by British Baseball Federation, www.britishbaseball.org
With the National Baseball League beginning play this Sunday 7 April, it’s safe to say that British baseball is officially back. Nine teams will be battling tooth and nail all season in hopes of being crowned NBL Champions.
NBL Logo
While the NBL teams are in the South of the country, further opening days over the next few weeks will showcase baseball in every corner of England. The season will begin on Saturday 13 April for North and South Bronco and Pony teams and on Sunday 14 April for AAA and AA adult teams, while the Single-A division will kick off on 21 April.
Altogether, 58 adult teams and 21 youth teams will be playing this year in BBF leagues, with another six independent teams playing outside the league structure.
But the NBL teams will take the stage first – so what exactly can we expect from them in 2013? This preview attempts to shed some light on the clubs in the UK’s most competitive league.
HARLOW NATIONALS
The Nationals are the back-to-back defending NBL champions, having finished last year with a 20-6 record before beating Herts 6-3 in the playoff finals. With the additions of youngster Ben Powell (Leicester Blue Sox, A/AAA) and veteran Matt Gilbert (Essex Arrows, NBL) on the mound as well as the returning trio of 2012 NBL MVP Jarrod Pretorius, last season’s HR (4) and RBI (26) leader Maikel Azcuy and Gold Glove winning catcher Will Lintern, the Nationals are in great shape to make it three in a row, and that’s exactly what their goal is for this season. The first three weeks will be a challenge, however, as the Nationals visit the Southampton Mustangs (7 April) before playing host to both the London Mets (14 April) and Herts Falcons (21 April).
HERTS FALCONS
The loss to Harlow in last year’s playoffs left a bad taste in the Falcons’ mouths, despite a strong 17-6 regular season record. They’ll look to avenge that loss this season with the help of newly-acquired infielders Xavier Gonzalez and Carlos Velasco-Carus, as well as utility man John Blose. The expected NBL return of Pete Kikel is also something to look forward to. Kikel previously spent time in a Herts uniform before missing the past two seasons, but his return will add both a powerful bat as well as a strong arm on the mound. The Falcons open up their season by entertaining the South London Pirates (7 April) before hitting the road to take on the Lakenheath Diamondbacks (14 April) and Harlow Nationals (21 April) in an important early-season meeting.
SOUTHAMPTON MUSTANGS
The Mustangs went 17-9 last season, good enough for third overall in regular season play. Southampton returns eight of their nine starters from last season’s third place club, but with no new signings (as of yet) to make up for the departure of the powerful Marius Urbanavicius as well as the semi-retirement of long-time Mustang Chuck Truelson, things might be slightly more difficult than last year. The Mustangs open their season on the road against defending champions Harlow (7 April) before welcoming the Essex Arrows (14 April). They then have a bye week before hosting the newest NBL club, the Essex Redbacks (28 April).
LONDON METS
The Mets had a setback year in 2012, going just 13-10-1 in 24 games, resulting in a fourth place finish in the regular season. Losing two starting pitchers through injury and relocation will not help the Finsbury Park-based club on the mound, but the good news for Mets fans is that the team returns 15 of 17 players including all positional starters. Pitching may be a concern for the Mets, but they look to have a strong offense this season and expect to be in each and every game. London opens the season at home versus the Lakenheath Diamondbacks (7 April) before travelling to Harlow for a date with the Nationals (14 April). They then have two weeks off before doing battle with the Herts Falcons (4 May) at Finsbury Park.
LAKENHEATH DIAMONDBACKS
This year’s team, thanks to the usual turnover on a US military base, will look a lot different than last year’s D-Backs club that went 14-13-1, good enough for fifth in the NBL standings. In addition to new Team Manager Kevin Carr (replacing Ken Reber), Lakenheath returns just five players from their 2012 team (Carr, Josh Tarango, Radek Zagozdzon, Ryan Riniker and Colton High). They have managed to recruit 10-12 new players, however, so expect the unexpected from a relatively unknown Diamondbacks squad. The new look D-Backs visit the London Mets (7 April) to open the season. They then host the Herts Falcons (14 April) before welcoming the Bracknell Blazers (21 April).
ESSEX ARROWS
The Arrows’ main problem last year was defense. They scored 170 runs but allowed an abysmal 204 runs, resulting in a 9-17 record and a sixth place finish. Luke Foley anchors the offense for the Arrows and the addition of young British talent Jamie Gregory (Essex Redbacks, AAA) gives them a strong bat as well as a sure hand in the infield. However, the loss of workhorse pitcher Matt Gilbert to the Nationals leaves a big hole on the mound. The Arrows are idle on 7 April but host the Southampton Mustangs (14 April), Essex Redbacks (21 April) and Bracknell Blazers (28 April) on their first three weekends of play.
BRACKNELL BLAZERS
The team looks much the same as they did a year ago when they struggled for offense, scoring a league-low 75 runs en route to a 6-16 record. But where there is shadow, there is also light. That light for the Blazers is in the form of their three-headed pitching monster: the trio of Rei Martinez, Henry Collins and youngster Jordan Edmonds gives the Blazers a formidable pitching rotation that could possibly lead the NBL in both ERA and strikeouts. Look for new Head Coach Colin Whitton to take full advantage of his triple threat pitching crew. The Blazers get the honour of visiting the Essex Redbacks (7 April) to open the season. Bracknell then has a bye week before again hitting the road to take on Lakenheath (21 April) and the Essex Arrows (28 April).
SOUTH LONDON PIRATES
The South London Pirates, formerly the Croydon Pirates, are hoping that with a new name comes new results. South London had a disastrous 2012, struggling both offensively (82 runs for) and defensively (236 runs against) while posting a 2-21 record. Look for Alex von Rosenbach, Jim Farley and Robert Brooke to do much of the heavy lifting for the Pirates, with some new additions from their recruiting drive possibly turning some heads this year. The Pirates have a chance to put 2012 in the past when they open their season on the road against the Herts Falcons (7 April). They then welcome the Essex Redbacks (14 April) before visiting the defending champion Harlow Nationals (28 April).
ESSEX REDBACKS
A relatively unknown squad, the Redbacks were one of the class teams in the BBF’s AAA South division last year going 16-10 in the regular season before losing to AAA North juggernaut Liverpool Trojans in the AAA National Finals. The Redbacks return much of their 2012 roster, with one big difference: Jamie Gregory has jumped ship to the Arrows. By doing so, he has given yet another reason for the Arrows and Redbacks to start a very heated (and entertaining) NBL rivalry. The Redbacks kick off their inaugural NBL season by hosting the Bracknell Blazers (7 April). They then make their first NBL road trip, taking on the South London Pirates (14 April) followed by the first of hopefully many instalments of the Battle of Essex when they visit the Arrows (21 April).