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rleb · 12-13-2016, 12:22 AM

Robert Halford : The Brit who can hit

Jamie Ragnarsson, Pajt-Vorten Daily News
April 22nd, 2015

Pajt-Vorten first baseman Robert Halford had a day to remember today, going 5-for-5 against the Johanssen Suns at the Municipal Stadium in Pajt-Vorten, as the Comets picked up a 9-8 win.

"He was patient up there today," Comets skipper Yura Tambov told the press after the game. "I like the way he waited for his pitch and wasn't overly agressive. Robert has been top-notch for us so far this year"

Halford hit a single in each of his at-bats : in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th innings. His hit in the 6th also gave him an RBI.

This year Halford has been unbelievable : hitting at a .466 pace with 2 home runs and 16 RBIs. He is easily the SGBL's most prominent hitter so far this season. His closest rival in batting average (Nemessey's Todd Aiken) registers at .382

But, who is Robert Halford? Those with a keen eye will notice he wasn't even selected by a team in the inaugural draft. Surely that must have been a colossal scouting mistake, right? Well, not quite.

Robert Halford was born 23 October 1977 in Solihull, just outside of Birmingham. He gravitated to baseball as a youth and the now-37-year-old has become a legend in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, the pro baseball league in Holland. From 2001 to 2014, he had recorded 8 batting titles and 4 Dutch Championships.

When the 2015 SGBL Draft arrived in January, Halford was the source of much intrigue by one particular team. Despite not registering, the Pajt-Vorten Comets had Halford on their radar, and were attempting to lure the veteran to the island.

He initially refused to move, but eventually the team upped their offer, and Halford signed a one-year, $81,000 contract on February 11th. The contract makes him the second-highest-paid player on the Comets, behind fellow infielder Alan Bearcroft.

Even though Halford can speak fluent Dutch from his decade and a half in the country, he admitted in an interview last week with GSN that it is refreshing to be able to talk baseball using English terms again "The big factor for me was that South Georgia is part of the Commonwealth, and I can use my native language on a daily basis again."

It will be interesting to see if Pajt-Vorten will be able to retain his services beyond this season. He has spoken openly about his fondness for both England and Holland in interviews, but if the team can do well, he might just consider staying to finish his career. Either way, he will be an expensive free agent proposition at the end of the year, and will turn 38 in October. However, he might just be worth the gamble if the first month of this season is any indication.

12-13-2016, 12:22 AM	#62
rleb Major Leagues Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada Posts: 311	Robert Halford : The Brit who can hit Jamie Ragnarsson, Pajt-Vorten Daily News April 22nd, 2015 Pajt-Vorten first baseman Robert Halford had a day to remember today, going 5-for-5 against the Johanssen Suns at the Municipal Stadium in Pajt-Vorten, as the Comets picked up a 9-8 win. "He was patient up there today," Comets skipper Yura Tambov told the press after the game. "I like the way he waited for his pitch and wasn't overly agressive. Robert has been top-notch for us so far this year" Halford hit a single in each of his at-bats : in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th innings. His hit in the 6th also gave him an RBI. This year Halford has been unbelievable : hitting at a .466 pace with 2 home runs and 16 RBIs. He is easily the SGBL's most prominent hitter so far this season. His closest rival in batting average (Nemessey's Todd Aiken) registers at .382 But, who is Robert Halford? Those with a keen eye will notice he wasn't even selected by a team in the inaugural draft. Surely that must have been a colossal scouting mistake, right? Well, not quite. Robert Halford was born 23 October 1977 in Solihull, just outside of Birmingham. He gravitated to baseball as a youth and the now-37-year-old has become a legend in the Honkbal Hoofdklasse, the pro baseball league in Holland. From 2001 to 2014, he had recorded 8 batting titles and 4 Dutch Championships. When the 2015 SGBL Draft arrived in January, Halford was the source of much intrigue by one particular team. Despite not registering, the Pajt-Vorten Comets had Halford on their radar, and were attempting to lure the veteran to the island. He initially refused to move, but eventually the team upped their offer, and Halford signed a one-year, $81,000 contract on February 11th. The contract makes him the second-highest-paid player on the Comets, behind fellow infielder Alan Bearcroft. Even though Halford can speak fluent Dutch from his decade and a half in the country, he admitted in an interview last week with GSN that it is refreshing to be able to talk baseball using English terms again "The big factor for me was that South Georgia is part of the Commonwealth, and I can use my native language on a daily basis again." It will be interesting to see if Pajt-Vorten will be able to retain his services beyond this season. He has spoken openly about his fondness for both England and Holland in interviews, but if the team can do well, he might just consider staying to finish his career. Either way, he will be an expensive free agent proposition at the end of the year, and will turn 38 in October. However, he might just be worth the gamble if the first month of this season is any indication. __________________ Former GM, New Orleans Trendsetters PEBABaseball.com Pro Baseball in Atlantic Canada? Yup! Follow the fictional Atlantic Baseball League! goldensailsbaseball.ca Watch on YouTube! Last edited by rleb; 05-02-2018 at 12:14 AM.