same sentiment as Lindsay and the Dodgers based on what he told the Los Angeles Times back in December while pursing the franchise. Johnson said, “The first thing I asked Walter was, ‘Do you want to win, and do you want to put money in?’ He said, ‘Absolutely’ … He told me three times, ‘All I want to do is get to the World Series.'” Aussie pitcher Shane Lindsay has an uphill battle ahead of him to get a World Series ring. He conceded, “Obviously from a statistical standpoint, the biggest setback is the walks and the issues that we’ve had. But there is a lot more to it. And anybody that sort of knows me I’m trying to take pride in getting it down. We’ve done a lot of work over the last 18 months with mechanics, and I hope to just build on that this year. Being able to repeat my delivery with a very consistent mental approach will yield consistent results on the field too.” Homer Simpson will welcome Shane Lindsay to Isotope country. The team’s name was voted on in an online survey of readers of the Albuquerque Tribune. Officially, there is a tie-in to New Mexico’s history with nuclear energy, but really it’s about the episode of “The Simpsons” where Homer goes on a hunger strike to prevent the Springfield Isotopes from moving to Albuquerque.Homer Simpson lives at Isotopes Park.
However, the Albuquerque Isotopes prevailed in the end, and The Simpsons have found a home there too. Life-sized figures of Homer and Marge grace the main concourse, a mural of Homer haunts the ‘Topes clubhouse and all sorts of other whimsical tributes to America’s favorite cartoon family are discovered throughout the ballpark. The Simpsons have had their share of airtime, but now all eyes are on pitcher Shane Lindsay. He is known as an aggressive reliever with an electric fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and a wild delivery. Throwing with extreme intensity, no pitch delivery is ever the same. Shane Lindsay has a sharp curveball that freezes hitters and results in less than desirable at-bats. Not afraid to throw his fastball inside, Lindsay lives on the edge and provides high drama every outing on the mound.As a pitcher for the Colorado Rockies minor league affiliate Modesto Nuts, Shane Lindsay was rushed to the hospital to have eight screws and a metal plate surgically implanted in his left hand after being attacked outside a California restaurant in May of 2008.
Shane Lindsay has received a lot of media attention for all the wrong reasons after being labeled “wild”. While outside a California restaurant in late May of 2008, Lindsay and a member of his Colorado Rockies Single-A Advanced Minor League affiliate Modesto Nuts host family were attacked. The end result was a trip to the local hospital, where eight screws and a metal plate were surgically implanted in his left hand. Lindsay reflected, “It’s just was one of those situations where (it was the) wrong place, wrong time. It definitely could have been avoided had I just not been there. I’m not a troublemaker. I don’t instigate. I’m not out there trying to disrespect anybody or anything like that. But unfortunately in this world, things…instances happen. It was a terrible day in my life, and hopefully I learned a lot from that.” Shaking off rumors that he was the Aussie version of Derek Jeter, Shane was asked if their was any validity to him dating Los Angeles party girl Lindsay Lohan. Shane chuckled with laughter then replied: “Definitely not true. I’ve
never met the girl.” But when pressured to find out if he would invite her to the Dodger locker room, he caved in laughing and admitted: “Sure, why not?”
In Jeter-like fashion he added, “Anyone is welcome.”Shane Lindsay pitched for the 2011-12 Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League.Ace pitcher Shane Lindsay was dominant in the ABL knowing that his command was on the improve.Lindsay has been working diligently during the offseason so that he is granted access to the 2012 Dodger Clubhouse. Pitching for his hometown Melbourne Aces in the Australian Baseball League, Shane was able to stretch out as a starter and solidify his mechanics. Ace manager Phil Dale, who also coaches the Australian National team, praised Lindsay for his strength and his boost to the team. “He’s what you call a power arm,” said Dale. “It’s like a Brett Lee in bowling. He’s one of the fast bowlers, but what the baseballers call power pitchers.” Lindsay enjoyed his time in the ABL. He said, “It was a fantastic opportunity for me personally. It allowed me to go home from the White Sox–where we were really breaking ground on mechanics stuff and approach to the game–and it gave me a platform to work on it. Phil Dale was good enough to allow me to start and get a lot of repetitions in and a lot of different things. I felt like I achieved a lot. My numbers were not fantastic, but at the end of the day we’re trying to achieve certain goals. I think I achieved them, and I can’t wait to show that I have.” Seemingly scripted for the entertainment capital of the world, the timing is perfect for Isotope relief pitcher Shane Lindsay to show his best stuff in Albuquerque so that he is able to steal the Magic show and go prime time in Los Angeles.
Managers Phil Dale and Kevin Boles exchange line-up cards prior to the Australian Baseball League Melbourne Aces/Sydney Blue Sox game(photo courtesy of Joe Vella/SMP Images/ABL)
In his second year as boss for the Melbourne Aces, manager Phil Dale is no newcomer to the game. Already heralded as a legendary Australian baseball icon for being the first Aussie ever to be awarded a full-ride scholarship to play ball in the U.S., Dale has just begun to create a new chapter in his own legacy. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Reds in 1985, he pitched his way up the minor leagues for four seasons but never made it to the Bigs as a player. However, the Major League Baseball (MLB) curse did not stop the Melbourne native from becoming a hero for the Australian national team and a MVP of the Australian Baseball League (ABL) in its infancy and pre-MLB affiliation days.
Australia Coach Phil Dale
Drawing from his own experience as a professional minor league player, Dale’s source of inspiration was a higher calling to mentor his fellow aspiring countrymen to the ranks of baseball’s elite. He began his coaching career in the minor leagues for the Reds and Atlanta Braves before repatriating back to Australia, where he would work with Aussie’s finest for the nation’s biggest feat ever in the 2004 Athens Olympics. In just one of his many accolades of coaching greatness, Dale led the Australian national team to a monumental silver medal honor after a stunning 1-0 upset over heavily favored Japan.
Ex-MLB lefty Travis Blackley returns to Aces in 2012
Wild Card #1: Prior to Travis Blackley signing to Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) KIA Tigers in December 2010, the 29-year-old Australian national team hurler pitched in the New York Mets and Oakland A’s-affiliated minor leagues. Snagged by the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent in 2000, Blackley made his Major Baseball League debut on July 1, 2004. An injury setback prohibited him from returning to MLB action until 2007 with the San Francisco Giants. Blackley is currently in great shape.
Recently signed LA Dodgers pitcher Shane Lindsay (photo courtesy of Joe Vella / SMP Images / ABL)
Wild Card #2: Shane Lindsay made his Major League Baseball pitching debut on September 2nd against the 2011 AL Central Division Champion Detroit Tigers. The Aces manager praised Lindsay for his strength and his boost to the team. “He’s what you call a power arm,” said Dale. “It’s like a Brett Lee in bowling. He’s one of the fast bowlers, but what the baseballers call power pitchers.” The 26-year-old express train will be joining fellow Aussie MLB success story Trent Oeltjen at 2012 Dodgers Spring Camp.
17-year-old Aussie phenomenon Daniel McGrath (photo courtesy of Joe Vella / SMP images / ABL)
Wild Card #3: Making his debut on Melbourne’s roster as a 16-year-old, Doncaster native pitcher Daniel McGrath has a Big League decision in 2012. Tussling between following his manager’s footsteps by attending an American University or signing a very lucrative professional contract, the six-foot-three prospect is going abroad. Aces skipper and long-time supervisor of the Atlanta Braves Australian and Asian scouting department, Phil Dale knows he has been dealt something special with lefty Daniel McGrath.
ABL Player of the Week (Round 3) Nic Ungs (B. Southall/SMP Images)
Wild Card #4: Named as one of the ABL Players of the Week for round three action, Dubuque, Iowa’s Nic Ungs delivered possibly the best pitching performance in the recently reorganized league’s history against the Brisbane Bandits on November 20th. Coming within two strikes and inches away from throwing the first ever perfect game in ABL history, Ungs now wishes that he could get the pitch back that Brisbane’s Brad Dutton drilled just out of Aces first baseman Justin Huber’s grasp to end his no-hit bid. Postgame the 32-year-old Midwesterner commented, “The perfect game doesn’t come up that often, I’ve thrown a no-hitter before, but it’s just one of those things. Of course I’d like to have the pitch back.” With the four wild card pitchers working in tandem in January, Phil Dale’s Melbourne Aces may indeed be the team that will dethrone defending champions Perth Heat for the 2011-12 ABL Championship title. Ungs said, “It’s going to be great with the guys…to build the team chemistry that we are going to need down the stretch.”
While America’s exports to Australia amounts to over $27.5 billion, baseball is a priceless Aussie favorite. No matter how many machines, engines, pumps, vehicles, aircraft, spacecraft, gems, precious metals, coins, pharmaceuticals, plastics, rubber and chemical goods make their way Down Under, these were some of the Top 40 American imports (#11-20) in the thriving
#16 Jim Schult of the Brisbane Bandits was named the 2011 Division III National Player of the Year while playing at Eastern Connecticut State University. A First Team All-American Collegiate Pitcher, Schult joined the Can-Am NYSL Federals in 2011 and the Frontier League’s Joliet Slammers in 2012. With unlimited potential and a bright baseball future ahead, the 23-year-old New Yorker made a great debut pitching in the ABL with a superb 4-2 record and will be welcome back.
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