Gun imports Markus Solbach and Mikey Reynolds recommit to Adelaide Bite for next ABL season
ADELAIDE Bite has stolen a march on its Australian Baseball League rivals by re-signing two of the competition’s leading imports for next season.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ADELAIDE Bite has stolen a march on its Australian Baseball League rivals by re-signing two of the competition’s leading imports for next season.
German pitcher Markus Solbach and US shortstop Mikey Reynolds have committed to the SA club for another campaign after starring in their debut summer Down Under.
Solbach recorded a club record 74 strikeouts and boasted the league’s second-best earned run average of 1.10.
Reynolds meanwhile averaged .366 at bat – the third highest in the competition – and clubbed in 22 runs.
Bite manager Chris Adamson said the signings had sent an early statement of intent.
“We made a conscious effort last off-season to bring in people that were obviously quality players, but better people,” Adamson said.
“Those two were identified pretty early in the piece once they arrived as fitting that bill.
“They were guys that made us better on the field, but they made us so much better off the field too.
“They were natural leaders, so it was awesome that they were super keen and couldn’t sign quick enough.”
Solbach, 27, arrived at Adelaide having previously spent six years in US Major League organisations.
The right-arm opener’s outstanding form earned him a second MLB opportunity with LA Dodgers, where he would spend the American summer before returning to the Bite.
Former Atlanta Braves and St Louis Cardinals affiliate Reynolds’ consistency with the bat and energy in the field in independent ball attracted Adamson’s interest.
The 28-year-old fractured his wrist in December, but regained fitness to help last season’s wooden-spooner narrowly miss the playoffs.
“When Markus went out there, he bought into what we were trying to do in terms of game-plan and strategy,” Adamson said.
“He went out there to win every pitch and give himself, and us as a group, the best chance of success.
“Mikey was our spark plug, so losing him (to injury) was pretty costly.
“He was fun to watch every single day and his attitude and effort never wavered.”
Adamson, who was contracted for next season, said Adelaide Football Club’s takeover of the Bite had helped the franchise begin building for the campaign ahead earlier than usual.
Adelaide had already locked in highly-touted youngsters Aaron Whitefield and Mitch Edwards for 2019/20.
Originally published as Gun imports Markus Solbach and Mikey Reynolds recommit to Adelaide Bite for next ABL season
Best bets: Queanbeyan and Scone
Looking for a winner at Scone or Queanbeyan today? Shayne O’Cass has you covered with his tips.
The ‘final straw’ moment that broke Seibold
Anthony Seibold says the pressures of coaching the NRL’s flagship club had taken a toll on him and his family as well as slanderous rumour mongering as he opened up on his Brisbane exit.