Here we go again!

Imagine this conversation taking place sometime in 2007/ 2008 in the 78^th floor New York offices of Major League Baseball:

MLB Executive 1: “Geez, Bud’s all over our asses to come up with something interesting to promote and grow the game.

MLB Executive 2: “Relax, I’ve got this. Let’s start up a professional baseball league in Australia.”

MLB Executive 1: “Throw another shrimp on the barbie.”

MLB Executive 2: “Seriously, a league where we can send our prospects and develop more Aussie talent.”

MLB Executive 1: “Do they even have baseball down there?”

MLB Executive 2: “Dumb ass – Nilsson, Lloyd, Moylan, Balfour”

MLB Executive 1: “What about the weather?”

MLB Executive 2: “That’s the best bit, our winter is their summer. The weather is perfect!”

MLB Executive 1: “Surely Bud’ll fly us down there business class! Lets do it!”

Now cut back to Saturday November 6^th 2010

Game time weather report – 16 degrees Celsius, overcast and drizzling.

Sydney Blue Sox Vs. Canberra Multiculturalists

Despite the wet and blustery conditions, the Defensive Specialist was joined by 1999 other baseball fans for the inaugural game of the new ABL. The Defensive Specialist isn’t going to lie to you, it was pretty damn exciting to be there!

Initial thoughts?

·      The Blacktown Baseball Facility playing surface was a little rough. It looked like a dressage competition had been held on it a week prior. You know things aren’t in the best order when the grounds crew are using green paint to cover the ugly spots.

·      Maybe it was just for the season opener, but it looked like the Sydney promotional team was really laying on the fan experience. There was a bunch of stuff for the young fans to do and the game presentation was a hell of a lot more organised and professional (more on this to come) befitting a professional league. 

The first taste of baseball came when the teams took infield outfield. Loyal readers know how excited the Defensive Specialist gets over the coaches pop-up to the catcher and this would be the first chance to eyeball what the respective coaches were bringing to the table in 2010. The Multiculturalists took the field first and looked relatively slick with the only notable point of interest being the shiny red glove the Korean third baseman decided to break out. Coach Brett Phelan was handling the fungo for the Multiculturalists and when it came time to do the pop-up he looked agitated. It was obvious that he knew the Defensive Specialist was on hand and for his first time, he wanted to make an impression. The first attempt was woeful which would have rattled the cage of many. Instead Phelan steadied himself, took a deep breath and let rip. The second effort had solid height although it drifted down the third base line where the catcher took it.

The Sydney team stormed on to the field with the baseball loving Black Eyed Peas pumping on the sound system. Jason Pospishil was in charge for the Blue Sox (Graham Cassel was sporting a bandage on his hand as a result of a fungo accident earlier in the week which ruled him out) and handled the bat relatively well. Once again, he too seemed to notice the intense scrutiny that the Defensive Specialist placed upon him because his sphincter tightened when it came to the pop up and as a result he sailed both attempts out of play.

The Multiculturalists grab an early win!

With the new league kicking off the Defensive Specialist was expecting some pomp and ceremony. You’ll remember last year the Defensive Specialist was a little critical of the pregame and in game entertainment that came with the Claxton Shield. Bad choices of music, silly games between innings and ear splitting sound. How would a professional league address these issues? We were about to find out.

A well-clad gentleman confidently strode out onto the field with his run sheet and a wireless microphone. Then he went to speak……..and nothing. Microphone issues. The sound team scrambled and when he eventually went live after a few seconds he was LOUD and clear at approximately 500 decibels. Before the Defensive Specialist’s cochlear erupted, the mic cut out again. Then it came back on. Then it went off. The slick in game announcer (who was very good) scrambled and covered by telling the crowd to look out over the left field fence for a special guest.

The Defensive Specialist’s eagle eye spotted a light off in the distance. Was it a helicopter? The sound track to the Natural was playing and the Defensive Specialist must admit that he got goose bumps.  The fans waited and waited and waited. The announcer scrambled again realising that the helicopter was a little too far away and introduced the mascots. Eventually a different helicopter appeared from the sky and landed behind second base. The Defensive Specialist sat forward in his seat, expecting Grant Balfour or Peter Moylan to jump out, stride to the mound and pump a ceremonial first pitch fastball on the black at 90mph. Alas that wasn’t to be, but they did find a kid who was born on the day of the last game of the first ABL (13/1/99) who fired a strike. Interestingly, the helicopter in the distance was actually a police helicopter that had been dispatched to investigate the mysterious yellow chopper hovering over the baseball stadium and in close proximity to the Richmond airfield. How close did fans come to witnessing an 11-year-old baseball fan getting blown out of the sky by the authorities who’d perceived a threat on national security? We’ll never know!

Some Australian Idol contestant belted out a disjointed national anthem and the fireworks gave off more second hand smoke than a natural medicine convention in Nimbin. Sure there were speed bumps but all in all it was a pretty solid first up effort by the Blue Sox promotions team and surely will get slicker.

You don’t necessarily come to Deep in the Hole to hear about fungos and firework so lets get into the game activity.

33-year-old right hander Chris Oxpsring got the opening day start for the Blue Sox and was set to face Multiculturalists shortstop Didi Gregorious who is an early contender for name of the year. The sound guy blasted Justin Bieber as he walked to the plate in a deliberate attempt to emasculate him. Oxspring established the tone immediately, pumping a first pitch fastball for strike one. Didi flew out meekly to centrefield and the season was off and running.

Lefty Steve Kent took the ball for the Multiculturalists and made short work of Blue Sox lead off hitter Trent D’Antonio. As soon as the out was made, the stadium lights were cut off and the field descended into darkness. As fans began to worry about their safety, green lasers pierced the night air, dry ice drifted in from the bullpens and 9000 beats per minute came over the loud speakers. Yes that’s right, it was Techno Tim Auty. The crowd leapt to their feet and waved their glow sticks, which clearly inspired Techno Tim as he laced a line drive over second base for the first hit of the 2010 season. Mitch Dening then erased Techno’s good work by grounding into a double play 4-6-3.

Some players just love the big stage and our boy Techno Tim is one of those guys. The second inning saw S.Y Lee slice a fading line drive to left field that Techno Tim got horizontal on and snared just in fair territory. The catch had the crowd doing ‘big fish, little fish, cardboard box’ in unison and was enough to earn him Defensive Specialist “Play of the Game” honours.

Oxspring and Kent both rolled through the second with the only speed bump for Kent being a base on balls to Boss Moanaroa (also a contender for name of the year). As predicted, Kent was on a short leash and was gone by the third inning, replaced by Michael Lennox.

The Multiculturalists mounted an attack on Oxspring in the 4^th with K. H Moon singling to right. Nick Kimpton then hit a 97 hopper through the infield to right, Moon got on his horse and rounded second as right fielder David Kandilas charged the ball and unleashed an absolute rocket to third base on a line to shoot the Moon down. Rally dead.

The 6^th inning saw Boss Moanaroa absolutely butcher an infield pop up that had the Defensive Specialist pining for Pat ‘Stone Hands” Maat  (who was DH’ing). Fortunately it didn’t lead to any damage. The Blue Sox got some offense going in the bottom of the 6^th against Korean import J.M Lee. Kandilas walked, D’Antonio singled crisply to left. Techno Tim dropped down a perfect sac bunt 5-3. Dening was intentionally put on base as Multiculturalist skipper Steve Shrenk went to the mound to talk to his Korean pitcher and catcher. That would have been an interesting conversation because nowhere on Shrenk’s resume does it state that he speaks Korean. Perhaps they used the international language of love? Whatever they said, it worked as Lee punched out Stone Hands and then got a feeble come backer from Andrew Graham to extinguish the threat.

Oxspring was relieved in the 7^th by lefty David Welch. Pretty impressive outing by Oxspring, 6 innings, 3 hits, 1 BB, 8 strike outs. With a total lack of offense the Defensive Specialist was steeling himself for a long night featuring extra innings. The Blue Sox had different ideas. With two out in the bottom of the 8^th, Techno Tim Auty realising that the dance clubs would be opening in about 5 hours dropped a single into left field. The Defensive Specialist cannot be sure, but Techno Tim may have been distracted by the first base coach whispering in his ear about a hot new club, because he was all over the shop when Dening took the count to 3-2.  Techno took off running like he believed it was a full count and was only safe because of a bad throw by the catcher. Dening then dumped a soft single into centre as Auty crumped into home plate for the first run of the season. Dening stole second and then Stone Hands laced a ball into centre that Kimpton made an excellent catch on to end the inning.

The Blue Sox sent Matt Williams out to start the 9^th inning and he nailed down the first two outs. With the dangerous Kimpton due up next, manager Glenn Williams called upon geriatric Korean Dae Song Koo to close it out. The 41 year old lefty is going to be murder on left handed hitters this year and showcased this by striking out Kimpton for the save and the Blue Sox first win of the campaign.

Sydney 1- Canberra 0

If game 1 is anything to go by, we’re going to see some decent arms rolled out to the mound each and every week and the offense may struggle somewhat. Granted its early in the season and pitching tends to be ahead of hitting but the Defensive Specialist suspects that the upgrade in pitching is going to mean some low scoring affairs.

As much as the Defensive Specialist wants to hand the Deep in the Hole player of the game trophy to Techno Tim Auty for his 2 hit, game winning run and stellar catch performance, you really cant go past Chris Oxspring who was dominant in his first outing and set the tone for the Blue Sox season. All in all it was a great opening to the ABL season both on and off the field and the Defensive Specialist is proud to say he was there.

Having almost cracked the 2000 word mark, the Defensive Specialist needs to sign off. Do not fret though; Deep in the Hole will be alive later this week

with a “What has the Defensive Specialist learned” and other assorted baseball related thoughts.