International baseball the talk of the town

Most teams had a rain date this weekend, although few took advantage of it.

Instead, many of the players across the country were basking in the success of the GB National team, who won four out of five games in Tel Aviv at the European Championship Qualifiers to go through to the main competition next year, to be held in the Netherlands. The Irish won two of four and didn’t qualify, but it was their best showing at a competition for some years.

As I mentioned before, only the eagle-eyed among us would be able to pick out players who were either wholly British or played in the BBF leagues that represent the squad, but nonetheless they represent the country for love – it’s definitely not for money! – and they have done a fine job, with some outstanding performances from Aeden McQueary-Ennis, Aaron Hornostaj and Michael Johnson in particular.

That aside, there was some baseball played this weekend, and what a weekend for it.

In the NBL the Southampton Mustangs ‘tripped up’ in splitting their series with the 2009 National Champions, the Bracknell Blazers. However, given the way both teams have been performing this season, many would have expected the Mustangs to take both games and leapfrog the Richmond Flames. The Lakenheath Diamondbacks won both games over the Southern Nationals, maintaining first in Pool B by some margin and keeping second place interesting between the London Mets and the Nationals. And the Essex Arrows returned to winning ways over the Herts Falcons in the important matches between the two bottom-placed sides. The Arrows now have a very outside chance of making the playoffs, while the Falcons will inevitably miss out once again.

After Menwith Hill officially dropped out of the league last week, AAA North was reduced to three teams, meaning only nine are playing for five playoff berths at the level. In reality, though, that reduces to seven when accounting for the Richmond Knights’ and Windsor & Bracknell Bears’ poor form this season, and the Essex Redbacks enhanced their post-season credentials by dispatching the Knights twice in only ten innings of baseball for the second time this season.

The AA leagues are looking more exciting, with the Milton Keynes Bucks securing the Midlands division with two wins over the Leicester Blue Sox. The Nottingham Rebels and Birmingham Maple Leafs are now fighting for the remaining AA playoff place, with the other team dropping into the A-league race alongside the Blue Sox.

In the North, the Sheffield Bladerunners and Bolton Robots of Doom will likely secure the two AA-division playoff places, with the Manchester Torrent and Humber Pilots going for gold in the A-division, but in the south things are far more tense and the leagues will go down to the wire. Though the Latin Boys (15-2) and Essex Archers (10-7) will likely win the post season positions in Pool A, the Thames Valley Bisons (9-5), Poole Piranhas (9-4) and Sidewinders (11-5) are punching it out to join the Guildford Mavericks (16-3) to progress from Pool B. Games in hand become vital, as many of them are not against each other, and records will likely even out as the year goes on.

Single-A is all-but decided. After their exciting seasons, the Cambridge Royals and Southampton Mustangs II will definitely take places in the post-season, alongside teams from the AA North and Midlands finishing outside the top two. But with the Old Timers traditionally not taking part in the playoffs, the Braintree Rays will almost certainly proceed unchallenged from Pool A, and the London Maruaders will likely join them from Pool B, although their tussle with the Guildford Mavericks II remains interesting to watch. Only a game and a half separates them with three still to play. Anything can happen…