Australian (Winter) Baseball League - 2022/2023

[Ro Mueller]

Brisbane won a back-and-forth 7-5 affair over Sydney on Sunday to move into first place with a 6-2 record. OF Daniel Nilsson came through with a big 3-run homer to grab a 5-4 lead in the 4th inning. DH Mitch Nilsson and 3B TJ Bennett also homered for the Bandits in the game.

• 2B Robert Moore - 1-for-5 (now batting .290)
• C Darrien Miller - 0-for-2, 2 walks, HBP (now batting .182). He also threw out the Blue Sox's only attempted base stealer
• LHP Justin King - 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP James Meeker (3rd save) - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 K

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Box score from that Max Lazar game, a 9-0 Brisbane rout (Lazar also picked a man off first) -

• 2B Robert Moore - 1-for-5, R, RBI, one K
• C Darrien Miller - 1-for-2 (a double), 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K
• LHP Justin King - 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K

[Jim Goulart]

Friday AM game: - Brisbane walks it off in the 11th, 4-3

RHP Cameron Wagoner got the start - 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR

RHP Brannon Jordan followed with three scoreless, hitless innings, including stranding a Wagoner runner via a GIDP. Only Jordan baserunner was via a walk.

RHP James Meeker pitched a scoreless 9th, but barely. Leadoff walk, one-out double in which the runner was out at home (by a mile, see video) with SS Bob Moore and C Darrien Miller combining on the latter ends of the relay.

Up-To-Date Brisbane Batting and Pitching Stats - FYI, Aussie WHIP calculations are not correct

Jordan and Meeker's combined line, wow! - 9 appearances, 14 scoreless innings, 7 H, 1 HBP, 5 BB, 21 K

At the plate - Moore (0-for-5, one K) and Miller (1-for-4, one K). Miller threw out one of two baserunners attempting to steal.

Former Brewers farmhand RHP Nick Belzer got the start for Canberra,

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Saturday AM Game One:

Eleven-run first inning leads to a 15-7 Brisbane win. LHP Justin King finished up with a 1-2-3 inning, fanning two. 2B Bob Moore single, walk, two stolen bases (1-for-3, 2 R, RBI, K).

***

Saturday AM Game Two:

As evidenced in the above videos, Brisbane rolls 12-0. RHP James Meeker K'd one in a perfect final inning. Moore finished 1-for-4 (the grand slam), BB, 2 R, 4 RBI, another stolen base. Catcher Darrien Miller ended 2-for-3 (HR, sacrifice fly, 2 R, 2 RBI, stolen base of his own, one K). One baserunner successfully ran vs. Miller.

[Joseph Zarr]

On 11/24/2022 at 4:21 AM, Mass Haas said:

 

@CheeseheadInQC: After a rough first outing, Lazar has found something in two straight. Playing to your 'Maybe he starts in Biloxi' thoughts, he is getting work in overseas and it is his last year of team control (as we all know). Just giving you a heads up ICYMI.

[brewmann04]

Hopefully for a healthy year for Max

[Jim Goulart]

Brisbane is now 11-2 after a 7-4 11-inning win Thursday AM (U.S. time) (Game Center including box score)

Starting RHP Max Lazar fanned eight and walked none (two HBP's) over five innings of two-run ball. He surrendered six hits including a home run, committed a balk, and threw 91 pitches (55 strikes).

RHP's Brannon Jordan and James Meeker did not allow an earned run over the final three innings (one unearned run vs. Jordan in his two innings). Meeker pitched a 1-2-3 11th with a three-run lead for his 4th save. Jordan notched his third relief win.

C Darrien Miller and 2B Bob Moore each contributed to the winning rally, first Miller with a sacrifice fly and Moore with a bases-loaded walk. Earlier in the game Miller doubled and Moore singled. Moore also had a throwing error, just his 2nd misplay of the season.

RHP Cameron Wagoner gets the start on Friday AM.

***

With so much of our Aussie focus on the "Brisbane 7", we managed to overlook native Australian and big-leaguer-for-a-day catcher Alex Hall with the Perth team. In 11 games and 42 AB's, Hall sports a .333/.404/.500 line (.904 OPS). Hall's 2022, outside of his big-league clubhouse day in the spotlight, was inexplicably poor at the plate, with a .500 combined OPS at Wisconsin and then Carolina (142 AB's).

[Jim Goulart]

Brisbane moves to 12-2 after a 5-3 victory Friday AM (U.S. time) (Game Center including box score)

The Bandits win despite four errors including one by workhorse catcher Darrien Miller, but that throwing error was Miller's very first of the season.

Miller and 2B Bob Moore each had four at-bats with Miller doubling and Moore checking in with a single and his 5th stolen base.

Starting RHP Cameron Wagoner allowed only one run (unearned) over 5.2 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K.

There is RH closer James Meeker again - ground ball single to LF, GIDP, foul-out to RF. Save #5, ERA still 0.00.

[Jim Goulart]

Early Saturday AM (US time):

Catcher Alex Hall (as the designated hitter) singled twice and walked for his Perth Heat team in an 11-4 loss. He's batting .333 with an .897 OPS after a somewhat lost US-based statistical 2022.

For the Brisbane club, a rare loss, 5-4 in walkoff fashion (Game Center, or as they spell Down Under, Game Center).

24-year-old LHP Justin King was saddled with the loss, surrendering the tying and losing runs in the bottom of the 9th. Linked Game Log (Plays) will provide the details.

Second baseman Bob Moore doubled in four at-bats, that has been a standard line for Moore for some time, batting .246 on the season (.778 OPS).

Catcher Darrien Miller 0-for-4, two K's. A baserunner stole both 2nd and 3rd base against him.

 

[Jim Goulart]

Early Sunday AM (US time):

Catcher Alex Hall singled twice for a consecutive day for his Perth Heat team in an 4-1 loss. He scored a run and fanned once in his 2-for-4 effort. .364/.444/.527 (.971 OPS) for the switch-hitter through 15 games and 55 at-bats.

For the Brisbane club, a 3-1 win to move to 13-3 on the season. 

Second baseman Bob Moore doubled and singled, scoring one run in four at-bats. He also was successful on three stolen base attempts, including third base twice.

Catcher Darrien Miller 0-for-3, one K.

RH reliever Brannon Jordan finally gave up an earned run, his first in six appearances (11 innings). It came on a solo home run leading off the 8th after Jordan had pitched a scoreless 7th. Jordan was lifted after the blast.

RH closer James Meeker tossed a perfect 9th for save #6, striking out one.

 

[Ro Mueller]

Early Thursday AM (US time):

Brisbane continues to dominate the league, defeating Geelong-Korea 6-2 to move to 14-3

• 2B Robert Moore - 1-for-1, double, 2 walks, HBP - now hitting .273 with an OPS of .864
• C Darrien Miller - 1-for-4, double - now hitting .220 with an OPS of .719. He also threw out the only attempted basestealer
• RHP Max Lazar (win) - 7 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks - terrific game to lower ERA to 3.91
• RHP Justin King - 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 Ks - lowering ERA to 3.52

[Ro Mueller]

Early Friday AM (US time):

Brisbane wins yet again, 10-2 over Geelong-Korea, but Adelaide is keeping pace just 2 games back

• 2B Robert Moore - 1-for-5, HR, RBI - now hitting .268 with an OPS of .875
• C Darrien Miller - 2-for-3, double, SF, 3 RBIs - now hitting .245 with an OPS of .763
• RHP Cameron Wagoner (win) - 6 IP, 1 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1 BB, 9 Ks - dominant performance to lower ERA to 2.42

C Alex Hall was also in action for Perth, going 2-for-5 with a double, but they lost 10-8. He's hitting .367 with an OPS of .974.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Early Saturday AM (US time):

Game One: Perth catcher Alex Hall 0-for-2 with a walk, threw out the lone attempting basestealer

Game Two: Alex Hall again behind the plate (really?), game still ongoing as of "press time" here" with Hall 0-for-2

***

Game One: Brisbane wins 6-5 in eight innings (scheduled for seven) -

2B Bob Moore reached base three times (single, HBP, BB). Moore scored twice, drove in a run, and K'd in his 1-for-2 effort. He also scored the walkoff run on a wild pitch.

was a last-inning defensive replacement.

RHP James Meeker netted the win by retiring seven men, allowing one hit, one BB, and fanning three. He was charged with a blown save when he entered with two out in the 6th with men on 1st and 2nd and immediately allowed a two-run double. Meeker's ERA remains at 0.00 despite the one-batter hiccup here.

***

Game Two: Brisbane rolls 11-4

2B Bob Moore 0-for-2 with a wild two innings on the basepaths. In the 1st, he reached on an error, was picked off and subsequently caught stealing. In the 2nd, he once again reached on an error, then was thrown out at 3rd for the final out of the inning on the next batter's line drive single. Now, a lead runner did score on the play, so Moore's out perhaps was justified to ensure the runner scored. However, Moore was pulled from the game at that point.

C Darrien Miller singled in four at-bats.

RHP Brannon Jordan with two scoreless relief innings (2 H, 3 K).


 

[Jim Goulart]

23 hours ago, Mass Haas said:

Early Saturday AM (US time):

Game One: Perth catcher Alex Hall 0-for-2 with a walk, threw out the lone attempting basestealer

Game Two: Alex Hall again behind the plate (really?), game still ongoing as of "press time" here" with Hall 0-for-2

Hall would finish 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in a 7-5 win in his nightcap.

***

Early Sunday AM (US Time):

Hall played all 11 innings in a 7-6 Perth win, starting at first base but then swapping positions with the starting catcher in the 10th. Hall was 0-for-5, one K, now batting .324 with an .879 OPS, a testament to a red-hot start.

Brisbane with its seven Brewers prospects was idle on Sunday AM.

 

[Jim Goulart]

Bandits now a stellar 18-3.

That's Max Lazar in the photo. Good choice. 

His line: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K

Up-to-date Brisbane stats (all players):

Lazar has 37 K's and 3 BB's (three HBP's) in 29 IP, 3.10 ERA, 0.93 WHIP

Bob Moore, again playing second base, as he has all season, 0-for-4 with a walk. He stole both second and third base and is now 10-for-12 in thievery attempts.

Big game for catcher Darrien Miller, 3-for-5, two RBI, with two doubles, including this one:

 

[Jim Goulart]

Brisbane wins again early Friday AM, 9-7.

W: Justin King (W, 1-1) 2.79 L: Nick Belzer (L, 1-2) 4.41 S: James Meeker (S, 7) 0.00

That's a win and a save for current Brewers, and a loss for a former Brewer farmhand, who pitched in the independent American Association in 2022.

We'll talk more pitching in a bit, but the story of this game is Mr. Bob Moore:

Moore finished 4-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 SB, one throwing error.

Catcher Darrien Miller could have shared some of Moore's wealth in this one, 0-for-5, two SB's against.

It was a rough night of control for starter Cameron Wagoner - 4.1 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 5 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K. His bullpen mate couldn't strand any of the three Wagoner runners inherited.

LHP Justin King stabilized things with two scoreless frames (only baserunner a walk).

Speaking of inherited runners, RH closer James Meeker probably didn't think he'd be entering the game when the bottom of the 9th began, as the Bandits were up 9-4.

But his bullpen mate (another non-Brewer) allowed the first three men in the final inning to reach. With the tying run on deck (thus the save situation), Meeker went pop out, RBI single, two-RBI single, walk to again load the bases, and suddenly the winning run was on 1st base with only one out. Meeker bore down with another pop out and a K to end things. Remarkably, Meeker's ERA remains at 0.00 through 13.1 IP despite some inherited runner troubles here and in at least one other contest.

***

Catcher Alex Hall doubled and singled for Perth in an 8-1 rout of Adelaide. One runner successfully stole, but Hall's 2-for-4 night (BB, R, RBI) lifted his Aussie OPS to .905 (.333/.412/.493) through 75 AB's.




 

[Ro Mueller]

Early Saturday AM (US time)

Brisbane dropped a rare game 2-1 to Canberra, though their 19-4 record still puts them 3 games ahead of Adelaide.

• 2B Robert Moore – 1-for-4 (.284 AVG, .896 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 0-for-3 (.243 AVG, .725 OPS); also allowed 2 stolen bases without catching any

Also, C Alex Hall caught 2 games as Perth split their doubleheader with Adelaide, going 1-for-7 (.317 AVG, .854 OPS); he picked off one baserunner and allowed one stolen base

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Early Sunday AM:

Catcher Alex Hall homered singled and walked in Perth's 15-8 win, shortened to six innings by Mother Nature. The switch-hitter sports a monster .326/.406/.506 line through 85 AB's back in the comfort of his native land.

***

The Brewers-heavy Brisbane team bounced back from a rare loss with a 13-3 romp. 

Up-to-date Brisbane stats (all players):

RHP Brannon Jordan, LHP Justin King and RHP James Meeker all saw relief action, check out their lines at the box score.

13 stolen bases in 15 tries for second baseman Bob Moore, who singled twice in five at-bats - also walked, scored twice, drove in two, OPS sits at a healthy .896.

Huge game for catcher Darrien Miller, 4-for-5 with two doubles, R, three RBI, lifting his OPS to .805.

[Ro Mueller]

Early Thursday AM:

Brisbane’s bats were quiet after the long holiday layoff, as they suffered just their 5th loss in 25 games, 2-0 to Perth.

• 2B Robert Moore – 1-for-4 (.289 AVG, .880 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 0-for-3 (.269 AVG, .777 OPS)
• RHP Max Lazar (loss) – 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks (3.27 ERA)
• RHP Brannon Jordan – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks (1.62 ERA)
• LHP Justin King – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks (2.45 ERA)

For Perth:

• C Alex Hall – 1-for-3, walk (.330 AVG, .910 OPS); also threw out the only attempted basestealer

[Jim Goulart]

Early Friday AM, game still underway:

 

[Ro Mueller]

Early Friday AM:

That was an exciting game this morning, as Brisbane started a new winning streak with a 3-2 victory over Perth, moving 3 games ahead of Adelaide atop the league. Darrien Miller hit a key home run (his second of the winter) to tie it 1-1 and James Meeker notched his 8th save and is yet to give up an earned run.

For Brisbane:

• 2B Robert Moore – 0-for-3, walk (.280 AVG, .861 OPS), caught stealing by Alex Hall
• C Darrien Miller – 1-for-3, HR, RBI (.272 AVG, .809 OPS)
• RHP Cameron Wagoner – 4 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 K (3.19 ERA)
• RHP James Meeker (save) – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K (0.00 ERA)

For Perth:

• C Alex Hall – 1-for-3, walk (.330 AVG, .908 OPS); threw out only attempted basestealer