Gavin Guarrera - 2013-14 Canberra Cavalry

American born Guarrera was originally brought over from the USA by the Weston Creek Indians in the ACT Baseball League. He had previously been playing for the North Carolina Central University in 2013. He was signed by the Canberra Cavalry  before the 2013-14 ABL season and added to their starting rotation. Unfortunately for Guarrera, his debut ABL game game would also end up being his only ABL game after giving up 6 runs in 5 innings off 9 hits and 5 walks.

2013-14 Canberra Cavalry Gavin Guarrera card front - © 2013 Adam East

Trent Schmutter - 2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox

The ABL's inaugural Rookie of the Year Award winner returns for his fourth season with the Sydney Blue Sox in the 2013-14 ABL season.

2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox Trent Schmutter card front - © 2013 Adam East

Daniel Schmidt - 2013-14 Perth Heat

Schmidt returns to the Perth Heat for his fourth ABL season in 2013-14. In 2013 he played for two teams in the independent United League Baseball, the Alexandria Aces and the Edinburg Roadrunners.

2013-14 Perth Heat Daniel Schmidt card front - © 2013 Adam East

Tyler Massey - 2013-14 Melbourne Aces

Colorado Rockies prospect Massey spent 2013 playing for the Modesto Nuts in the high A level California League. The Rockies sent Massey down to Australia to play with the Melbourne Aces for the 2013-14 ABL season. Massey will probably be the player remembered for going through the outfield fence to complete a catch during the season.

2013-14 Melbourne Aces Tyler Massey card front - © 2013 Adam East

Sam Thornton - 2013-14 Canberra Cavalry

To celebrate Australia Day yesterday,I thought I'd post up a card of an up and coming young Aussie - Sam Thornton from Canberra has spent 2012 and 2013 at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. He has joined the Canberra Cavalry and the 2013-14 ABL season is his Rookie season.

I have two shots that I can't decide between, so here are two different card fronts fro Thornton.

2013-14 Canberra Cavalry Sam Thornton card front - © 2013 Adam East

2013-14 Canberra Cavalry Sam Thornton alternate card front - © 2014 Adam East

Ryan Battaglia - 2013-14 Brisbane Bandits

Battaglia returns for his fourth season with the Brisbane Bandits in 2013-14. He spent 2013 split between the Cleveland Indians low and high A affiliates - the Mahoning Valley Scrappers and the Carolina Mudcats respectively.

2013-14 Brisbane Bandits Ryan Battaglia card front - © 2013 Adam East

Chris Adamson - 2013-14 Adelaide Bite

Adamson is appearing in his third season for the Adelaide Bite during the 2013-14 ABL season. Like many of the other Australians playing with the Bite, Aadmson isn't affiliated to any MLB team, so not a lot to report since I put up his card for the 20112-13 season, except to note that true to form, as an Adelaide player, he's friendly and smiles for the camera. ;)

2013-14 Adelaide Bite Chris Adamson card front - © 2014 Adam East

Ethan Cole - 2013-14 Canberra Cavalry

The strong bond between the Kansas City T-Bones, forged by swapping a number of pitchers over the last couple of seasons continues with American Ethan Cole being the latest T-Bone to join the Canberra Cavalry. Cole is playing as an import for the Cavalry for the 2013-14 ABL season. Cole spent 2011 and 2012 playing in St Louis Cardinals minor league teams before being released, and playing for the Kansas City T-Bones in 2013.

I have to admit I love this shot of Cole because of the "degree of difficulty" around the shot. It was a hot, sunny 40°C day (that's 104°F for American readers), and there was a harsh shadow from a light tower going across the pitcher's mound.  The pitchers would move through the shadow during their windup and delivery, so I was quite happy to get this action shot from during the game both without shadow from the light tower, or from his cap obscuring his face..

2013-14 Canberra Cavalry Ethan Cole card front - © 2014 Adam East

Jacob May - 2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox

May is a member of the Chicago White Sox organisation who is playing as an import with the Sydney Blue Sox for the 2013-14 ABL season. May spent 2013 split between the White Sox' Rookie and Single A teams - the Great Falls Voyagers and Kannapolis Intimidators respectively.

2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox Jacob May card front - © 2013 Adam East

Brandon Tripp - 2013-14 Perth Heat

Tripp spent 7 years (2006-2012) in the minor leagues between the Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies. In 2013 he played for the St Paul Saints of the independent American Association before joining the Perth Heat as an American import for the 2013-14 ABL season.

2013-14 Perth Heat Brandon Tripp card front © 2013 Adam East

Corey Kimes - 2013-14 Melbourne Aces

Kimes is an independent American import who joined the Melbourne Aces for the 2013-14 ABL season via the inuagural ABL Draft held in 2013. Kimes spent 2011 and 2012 in the Minnesota Twins minors system before spending 2013 with the Joliet Slammers of the independent Frontier League.

2013-14 Melbourne Aces Corey Kimes card front - © 2013 Adam East

Jack Murphy - 2013-14 Canberra Cavalry

No week of facial hair would be complete without the "Murphtache". Fan favourite and American import Murphy managed to convince the Toronto Blue Jays to send him back to Canberra for the 2013-14 ABL season, following his successful stint here in 2012-13. During 2013 Murphy mainly played for the AA level New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern league, but also had a brief stint at AAA with the Buffalo Bisons.

2013-14 Canberra Cavalry Jack Murphy card front - © 2013 Adam East

Brad Dutton - 2013-14 Brisbane Bandits

The Parade of Beards continues, with everyone's favourite Grizzly Adam's impressionist from the sunshine state, Brad Dutton. 2013-14 is Dutton's fourth ABL season with the Brisbane Bandits. He always claimed to have the best beard in the family.

2013-14 Brisbane Bandits Brad Dutton card front - © 2013 Adam East

Matthew Williams - 2013-14 Adelaide Bite

It was an eventful off-season for Williams. After winning the ABL's 2012-13 Reliever of the Year Award, Williams took up the job of Baseball Coordinator with the South Australian Baseball league, resulting in a move from the Blue Sox to the Adelaide Bite for the 2013-14 ABL season. He has also made the move from relief into the starting rotation for the Bite.

The "week of beards" continues. Matthews, the previously undisputed ABL Beard Champion is now facing some pretty tough competition on the facial hair front to maintain his record.

Unfortunately, the fact that Williams was starting pitcher the day I was taking photos of him meant that he was focussed on warming up for the game before hand and I didn't get to see the jovial and camera aware Williams that I've so often seen in the past.

2013-14 Adelaide Bite Matthew Williams card front - © 2014 Adam East

Joey DeMichele - 2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox

DeMichele is an American import from the Chicago White Sox organisation. He played for the Winston-Salem Dash in the high A Carolina League in 2013, and has joined the Sydney Blue Sox for the 2013-14 ABL season.

Following on from Jesse Barron's full beard effort posted last Friday, I've gone with a bit of a "Beard Week" theme this week, featuring the most "bearded" players from the other teams. With the loss of Matthew Williams to the Bite in the off season, DeMichele came across as the most "bearded" player for the Blue Sox when I photographed the team.

2013-14 Sydney Blue Sox Joey DeMichele card front - © 2013 Adam East