MLB

[Booney]

They sweep the Angels....

[mighty_tiger_79]

Despite a horror season, Atlanta win 1 of 2 of the double header vs Mets and get into WildCard series, along with the Mets.

Strangely enough I think if they get through they are a massive chance of going all the way against the odds and the injuries.
The week off killed them last time and teams coming through the WC had momentum.

[Booney]

Despite a horror season, Atlanta win 1 of 2 of the double header vs Mets and get into WildCard series, along with the Mets.

Strangely enough I think if they get through they are a massive chance of going all the way against the odds and the injuries.
The week off killed them last time and teams coming through the WC had momentum.

Yeah, sounds horrible.

[wenchbarwer]

[mighty_tiger_79]

No wonder i have high blood pressure

[mighty_tiger_79]

And it's over.
Really need Bobby Cox to come out of retirement

[wenchbarwer]

On the plus side, the Trashtros got knocked out today. Good riddance!

[mighty_tiger_79]

Phillies mets this morning would have been a good watch

[Booney]

Year 12 student Alistair Tanner muscles a lot into a single day.

By 8:00AM, Tanner has already left his Eastern Adelaide suburbs home for Marryatville High School for a full day of school. He’ll be done by 3:15PM.

Then, it’s hustle across the city to West Beach for three hours of high-performance training at BaseballSA until 7:00PM.

Race home, squeeze in dinner, out the door by 8:00PM – it’s time for the gym.

At 9:00PM, it’s off to work, earning some side money storing equipment at a gymnastics facility for a couple hours.

There should still be enough time between end of today and the start of tomorrow to fit in homework. Or, maybe he can fit in other weekly seasonal commitments – club practice, state training, Adelaide Giants, mobility sessions, time in the pool and whatever else a teenager needs to do.

All that hard work is about to pay off.

Tanner, a hard throwing pitcher with a mid-90s fastball, has just become Australia’s newest full-time professional baseball player.

The newly turned 18-year-old from Kensington Baseball Club signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers this week to make it official.

Tanner says it makes it all worth the effort, and he knows the real work is about to begin.

“You can always make time for things that you need to do, especially if you love it,” says Tanner. “You can make those sacrifices. Yeah, I’m busy. The social life takes a sacrifice, but you can just get up earlier, or just stay up later, if you want it bad enough you just make it work.”

His life is certainly about to change.

Tanner notably has pivoted from his commitment to Arizona State University – a powerhouse baseball program which as produced more Major League players than any other US school.

The offer from the Tigers was too good.

“It’s been a dream of mine to see if I could play Major League baseball,” says Tanner. “I think by signing with Detroit, it gives me the best chance of fulfilling my goals.”

“It was a very had decision to choose between college pathway and Detroit but after thinking through choices, I’ve decided to turn pro.”

Tanner is certainly an alluring pitching prospect.

He dazzled at the Under 18 National Championships last January in front of 14 MLB scouts huddled around a radar gun. Tanner’s fastball touched 94 on the gun in a must-win game for South Australia.

He can throw harder than almost any Australian and he hasn’t even graduated high school.

His fastball has since been logged at 95 miles per hour, his curveball spin rate is higher than major league average, and he possesses four different pitch.

Now he’ll get a chance to refine his craft in a professional system.

“I want and need to get better at everything,” says a hungry Tanner.

The South Australian teen says the Tigers have been in touch for several years, keeping a close eye on him through his rise up the Australian ranks, and he’s felt comfortable with them since day one.

“I’ve always felt they were interested in all aspects of my life. For instance, they understood that finishing school was important to me,” he says. “They were always there to answer any questions I had. I know mum and dad could always reach out to them if they had any questions that needed answering. I feel like I am going to a club that wants everyone in the organisation to succeed.”

[wenchbarwer]

95mph at 18??? That's insane!!

Bit skeptical on these "sign with a MLB team" deals now though, especially after reading about Travis Bazzana. He got offered a deal at the end of high school that was about $100K. Went to college, backed himself, got a degree, got drafted number 1 and signed for nearly $9M USD...

Know of quite a few kids that have signed these deals and it's not eventuated, for every Mead or O'Loughlin there's quite a few hard luck stories in SA. But good on the kid, I hope he gets there.

[wenchbarwer]

League Championship Series kick off today to see who makes it to the big dance.

In the NL, we see the Dodgers and the Mets, whilst in the AL, it's the Yankees and the Guardians (nee Indians, for us old folk.)

[wenchbarwer]

Dodgers do an absolute number on the Mets to start the NLCS, winning 9-0, keeping NY to just 3 hits.

Yankees v Cleveland tomorrow, here's hoping for a repeat of the original Major League movie!

[mighty_tiger_79]

Dodgers do an absolute number on the Mets to start the NLCS, winning 9-0, keeping NY to just 3 hits.

Yankees v Cleveland tomorrow, here's hoping for a repeat of the original Major League movie!

Dodgers then blow it.
Yankees well on the way to a 2-0 series lead...

[wenchbarwer]

Dodgers do an absolute number on the Mets to start the NLCS, winning 9-0, keeping NY to just 3 hits.

Yankees v Cleveland tomorrow, here's hoping for a repeat of the original Major League movie!

Dodgers then blow it.
Yankees well on the way to a 2-0 series lead...

Dodgers repay the favour to the Mets, wiping them 8-0 in the first game in NY.

[Booney]

Holy shit what a game!

[wenchbarwer]

Holy shit what a game!

Yankees & "Indians"?

Ohtani doing Ohtani things, has gone 17 for 20 with runners in scoring position. then lead off today with a second pitch home run...

[wenchbarwer]

Jesus, just caught up, that would have been hectic! Big win for the Guardians to stay alive.

[Booney]

Jesus, just caught up, that would have been hectic! Big win for the Guardians to stay alive.

Amazing last 20 minutes.

[wenchbarwer]

Jesus, just caught up, that would have been hectic! Big win for the Guardians to stay alive.

Amazing last 20 minutes.

David Freese all over again?

[Jim05]

Yankees will rue that play if they go on to lose the series