Australian (Winter) Baseball League - 2022/2023

[Jim Goulart]

Early Saturday AM - (New Year's Eve action Down Under):

More on the doubleheader below, but it includes:

 

[Jim Goulart]

Game One:

Brisbane 11, Perth 1

For Perth, catcher Alex Hall did his part, 2-for-2 (double, walk).

Keep in mind the Bob Moore video above was from Game Two. All he did in Game One was reach base all four times up (double, two BB's, 2 R, RBI).

None of the five Brewers pitchers on the squad pitched in this game.

***

Game Two:

Perth 6, Brisbane 3

Hello again, Alex Hall. 

"Resting" as the designated hitter, Hall boosted his video game numbers from his native land. The switch-hitter and big-leaguer for a day was 3-for-5 (HR, two doubles, R, three RBI). Through 93 AB's, his line is a standout .344/.430/.516 (.946 OPS).
 

For Brisbane and its seven Brewers prospects:

Bob Moore's HR was the highlight of his 1-for-4 day, adding a walk (one K). Of Moore's 230 innings in the field thus far, all but 17 (shortstop) have come at second base.

Catcher Darrien Miller was 1-for-3 (BB, 2 K's).

LHP Justin King and RHP's Brannon Jordan and James Meeker combined to pitch the final four innings. Jordan and Meeker each tossed 1-2-3 frames, fanning two and one, respectively. King kicked off the bullpen work with two innings (2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K). Meeker's ERA remains 0.00 through 15.1 IP (13 appearances).

[Harold Hutchison]

Should the Brewers bring Hall back?

[Joseph Zarr]

11 minutes ago, clancyphile said:

Should the Brewers bring Hall back?

I'm going to out my proclivity for the 1970's here:

When I first heard Hall was headed back home to play ball, all I could hear was this Hall and Oates song

I would say, Mr. Hall might opine: "It feels quite good to be back home playing."

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Ro Mueller]

With just 17 days left in the 2022/23 Australian Baseball League season and several off-days baked into this period, the seemingly most important series starts today, with 22-6 Brisbane and 19-9 Adelaide facing off in 4 games over 3 days (doubleheader tomorrow). Go Brewer Bandits!

[Joseph Zarr]

Thank you both for your tireless coverage. I need to go do push-ups and get back into recap shape! Go Bandits!

[Ro Mueller]

Early Friday AM:

Brisbane did not entertain any notion of Adelaide gaining ground in the standings, limiting them to just two hits in a 2-0 victory which extends the Bandits’ lead to 4 games. Starting pitcher Max Lazar, independent leaguer Carter Hope and closer James Meeker combined on the sterling outing, with Meeker striking out the side with authority.

• 2B Robert Moore – 0-for-4 (.282 AVG, .889 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 0-for-2, HBP (.267 AVG, .800 OPS); he also allowed 2 stolen bases
• RHP Max Lazar (win) – 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 6 K (2.84 ERA)
• RHP James Meeker (save) – 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K (0.00 ERA)

In other action, Perth dominated Geelong-Korea 11-0, with Alex Hall hitting his 4th homer of the winter. If there’s an All-Star team, he’s probably on it:

• C Alex Hall – 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs (.359 AVG, 1.028 OPS)

[Ro Mueller]

Alex Hall’s 3-run blast this morning: 

 

[brewmann04]

Max looks like he found his groove 

[Ro Mueller]

Early Saturday AM:

Adelaide clawed a game back with a 2-1 win over Brisbane in the opening game of today’s doubleheader, before Brisbane responded with an 8-1 shellacking in today’s second game, helping Brisbane retain its 4-game lead in the standings:

• 2B Robert Moore – 4-for-8, double, 2 RBIs, SB (.297 AVG, .904 OPS)
• C/DH Darrien Miller – 1-for-4, double, 3 walks (.267 AVG, .817 OPS); he also allowed 2 stolen bases
• RHP Cameron Wagoner (loss) – 6 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 K (3.16 ERA)
• RHP Brannon Jordan – 2 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 BB, 5 K (1.83 ERA)

In other action, Perth won both games of its doubleheader over Geelong-Korea, with Alex Hall hitting his 5th homer of the campaign:

• DH/C Alex Hall – 3-for-6, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 walks (.367 AVG, 1.063 OPS); he also threw out 1 of 2 attempted basestealers

[markedman5]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Early Sunday AM:

Brisbane (yay) 9, Adelaide 7

Bandits led 9-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th, then held on for dear life. There should have been no need for RH closer James Meeker and his 0.00 ERA to toss 15 pitches for the save, but he did. Meeker did allow an inherited runner to score on a double, but a K ended things as Meeker retired two of the three men he faced.

Unfortunately, the pitcher Meeker had to rescue was LHP Justin King, who just didn't have it on this day - King allowed one run on three singles in the 8th. But in the 9th, after a leadoff groundout, it was BB-BB-HBP-two run double-two run single.

At the plate, second baseman Bob Moore (.900 OPS) reached three times, 1-for-4, two BB, two R, one K). He did commit a fielding error (4th in 32 games).
 

Catcher Darrien Miller (.804 OPS) was 0-for-3 but walked twice, R, RBI, one K. Two Giants base stealers were successful.

***

For Perth's Alex Hall (who was the DH in their ten-inning 8-5 loss), it was an 0-for-2 effort but with three walks (R, RBI, one K). Hall's OPS is at a shiny 1.063 after 109 AB's.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[wibadgers23]

Really like what Moore is doing over in Australia.  How does that league compare to the various levels of minor league baseball here?  What level would be its equivalent? 

[Jake McKibbin]

1 hour ago, wibadgers23 said:

Really like what Moore is doing over in Australia.  How does that league compare to the various levels of minor league baseball here?  What level would be its equivalent? 

Was also just put in the all prospect defensive team for the coming year at 2B, seems rated very highly there. Is he committing an unusual number of errors atm? 4/32 seems large

[Ro Mueller]

1 hour ago, wibadgers23 said:

Really like what Moore is doing over in Australia.  How does that league compare to the various levels of minor league baseball here?  What level would be its equivalent? 

I’m probably wrong, but I feel like it’s about 60% High-A ball, 40% Low-A ball. All of our players seem to perform quite well Down Under…too well ?‍♂️

[Ro Mueller]

Early Thursday AM:

Down but never out, Brisbane rallied from deficits of 5-1 and 6-5, winning 8-6 on a walk-off 3-run homer by TJ Bennett (his 16th blast of the season! – bring this 30-year old utility man back into affiliated ball) which scored Darrien Miller and Robert Moore:

• 2B Robert Moore – 1-for-4, SF, RBI, (.294 AVG, .885 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 2-for-3, HBP (a Miller specialty), RBI (.271 AVG, .824 OPS); he also allowed 3 stolen bases (the defensive side remains a challenge, sadly)
• RHP Max Lazar – 5 IP, 5 R (3 ER), 5 H, 2 BB, 4 K (3.21 ERA)

In other action, Perth won 8-3 over Canberra:

• DH/C Alex Hall – 1-for-3, walk, RBI (.360 AVG, 1.051 OPS); he also threw out 2 of 3 attempted basestealers

[Ro Mueller]

Early Friday AM:

Brisbane keeps winning, running their record to an incredible 27-7 (.794 winning percentage) with an 8-3 victory over Sydney:

• 2B Robert Moore – 1-for-4, double, walk, RBI (.292 AVG, .886 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 0-for-2, 2 walks, RBI (.265 AVG, .819 OPS); he threw out 1 of 3 basestealers
• RHP Cameron Wagoner (win) – 5 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 K (3.21 ERA)
• LHP Justin King – 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K (5.87 ERA)

Elsewhere, Perth blew a 6-3 lead, losing 7-6 in extra innings to Canberra:

• C Alex Hall – 2-for-5, 3 RBIs (.361 AVG, 1.041 OPS)

[Jim Goulart]

Early Saturday AM -

Via the Bandits:

BANDITS SECURE SERIES WIN WITH 5-4 VICTORY OVER BLUE SOX

BRISBANE, QLD — The Brisbane Bandits earned their eighth series win of the season with a 5-4 win over the Sydney Blue Sox Saturday night at Viticon Stadium.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Bob Moore blasted his seventh home run of the season to tie the game, 1-1, and Logan Wade brought home another run with an RBI single to make it 2-1 a few moments later.

The Bandits never squandered the lead, adding three more runs in the next two innings to take a 5-1 lead. Tim Atherton bolstered the offense, allowing only two runs on 5.1 innings pitched.

The Blue Sox scored their second run in the sixth inning on a bases loaded hit by pitch to make it 5-2. Sydney then pulled to within one run in the seventh on a Jase Bowen two-run home run. Leading just 5-4, Brisbane then inserted Carter Hope and James Meeker into the game for the eighth and ninth innings, and both relievers shut down Sydney to wrap up a 5-4 win.

The Bandits, now 28-7, are three wins away from clinching the best regular season record in modern ABL history and will face Sydney once more in the series finale at home.

***

Moore also walked as part of his 1-for-4 night.

Lefty-swinging catcher Darrien Miller clubbed his 12th double, singled, and drove in a run, going 2-for-4.

Meeker's 0.00 ERA remains intact, he walked one and K'd two to close out his 11th save.


 

[Jim Goulart]

Also Saturday AM US time - 

Perth 14, Canberra 1

So we figured Alex Hall contributed, and yeah, you could say so.

Usually behind the plate but playing first base here, Hall was 3-for-5, 2 R, 6 RBI, a first-inning three-run jack and a 5th inning solo shot.

Hall's line through 124 AB's sits at .371/.458/.637 (1.095 OPS)

Good for Hall's team. A Perth - Brisbane championship series for the Claxton Shield (best trophy name in sports) would be fun.

 

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Jim Goulart]

Now "just" 28-8, Brisbane fell here, 11-3 (box).

Bob Moore doubled and scored in his first at-bat, but the second baseman was 0-for-4 thereafter. Moore committed his 5th error (36 games, has yet to sit for a game).

Catcher Darrien Miller was 0-for-3 but he added to his 2022-2023 bruise count with another of his patented HBP's.

LHP Justin King made his first start after 13 relief appearances. King struck out three in just 1.2 innings, but he also allowed two hits, walked three and surrendered a home run as his line shows five runs allowed (though only one earned).

RHP Brannon Jordan continued his strong work, stranding a runner for King, and then pitching an additional scoreless inning.

Up next on the adventure of a lifetime for the Brewer boys is a trip to New Zealand for the next series.

 

[Ro Mueller]

Early Friday AM:

Brisbane’s already clinched a spot in the playoffs, so it’s not surprising that they’ve taken their foot off the gas, losing 6-0 to Auckland today.

• 2B Robert Moore – 1-for-3, (.289 AVG, .887 OPS)
• RHP Max Lazar (loss) – 4 IP, 5 R (4 ER), 7 H, 0 BB, 3 K (3.72 ERA)

Perth also fell 7-3 to Melbourne today and is now one game behind Adelaide in their division, though they are still in playoff position.

• C Alex Hall – 0-for-4, (.356 AVG, 1.047 OPS); also gave up one stolen base

[Ro Mueller]

Early Saturday AM:

Brisbane blew a 7-2 lead in the 10th inning of a 9-8 loss to Auckland before taking the second game of their doubleheader 4-2. Thankfully no Brewer pitcher was at fault for the shocking early loss, while James Meeker retained his perfect 0.00 ERA (in 21 innings!!) and Brannon Jordan won the second game:

• 2B Robert Moore – 2-for-8, SF, RBI (.287 AVG, .862 OPS)
• C Darrien Miller – 1-for-4 (.266 AVG, .812 OPS); threw out 1 of 2 basestealers
• RHP Cameron Wagoner – 5 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 Ks (3.26 ERA)
• RHP James Meeker – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Brannon Jordan (win) – 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks (1.57 ERA)

Alex Hall homered to start a final inning rally in Perth’s 6-5 walk-off win over Melbourne which clinched a playoff spot, then added two more RBIs in their 7-6 victory in the second game:

• DH/C Alex Hall – 3-for-7, HR, double, 3 RBIs (.360 AVG, 1.066 OPS); also gave up one stolen base