The reigning champion in the Dutch Hoofdklasse L&D AMSTERDAM is strengthening the pitching staff with the Australian southpaw Adam Blackley. This reports Rogier van Zorn of Honkbalsite.com on Tuesday. Together with his brother Travis Blackley the 23-year-old is leading the pitching staff of Australia in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Travis signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks this winter and hopes to make the big league team during Spring Training.
Adam Blackley was born in Melbourne, Australia and signed with the Boston Red Sox organization in 2003 after recommendation by scout Jon Deeble. He made his debut in the Gulf Coast League the same year at the age of 18 and moved through the farm system of the club the following seasons, reaching Double-A in 2005. Due to an elbow injury his career took a hit and Blackley was back at the Rookie-Level in 2006. Until 2007 he stayed with the Red Sox, but couldn’t get higher than Single-A.
After his release following the 2007 season (career minor league ERA of 4.44 in 99 games (47 starts)) he joined El Paso of the American Association (independent league) last year. In 19 starts he had a 7-9 record with an ERA of 4.98 and 95 strikeouts (50 walks) in 106 2/3 innings. During the winter he joined Victoria in his home country Australia and had a 4-1 record with an ERA of 3.95 in six games (five starts) during the regular season portion of the 2009 Claxton Shield. He struck out 19 in 27.1 innings pitched, while walking 15.
Adam Blackley also was a member of the Australian National team in Taiwan at the IBAF Baseball World Cup in November 2007 and the Olympic Qualifier in March 2008. At the BWC he allowed two runs in twelve-plus innings, starting against South Korea and Mexico. In the Qualifier he gave up three runs in five innings versus Mexico.
He joins a team, which had a team-ERA of 3.41 during the regular season in 2008. He replaces Ryan Murphy on the pitching staff, who has left AMSTERDAM for the KONICA MINOLTA PIONIERS. The PIRATES had won the championship in the Netherlands due to a three-game sweep in the Holland Series against defending champion CORENDON KINHEIM. L&D will represent their country at the European Cup in Nettuno, Italy from March 31st to April 4th. A week later they’ll open the Hoofdklasse season on the road against KINHEIM.