Australian Baseball League season preview: Manny Ramirez to debut for Sydney Blue Sox
CLUB BY CLUB PREVIEW: The Australian Baseball League season is just days away, with Manny Ramirez set to make his Blue Sox debut.
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Manny Ramirez will make his Australian Baseball League debut on Thursday night Sydney.
The marquee Blue Sox slugger will suit up against defending champions Melbourne Aces to get the domestic baseball season underway.
Perth Heat will host Canberra Cavalry on Friday night in Perth.
The pre-season withdrawals of expansion teams Geelong-Korea and Auckland Tuatara, forced the ABL to merge its Australian and International Conferences for the upcoming season.
Former International conference teams Adelaide Giants and Brisbane Bandits will start their respective campaigns from January 5.
News Corp Australia will preview the teams ahead of the Brisbane home-opener.
Tickets for all ABL games can be purchased here.
CANBERRA CAVALRY
Manager: Keith Ward (third season)
Last season: Lost semi-final series to Adelaide
Opening Day: December 18 v Perth Heat, Perth Ballpark
Home Opener: December 26 v Melbourne Aces, Narrabundah Ballpark
Players to watch:
Steven Kent (pitcher) – Veteran lefty provides plenty of experience and versatility for the Cavalry. He can start or come out of the bullpen and is nasty on hitters.
Mikey Reynolds (infielder) – a former ABL Hitting Champion with Adelaide. He was Auckland-bound but the Tuatara pulled out and the Cavs came knocking.
Josh Warner (pitcher) – the Queenslander earned a call up for Team Australia in February after a strong finish to last season with the Cavs.
Cam Warner (infielder) – Canberran and former Detroit prospect had a huge 2019/20 season. He collected a career-high 43 hits and dropped his strikeout numbers right down.
Shawn Morimando (pitcher) – Made two MLB appearances in 2016 and has a wealth of experience at the level below the bigs.
Generation next:
Jack Middleton (outfielder) – Middleton is 27 but in baseball that is still young. Looks a breakout year with more chance to play after racking up seven games in two seasons.
Jimmy Boyce (pitcher) – Kiwi landed in the nation’s capital after Auckland withdrew. He can serve in the rotation or bullpen.
What to expect: “Offensively we’ve got a real balance and depth to our line-up. We’ve got guys that can really run and make things happen on the bases. The real high energy guy every manager loves to have in their line-up. Really the biggest challenge for us is going to be pitching.” – Keith Ward
David Penrose, Baseball Australia says: A strong batting line-up but unlike previous seasons when they’ve been built around power they also have some speed.
Gilbert Gardiner, News Australia says: Always punch above their weight but a shortage of imports will make it hard for the Cavalry to charge in 2021.
MELBOURNE ACES
Manager: Allan de San Miguel (first season)
Last year: Champions
Opening Day: December 17 v Sydney Blue Sox, Blacktown International Sportspark
Home Opener: December 31 v Perth Heat, Melbourne Ballpark
Players to watch:
Daniel McGrath (pitcher) – Young Aussie started for Boston in its first 2020 Spring Training game. Since became a free agent and missed the Aces’ title last season. Hungry.
Darryl George (infielder) – The Team Australia infielder missed last season through injury. He led the Aces with 49 hits two seasons ago and is a former ABL Defensive Player of the Year.
Delmon Young (designated hitter) – The former No. 1 pick in the MLB Draft returns for a third ABL season as the defending hitting champion.
Jon Kennedy (pitcher) – The lefty allowed one earned run in 26 regular-season innings last summer and was instrumental out of the bullpen.
Mitch Ellis (pitcher) – Spent most of last season in the batting line-up but will likely be used exclusively on the mound this season after signing with Kansas City as a pitcher.
Generation next:
Jarryd Dale (infielder) – The 20 year-old San Diego prospect has racked up 127 ABL appearances after making his debut at 16.
Chris Burke (catcher) – The Australian Philadelphia prospect is one of several Aces trying to fill vacancy behind the plate — post de San Miguel’s retirement.
Blake Townsend (pitcher) – On the comeback trail after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Seattle prospect suffered the injury midway through 2019 in just his second Minor League outing.
What to expect: “(Our front office) have put together a really, really good team this year with all the connections we know. I’m really happy with where we’re at right now and the team we can put out on the field this year.” – de San Miguel
David says: Former Aussie big leaguers Luke Hughes and Peter Moylan retired, along with now manager de San Miguel and veteran pitcher Dushan Ruzic but George, McGrath and Josh Tols are like new recruits after missing all or most of last season.
Gilbert says: Confidence and belief cannot be taught and the Aces have both in spades. Granted, a wealth of experience has retired but with de San Miguel (manager), Hughes (front office) and Moylan (pitching coach) still around it safeguards against a leadership drain.
PERTH HEAT
Manager: Andy Kyle (third season, first since 2018/19)
Last year: Fifth (lost Wildcard Game to Canberra)
Opening Day: December 18 v Canberra Cavalry, Perth Ballpark
Players to watch:
Tim Kennelly (outfielder) – Kennelly ranks towards the top of almost every key offensive statistical category in the ABL over the past decade. The two-time Helms Award winner’s 385 hits are most, his 52 homers are second most and only three players have driven in more runs across the past 10 seasons.
Robbie Glendinning (infielder) – One of Australia’s top hitting prospects will be hungry to make up for lost time after the Minor League season was cancelled. The Pittsburgh prospect topped the ABL with 52 hits last season and has 117 across his 89-game career.
Dylan Unsworth (pitcher) – ABL Pitching Champion is a hard-worker with deadeye accuracy and walked five hitters in 71 innings last season while topping the league with 75 strikeouts.
Generation next:
Will Sherriff (pitcher) – The left-hander made his ABL debut last summer after a strong showing for Australia at the U-18 World Cup. Set for a bigger role this season?
Maddux Stivey (utility) – Stivey was named MVP at January’s U18 Nationals. Only 16 but looms as a likely member of Perth’s opening weekend roster.
Jess Williams (utility) – Cut by Milwaukee after the cancellation of the 2020 Minor League season due to COVID. The 21-year-old was the 2017/18 ABL Rookie of the Year.
What to expect:
“Position-wise I’m really excited about the versatility of our team this year. We’ve got a number of guys who can play multiple positions, so that’s a real comfort and I’m excited about a having a very level playing field with our position guys which creates some competition for sports. We have some unknowns pitching wise which will be the same across the country.” – Andy Kyle
David says: Perth’s offence was one of the best last season and its pitching but the Heat could not put it all together at the business end. If their Tampa Bay imports produce as Rays normally do down under, then another playoff spot beckons.
Gilbert says: First rule of Australian baseball: Never write off Perth Heat … unless, of course, the WA Premier reinstates a hard border.
SYDNEY BLUE SOX
Manager: Shane Barclay (second season)
Last year: Fourth in Northeast Conference
Opening Day: December 17 v Melbourne Aces, Blacktown International Sportspark
Players to watch:
Manny Ramirez (designated hitter) – Ramirez lands in the ABL as arguably its biggest name recruit. Sure, he is 48, but the 12-time MLB All-Star and two-time World Series winner is in great shape and his name alone will drew eyeballs.
Jacob Younis (infielder) – The 27 year-old has played 315 games after making his debut in the relaunched league’s first season and sits behind only Trent D’Antonio at the Blue Sox with 289 career ABL hits.
Zac Shepherd – The Aussie went from hitting to pitching in Detroit’s system in 2019 and was subsequently shut down by the Tigers last ABL season.
Lachlan Wells (pitcher) – Wells last played for the Blue Sox in January 2016. The Minnesota prospect made his comeback from Tommy John surgery in the second-half of the 2019 Minor League season.
Generation next:
Jake Burns (catcher) – Burns signed with St Louis as a 16-year-old last September. He had a stint in the US and Dominican Republic in late 2019. In the mix for plenty of time behind the plate after the Mets decided against sending Francisco Alvarez down under.
Solomon Maguire (outfielder) – Maguire signed with Pittsburgh for more than $1m earlier in the year on the back of a strong 2019 U18 World Cup and underage nationals.
Josh Gessner (pitcher) – Right-hander Gessner inked a deal with Philadelphia midway through 2019 and made six Minor League appearances. He will push for gametime with the Sox.
What to expect:
“The big difference between this year and last year is the roster we do have is absolutely focused, they’re putting in and playing for each other. Our imports are going to complement our Australians, which for the long-term of the Blue Sox they’re the ones that are going to build the foundation.” – Shane Barclay
David says: The Blue Sox are the only foundation ABL team without an appearance in the ABL Championship Series. They will be hoping to change that this summer. All eyes will be on Ramirez but around him Sydney have built a more than capable roster.
Gilbert says: A nice mix of youth and experience. Win or lose, the Blue Sox map to be the most watchable team in Australian baseball with Manny and an arsenal of Aussie young guns.
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