Offseason
2062 Notes
ERA equalled the record set in 2061, of 4.66, while BA reached a new all-time high of .272.
The Blue Sox set a new attendance record, with over 4.8 million fans streaming through their gates in 2062.
The Venom’s BA of .297 and OBP of .371 were good enough for 3rd-best all-time, while the 1009 runs they scored was only 1 short of the 1010 the Metros scored in 2045. The Venom were only the 2nd team to score more than 1000 runs in a season. Their 1722 hits also set a new 2nd-best mark.
Hobart hit 50 triples, 3rd-best in a season ever.
Kununurra crunched 252 home runs, 3rd-best all-time.
ABC Wrap-up
Alice Springs, Melbourne, Perth and Jakarta contested the ABC postseason. Alice Springs had come from behind to beat Brisbane for the Northern Division flag, sweeping the 3-game series the two had played to end the regular season to win the division by a single game.
The 74-88 Perth Sharks played the 101-61 Melbourne Victory, with Victory OF Alastair Gallard joking that the “integrity of the league is on the line. If we get beat by a team that only won 46% of their 162 regular season games, then there’ll probably be some sort of inquiry.”
While most of Melbourne’s fan base, and probably a good proportion of the playing group, thought this series would be a walkover, Perth were determined to prove otherwise. The Victory took the 1st game 3-1, but Perth shut them out the next day, winning 5-0. The 2 teams then headed to Perth, where Melbourne took a 2-1 series lead thanks to a combined 3-0 shutout. Game 4 looked to be Melbourne’s also, but the Sharks battled back to tie the game in the 8th before walking off 9-8 winners in the 10th. Game 5 was straight out of the underdog fairytale book, and left the defending champion Victory fuming, skipper Rino Alisjahbana as close to blowing a gasket in the postmatch presser as anybody had ever seen. Perth scored 2 in the top of the 1st, Melbourne tying the game up by the 5th. An error in the top of the 6th saw Perth’s leadoff hitter aboard at 2B, and an out later he scored the go-ahead run. The Sharks then survived some nervous moments, most notably the final out of the game, a fly that carried all the way to the wall (a runner on 1B) before being snatched out of the air by CF and former AUNZBLer Barry Budd. Perth were off to the Grand Final series!
The 91-71 Alice Springs Opals took on the 91-71 Jakarta Stars in the other semi, the Opals easing to a 3-1 victory.
Perth couldn’t continue the fairytale, however, getting whopped 4-nothing by the Opals, who demonstrated their dominance in the 9th inning of Game 4, sending 14 hitters to the plate while scoring 9 runs, eventually winning by the score of 16-2. This was Alice Springs’ first Grand Final win, and their first playoff appearance since the ABC’s inaugural 2058 season.
28 y/o Christos Spargo (.297/.354/.498, 23HR), who’d moved across to the Capitals from the Fury, took out the Golden Rookie Award.
Despite suffering a SEI in February, 33 y/o Satya Susanti (19-3, 2.08 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 1.03 WHIP), who was coming up for free agency, took out the Golden Arm Award for the 2nd time. Injury was all that kept Susanti from earning a pitching Triple Crown, Bradley Boston sneaking past him to finish the season with 20 wins. 30 y/o Warren Gray, who’d moved to the ABC from the AUNZBL after a 5-14, 6.95 ERA 2061, redeemed himself somewhat, coming runner-up to Susanti after finishing with a 17-10, 2.80 ERA season.
32 y/o Si-xun Qiao (.274/.362/.563, 48HR) took out the Golden Bat Award.
BL Wrap-up
Juarez and Belo Horizonte won their divisions, Maracaibo and Santiago picking up the wildcards. Juarez had to go to a 1-game playoff to edge Havana, neither team better than .500.
Santiago ousted Juarez from the playoffs in one semi-final, while Belo Horizonte accounted for Maracaibo in the other.
The Serie de Campeonato was won by Belo-Horizonte, their skipper joking about how the Spanish-titled league had been won for the 3rd time by a team based in a non-Spanish speaking country and filled primarily with players who spoke English. The Super-Herois won the series 4-2, 1B Rick Clohessy slugging 3 dingers to go with his league-leading 28 during the regular season.
29 y/o Alfredo Colon (.270/.382/.431, 13HR) had been drafted by Lima in 2055 but never made it to the BL before being released at the end of the 2058 season. He journeyed north, signing with Olympia, winning the NABA rookie award in 2061 as well as being part of the NABA Cup winning teams of 2060 and 2062. He was now back in the BL, playing for Maracaibo, and found himself winning the second rookie award of his career, taking out Novato del Ano.
Juarez’s Christos Goddard (15-3, 1.93 ERA, 3.08 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, 142 strikeouts) sizzled in 2062 on his way to Jarra de Ano, winning the Pitching Triple Crown, as well as sporting the best WAR (5.1), and WHIP, and throwing the most innings (177.0). After 5 seasons in the BL the 6’8” behemoth had a 51-38 career record.
26 y/o Justo Plvora (.329/.459//.482, 11HR) was getting plenty of buzz in BL circles, with many fans predicting he’d slot right into the AUNZBL once he’d finished his contract with Georgetown. He was locked in for next season, but had a player option for 2064 which he would almost certainly exercise. He had a breakout 2062, his previous 2 seasons hinting at his potential without realizing it. A patient hitter who would happily foul off pitches until he got one he liked, Plvora didn’t have excess power but still managed to collect 36 extra-base hits across the season. He was the BL’s 2062 Bateador de Ano.
League News
Angelo Spear (222-168, 4.06 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 1.24 WHIP) had already announced his intention to retire during the season, and duly did so at its conclusion, pulling on an OotPB TV blazer as a sideline commentator.
38 y/o Rhett Thurley (77-64, 355 sv, 2.99 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 1.18 WHIP) also hung up the cleats at season’s end.
40 y/o Jay Cummins, who’d spent the last 2 seasons throwing relief in the ABC, was another player to call time.
Notable Club Happenings
Cairns: 61 y/o skipper Carlos Sosa, who’d skippered the team for 8 years, announced his retirement, citing a “lack of energy but certainly not a lack of passion.” He finished with an 873-748 record, including seeing Brisbane to a 112-50 record in 2053, still the 2nd-best of all-time. While he’d never won a ring as a manager, he had as a bench coach, helping the Prospects to success in 2042 and 2045, and seeing Brisbane three-peat between 2049-2051. However, he felt his time in Cairns had been the highlight of his career. “When I started here we were a sorry mess,” he said, “and during my first 2 seasons as manager we continued that way. But the club and Julio* stuck by me and I’m glad they did because I feel we’ve created something very special here.” He would be replaced by 61 y/o Raul Guerra, who’d been BC the last 3 seasons.
*Julio Sousa, Crocs’ GM
Canberra: In the wake of yet another disappointing season, the chairman of Capital Holdings, Canberra’s owner organization, made moves, sending 5-year GM Stephen Goodwin and 1st-year manager Adilaksmana Mahanthappa out the door. Goodwin told press, “This wasn’t unexpected, for sure, in fact, I’ve had my office packed for half the season, but it still hurts.” Mahanthappa had been lured over from the ABC, where he’d skippered Jakarta to 2 Grand Final victories and 4 playoff appearances in 4 years in charge. He was not as philosophical as Goodwin, saying, “I feel pretty hard done by, to be honest. I get the team for one season, in my opinion a worse team than the one that only won 58 games the season before. I lead them to a better record by 13 games and outline very clearly to both GM and the ownership group how we need to progress forward. They thank me for my, as they called, ‘exciting vision’ and two weeks later I’m out on my kester. What do you think of that?”
Central Coast: The Central Coast organization was sometimes referred to as ‘ruthless’ due to the way they had no compunction moving or demoting players if they felt they were nearing the downhill side of their careers, even if they were fan favourites. That ruthlessness apparently emanated from the owner’s office, as 4-year GM Balamitra Mukundan, who’d never seen the Thunder miss the playoffs while he was in charge of assembling the team but hadn’t brought home a ring, wasn’t given a contract extension. 60 y/o Mukundan said, “Disappointed, sure, but I’ve been in business long enough to not let these things get to me. I’d still like to work as a general manager, so any owners out there looking, feel free to contact me.”
Hobart: Hobart were beyond awful in 2062, and owner Arbur Mekville responded by firing both GM and skipper. 54 y/o Charles Dethridge had helped the Prospects reach the postseason twice in his 5-year tenure in the upper office. 60 y/o Kelly had managed the team for just 1 season.
Kununurra: 39 y/o Kununurra GM Phil Duff said at the outset of the season that he had “high expectations” for 2062. After all, he continued, the team had reached the playoffs his first 2 years in charge and the squad looked “even better this year.” Sadly, Kununurra slumped to a 75-87 record, finishing the season 19 games behind winners Central Coast. On the first day of the offseason Duff asserted his authority, firing 5-year skipper Cameron Hutcheon. 55 y/o Hutcheon couldn’t be reached for comment but an anonymous source within the organization said, “He’ll have another job before long. He’s good oil, that bloke.” 61 y/o bench coach Allen Stretton was promoted to manager.
Melbourne: 47 y/o GM Rory Ollson got his marching orders.
Newcastle: Fill-in skipper Nathan Woodger might’ve felt he’d done enough in his 93 games in charge to justify a proper go, but GM Mitchell Franks obviously felt differently. “No hard feelings,” 43 y/o Woodger said, “I was just glad of the opportunity.”
Perth: GM Jordan Hurlson retired.
Sydney: 61 y/o manager Joe Lane retired. Sydney were the only team he’d skippered, and he’d led the team to an overall 615-519 record during his 7 years in charge. The Blue Sox had made the playoffs 5 times during his tenure but hadn’t been able to nab a Championship.
Whangarei: The Sluggers parted ways with long-time skipper Peter Massingham. The 61 y/o had been in the role since 2051 which, probably not coincidentally, had been the only season he’d achieved a winning record.
Notable Free Agent Signings/Player Contract Extensions
28 Mar: While the Division Finals were in full swing, Adelaide announced that 30 y/o RHP Rafael Hurlson (44-37, 5.50 ERA, 4.49 FIP, 1.60 WHIP) had signed a 4-year extension. Hurlson would’ve been eligible for free agency after the 2063 season, and while his numbers didn’t look all that great, 2062 was the 1st season he’d been given a full campaign in the rotation. He’d gone 11-9, with a 4.97 ERA, 4.37 FIP, and 1.53 WHIP. Not startlingly good, but enough for the Venom to extend him. Hurlson relied on his fastball, but had an okay curve and slider to complement it, as well as a poor changeup.
2 Apr: Just to make sure nobody forgot they were about to participate in the postseason, Adelaide announced another signing. This time it was 35 y/o Gary Young (.289/.360/.536, 384HR), who’d signed a 3-year extension, for “significantly” less than his previous contract, according to his agent. Still, Young was happy to stay with Adelaide, who’d drafted him as the #2 overall pick in 2046, and with whom he’d racked up well over 12 years of major-league service time. Known as an injury-prone player, Young had only twice in 12 full seasons missed the 502PA mark (2054 - 159; 2059 - 450).
3 Apr: Kununurra extended 33 y/o 3B Al Ayliffe (.262/.327/.437, 223HR) for another 2 seasons.
24 Apr: Central Coast extended 27 y/o Miguel Ibanez (.236/.293/.452, 76HR) for 5 years. Injury-prone Ibanez had only accumulated just over 3 1/2 years of ML service time, despite making his big-league debut as a 21 y/o in the 2057 season. He’d played 93 games in 2062, 38 for Adelaide and 55 for the Thunder.
24 Apr: 28 y/o Stephen Lawless (15-21, 4.29 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 1.38 WHIP) signed a contract extension with Canberra for 4 years. 2062 had been ‘Fat Cat’s’ first full year in the rotation, and he’d finished up with an 8-15 record, an ERA of 5.50, an FIP of 4.53, and a WHIP of 1.55.
14 May: Free agent filing day in the AUNZBL. The ABC players eligible for free agency had already filed the previous week but there had been no significant signing news on that front as everybody waited to dip their toes in the AUNZBL fray.
The top 5 free agents this year, according to OotPB TV, were:
33 y/o SP Satya Susanti (ABC)
25 y/o SS Stephane Lecomte
33 y/o SP Marty Okolita
29 y/o SP Robinson Saldana
30 y/o RF Achaius Muljana (ABC)
Other free agents included:
30 y/o C Rowan Kimpton
33 y/o SP Arthur Hammer
36 y/o SP Rhys Pollock (ABC)
38 y/o RF Alan Sneddon
29 y/o CL Martin Silva
28 y/o LF Jose de la Cruz (free agent out of Mexico)
35 y/o LF Will Glasson
30 y/o LF Puntadewa Kartini (ABC)
31 y/o SP Nick Aston
41 y/o 1B Jayden Pye
32 y/o CF Jayden Downes
34 y/o RF Damian Krajancic
38 y/o SP Lance Ralston
34 y/o LF Martin Boston
33 y/o MR/CL Aaron Fingleson
31 y/o CL Nelson Whiffin
36 y/o 1B Edwin Hayes
37 y/o 2B Yong-jun Chu
31 y/o 2B Rich Atteridge
30 y/o 3B Jay Saunderson
39 y/o 1B Ismael Aguirre
33 y/o RF Adrian Stuart
33 y/o C Paddy Mildren
29 y/o SP Gerald Tschiffely
30 y/o 2B Dean Brewster
37 y/o RF Manuel Alou
29 y/o SP Carlos Yanez
33 y/o RF Damon Liao
30 y/o 2B Gu Luo
39 y/o 1B Patrick Maggs
15 May: The first AUNZBL signing of the offseason was 36 y/o former ABC pitcher Rhys Pollock (64-50, 3.41 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 1.24 WHIP), who'd thrashed out a 2-year contract with Darwin. Pollock, a low-velocity pitcher who relied on painting the corners and keeping the ball down, was confident of winning a spot in the starting rotation.
20 May: 32 y/o CL Bailey Naylor (46-48, 174 sv, 3.49 ERA, 3.65 FIP, 1.34 WHIP) signed a 3-year extension with the Venom.
22 May: 33 y/o Adrian Stuart (.288/.325/.389, 56HR) was headed across borders to the ABC, having agreed to a 4-year contract with the Hamilton Hawks.
27 May: 32 y/o Zachariah Pond (95-84, 4.42 ERA, 4.32 FIP, 1.42 WHIP) was overjoyed to be staying a Digger. He’d signed a 2-year extension which would keep him in the AUNZBL until the end of the 2065 season. “I can’t fathom the idea of playing for another team. I’m a Digger through and through.” Pond had been the first overall pick of the 2050 draft and had been a big-league regular since 2054.
28 May: 39 y/o Ismael Aguirre (.316/.374/.564, 700HR) was going back to where it all started. Many thought he’d head across to the Lower Americas to finish his pro career but he’d spend at least 1 more season in the AUNZBL first. He’d signed a 1-year deal with the Thunder, the team that had won a bidding war for him as a 17 year-old way back in 2041. While many fans hadn’t forgiven him for signing with division rivals Brisbane as soon as he became eligible for free agency in 2049, and then going on to win 3 rings with them, there was a general feeling of satisfaction at the announcement of his signing. Thunder skipper Reginald Reddick said to press, “It has the feeling of symmetry to it, doesn’t it? Coming full circle and all that. Look, even Ismael doesn’t expect he’ll be an everyday player come the start of the season, but we’re sure he’ll contribute plenty, even if it’s just in the clubhouse.”
31 May: The first of the big fish had been landed! 25 y/o Stephane Lecomte (.283/.338/.361, 17HR, 406SB), 5-time Gold Glove winner at SS, would stay in the Coastal Division but would suit up for Darwin rather than Cairns. He’d signed a 5-year contract. A somewhat polarising figure, Lecomte had earned the nickname ‘Big Dumb’ while playing high school ball in Canada and it had stuck through his pro career. One coach within the Crocs’ minor league system described Lecomte thusly: “Very intelligent but not very shrewd. Will say whatever’s on his mind, and usually before he’s even thought about it himself.” A browse through the gossip sections of the big baseball sites had him falling out with teammates and then being best buds with them a couple weeks later. New teammate Kent Okolita had no doubts Lecomte would fit into the Diggers’ culture: “We all have our ups and downs and sometimes engage mouth before brain. Nobody can be on point 24-7. He’ll be fine here.”
1 Jun: Cowboys fans were overjoyed at news that 30 y/o Kelvin Pickhills (.273/.335/.434, 122HR), who’d put up a 5.9 WAR season in 2062, would be staying in Christchurch for some time yet. He’d agreed to terms on a 5-year extension.
3 Jun: Central Coast added another grizzled veteran to their ranks, signing 37 y/o Yong-jun Chu (.300/.335/.426, 193HR) for 1 year. Chu needed 62 more hits to reach 2500. He’d collected 35 hits from 120PA in 2062.
3 Jun: After opening with news of the Chu signing, Central Coast pulled the big rabbit out of their hat, revealing that 33 y/o Marty Okolita (85-63, 4.05 ERA, 3.61 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 10.2 K/9) had signed on the dotted line for 2 seasons. Okolita appeared even more excited than Thunder management, saying with vigor, “Finally I get to play for a contender!”
3 Jun: Cairns announced the signing of 33 y/o, 2-time Brodie Backhouse Award-winner Aaron Fingleson (54-43, 151 sv, 3.09 ERA, 3.69 FIP, 1.17 WHIP) on a 2-year deal. Tipping the scales at 117 kg, 6’5” Fingleson joked with reporters that it was “nice to have some pie money coming in.”
5 Jun: Darwin replaced OF Alan Sneddon with 34 y/o Martin Boston (.328/.366/.406, 19HR). After hitting only .293 in 2061, the first time he’d ever hit below .300 in a full major-league season, Boston had bounced back with a .324/.362/.406 stat-line in 2062. The 5-time Gold Glove winner, who’d snared his 5th Gold Glove in 2062, had signed a 2-year deal, the 2nd year being a team option. Boston was currently at the head of the all-time BA ladder.
6 Jun: 31 y/o Sterling Boston (40-50, 244 sv, 3.86 ERA, 4.04 FIP, 1.27 WHIP) didn’t appear too worried at Cairns’ signing of Fingleson, inking his name to a 2-year extension just 3 days later.
7 Jun: 30 y/o Dean Brewster (.308/.386/.387, 17HR) had the worst season of his career in 2062, citing the turmoil of having his name in the papers for months while Brisbane talked of trading him as a big contributing factor. Another contributing factor was that once traded to Newcastle he couldn’t crack the team, despite their ongoing on-field woes. All put together, he said he “wasn’t loving baseball all that much” by season’s end, and seriously contemplated retiring and going back to university to complete a Bachelor of Business. Instead, however, he signed with Kalgoorlie in the ABC for 4 years. “I just want to play ball,” he said, “no dramas, no nothing, just bat, ball, glove and grass.”
8 Jun: It was off to the ABC for 33 y/o Damon Liao (.285/.345/.431, 148HR), at least for now. He’d signed for 4 years with Hamilton, though he faced the immediate ignominy of being assigned to train with Hamilton’s AAA-affiliate rather than the big-league squad. Nobody was doing any proper training at the moment, the players still on their end of season holidays, but Hamilton management indicated that while Liao had signed a big-league deal, he’d need to work his way up the ranks before playing in the ABC.
11 Jun: 30 y/o Rowan Kimpton (.306/.340/.533, 178HR) had been an almost-top 5 free agent this offseason. The Cowboys were happy to sign the unorthodox hitter, snaring him on a 6-year deal.
11 Jun: Auckland signed 29 y/o Carlos Yanez (39-49, 4.80 ERA, 4.89 FIP, 1.42 WHIP) to a 1-year deal.
13 Jun: 30 y/o Jay Saunderson (.265/.318/.420, 123HR) signed with Auckland for the 2063 season.
15 Jun: The Canberra Capitals won the battle to sign 31 y/o closer Nelson Whiffin (37-28, 103 sv, 3.96 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 1.31 WHIP), netting him on a 2-year deal. Whiffin, who’d spent his entire pro career to this point playing for the Cavalry, said, “Look, I got a few good offers from AUNZBL teams but my family is pretty settled here in Canberra so when the Capitals expressed their interest I was determined to make it happen.”
21 Jun: 35 y/o Will Glasson (.291/.362/.454, 254HR) was also heading to the Capitals on a 2-year deal.
23 Jun: After trying his luck around the league, 32 y/o Jayden Downes (.302/.327/.379, 30HR) re-signed with the Thunder for a further 2 years.
25 Jun: New Thunder GM Andrew Blackhouse, a 40 y/o former minor-league pitcher, appeared to have an ‘experience-first’ policy. He’d already signed veterans like 39 y/o Aguirre and 37 y/o Yong-jun Chu. Today he unveiled another veteran acquisition, 38 y/o Alan Sneddon (.298/.436/.406, 106HR). ‘The Professor’ had signed for 2 years, the 2nd year a vesting option based on 550 PA. Fans were cautiously optimistic, with Sneddon still rated as having one of the best eyes in baseball. Last season he’d only hit .251, his worst effort since his rookie season in 2046, but his OBP was still .394, also the first time that had dipped below .400 since his debut campaign.
25 Jun: 30 y/o Gerald Tschiffely (49-63, 5.60 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 1.56 WHIP) had been the North American baseball darling when he signed a 6-year deal with Whangarei in 2056 after coming up through the NABA systems. He’d played 7 years in the AUNZBL and, while his career hadn’t been stellar it hadn’t been disgraceful either. Now he was heading back home, signing a 2-year contract with Olympia. He wasn’t ruling out a return to the AUNZBL in the future, though most pundits didn’t think that likely.
29 Jun: The idea of being a one-club player was very appealing to 36 y/o Justin Auger (.284/.377/.513, 433HR), who let on that he’d been hounding GM Blackhouse for a contract extension from “the moment he set foot in his new office.” The hounding paid off, with the club today announcing Auger had extended his deal for another 3 years (the final year being a vesting option), which might potentially keep him playing big-league ball until the age of 40.
How did the experts feel about the signing? Most echoed the thoughts of OotPB TV analyst, Walter Casey, a former 1B himself, albeit at minor league level: “Too long. 2 years max, in my opinion. Auger’s good still, that’s true, but I’m picking he’ll begin to decline this season. At only 5’10” he really hasn’t got the height to keep his power game afloat once his hand speed diminishes.”
1 Jul: 30 y/o Gu Luo (.274/.306/.462, 184HR) was off to Darwin on a 3-year deal.
3 Jul: Darwin continued their offseason buy-up, announcing that 29 y/o Robinson Saldana (60-39, 4.71 ERA, 4.58 FIP, 1.46 WHIP) had been enticed to join them. The 4-time Championship-winner had agreed to a healthy 3-year contract. Diggers’ GM Juan Ornelas, who’d been at the helm since 2049, was excited about the squad he was assembling, saying, “We’re going to have a good tilt this year, I’ll tell you that right now. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say we’ve got the team to win it.”
3 Jul: “Yeah, I might’ve got 500, I might not have,” 36 y/o Edwin Hayes (.265/.330/.510, 435HR) said. “I’m leaning towards probably wouldn’t have at this stage. Anyway, I’m just happy to have a team next year. And you know what? They’re paying me more than anybody in the AUNZBL was willing to offer.” The sturdy slugger had signed a 3-year deal with the Perth Sharks.
4 Jul: Was 33 y/o Satya Susanti (81-38, 2.42 ERA, 2.35 FIP, 1.00 WHIP) scared of the AUNZBL? Or was no AUNZBL team interested in him? For the 2nd time in as many years, Susanti stuck with the ABC. This time it was the Perth Sharks, who were overjoyed to snare him for 4 years. Susanti intimated that while there had been AUNZBL interest, no team was prepared to offer him the security of a 3-or-more year contract. One anonymous source from within an AUNZBL organization had this to say: “From what I’ve heard he signed for, it seems like he could’ve got double that amount across 2 years in the AUNZBL and then headed back to the ABC for the sure money if he so desired. He’ll look back on this after retirement with regret, I have no doubt.”
8 Jul: 33 y/o Paddy Mildren (.283/.330/.473, 112HR) signed for 4 years with Alice Springs.
12 Jul: 39 y/o Patrick Maggs (.302/.377/.524, 452HR) re-signed with Darwin for the 2063 season, though the outspoken veteran was quick to tell journalists it wasn’t because he was dying to remain a Digger. “Look, I feel they treated me pretty unfairly last season, to be quite honest. But a job’s a job and they were the only AUNZBL team prepared to offer me a contract.” Darwin GM Juan Ornelas just shrugged when confronted with Maggs’ words. “Everybody’s entitled to their opinions,” he said, “but Gavin* and I will always do what we feel is best for the team. Right now, we both feel that Patrick is still very valuable, on and off the field. Just remember, a lot of what goes into a successful ball club isn’t seen on the diamond.”
*Gavin Brigatti - Darwin manager
12 Jul: Alice Springs announced the signing of another former AUNZBL player. 35 y/o Damian Krajancic (.263/.339/.423, 200HR) had joined the team on a 2-year deal.
14 Jul: Alan Sneddon announced that the 2063 season would be his last. Upon its conclusion he would move into the commentary booth. Central Coast management appeared alongside Sneddon at the presser, noting that his move came with their blessing. Skipper Reginald Reddick said, “Alan wanted to retire immediately to take up the new role but after discussions with us he agreed to stay on for the season. We’re very happy he did and we think he’ll be part of something special.” Sneddon, nodding, added, “I realized it would be very unfair and unethical of me to break my contract, especially after only signing it less than a month ago. Also, I have a couple things left I’d still like to accomplish in the game. Another ring would be nice, and I’d like to get to 700 stolen bases.” He needed only 5 more to reach that mark.
1 Aug: Darwin had been the busiest team so far this offseason, adding 18 players to their squad via signing or trade. Today they added number 19, presenting 29 y/o Martin Silva (34-42, 76 sv, 4.54 ERA, 4.55 FIP, 1.37 WHIP) to media with news he’d signed for 2 years. 2062 had been Silva’s first full season as closer but he would have to settle for being a setup man in Darwin, at least to begin the season, 2062 Brodie Backhouse Award Winner Rod Bacon with first dibs on the role.
7 Aug: “I want to play in the bigs until I’m 45,” 42 y/o Jayden Pye (.263/.353/.453, 341HR) told assembled media after revealing Darwin had signed him up for the 2063 campaign. 6’3” and 120 kilos, Pye was still hitting them a long way in batting practice. Pye had played for Darwin once before, featuring in their lineup for half a season in 2057 before being traded to Adelaide. Last season he’d become the oldest player selected to the All Star Game in AUNZBL history, making his 4th appearance over a nearly 17-year career.
11 Aug: The Cowboys signed 37 y/o Manuel Alou (.295/.388/.492, 348HR) for the 2063 season.
13 Aug: 39 y/o Lance Ralston (196-142, 3.57 ERA, 3/44 FIP, 1.28 WHIP) wasn’t done with the AUNZBL quite yet. He re-signed with Christchurch for 2 seasons, with the Cowboys surprisingly confirming there was no vesting option or opt-out clause for the 2nd year of the contract.
16 Aug: The Metros signed 31 y/o Nick Aston (57-46, 4.27 ERA, 4.47 FIP, 1.41 WHIP) for 2 years. He would slot into the middle of their rotation. There was an overall feeling among Metros fans that their team was about to break out of their long slump.
16 Aug: Jose de la Cruz hailed from Mexico but had never played in either the NABA or the BL. Instead the 28 y/o corner OF had plied his trade in the numerous Central American indie leagues that popped up overnight and usually died just as quickly. AUNZBL scouts crossed paths with him fairly often as they did the circuit looking for young talent to sign for their clubs but somehow de la Cruz never got picked up. “A decent hitter,” one report said, “with good plate discipline and the ability to find the gaps as well as speed on the base-paths. However, no strength so little power.”
Finally, after 12 years of dominating his opposition, de la Cruz got bored and decided, on the recommendation of a retired AUNZBL scout, to head to Australia to try his luck during the offseason melee. For most of the offseason it seemed as if nobody would bite but then Cairns, whose lineup already revolved around imported stars Mario Correa, Javier Rodriguez, and Claudio Lara, and whose staff included Lower Americans Julio Sousa, Raul Guerra, Diego Perez and Ruben Nieves, expressed interest. Some haggling later and de la Cruz signed a 6-year deal with the club. Speaking through an interpreter he said, “I can tell I’m going to be happy here.” Hitting coach Nieves enthused, “This guy is one of the smartest hitters I’ve ever seen. He’s teaching me things!”
20 Aug: 31 y/o Rich Atteridge (.286/.317/.372, 15HR), whose key was versatility in the field, signed with Perth for 1 year.
9 Sep: Sydney announced that 31 y/o Wes Blenkhorn (47-37, 128 sv, 4.01 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.41 WHIP) had extended for 3 years. Blenkhorn, who’d gone 11-3 with 20 saves in 2062, was hoping to break into the Blue Sox rotation for good this season, after having had a few cameos in seasons past.
11 Sep: Once again, Achaius Muljana (.321/.383/.511, 103HR) couldn’t find an AUNZBL team willing to take him on. He ended up signing on with the Canberra Capitals for the 2063 season.
18 Sep: 31 y/o Puntadewa Kartini (.277/.362/.472, 124HR) also signed with the Capitals for the season.
Notable Trades
16 May: 27 y/o Adam Cox (.286/.336/.440, 26HR from 845 career PA) had taken an unconventional route to the AUNZBL. Drafted by the Fury in 2055, he’d been released by them in December 2057 despite having just won a single-A Player of the Month Award. Undaunted, he headed to the Lower Americas and signed a minimum wage deal with Juarez’s lowest-level affiliate. He didn’t play a game for them, though, quickly heading up to the first-grade team where he played for 3 seasons, winning 2 Guante de Plata’s at 1B. At the completion of that contract he signed with Melbourne, and made his big-league debut that same season. He turned out for the Aces again in 2061 but wasn’t offered arbitration at the end of the season. Central Coast thought he’d fit in just right with their style of play and signed him up for 2062. He hit .271/.316/.394, with 11HR, across 120 games.
However, new Thunder GM Andrew Blackhouse wasn’t a fan, today finalizing a trade that sent the plucky 1B to Hobart in exchange for 27 y/o 2B Ethan Rafferty (.271/.330/.340, 3HR in his rookie season), and a good-looking 19 y/o outfield prospect. Rafferty also had an interesting story. Discovered as a 25 y/o playing independent league ball in North Queensland, he had got limited playing time at AA and AAA in 2060 and 2061, his managers preferring to focus on players that’d come through the system. Still, Hobart’s front office had eyes on him, and elevated him to the majors in 2062, starting him in 123 games at SS. He won a Gold Glove for his efforts, putting up a +17.4 ZR.
Hobart’s new GM, former Fury scouting director Drew Martin, said about the trade, “Look, I like Ethan. He works hard and he’s got one hell of a glove. But we need offense really bad and while Adam only hit 11 homers this season I think that was due to him settling into the rhythm of the majors. He’ll do us proud and I wish Ethan all the best suiting up for the Thunder.”
19 May: 3 days later, and Martin wheeled another trade, this time with Kununurra. 29 y/o Pancho Cruz (.262/.350/.414, 40HR), who’d made his way to the AUNZBL after coming up through the BL system, became a Prospect. In return Hobart gave the Pioneers a 21 y/o pitcher and a 22 y/o 1B. The pitcher projected to have a solid major-league career, the 1B not so much.
26 May: Brisbane dealt 25 y/o catcher Jay Watts (.383/.444/.716, 5HR from 90 big-league PA) to Canberra in exchange for 2 minor leaguers. Watts, drafted out of college in 2060, was growing into a power-hitter, though there was some anonymous backroom chatter about possible PED use. Watts’ response? “Haters gonna hate and that’s all I have to say about that.”
4 Jun: 31 y/o Raymond Eykelbosch (86-70, 4.24 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.30 WHIP) was coming off a 17-7 season, the best of his 9-year major-league career, but Sydney scouts felt he was actually on the decline. The Blue Sox acted on those concerns, sending him to Darwin in exchange for 28 y/o Manny Campos (.243/.311/.351, 16HR across 3 part seasons) and a 20 y/o OF prospect.
7 Jun: It was rare for Adelaide and Central Coast to engage in trade talks but they had been doing just that, both parties confirming that a trade had been consummated. 30 y/o Keiran Cooper (.304/.337/.439, 69HR), who many felt had been denied the opportunity to become a bona-fide star thanks to warming the bench most of the last 3 seasons, would head across to the Thunder in exchange for 28 y/o MR/CL Allen Jiang (24-13, 40 sv, 4.58 ERA, 4.25 FIP, 1.51 WHIP) and a 19 y/o OF prospect.
5 Jul: This offseason had been one of the busiest in recent memory at the trading table, and the AUNZBL GMs were still at it. Darwin flipped 27 y/o SS Rod Albury (.299/.331/.396, 17HR) across to Hobart in return for 35 y/o MR/CL Addergoole Bintang (18-17, 37 sv) and 22 y/o CF Eddie Blackford (.182/.206/.253, 1HR in 103 career big league PA).
Notable Injuries
21 Apr: 32 y/o Norm Donaldson was an avid surfer, and so decided to cap off his personal Championship celebrations with a quiet surf with some mates. Things didn’t turn out so quietly, however.
In Donaldson’s own words: “Well, to be fair, I was still a bit hammered, so I was doing more lying around on the board than I was catching waves. And we all know what a fellah in a wetsuit looks like to a shark. Thankfully, Andy, my brother, saw a dark shape in the water gliding towards me and gave me a yell. Took me a couple moments to understand what he was on about, but then I figured it out and pulled my legs out of the water quick-smart. Just in time too. This sharkie was hungry. Took a bite out of my board and gashed my wetsuit up a bit, and my right leg too. So now there’s blood in the water and I’m off my board in the drink, panicking, just lashing out with my fists and my feet, hoping I can bop the sucker on the nose or something. Andy and a couple of the other lads charged over and I think the shark decided this was in the too hard basket and took off. Man, sore leg and all, I don’t think I’ve ever swam into shore so fast. For a few minutes I just lay on the sand, shivering, thinking my leg’s been bit off. But turns out it’s just some cuts and lacerations and the doc says I’ll be good as new in a couple weeks. Physically maybe. I think I’ll be having nightmares for a while yet, though.”
7 Sep: 28 y/o Bandits LF Burt Trewartha (.267/.333/.391, 24HR), who’d shot to fame with a 7-hit, 3HR performance for Whangarei against Hobart in 2060 but done little else meriting attention since, collided with a teammate while making a catch. He had to be helped from the field, was assessed and immediately diagnosed with a concussion. A bad concussion, the scans showed later. Team medical staff weren’t sure when, or even if, Trewartha would return to the field.
14 Sep: Rodney Ellison (.311/.376/.493, 95HR - both AUNZBL and ABC stats combined) looked likely to miss the first month of play thanks to a fractured thumb.
15 Sep: Domenic Guerin (.292/.351/.431, 53HR) would miss around 4 weeks of the season after tearing his ankle ligaments.
17 Sep: 25 y/o Hobart pitcher Kioniko Mullion (31-25, 4.64 ERA, 5.02 FIP, 1.47 WHIP) was set to miss up to 2 months of the season with a torn biceps.
27 Sep: 23 y/o Axel Zhou (.245/.306/.377, 3HR in 173PA) was reportedly “devastated.” The 2061 #1 overall pick had broken his kneecap and was likely to miss the entire season as a result.
NABA Wrap-up
The Carmel Generals edged out the Jamestown Originals by 1 game to win the NABA regular season. Olympia finished 1 game further back and Canon City 2 in the closest regular season in years.
Jamestown took out the 1st game of the NABA Cup and looked certain to sweep in Game 2, ahead 9-7 heading into the bottom of the 9th. It wasn’t to be however, Carmel rallying to score 3 and win 10-9 with a 2-RBI walk-off single. The heartbreaking loss also broke Jamestown’s resolve and they surrendered meekly in the decider, shut out 9-0 to see Carmel win the Cup for the 2nd time.
26 y/o David Stephens (.288/.343/.529, 19HR), of the Shockwave, won the North Cascades Award. The switch-hitter led the NABA in home runs in his rookie campaign. The fans were ecstatic to see a home-grown talent beat out all the imports for the rookie award.
Only just back in the league from his stint in the AUNZBL, the Shockwave’s Gerald Tschiffely (9-3, 2.22 ERA, 2.36 FIP, 1.13 WHIP) put all that he’d learned in the world’s best league to good use, winning the Yosemite Award. Tschiffely also struck out 93 hitters in 89.1 innings while only allowing 82 hits and 19 walks.
24 y/o Luis Perez (.293/.384/.498, 12HR), playing for the Originals, won the Grand Canyon Award.
All of this crop of award winners had been born in the Americas.
Other Notes
The tallest player in the AUNZBL at the beginning of the 2063 season was Whangarei starting pitcher Matt Mulholland. The 25 y/o stood at a massive 6’11” (211cm). He’d been discovered by Sluggers’ scouts throwing in a New South Wales bush league and was quickly signed and thrust into the major leagues. While his debut season wasn’t great (5-8, 6.37 ERA, 5.58 FIP, 1.50 WHIP), he had all the tools and was said to have responded well to the coaching he’d received over the offseason. Mullholland threw a fastball, curve, slider and circle change, though the latter was used primarily as a surprise pitch. Known for hiding in the showers and leaping out to scare unsuspecting teammates, Mulholland looked set to be an AUNZBL fixture for some time.
30 Sep: On the eve of Opening Day, the only significant free agent not signed was 34 y/o Arthur Hammer, who still had at least 4 months rehab on the torn flexor tendon in his elbow ahead of him.
The Darwin Diggers were the runaway winners in the offseason WAR gain stakes. They added 24.1 WAR to their roster, adding a mammoth 20 players after losing 12 to free agency and retirement. Auckland (5.6), Canberra (5.5), and Melbourne (3.7) were the next best offseason dealers. On the other end of the scale, Wellington lost an overall 10.1 WAR. Adelaide, who let Hammer, Saldana and Fingleson go to free agency, lost 6.1 WAR and made very few offseason moves. Whangarei lost 6.0 WAR, mostly in the form of Okolita.