INGE HANSEN
The Australian Baseball League’s sixth season kicks off tomorrow in Sydney and Brisbane is one of six Australian teams to play.
Alongside Brisbane are teams from Adelaide, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
This year, the league features an extended 56-game schedule followed by the preliminary final and championship series in the final week of January leading into early February next year.
General manager of the ABL, Ben Foster said a host of professional players from as many as nineteen major league clubs both nationally and internationally will make their way to Sydney.
“We have the top players in the professional league in the United States coming over and playing here domestically which is great,” he said.
This season will give baseball players who have not signed contracts to join professional leagues a chance to expose themselves to clubs in locations including the United States, North East Asia and Japan.
Mr Foster said all players are excited to begin the season.
“Everybody thinks they’ve got a chance of taking out the championship and I think everybody, with the added international focus and the events that are coming with the world baseball classics, is really excited for the season.”
Mr Foster said he encourages anyone who has not seen a baseball game, to come along and experience the atmosphere.
“We’re not talking about guys who are at the end of their careers and are looking to settle down or retire, we’re looking at guys who are at the prime of their career about to make it on the big stage,” he said.
“They’re in action every single week so if you haven’t been out to see a game, I certainly encourage those to come out and see it first-hand.”