A brief history of the Australia-New Zealand Baseball League (AUNZBL, 2019-2119)

[Izz]

2027 Championship - Auckland Metros v Brisbane Bandits

While the Bandits had only won 5 of 12 against the Metros during the regular season, the majority of the experts picked the Bandits to win when it counted, citing their superior pitching and only slightly inferior offense.

Bert Blanksby got the Game 1 start, against Jarod Hendricks, who'd gone 9-11 in the regular season, with a 4.68 ERA and a 4.54 FIP. He had thrown 7 good innings in the Game 2 victory over Melbourne, though.

Game 1

Hendricks only threw 4.1 innings. While he only allowed 4 hits, he gave up 5 walks. All 3 Brisbane runs were scored while he was on the mound. Blanksby, on the other hand, cruised through 8, conceding only 1ER on the back of 6 hits and a walk to lead the Bandits to a 3-1 victory.

However, all was not rosy for Brisbane. Harrison Wonnocott came on in the 9th, but only lasted one out before coming off, trying not to clasp his forearm. He'd irritated his ulnar nerve and would be on the DL for at least 3 months.

Byron Eissens jacked a solo shot in the third.

Game 2

It seemed business as usual for Brisbane as they took 3 runs off Phil McLaren in the bottom of the first. James Thwaites got one back with a HR in the second, and the Metros nibbled away at the lead, tying the game up in the 7th.

Top of the 9th and Stephen Donovan, who'd thrown 2/3s of an inning in the 8th, came back out. Beamish slapped a groundball towards his 3B opposite, Joe Gordon. Gordon bobbled the pickup (Brisbane's 3rd error) and the lead-off runner was aboard. Spargo was intentionally walked, then Russell Wheeler drew a walk on 5 pitches to load the bases. Bruce Binns came to the plate and hit a regulation fly to left field. Beamish tagged up and beat out the throw to score the go ahead run. The next batter ground into a double-play, but the damage was done. Sean Morrow was as commanding as Donovan wasn't in the bottom of the inning and Brisbane surrendered meekly 1-2-3 to give the Metros a 4-3 victory on the back of only 3 hits. Only 2 of the Metros runs were earned.

Off-day

Brisbane announced contract extensions for two of their pitchers.

Bert Blanksby for 2 years, and reliever Nicholas Aiton, also for 2 years.

Game 3

Having jagged a pivotal away game, the Metros needed to make the most of the first game of their home tour. And they did, trading blows with the Bandits through the first 4 innings to take an 8-5 lead they never relinquished.

Lance Peet certainly won his duel with Bandits counterpart Randy Britton. Britton only threw 2.1 innings, giving up 5ER, before being yanked. While Peet also gave up 5 runs, only 2 of them were earned, and he pitched 8 before vacating the mound so Morrow could record the easy save (Morrow struck out the side to end the game).

Trent Casson homered for Brisbane, Kelvin Ackland, Gareth Cobb and Cameron Dutton doing so for the Metros.

Game 4

Brisbane scored 4 in the 3rd and 3 in the 6th to take a commanding 7-1 lead into the 8th.

But their back-end pitching, and perhaps more importantly, fielding, continued to concern, as the Metros scored 2 in the bottom of the 8th to make it 7-3. Come the bottom of the 9th, and reliever Arnold Chappell hits lead-off batter Bruce Binns with the 1st pitch of the innings. Gordon Bethune grounds out to second, but the Bandits defense can't turn the double-play. Gareth Cobb slaps one towards the hole between short and third. Joe Gordon gets across with plenty of time, but can't pick the ball up cleanly.

Runners on 1st and 2nd, 1-out. Donovan comes to the mound to shut it down. Cameron Dutton slugs the 0-1 pitch deep to center, but Digby makes it back to the warning track and takes the catch with his back plastered to the outfield wall. Bethune tags up and goes to third without drawing a throw.

Kelvin Ackland doesn't muck around. The first pitch he sees is a curveball that crosses right through his wheelhouse and he doesn't miss, sending it 411 feet over right center to bring 3 home and make it a 7-6 ballgame. Unfortunately for the Metros, that's as far as the rally goes and Brisbane get the next out and the victory.

Terrence Pi got the win, throwing 7.1 innings, conceding 9 hits and walking 0, for 2 earned runs. However, he left with pain in his elbow in the 8th. Todd Thompson, who threw so well in relief in the Division Finals, allowed 10 hits across 5 innings, conceding all 7 runs (6 earned). Digby (3-run shot), Juan Hernandez, (solo shot), and Byron Eissens (3-run shot) made sure that all Brisbane's runs came via the longball.

Game 5

The Metros won this one comfortably 6-2. However, they continued to make errors, 4 in this game, and the 2 runs Brisbane did score weren't earned. Fortunately for the Metros, Phil McLaren was in a bullish mood on the mood, striking out 9 in 7 innings, allowing only 6 legitimate base-runners (4 hits, 2 walks).

Roland Schmidt and Gareth Cobb homered for the Metros. Morrow continued to be unhittable in the post-season.

Game 6

Despite some terrible fielding, the Metros traveled back to Brisbane only 1 victory away from a maiden Championship. Lance Peet got the Game 6 start.

The Metros scored 2 in the 4th to take the lead, but the Bandits pulled those runs back in the 5th. It was the 6th inning that proved to be the difference. The Metros piled on 6 to break the game wide open. While the Bandits added 2 in reply in the bottom of the inning, that was all she wrote, the Metros eventually winning 8-4 to claim their first AUNZBL title.

Hurler of the Series was awarded to Phil McLaren, who threw 13 innings across 2 starts, allowing only 10 hits and 3 walks, striking out 14 for 2.08 ERA.

Sean Morrow didn't concede a single hit in his 3 appearances, chalking up 3 saves. He walked 1 and struck out 6.

Slugger of the Series went to Kelvin Ackland. 8-26 (including 4-5 in the Game 4 loss), he hit 2HR and drove in 7, for a stat-line of .308/.333/538.

The Bandits found out post-match that Pi would be gone for 13 months with a damaged elbow ligament. A huge blow for Brisbane's 2028 campaign.

[Izz]

2027 Awards

Gold Gloves

Pitcher: Keiran Tennant (Adelaide Venom)
Catcher: Ashley Spargo (Auckland Metros)
First Baseman: Kelvin Ackland (Auckland Metros)
Second Baseman: Danny Blume (Hobart Prospects)
Third Baseman: Benjamin Beamish (Auckland Metros)
Shortstop: Jai O'connell (Central Coast Thunder)
Left Fielder: Luke Urry (Christchurch Cowboys)
Center Fielder: Carl Sarkies (Christchurch Cowboys)
Right Fielder: Bruce Pickford (Brisbane Bandits)

Rookie of the Year

Joe Gordon, Bandits 3B. Got the award by weight of his power. He hit 29HR in his debut season. Stat-line of .234/.302/.460. WAR of 2.1, VORP of 19.5.

Allan Anglesey (.270/.336/.452, 12HR, 11 triples) of the Heat finished second, Metros OF Russell Wheeler (.245/.295/.443, 22HR) third.

Skipper of the Year

Gareth Torley, manager for the Metros. In his fourth season at the helm, he not only led the Metros to the NSWNZ title, but also to their first Championship. It was the first time he had skippered them to the postseason.

Hurler of the Year

Terence Pi. 21-4 across 32 starts. 0.98WHIP, only 8HR allowed in 199 innings. 164 ERA+, 6.4 WAR, 55.9 VORP. 2.90 FIP, 2.35 ERA.

Bert Blanksby (18-13, 2.59 ERA, 3.59 FIP) finished second, Simon Stobbie (18-5, 3.12 ERA, 3.62 FIP) of the Aces third.

Slugger of the Year

Axel Stennings. The Bandits catcher had a dominant year, hitting .306/.383/.534, with 30 HR, a OPS+ of 157, a WAR of 5.3, and a VORP of 57.7.

Teammate Byron Eissens (.251/.395/.481, 28HR, 116 walks) came second in the voting. Auckland's Kelvin Ackland (.313/.361/.472, 22HR, 6.0 WAR) came 3rd. At only 23, Ackland was already in his 3rd year in the majors, and destined for big things.

[Izz]

2027 Career Leaderboards

[Izz]

Offseason

2027 Notes

ERA across the league dropped to 3.86, the lowest since 2024. Batting avg dropped to .255, also the lowest since 2024.

Notable Club Happenings

11 Apr: Firings across the league. The Prospects, facing a multi-million dollar financial loss, booted their GM and their interim manager.

The Blue Sox got rid of their GM and manager, as well as their pitching coach. They promoted their bench coach to skipper the team.

The Cowboys got in on the act too, firing their GM and manager, and promoting the bench coach to manager.

Notable Free Agent Signings/Player Contract Extensions

5 May: A fair few high-profile players filed for free agency, including Dermott Ford, Jarrod Guerin, Hayden Foreman, James Thwaites, Fu Lao, Tu-an Tseng, and Martin Collard.

17 May: Dermott Ford became the first free agent to put pen to paper, signing with the Cavalry for 2 years. Ford had his worst offensive season in 2027, hitting .295/.354/.412 with 13HR (his most in a season). Lifetime he was .325/.367/.428 with 78HR. At 37, the worry was the Cavalry wouldn't get their money's worth out of the 1.25 million a year contract. The Cavalry hadn't negotiated stupidly though, making the second year of the contract a vesting option based on 550 plate appearances.

17 May: Only a few hours later, the Cavalry announced another big signing, outfielder Jim Thwaites. Thwaites had a career year for the Metros in 2027, hitting .335/.397/.560 with 16 HR. Lifetime he was .285/.344/.436 with 73HR. The 28 y/o would be in Canberra for 4 years.

21 May: 31 y/o catcher Jayden Limeburner (.249/.340/.429, 138HR) re-signed with the Roos for 4 years.

21 May: The Fury signed Fu Lao to a 4-year deal. The 29 y/o had an 86-63 record with a career ERA of 3.85 and career FIP of 3.95. He went 9-12 in 2027.

25 May: Perth signed Hayden Foreman to a 3-year contract. At 138-87, Foreman was the winningest pitcher in the AUNZBL’s history. In 2027 he was 14-15, with a 4.58 ERA and a 4.27 FIP.

6 Jun: Rupert Thurley, 34 y/o, with 238 career saves, signed a 3-year deal with the Metros. He racked up 42 saves for the Fury in 2027.

10 Jun: The Aces won the fight to sign Jarrod Guerin, announcing a 2-year deal with the 34 y/o star 1B. In 2027, Guerin hit .246/.320/.473 with a league-leading 34 HR. Lifetime, he was hitting .270/.346.512, his 325 HR the career best in the AUNZBL. Strangely, the Aces looked set to play him at LF.

20 Jun: Martin 'Headcase' Collard signed with the Heat for 3 years. Amazingly, the Heat and Collard managed to keep this news out of most media. Collard hit .280/.307/.339 in 2027. Lifetime, he was .272/.315/.325 with 10HR in 7 seasons. A real 'Punch & Judy' hitter, though he did hit 10 triples in 2027.

23 Jul: Tu-an Tseng nutted out a 2-year deal with the Cowboys. Tseng had a 17-14 record in 2027, having pitched for both the Metros and the Cavalry.

Notable Trades

15 May: The Metros pulled the trigger on a massive deal with the Blue Sox, sending 5 minor leaguers to Sydney in return for 27 y/o catcher Wendell Baxter (.326/.375/.482, 17HR in 2027, .318/.367/.466, 81HR career). Gold glove winner Ashley Spargo would presumably move to back-up.

16 May: The next day the Metros signed off on another trade, this time sending 26 y/o 2B Bruce Binns (.289/.338/.373, 4HR in 2027, .273/.322/.353, 11HR career) and a prospect to the Roos in return for 25 y/o shortstop Angus Albertson (.280/.344/.428, 15HR in 2027, .264/.336/.369, 24HR career - 4 full seasons).

25 May: The Metros continued to make all the early off-season trade news, this time acquiring 26 y/o RF Allan Anglesey (2nd in 2027 Rookie of the Year voting) from the Heat in exchange for a minor league pitcher and a minor league first baseman.

28 May: On the second-last day of the Winter Meetings, the Metros again did a deal with the Heat, sending them 28 y/o SP Todd Thompson (15-7 in 2027, with 5 saves) and getting 27 y/o LF Wendell Trevelyan (.238/.368/.354, 12HR, 117BBs in 2027, .227/.346/.341, 49HR career) and a prospect.

28 Jul: With Baden Binns injured for 2028, and Hayden Foreman having signed elsewhere, the Roos needed to strengthen their rotation big-time. They did this by finalizing a trade with the Fury. They would send Ghi-Cheng Lee (.224/.331/.402, 28HR in 2027, .251/.354/.465, 248HR career) and a minor league SP to Fury in exchange for 27 y/o SP Neil ‘Heartbreaker’ Okolita. In 2027, Okolita was 11-9, with a 3.58 ERA and a 3.75 FIP. He had a 5-pitch arsenal, and would be the Roos #1 starter.

Notable Injuries

3 Sep: Tyler Silk suffered a setback recovering from his torn rotator cuff. He would now miss the entire 2028 season instead of half of it.

5 Sep: Jason McHugh would sit out the start of the season. The Roos OF strained a hamstring and would miss 5 weeks.

19 Sep: The Fury lost Paul McKinna for 3 months with a partially torn labrum.

26 Sep: Vinnie Egan separated his shoulder and would miss the first month of the 2028 season.

Other Notes

4 Aug: The AUNZBL governance team announced the waiver period would be increased from 3 days to 4 days.

30 Sep: Metros SS Rex Rees was rated the #1 prospect in the AUNZBL for 2028. A March call-up in 2027, Rees found himself on the 25-man roster to start the season. A lot of experts were calling him ‘the next Stewart Warwick.’

[Izz]

2028 Preseason Predictions

The Bandits were predicted to slump, by weight of Terence Pi's absence. The Aces were picked to take out the Australian, with the Cavalry nipping at their heels.

The Metros would win comfortably in the NSWNZ, according to the experts with, surprise, the Thunder to finish 2nd 12 games back, but enough to snatch a wildcard and their first postseason appearance. The Roos were picked to miss the postseason for the first time in 7 seasons.

Kelvin Ackland would be the league's best hitter. Stewart Warwick wouldn't even be in the top 10! A rookie, Venom 1B Beau Tyson, was picked to take out the HR crown, with 38.

Canberra starter Robert Colcott would be the league's best pitcher. In 2027, he went 7-19, with a 4.71 ERA and a 4.28 FIP. His BABIP of .340 suggested that was an anomalously bad season, but still, fan forum debates raged as to whether he was anywhere near good enough to be the best.

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - October

Notable Performances

2 Oct: Ronald Buckby goes 5-5 to help the Aces beat up the Venom 9-1.

3 Oct: First shutout of the season goes to Arnold Chappell, whose 4-hit, no-walk effort led the Bandits to a 5-0 victory over the Metros.

3 Oct: Seb Mant missed out on the first shutout of the year only because of the time-zone difference. He threw a brilliant 2-hit, 2-walk shutout to help the Thunder beat the Blue Sox 6-0.

7 Oct: Cavalry #2 Ramon Martinez blanked the Metros on 3 hits, a walk and 6Ks to lead his team to a 8-0 win.

9 Oct: Cowboys CF Carl Sarkies slugged 3 home runs in a 15-6 spanking of the Roos. His 3 HR scored his team 6 runs.

9 Oct: In the same game, teammate Harrison Fookes went 5-6.

13 Oct: Gavin Moss went nuts against the Thunder, going 5-6, including 2 HR. The Fury won 14-zip.

Notable Injuries

2 Oct: Hayden Dethridge blew out the tendon in his bicep and would be gone from the Adelaide rotation for 6 months. He'd recorded 1 out in his first start of the year.

22 Oct: 40 y/o Bandit Byron Eissens (.278/.422/.472, 2HR in 12 games) strained a hamstring colliding with the Heat shortstop while sliding into base. He would be out for up to 4 weeks.

23 Oct: In the very next game, Bandits' catcher Axel Stennings tore a hamstring rounding second, attempting to turn a double into a triple. He would be gone for 5 weeks. He was hitting .319/.390/.569, 4HR on the year.

Notable Trades/Signings

29 Oct: The Venom traded 28 y/o 3B Karl 'Dragoon' Rice (.287/.347/.324) to the Bandits in return for 4 prospects.

Month Awards

Rookie of the Month: 23 y/o Thunder 1B Bruce Hale. He was .259/.315/.509 in the month, 30-116, with 11 doubles, 3 triples, 4HR and 20RBI.

Hurler of the Month: Metros SP Adrian 'Melody' Kell. He was 5-0 in 6 starts, with a 3.02 ERA. He struck out 36 in 41.2 IP.

Slugger of the Month: Roos LF Elliot Wilkins. He hit .311/.382/.623 in October, 38-122, with a mammoth 12HR and 32RBI.

Other Notes

In the Australian, the Cavalry found themselves with a 1-game lead at the end of October, the Heat in second, and the Prospects with their best start to a season, ever.

The Roos held a slender 1-game advantage over the Cowboys in the NSWNZ.

Jerry 'Terminator' Lowe, Hobart's 33 y/o closer, signed for a very modest sum during Spring Training and racked up 10 saves in the month. Fury new recruit Fu Lao had an unhappy October, losing 5 of his 6 starts.

Standings, Nov 1

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - November

Notable Performances

1 Nov: Mike Millar went 5-5 as the Roos scraped past the Prospects 10-9.

1 Nov: Phil McLaren was in another world on the mound against the Fury, guiding the Metros to a 5-0 victory, allowing only 3 hits in the shutout.

9 Nov: Kelvin Ackland went 5-5, including a grand slam, as the Metros beat the Venom 13-9.

9 Nov: Bert Blanskby shut out the Roos 4-0. He allowed 5 hits and K'd 7.

12 Nov: The Perth Heat put together one of the first 10-win streaks in AUNZBL history.

12 Nov: 19 y/o rookie Edward 'Barber' Bebbington went 5-5 as the Thunder lost to the Cowboys 8-7. Bebbington, a Virgin Islander, started playing minor-league ball in 2026 and 2 years later found himself in the big time.

14 Nov: Venom catcher Simon Avery goes 5-5, the only bright spot in his team's thrashing at the hands of the Bandits, 11-2.

16 Nov: The Heat win streak is ended at 13.

27 Nov: Todd Thompson blew the Venom off the park, leading the Heat to a 5-0 shutout victory. He allowed only 3 hits, and walked 2, striking out 11 in the process.

Notable Injuries

2 Nov: Central Coast 2B Nathaniel Lovett strained a groin muscle and would be out for 2 weeks. Lovett had hit 4-4 in the game of his injury, tying the Thunder's regular season record for doubles with 3. On the season, Lovett was hitting .363/.407/.589, 45-135 with 12 dbls, 2 triples and 4HR. He was leading the league in avg. before his injury.

7 Nov: Brisbane SP Arnold Chappell would be out for up to 4 months with shoulder inflammation. Chappell was 3-3 on the year (8 starts) with a 3.79 ERA and a 4.36 FIP.

9 Nov: Quintin Bruce, SP for the Cavalry, tore a muscle in his back and wouldn't pitch for 4 months. He was 4-2 on the year (8 starts) with a 5.11 ERA but a 3.84 FIP.

14 Nov: Mike Millar (.308/.444/.392) partially tore his labrum and would be on the DL for 4 months.

22 Nov: Cowboy's 1B Roland Clow (.342/.424/.487, 5HR) would sit (or perhaps lie) out for a month with chronic back soreness.

26 Nov: Elliot Wilkins (.291/.348/.523, 13HR) would be out for 5 weeks with back spasms. He was leading the league in HR at the time.

29 Nov: Dermott Ford (.304/.343/.433, 5HR) would be on the DL for up to 5 months due to a nasty concussion.

29 Nov: Metros OF Allan Anglesey (.298/.359/.474 in 19 games) would be on the DL for 4 months after tearing a calf muscle.

Month Awards

Rookie of the Month: 24 y/o Simon Avery. He hit .327/.367/.436, 33-101, for the Venom in November

Hurler of the Month: Angelo Glatz, SP for the Prospects. The 24 y/o went 4-0 in the month, for 1.40 ERA, striking out 28 in 38.2 IP across 6 starts.

Slugger of the Month: It was impossible to go past Kelvin Ackland. He hit .414/.448/.638, 48-116, with 5HR and 28RBI. He played a pivotal role in the Metros 21-7 November.

Other Notes

The Cavalry and Heat continued to duke it out in the Australian, the Bandits and Aces not far behind. The Prospects went 11-17 to drop back to earth.

The Metros put together a huge month, to have a 4-game lead over the Cowboys on December 1. The Roos 12-16 saw them 6 games behind a month after leading the division.

Jason Deas had taken the lead in the HR race, Kelvin Ackland on the avg. leaderboard.

The Aces had converted Carlo Browne to a closer, and he led the league at the end of November with 17 saves. No qualified pitcher had a WHIP less than 1.00.

Stewart Warwick had a good opening 2 months, staying injury-free and hitting .316/.350/.494 with 8HR and 17 doubles.

Standings, Dec 1

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - December

Notable Performances

4 Dec: Blue Sox SP Mark Colenutt shut out the Venom 6-0. He allowed 5 hits and a walk.

4 Dec: Norm Cornell walked none and only allowed 6 runners on base, shutting out the Thunder 5-0. The Cavalry starter moved to 5-3 on the year.

5 Dec: Axel Stennings became the second member of the AUNZBL 300-HR club, reaching the milestone in a 5-2 victory over the Aces.

15 Dec: Oliver Grinter led the Prospects to a 6-0 shutout of the Roos. He surrendered 4 hits and a walk, and struck out 10.

29 Dec: 2-9 on the year before this game with an ERA north of 5, Tye Waymouth shut out the Aces, allowing 4 hits and 4 walks. The Blue Sox won 5-0.

Notable Injuries

20 Dec: Steven Worsfold (.268/.333/.457, 11HR) strained his oblique and would be out of action for 3 weeks.

30 Dec: Angry at the Fury's continued lacklustre form boiled over in the clubhouse after this loss, reliever Liam Taintey going on a rampage of clubhouse furniture destruction. He dislocated his finger in the process.

31 Dec: Jason Deas (.226/.319/.464, 18HR) strained a back muscle and would miss 3-4 weeks of action. He was sitting on 297 career HR at the time.

Notable Trades/Signings

2 Dec: Canberra sent 26 y/o CF Tye Lightfoot (.275/.307/.387, 3HR) and a prospect to Perth for RF Wes Albertson (.285/.366/.533, 12HR).

2 Dec: The Prospects acquired 35 y/o SP Gareth Bagshaw (3-7, 6.19 ERA, 5.02 FIP, .333 BABIP) from the Roos in return for 28 y/o CF Marcus Hanscombe (.272/.358/.430, 5HR) and a minor league 1B.

5 Dec: In a move that caught most of the experts by surprise, the Thunder sent 28 y/o SP Seb Mant (5-3, 3.69 ERA, 5.00 FIP) to the Prospects for two... prospects.

25 Dec: Perhaps hoping fans wouldn't notice due to the All-Star game being on, the Metros finalized a trade on All-Star Day, sending 36 y/o Benjamin Beamish (.302/.350/.505, 13HR, 2028 All-Star selection) plus 2 minor leaguers (one a prospect, one not so much) to the Aces in return for 25 y/o SP Brendon Vernon (6-7, 4.21 ERA, 3.93 FIP).

Month Awards

Rookie of the Month: Venom 1B Beau Tyson. .318/.359/.473 in the month, 35-110, with 3 HR. Projected to be the game's best HR hitter in 2028, the rookie found himself off the pace, with only 9 at the halfway point. The Venom would still be very pleased with his efforts thus far in the season, though.

Hurler of the Month: Simon Stobbie of the Aces. 5-0 in 5 starts, with a 2.15 ERA, striking out 34 in 37.2 innings.

Slugger of the Month: Adelaide DH Vic Baxter. 26-90 in December, he had the stat-line of .289/.405/.633, hitting 8HR and driving in 21.

Other Notes

20 Dec: Stewart Digby (.187/.241/.268, 3HR) got himself suspended for fighting for the second time in the season.

#

The Heat had pulled 3 games in front of the Cavalry and the Aces at the mid-point, the Bandits just 1 game back again.

The Metros continued to be impressive, extending their lead in the NSWNZ to 10 games. The Cowboys found themselves in second, fighting for a wildcard. The Roos continued to slump.

Perth's Vinnie Egan found himself atop the hitting leaderboards, his .355 avg 22 points clear of Kelvin Ackland. Canberra SS Marcello Caffyn led the HR race, with 20. Gavin Moss had the most XBH (45), Wendell Trevelyan the most walks (73). Stewart Warwick, noticeably absent on most leaderboards, had the 2nd most hits behind Ackland with 106.

Randy Britton only had a 7-3 record from 17 starts, but he had the best FIP (3.21), the best WHIP (1.01), and had only allowed 3HR all year. Todd Thompson led the league in Ks, with 129, or 9.49 per 9 innings. Sean Morrow had 29 saves.

Standings, Jan 1

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - January

Notable Performances

2 Jan: Joe Gordon went 5-5 as the Bandits gave the Venom a 12-5 whooping.

6 Jan: Simon Stobbie dominated the Roos, allowing only 3 hits and 2 walks, striking out 8, as the Aces loped to an 11-0 victory.

17 Jan: Robert Colcott struck out 9 and allowed only 1 hit (and 3 walks) as the Cavalry shut out Brisbane 7-0.

18 Jan: Carl Spruijt didn't waste any time making a difference for his new team. He went 5-6 as the Bandits destroyed the Cavalry 15-1.

31 Jan: Beau Tyson went 5-5, including 2HR, as the Venom overcame the Roos 11-9.

Notable Injuries

None notable enough to report.

Notable Trades/Signings

3 Jan: The Roos swapped 28 y/o LF Charlie Rees (.295/.384/.387, 2HR) for Heat 3B Ethan Worboys (.234/.320/.369, 1HR in 36 games) and a minor league pitching prospect.

5 Jan: The Venom sent 25 y/o 1B Carl Spruijt (.275/.312/.392, 7HR) to Brisbane for 5 minor leaguers. Carl Spruijt, from the now non-existent Netherlands, had been playing in the majors since age 18.

25 Jan: In possibly the biggest trade of the season to-date, the Fury sent 31 y/o catcher Gavin Moss (.294/.353/.558, 21HR) to the Thunder for 5 prospects. Moss was said to be very happy with the trade.

26 Jan: Making no secret of the fact they were now rebuilding, the Fury traded Paul McKinna (just finished a rehab assignment, with no pitching in the bigs in 2028) to the Bandits in exchange for 5 more prospects. McKinna was delighted to be on his way to a contender.

27 Jan: In another blockbuster, the Heat sent 26 y/o Rick 'Wildcat' Fallon (.314/.376.444, 8HR) and 25 y/o reliever Logan 'Gasoline' Donaldson (4-1, 2 saves, 1.96 ERA, 2.51 FIP across 46 innings of work) to the Aces for 28 y/o Ronald Buckby (.292/.362/.466, 16HR) and 2 prospects.

30 Jan: Still not done pulling apart their lineup, the Fury traded 30 y/o Simon Bell (.280/.337/.413, 14HR) to the Venom for 26 y/o SP Angus Kesterton (7-12, 4.98 ERA, 4.36 FIP, 7.6 K/9) and a prospect.

Month Awards

Rookie of the Month: Tye Ablett, SP for the Roos. The 27 y/o was 5-0 in the month, with a 1.78 ERA.

Hurler of the Month: Bert Blanksby threw 44 innings in 6 starts in January, for a 5-1 record.

Slugger of the Month: Roos 1B Zechariah Horton might've been thinking about playing beyond 38, snaring the Slugger of the Month award on the back of a .358/.410/.679 month. His 39-109 included 9HR.

Other Notes

24 Jan: The Blue Sox dumped their manager. At 30-74, it was hard to blame them.

#

The Heat relinquished their lead to the Bandits, who finished January at 64-48. The Aces and Cavalry hovered 3 and 4 games back, respectively.

The Metros held steady in Jan, finishing 9 games ahead of the Cowboys, who were fighting in a packed wildcard race. The Roos could also still consider themselves a wildcard chance. The Thunder looked a chance to finish at or above .500 for the first time in their existence.

Ackland was back at the top of the avg. leaderboard, and Caffyn now had a 5HR lead in the Home Run standings. With 40 doubles already, Central Coast 1B Bruce Hale had the season record of 47 firmly in his sights. Stewart Warwick looked like he might break the 200-hit barrier for the second time in his career.

Bert Blanksby was sitting on exactly 1.00 WHIP. Randy Britton led the league in FIP with 3.09. Sean Morrow's 37 saves still led the pack. Simon Stobbie had 20 wins in his sights, needing only 3 over the next 2 months.

Standings, Feb 1

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - February

Notable Performances

12 Feb: Prospect watch (up and coming prospects, not Hobart). Metros rookie Rex Rees took home Player of the Week honors, going 14-27 with 4HR. He was hitting .280/.367/.398 with 7HRs in 75 AUNZBL games.

18 Feb: The Cavalry lose 10 straight to suddenly be only 1 game above .500.

22 Feb: Jason Deas joined the 300 HR club, his solo shot the only Roos run in a 4-1 defeat to Melbourne.

23 Feb: Wendell Trevelyan hit for the cycle against the Thunder, contributing 4-6 in the 17-3 thumping the Metros dished up. His 7th inning triple cleared the loaded bases.

25 Feb: Roland Clow went 5-5 as the Cowboys tore Wellington up 13-4.

26 Feb: The very next day, Clow dined out again on the Fury pitchers, this time hitting for the cycle in a 14-2 spanking.

27 Feb: Mark Colenutt threw a no-hitter against the Thunder, striking out 9! He was one walk off a perfect game. The Blue Sox won 2-0, a real bright spot in their otherwise terrible season.

Notable Injuries

1 Feb: Marcello Caffyn (.306/.341/.546, 27HR) would miss 2 weeks with an oblique strain.

7 Feb: Wes Albertson (.284/.354/.485, 17HR, for 2 clubs) partially tore his labrum, and would sit out the Cavalry's next 5 weeks of games.

16 Feb: Randy Britton would miss up to 2 weeks with elbow soreness. His skipper tried to put a positive spin on it, saying, "This will be just the rest he needs ahead of the postseason."

19 Feb: Stewart Warwick would likely be gone for the season after fracturing his wrist when struck by a pitch. He was .306/.339/.491, with 21HR and 30 doubles amongst his 160 hits.

Month Awards

Rookie of the Month: Not just a Player of the Week in February for Rex Rees, but also a Rookie of the Month, too. He went 37-100 across the month, hitting 7HR, and drawing 15 walks. His stat-line read: .370/.457/.600.

Hurler of the Month: Mark Colenutt, and not just for his no-hitter. He went 4-1 in February. with a 1.69 ERA. He was 12-10 on the year with a 3.67 ERA and a 3.85 FIP.

Slugger of the Month: Not just a Player of the Week and a Rookie of the Month, but also a Slugger of the Month for Rex Rees in February. Along with the stats cited above, he also scored 21 runs. It looked like the Metros had found themselves a keeper.

Other Notes

The Bandits extended their lead in the Australian to 4 games over the Heat. The Aces dropped off the pace, as did the Cavalry.

The Metros held an 8-game lead over the Cowboys, who now found themselves at the head of the wildcard hunt instead of chasing the pack. The Roos also dropped off the pace, going 2-8 to end the month.

Hale smashed the existing season doubles record mid-way through the month, finishing February on 51. Wendell Trevelyan had 112 walks, 18 ahead of Byron Eissens.

Stobbie could only manage 1 win in February, to sit on 18 alongside Adrian Kell (4.42 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 1.39WHIP). Blanksby maintained his 1.00 WHIP. Todd Thompson was striking out 9.65 batters per 9 innings. Randy Britton got his FIP down below 3 to 2.97. Fu Lao had a season FIP of 3.36, with an ERA of 3.30, but a harsh 7-14 record.

Standings, Mar 1

[Izz]

2028/2029 Season - March

Notable Performances

2 Mar: Metros SP Adrian Kell blanked the Cavalry, allowing only 4 baserunners (2 hits, 2 walks) in the 6-0 victory.

2 Mar: Norman Silk of the Heat shutout the Venom 5-0 on 4 hits.

7 Mar: Wes Liddell went 5-8 in a 17-inning marathon v the Bandits. Brisbane eventually won 5-4.

20 Mar: Roos CF Brodie Bransington went 5-5 in a 5-3 victory over the Venom.

20 Mar: Fury OF Benjamin Attwood was 5-5 in the Fury's 11-5 drubbing of the Prospects.

Notable Injuries

2 Mar: Jason McHugh (.281/.340/.527, 26HR) had his regular season ended early against the Cowboys. Struck by a pitch, he fractured his hand and would be on the DL for 5 weeks.

6 Mar: The Cowboys lost SS Bailey Johnston (.294/.391/.493, 25HR) for the rest of the season with a sore shoulder.

21 Mar: Cavalry CF James Thwaites (.258/.325/410, 14HR) fractured his ankle in a collision with the outfield wall and would be gone for 3-4 months.

Notable Trades/Signings

12 Mar: Central Coast tied up home-grown sensation Nathaniel Lovett for the next 7 years. Lovett was hitting .316/.386/.560 on the season, with 33 dbls, 9 triples and 23HR.

Other Notes

22 Mar: Fury owner Lindsay Wilcox passed away. Ownership was taken up by his son, Jeremy, who had a reputation for generosity and tolerance.

#

The Heat made a late run, but the Bandits held them off to win the Australian pennant by 1 game. The Cowboys slumped terribly in March, going 7-17 to end well out of the wildcard running. The Cavalry managed to pick up the second wildcard ahead of the Roos.

The title race in the NSWNZ was never in doubt, the Metros finishing the season strong to finish with 100 wins.

Kelvin Ackland took the batting title, Caffyn the HR title. He was the only player to hit more than 30. Ackland was the only player to get over 200 hits, finishing with 217. Hale hit 61 doubles. Both Nathaniel Lovett and Ackland finished with 7.6 WAR. Trevelyan drew 132 walks.

Stobbie never got to 20 wins, finishing on 19. However, Adrian Kell made it to 22 and Todd Thompson 20. Phil McLaren, of the Metros, finished the season with a 0.97 WHIP. Randy Britton finished with a 3.10 FIP, just ahead of Thompson (3.15). Sean Morrow notched up 49 saves.

Standings, EORS

[Izz]

2028 Leaderboards

Robert Colcott was barely to be seen on any leaderboards. He was 10-14 for the season, with a 4.01 ERA and a (very good) 3.38 FIP. He did also have a 5.6 WAR and only gave up 11 HR in 220 innings, but overall disappointed. He would, however, play postseason ball.

[Izz]

2028 Division Finals - Canberra Cavalry v Auckland Metros

The Cavalry were making their first trip to the playoffs in 4 seasons. The Metros were looking to be the AUNZBL's first back-to-back champions. Of course, they had to get through the Division Finals first. In the 16 regular season games between these two opponents, the spoils had been split exactly 50-50.

Game 1

The Metros had more baserunners, but could only convert 1 into runs on the board. The Cavalry won 3-1, on the back of Colcott's 7.2 innings (10 hits, 3 walks, 4 Ks). Brendon 'Bugs' Vernon threw 6.2 innings for the loss, walking none, striking out 7 and allowing 7 hits.

Rafael Birkbeck hit a HR for the Cavalry.

Game 2

This time the Metros did a much better job of converting baserunners. They scored 6 in the 2nd and never let up the advantage, winning 9-5.

Lance Peet threw 7 innings for the win, though he allowed 5 runs in the process. His opposite, Norm Cornell, was pulled in the second.

Marcello Caffyn homered in the 6th for the Cavalry. Zachariah Goudie went deep twice for the Metros. A platoon/bench player during the regular season, he'd hit 8HR in 69 games. Angus Albertson also HR'd for the Metros.

Game 3

The Cavalry took 5 off Phil McLaren in the bottom of the 1st and held the Metros scoreless until the 8th. Auckland scored 3 runs across the 8th and 9th, but it wasn't enough. The Cavalry win comfortably 6-3.

Quintin Bruce threw 7.1 strong innings, allowing only 4 hits and walking 2 for 1ER. While the Metros bullpen was strong, the damage had already been done.

Birkbeck hit his 2nd HR of the series.

Game 4

With the series on the line, Metros SP Brendon Vernon came out for his second start. And he was up for this, throwing a 3-hit, 1-walk shutout. No Canberra batter made it past 1st base. The Metros got rid of Colcott in the 1st inning, taking 5 runs off him. The final score: Metros 6, Cavalry 0.

Birkbeck injured himself stretching out for a catch in the 6th. His back spasms were severe enough to keep him out for the rest of the postseason, according to the Canberra medical staff.

Game 5

A postseason epic for the ages. The Metros scored 4 in the bottom of the first, as had been the habit of one team or the other throughout the series. Cameron Dutton knocked in 3 of those with a HR. They scored another 2 in the 4th off the back of an Al Stapleton HR to go up 6-0 and send Norm Cornell to the showers.

The Cavalry began their comeback in the 5th, scoring 3. They scored another in the 6th to make it 6-4, then tied it up in the 7th, thanks to Clint Murphy's 2-run jack. The scores stayed locked at 6 into extra innings.

In the top of the 11th, Marcello Caffyn hit a 2-out solo shot to give the Cavalry the lead, 7-6. Tyler 'Judge' Gerlach came out for the Cavalry to pitch the bottom of the inning, closer Lance Ough having already thrown 2 scoreless innings. Ackland led off with a line-drive single to left. Baxter followed with a single along the ground past the shortstop. Cameron Dutton squeezed a 2-1 pitch between first and second to load the bases.

Bases loaded, 0 outs. Gareth Cobb hit a sharp groundball straight to 2nd and Benjamin Kennelly threw home to stop the run scoring. They got the out but Clint Murphy couldn't turn the double-play.

Bases still loaded, 1 out. Angus Albertson watched the first two pitches sail past outside the zone. He fouled off the 2-0 pitch. The 2-1 and he made poor contact, the fly ball arcing over the head of the shortstop... and dropping in front of the left fielder for a base hit. Baxter had taken off with the pitch and scored. Cameron Dutton was waved on and slid home to score the winning run, the ball still in the right-fielder's glove. 8-7 to the Metros, along with the Division Title.

Hurler of the Series was awarded to Vernon, primarily because of his superb Game 4 shutout.

Slugger of the Series went to Al Stapleton. He was 11-18 in the series, getting at least 2 hits a game. He hit 1HR and 2 doubles. His stat-line was .611/.632/.889.

For the Cavalry, Barry Hutcheon threw 7.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only 1 hit and walking 1.

[Izz]

2028 Division Finals - Perth Heat v Brisbane Bandits

The Heat wanted to play in their first Championship. The Bandits wanted to get there for the 3rd year in a row.

Game 1

The Heat made three errors, but still got off to the perfect start, winning 6-5 away from home. Todd Thompson got the win, throwing 111 pitches in 5.2 innings. He allowed 5 hits and walked 4. Only 3 of the 5 runs he conceded were earned. None of the 4 relievers used after him allowed a hit.

Stewart Digby and Byron Eissens hit HRs for the Bandits.

Game 2

Brisbane weren't about to lose 2 games at home, and they ran away with this one inside 3 innings, piling on 9 runs to 2. They added another in the middle, the final score 10-2.

Heat starter Jay Devereux only lasted 2 innings. On the other side of the mound, Bert Blanksby threw 8.1 innings, allowing only 2 hits and 2 walks, striking out 8.

23 y/o rookie Vaughan Skuse hit a 2 run HR for the Heat. Axel Stennings had a 2HR game.

Game 3

Perth was the longest roadtrip in the AUNZBL, but the Bandits weren't too hampered by it, winning 6-2. Randy Britton threw 6.2 innings, allowing 8 hits and a walk. Norman Silk also pitched 6.2, and allowed only 1 hit more. Unfortunately for him, the Bandits did a much better job than the Heat of converting baserunners.

Brisbane LF Jamie Worsfold went 4-4, including a double and a triple, scoring 2 runs and driving in 1. Bruce Pickford hit a HR.

Game 4

The Heat weren't about to go down meekly in front of their home fans, and even though the Bandits opened the scoring in the first with an Axel Stennings solo HR, that was the only time a Bandit would cross home plate. Not that Perth found scoring easy, either, but they tied the game in 3rd and went ahead by 2 in the 6th. That would be enough to win, the final score 3-1.

Todd Thompson was dominant through 8, conceding only 4 hits and 3 walks, and striking out 9. Teddy Tattersall struck out the side in the 9th for the save. Paul McKinna picked up his second loss of the series.

Game 5

Back in Brisbane, and this game had almost as much drama as other Division Title Game 5, which finished 2 hours earlier. While it didn't go into extra innings, it wasn't decided until the bottom of the 9th.

Jay Devereux got the start for Perth, again facing off against Bert Blanksby.

It started tight, and stayed that way. Devereux was sublime, conceding only 3 hits and 3 walks in 8 innings. The only run Brisbane scored was a solo HR from Eissens in the 6th, tying the game at 1. Blanksby was also good, though he was pulled after hitting 100 pitches in the 6th. He walked 1, allowed 8 hits, and struck out 8, the net result 1ER.

Maurice Bashford came on to relieve him, finished off the 6th and threw a scoreless 7th. The Bandits left him on the mound in the 8th and he gave up a walk and 3 hits to see 2 runs score before he was pulled, the Heat taking the lead 3-1.

Devereux retired the side in the bottom of the 8th, and Harrison Wonnocott, Bandits closer, got through the top of the 9th in 7 pitches. Teddy Tattersall came out to close the game and get Perth the win and their first Championship trip.

Stennings led off with a line-drive single to right. Byron Eissens hit a fly into center that dropped well in front of the CF. Suddenly the winning run was at the plate. Bruce Pickford struck out swinging on 4 pitches. Carlos Ortiz, backup catcher and oft-used pinch hitter, was sent out by Bandits manager Mike Barrowcliff. He fouled off the first pitch of his AB. No waiting around here. Second pitch, a fastball at the knees, which he somehow got underneath. Everybody in the stadium knew as soon as they heard the crack of the bat that it was gone. It sailed over straightaway center and into the bullpen. A walk-off 3-run HR from the backup catcher. Tattersall, unhittable previously in the series, sank to his knees on the mound. To Ortiz's credit, there was no showboating. He rounded the bases at a steady pace and was promptly mobbed by his teammates the moment after he touched home plate.

Final score: Bandits 4, Heat 3.

The AUNZBL was set for a rematch of the 2027 Championship Series.

Hurler of the Series went to Blanksby. 14 IP, 7 hits, 3 walks, 16 strikeouts for a 1.93 ERA and a 1-0 record.

Slugger of the Series was given to Axel Stennings. .286/.318/.714, with 3HR.

Jamie Worsfold was always on base, hitting .538/.667/.923, 7-13.

[Izz]

2028 Championship - Brisbane Bandits v Auckland Metros

No matter the result of the 2028 title fight, the AUNZBL would soon have its second multi-Championship winner. Would this series be as good as the Division Finals' that preceded it? The Metros were both the best offensive and best defensive team in the league. The Bandits were second-best in both of those categories, and had won the regular season encounters 10-7.

Game 1

The Metros put their ace, Phil McLaren on the mound. The Bandits elected to start with Paul McKinna.

The gamble didn't appear to have paid off, as McKinna was pulled in the 6th, having let in 5 runs off 9 hits. However, in the top of the 9th, with 2 on, Karl Rice launched a fly 439 feet over centre field to make it a 6-5 ballgame. And that's how it stayed, the Bandits taking Game 1 at the death.

McLaren threw 6 innings, allowing 8 hits and walking 2. Sean Morrow blew the save.

Wendell Baxter went 4-4 for the Metros, including a 2-run HR. Cameron Dutton also homered for the Metros.

Game 2

The Bandits, with a regular season away record barely over .500, once again found themselves beating up Sean Morrow in the 9th to win the game. This time Sandro Ortega did the business, blasting a 3-run HR over left-field to put the Bandits ahead 5-3. Wonnocott sat down the Metros in the bottom of the inning on 8 pitches to give Brisbane a 2-0 lead in the series.

In the duel of the starters, Brendon Vernon outpitched Randy Britton, allowing 6 hits and 4 walks, for 2ER, in 7 innings to 9 hits and 3 walks, for 3ER, in 6.1 innings.

Al Stapleton was injured in a collision at second base in the top of the second. The Metros waited anxiously for a full diagnosis.

Game 3

Blanksby versus Peet, in Brisbane. All the experts picked Brisbane to go up 3-zip. And they were right to do so. Blanksby was sublime, allowing only 3 singles and leading the Bandits to a 5-0 shutout victory.

Ortega hit his second HR of the series, and Axel Stennings chimed in with one too.

Game 4

Would Auckland even get on the board in this series? They'd certainly looked dejected boarding the team bus after the Game 3 defeat.

Al Stapleton had separated his shoulder. It'd be a good three weeks before he was allowed to take batting practice again.

Arnold Chappell (3-3 in 8 starts, 3.79 ERA, 4.36 FIP regular season) got the start for the Bandits, as they looked to complete a whitewash. Jarod Hendricks (11-12, 4.25 ERA, 4.88 FIP regular season) would start for the Metros.

This time it was the Metros who came from behind to win it. Down 4-2 heading into the top of the 8th, they scored 3 2-out runs (off the back of a critical error at shortstop by Ortega) to go ahead 5-4. That's the way the scores stayed and the Metros picked up their first win of the 2028 Championship.

Dutton homered for the Metros, Cam Bywaters and Stennings for the Bandits. Hendricks stayed in long enough to get the win, throwing 7.2 innings for 7 hits and 4 runs.. Morrow got the save to restore some confidence, though he did allow a 2-out single.

Game 5

McKinna v McLaren again. And once again, it came down to the 9th inning. Juan Hernandez opened the scoring in the 4th, his solo HR putting the Bandits up 1-0. It stayed that way until the top of the 8th, when the Metros tied it up thanks to back-to-back doubles to Ackland and Baxter.

Top of the 9th and McKinna was still on the mound. He quickly accounted for Gareth Cobb and Angus Albertson. Then pinch-hitter Ashley Spargo slapped a 2-2 pitch between first and second to get on base. 2B Dean McKinna (no relation to the pitcher) strode to the plate. A regular season backup, he was only playing due to the injury to Stapleton. He watched a strike nip the outside corner. The second pitch was a fastball too close to the center of the plate and he crushed it 437 feet over centre field to put the Metros up 3-1.

Morrow came to the mound in the bottom of the 9th, walked Pickford, got Hernandez to hit a weak fly to left, then allowed Bywaters to single to left. Winning run at the plate, only 1 out. He battled with Ortega for 7 pitches, Ortega swinging at 6 of them, before Ortega hit a hard groundball down the third base line. Rex Rees handled it cleanly but was too far away from the bag to get the force-out. So he chucked it to McKinna at second, who beat Bywaters' slide, and got it across to Ackland in time to turn the doubleplay and win the game.

McKinna threw a complete game loss, McLaren pitched 7 innings for 7 hits, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. Reliever Rupert Thurley picked up the win, also striking the side out in his inning. Wendell Baxter set an AUNZBL playoff record for doubles with 3.

Game 6

Somehow, the Metros got the series back to Auckland. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the homecoming they wanted. The Bandits took 4 off 'Bugs' Vernon in the 1st to take a lead they'd never relinquish. They made sure of it in the 8th, piling on a mammoth 8 runs. The final score was 14-3 to the Bandits.

Bandits in 6. The second AUNZBL team to win more than 1 Championship. 3 Championship appearances in 3 years. The Metros were unable to go back-to-back, being stopped by the team they'd stopped from doing so the previous year.

Karl Rice went 4-6, with a 2-run homer, 3 runs, and 4RBI. Axel Stennings cracked 2 more HR, going 3-4, with 3 runs, 5RBI and 2BBs.

An injury to Dean McKinna pushed Wendell Baxter into SS. While he wasn't terrible, he also wasn't good, and the extra pressure put on 3B Rex Rees accounted for 3 errors between them. In hindsight, the Metros skipper would've probably been much better to put Baxter into 3B and move Rees to SS, or even bring Trevelyan in and hide Baxter in RF.

Hurler of the Series was awarded to Blanksby for his superb shutout.

Slugger of the Series had to go to Axel Stennings. He hit 4HR in the Championship, and had the stat-line: .333/.417/.1.000.

The Bandits bullpen didn't allow an earned run all series.

[Izz]

Rodney Morrall, last sighted in the AUNZBL with the Roos in 2026, retired at age 39, after spending his last two seasons in the minors. A 5-time All Star, Rodney finished with 253HR and 728RBI. His career stat-line was .274/.345/.507. His career WAR was 27.3, his career VORP 319.8. He accumulated 1183 hits, and 457 walks.

Known as a quiet man, Morrall was from the first generation of AUNZBL players, the veterans who returned from The War broken in many ways. While baseball helped in some areas, it was only a temporary fix, and after their baseball careers finished, many of these men struggled to integrate into everyday society. The archives over the next 10-15 years are full of tales of despair and, often, suicide.

Phillip DeGruchy also retired at the conclusion of the 2028 season. A very colorful character, DeGruchy finished with 932 hits, 216HRs and 606RBI. His career stat-line read .275/.346/.518. He was a 6-time All Star, who announced his retirement on talkback radio, with the words, "Not that any of you bloody Sheila's would care, but Phillip DeGruchy is calling time. Next stop: the bloody Moon."

Steven Upchurch, 5-time All Star. 870 hits, 234HR, 642RBI, 489BBs. Career stat-line: .249/.345/.500. He'd last played in 2027.

Jarrod Cripps. Only 33, the 2-time All Star retired with 1054 hits and 130HR. .283/.322/.461 across his career.

[Izz]

2028 Awards

Gold Gloves

Pitcher: Oliver Grinter (Christchurch Cowboys)
Catcher: Clint Murphy (Canberra Cavalry)
First Baseman: Juan Hernández (Brisbane Bandits)
Second Baseman: Nathaniel Lovett (Central Coast Thunder)
Third Baseman: Gavin Dethridge (Central Coast Thunder)
Shortstop: Matthew Flynn (Newcastle Roos)
Left Fielder: Wendell Trevelyan (Auckland Metros)
Center Fielder: Tom Malcolm (Sydney Blue Sox)
Right Fielder: Bruce Pickford (Brisbane Bandits)

Rookie of the Year

Bruce Hale of the Thunder. Not only did he smash the existing doubles record of 47 by 14, he also played in 161 of 162 games, hitting 19HR and driving in 85. He had 186 hits, and a stat-line of .291/.327/.488. His WAR was 5.0, his VORP 46.7.

Beau Tyson of the Venom (.267/.316/.447, 24HR) finished second in the voting. Metros' 3B Rex Rees (.294/.385/.437, 14HR) finished third.

Skipper of the Year

Mike Barrowcliff of the Bandits. He also won the award in 2026. He'd skippered the Bandits to 2 Championship victories, and made the postseason all 3 seasons he'd been in charge.

Hurler of the Year

Phil McLaren of the Metros. 18-8 in 34 starts, 2.79 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 0.97 WHIP, 242.1 IP, 187 strikeouts. WAR 6.8, VORP 62.9.

2nd in the voting: Todd Thompson, Bandits (20-8, 3.44 ERA, 3.15 FIP, 249 Ks). 3rd: Adrian Kell, Metros (22-7, 4.02 ERA, 4.57 FIP).

Slugger of the Year

Kelvin Ackland of the Metros. Played every game for 217 hits, including 39 dbls, 3 triples, 26HR, 121RBI and 69 walks. Stat-line of .338/.398/.530. 7.6 WAR, 71.4 VORP.

2nd: Nathaniel Lovett, Thunder. .313/.379/.556, 35 dbls, 9 triples, 26HR.
3rd: Bailey Johnston, Cowboys. .294/.391/.493, 25HR, 78BB. Missed last 3-4 weeks of season with injury.

[Izz]

2028 Career Leaderboards

[Izz]

10 Years In - The AUNZBL and the World

After 10 years, the AUNZBL was going from strength to strength.

Many said, in archived news-site and fan forum data, that the 2028 season was the best one yet. A lot of this came down to the new players entering the majors, exciting prospects on the cusp of maturity, who brought with them the promise of amazing things.

While the fans loved the first guard who starred in the early years, they could see that many of them weren't pure baseball players. A lot had converted from other sports, and while they brought tenacity, at times they still looked like cricket or softball or hockey players. Add to that the massive emotional and mental burdens many of them carried from The War, and the early years were often more about therapy than baseball.

That being said, the public watched and loved the game in the first decade. They swarmed through the gates, from old to young. Attendances for all the post-season games in 2028 were just shy of the maximum capacity of all the stadiums, 30,000, and that was the case too for the preceding seasons of which we have attendance data. There was a lot of talk in baseball media of adding additional seating to existing stadiums, or even, in Melbourne for example, lobbying to purchase the Melbourne Cricket Ground, a venue that could hold up to 100,000, and had lain mostly dormant during the summers post-War due to the lack of international cricket and the collapse of the domestic game.

Baseball was dominating the summer sports market, and there were no signs of that abating.

Australia, as a whole, was still the world's leading economy. By 2028, Australia's attention had turned from aid and rebuilding around the rest of the world to itself. Military spending had increased, and government-sponsored science facilities sprang up all over the area formerly known as 'the Outback'. Close examination of the historical data shows that the first seeds for a space program had been planted almost immediately post-War, but had taken another decade to germinate. While Australia wasn't yet reaching for the Moon and the rest of the Solar System, the government was definitely funneling money into ASA (Australian Space Adminstration) as well as partnering with several commercial enterprises whose aim was to put humans on the Moon and Mars, permanently.

New Zealand, still at first glance fiercely independent, was slowly moving towards amalgamation with Australia. Its biggest city, Auckland, had almost swallowed up its northern neighbor Whangarei. New Zealand had adopted more lenient refugee policies in the mid-2020s, and the population was almost growing too fast for infrastructure to keep up.

What of the rest of the world?

Europe was still a wasteland. Australia stopped providing aid missions to the continent by the early 2020s, as any materials provided rarely made it to their intended recipients, and aid workers were routinely murdered. Bands of roving fugitives, pulled together by former national boundaries, still fought brutal battles wherever they met, and terrorized those who were attempting to rebuild.

Still, in baseball terms, a few Europeans continued to make their way towards Australia, the dream of playing in the AUNZBL, and the freedom that would give them, driving them onwards. Baseball scouts still braved the deadly climes of Europe, looking for talent.

Asia, also battered and broken, limped forward, often denying any attempts at aid. The people of Japan, though it was one of the worst hit of the Asian countries, managed to start several small baseball leagues in the decade following The War, and while many didn't last long, by 2028 they did have at least the semblance of an organized baseball presence.

New Korea, too, had a small baseball league in operation in 2028, consisting of somewhere between 4 and 6 teams. Perhaps league is too organized a word, for the teams played more as barnstormers, traveling the country, playing each other if they crossed paths, or whatever team the locals could put together.

South and Central America, even with the ongoing skirmishes as people tried to reassert and expand boundaries without the pesky influence of a United Nations or other suchlike organization, were probably the strongest baseball areas after Australia. Small leagues sprouted, flourished and died like spring flowers. Some lasted, and a conservative historical estimate is that there were a dozen financially stable leagues operating from Mexico to Argentina in 2028.

North America was a different story. While not quite the same wasteland that Europe was, various factions within what was once the United States of America continued to fight. More organized than their European counterparts, the participants numbered in the dozens, each intent on setting up their own little empires. By 2028, Canada had been drawn into the wars, to protect some of its pristine land as much as to assert dominance. Not only that, but remnants of the Russian-Chinese coalition had set up camp in Alaska, continuously making threatening overtures towards the rest of North America.

It was not a good time for baseball in North America. While reports indicate that initially baseball teams were allowed to travel from city to city under an informal agreement, it wasn't long before military minds seized upon traveling teams as great Trojan horses. In 2028, the only North American league on record was a tiny, semi-professional one based in Montreal.

Africa, never a strong baseball continent, continued not to be post-War. Ravaged equally by war and disease, not much is known of Africa during the decade after The War. Occasional reports of South Africa can be found in the Australian archives, but they are often vague. South Africa did send rugby teams to Australia and New Zealand at least twice between 2020-2028, but they played to small crowds in small towns. South Africa, as we know it today, would not appear regularly in the Australian archives until the 2060s. Even today, they are tight-lipped as to--or don't know--how they survived as a nation post-War.

Somewhat surprisingly, Indonesia had a 6-team baseball league in 2028, playing a regularly-scheduled competition.

[Izz]

Offseason

2028 Notes

ERA across the league rose to 4.04. Batting avg. rose to .260, the highest since the 2020 season.

Notable Club Happenings

14 Apr: The Aces fired their long-serving GM Steven Foley. 2028 was the first time in 5 years the Aces didn't make the playoffs. Foley had 2 Championship Rings, one with the Aces and the other with the Blue Sox in 2020.

14 Apr: The Roos fired skipper Marcus Brigatti. He'd been with the Roos for 3 seasons, and 2028 was the first time he didn't get them to the postseason.

Notable Free Agent Signings/Player Contract Extensions

8 May: This year's free agents included 37 y/o Benjamin Beamish, 28 y/o Wendell Trevelyan, 25 y/o Carl Spruijt, 37 y/o Axel Stennings, 29 y/o Karl Rice, 28 y/o Wendell Baxter, 38 y/o Dermott Ford (chasing 2,000 hits), 29 y/o Rick Hoolahan, 28 y/o Damian Neill, 27 y/o Jason McHugh, 37 y/o Mike Millar, 36 y/o Carlo Browne, 38 y/o Harrison Wonnocott, and 32 y/o Paul McKinna.

16 May: Benjamin Beamish signed a 2-year contract with the Aces. He was excited at the chance to finish his career in his hometown.

17 May: Axel Stennings signed for 2 years with the Heat.

17 May: The Fury replaced Gavin Moss, who they'd traded to the Thunder mid-season, with Wendell Baxter (.310/.360/.460 career), signing him to a 5-year deal.

21 May: The Roos re-signed Jason McHugh for 2 years.

23 May: Rick Hoolahan signed with the Thunder for 4 years.

24 May: The Cavalry snared Damian Neill on a big money 6-year deal.

26 May: Travis 'Roo' Mullens, 37 years old, signed with the Prospects for 2 years. He would be their closer.

30 May: The Metros re-signed Wendell Trevelyan to a 5-year deal.

8 Jun: Karl Rice signed a 5-year deal with the Cowboys.

15 Jun: The Cavalry signed Carl Spruijt for 4 years. At 25, Spruijt was the youngest free agent to ever hit the AUNZBL market.

29 Jun: The Fury signed Harrison Wonnocott to a 2-year deal.

1 Jul: Dermott Ford signed for 2 years with the Roos.

1 Jul: Carlo Browne, successful starter converted to successful closer, signed with the Fury for 2 years. They signed him as a starter, not a closer, though by the end of spring training he was back in the closer role.

1 Jul: The Metros signed Mike Millar to a 1-year deal. If Millar could stay healthy he could well be a good signing for the Metros.

7 Jul: Tyler Silk, who hadn't pitched since 2027, quietly filed for free agency. A few teams obviously still saw some worth in the battered strikeout machine, because rumors around his signing circulated through the offseason. Eventually, the Bandits procured his signature for the 2029 season, at a modest sum. Once again, betting agencies started 'How long will Tyler Silk last?' promotions. Most didn't think he'd get past October.

15 Jul: 41 year-old Byron Eissens signed a 1-year deal extension with the Bandits. In 2028 Eissens hit .241/.404/.459 with 20HR across 119 games.

7 Aug: The Roos re-signed Bob Wise to a 1-year deal. Before the start of the 2028 season, he'd signed for the Roos for 2 years, but the second year was based on a vesting option which he did not meet. Still, the club was happy to sign him again, by all accounts for a lot less coin.

8 Aug: The Metros signed Paul McKinna to a 1-year deal.

20 Aug: After testing the open market, Al Stapleton re-signed with the Metros for a year.

23 Sep: Russell Roberts signed a 1-year extension with the Aces.

Notable Trades

26 Apr: 36 y/o Hayden Foreman found himself on the move after signing with Perth only 1 season earlier. He was off to the Cowboys for 26 y/o utility Carl Sarkies (.249/.292/.394, 18HR in 2028, .248/.290/.395, 47HR lifetime) and a prospect.

30 Apr: The Cowboys found themselves in the trade news again, this time sending 30 y/o SS Neil 'Hamburger' Browne (.299/.351/.398, 3HR in 72 games in 2028, .254/.315/.354, 33HR career) to the Metros in return for 27 y/o RF Allan Anglesey (.298/.359/.474, 1HR in 19 games in 2028, .279/.359/.474, 14 HR across career--1 full season, 2 incomplete), and a prospect.

10 May: The Metros acquired 28 y/o RF Robin Pride (.290/.347/.514, 23HR in 2028, .278/.342/.446, 86HR career) from the Venom in return for 3 minor leaguers. One, 21 y/o 3B Sebastian Ayres, was rated a definite prospect.

28 May: Of all the teams, it seemed the Metros loved wheel and dealing the most at the trade table. They sent 25 y/o SP Lance Peet (16-10, 3.32 ERA, 3.85 FIP in 2028, 31-23, 3.74 ERA, 3.90 FIP career) to Perth for 27 y/o CF Tye Lightfoot (.254/.302/.397, 7HR in 66 games in 2028, .274/.315/.410, 28HR career) and a catching prospect.

31 May: In a real eyebrow-raising trade, the Heat agreed to send Alistair Blanksby (32 y/o) to the Bandits in exchange for 25 y/o 1B Juan Hernandez (.274/.350/.435, 14HR in 2028, .268/.342/.420, 53HR across 3 1/2 seasons career) and a pitching prospect.

15 Jun: The Metros pulled the trigger on another trade, questionable to some, acquiring 29 y/o SP Elliot Browne (12-14, 4.46 ERA, 4.21 FIP in 2028, 93-84, 4.03 ERA, 4.21 FIP career) from the Bandits in exchange for 29 y/o LF Cameron Dutton (.306/.361/.457, 194 hits, 35 dbls, 19HR in 2028, .271/.320/.438, 63HR lifetime) and a prospect.

20 Jun: The Aces sent 39 y/o LF Matt Dickinson (.246/.280/.419, 11HR off the bench in 2028) and a minor leaguer to the Heat in exchange for 32 y/o SS Martin Collard (.267/.315/.326 in 2028, .271/.315/.325 lifetime).

Notable Injuries

22 Sep: Angelo Glatz, Hobert starting pitcher, picked up the first significant injury of the 2029 season, impinging his shoulder tendons. He would be out for 5 months. The 25 y/o was gutted, but joked that he wasn't thinking of changing his last name to 'Glass' just yet.

Other Notes

Prior to Spring Training, the official AUNZBL site reported that the Heat had made the best offseason moves, gaining 11.4 WAR. The Cavalry were second with a net 5.0 WAR gain, and the Fury ranked 3rd, gaining 3.1 WAR.

The Bandits had made the worst moves, according to the experts, losing 8.5 WAR. The Aces lost 5.6 WAR, and the already terrible Blue Sox, who'd lost a heap of players to free agency but who only had the budget for one signing, an average reliever, had lost a net 3.6 WAR (though some of the free agents who left had negative WARs).

The 2 top prospects listed on the AUNZBL site leading into the 2029 season were both from Hobart. LF Christos Ross, and 1B Alistair Mildren. Both would start the season in the minors.