Time to lay them on the line.

Well by the time most humanoids read this, we’ll be one day away from the opening game of the inaugural “new ABL”. Being a stickler for detail, the Defensive Specialist has his equipment bag packed and his uniform on in preparation for game day. Many have asked what goes into making the Defensive Specialist’s comprehensive reviews and up until recently this has always been something that your old pal has kept close to his chest for fear of imitation. With age comes a sense of comfort in one’s own ability so for the first time ever, the Defensive Specialist is prepared to announce what goes into his game day equipment bag:

·       1 radar gun with a back up battery

·       2 stop watches

·       1 pitch counter

·       A comprehensive range of offensive and defensive charts

·       12 fish oil tablets (to keep the joints loose)

·       UVF 100+

·       Eye black

·       Wide brimmed hat

·       Vaseline (to avoid chaffing)

·       15 pens

·       Glove lacing tool

·       Lap top

·       Back up laptop

·       4 litres of H2O

As you can see, the Defensive Specialist is nothing short of prepared, but all the preparation in the world cannot make up for a keen eye and a sound understanding of the game. It’s with this innate sense of the game that the Defensive Specialist is pleased to bring you the opening game preview!

Before the Defensive Specialist launches into it, a quick update has to be made to yesterday’s uniform review. Word reached the Defensive Specialist today that the Heat will only be wearing a white uniform this season and that the players actually decided that they would be wearing black undershirts rather than red. Great news on the black sleeves, but a massive disappointment on the white uniforms. The rating had to be dropped to a 7/10 for that error in fashion judgement.

Ok on to the preview.

Well actually it’s not going to be that simple since the Defensive Specialist wasn’t able to get a line up for the Canberra Multiculturalists, and the Blue Sox 22 man roster wasn’t posted anywhere it could be easily accessed. Not to worry, lets cover what we do know.

Sydney Blue Sox

P- Chris Oxspring

C – Ben Graham

1b – Patrick “Stone Hands” Maat

2b- Mark Holland

3b- ?

SS- Michael Lysaught

LF- ?

CF- Mitch Dening

RF- David Kandilas

DH- ?

The Defensive Specialist chatted briefly with Glenn Williams today who indicated that AAA import Scott Campbell has had his season kyboshed by the Toronto Blue Jays who’d prefer to mothball him until spring training as he rehabs a hip injury sustained during the season. That obviously creates a hole at third base that may be filled by Trent D’Antonio. DH and leftfield are also question marks at this stage and at the time of press the Defensive Specialist really had no idea who’d fill the holes. If baseball fans are lucky, Williams will do the right thing and insert Deep in the Hole favourite ‘Techno’ Tim Auty and his day glow batting gloves in to the line up. Nothing will announce the opening of the ABL like Techno Tim’s 6000 beats per minute walk-up music that will have the sell out crowd pushing up lasers in unison.

Offensively the team is very similar to last year’s squad. Lysaught will likely lead off with a middle order of D’Antonio, Dening, Stone Hands Maat, Graham and Kandilas. The pitching staff appears to be the real strong point with a number of pro players making themselves available in 2010. Oxspring is an unknown quantity after a year off but the old pro should gobble up innings and allow the bullpen to go to work.

Canberra Multiculturalists

As mentioned, the Defensive Specialist wasn’t able to use his considerable charm and get a starting line up but was relieved when he saw that the 22 man roster had been posted on the website. Eagerly clicking on the link, the Defensive Specialist was pumped to see 9 Australians! Seriously without a line up, this

will be a total crap shoot:

P- Steve Kent

C - ?

1b -?

2b- ?

3b- ?

SS- ?

LF- Tom Vincent

CF- Nick Kimpton

RF- ?

DH-?

You’d have to assume that the Korean players will get every opportunity to play, which is exciting because its been a long time since the Defensive Specialist has seen high leg kicks (an Asian baseball hitting specialty). You’d expect Kimpton to lead off, but with Collins missing his bat may be needed in the 3 hole. Andrew Schmidt is an interesting story (ignore the fact that he isn’t wearing a belt in the photo) and everyone’s favourite David Washington (D Wash) is on the team as an infielder so perhaps we’ll see him at second base and tearing up the base paths.

ACT native Steve Kent gets the ball for his hometown team and should keep the Multiculturalists in the contest early, but he’ll likely be on a short leash inning wise. Once it gets to the bullpen its anyone’s guess really as the Defensive Specialist doesn’t see a whole lot of names that jump out at him.

As for a bold prediction? Well the Blue Sox are most definitely not the best collection of Australian talent to ever take the diamond as Mark Peters suggested, but they are a solid team and the Defensive Specialist expects them to put the Multiculturalists to the sword to kick off the season. Despite not knowing the vast majority of the Canberra roster, the Defensive Specialist is eager to see how their eclectic mix of talents and culture mesh.

The Defensive Specialist needs to hit the sack and get at least 18 hours sleep to ensure that he is fresh and mentally alert for his 9am arrival at the Blacktown Baseball facility on game day and the likelihood that he’ll be called upon to throw out the first pitch of the season!