Jeremy Cresswell - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

Cresswell is an Adelaide local who has played with the Adelaide Bite for all three seasons of the ABL to date, however this is the first year that I've managed to get a photo of him, so this 2012-13 card marks his "debut" in my cards. Cresswell did manage one season of independent ball in the US in 2011 with the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League.

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Jeremy Cresswell card front - © 2013 Adam East 

Jude Power - 2011-12 Canberra Cavalry

Power is originally from Victoria, but made a cameo appearance with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2011-12 season., He pitched a total of 2 innings of relief across two games in his ABL career to date.

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Jude Power  card front - © 2012 Adam East

Trent D'Antonio - 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox

Wollongong native D'Antonio returned for his third ABL season with the Sydney Blue Sox in 2012-13. He moved from Canterbury to Baulkham Hills in the Sydney Metro League during 2012.

2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox  Trent D'Antonio card front - © 2013 Adam East

Sean Toler - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Toler was part of a battery of pitchers who came from the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent American Association league in 2012 to come and play for the Canberra Cavalry during the 2012-13 ABL season. He rejoined his Kansas City team mates Steve Kent (a Canberra native) , Brian Grening (returning for his second season with the Cavalry) and Dustin Loggins on the Cavalry's roster.

Toler was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2005 out of High School, but went on to play for Michigan State University until 2009 and has been playing independent ball since then.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Sean Toler card front - © 2013 Adam East

Ryan Khoury - 2012-13 Perth Heat

American import playing with the Perth Heat during the 2012-13 ABL season. Khoury spent six season in the minors with the Boston Red Sox organisation, reaching AAA level, before spending 2012 with the Wichita Wingnuts in the independent American Association. Joined Perth midway through the season.

2012-13 Perth Heat Ryan Khoury card front - © 2013 Adam East

Kody Hightower - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Fan favourite and American import Kody Hightower returned for his second season with the Canberra Cavalry for the 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Kody Hightower card front - © 2013 Adam East

Adam Bright - 2012-13 Melbourne Aces

Bright is a local Melbournite who spent 7 seasons playing for the Colorado Rockies organisation between 2003 - 2009, reaching AA level. In 2010 he played in the Italian baseball League for Telemarket Rimini, before returning to Australia for the inaugural ABL season in 2010-11 with the Aces.

He pitched 3 games for the Yomiuri Giants in an injury affected stint in the NPB in 2011. He didn't pitch for the Aces in the 2011-12 season and I've been unable to find out why - I can only assume the injury in Japan in 2011 was worse than originally thought. Having said that, he has returned to the Aces for the 2012-13 season.

2012-13 Melbourne Aces Adam Bright card front - © 2012 Adam East

Johnny Martinez - 2011-12 Canberra Cavalry

An American import who played with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2011-12 ABL season. Martinez played college level ball but failed to field any pro offers afterwards. He was subsequently sounded out by a former college team mate to play with the Belconnen Bandits in the ACT league for the 2011-12 season. During his time with the Bandits, he received a call up to the Cavalry mid-season.  He played 7 games for the Cavalry and might have played more if not for a hamstring injury.

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Johnny Martinez card front - © 2012 Adam East 

CJ Beatty - 2012-13 Brisbane Bandits

American import for the Brisbane Bandits during the 2012-13 season. First name is Christian, but goes by CJ. Spent 2009 and 2010 in the St Louis Cardinals organisation reaching high A level, and the following two years playing independent ball. Spent the 2012 season split between the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association and the Fort Worth Cats of the North American League.

2012-13 Brisbane Bandits CJ Beatty card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Masanori Fujihara (藤原正典) - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Fujihara is one of several Japanese imports from the Hanshin Tigers who played with the Canberra Cavalry for first half of the 2012-13 season. He already had three years and 48 games pitching experience in the NPB, but came to Canberra to practice "pitching to right handers". His stint in Canberra was short - only just over a month before departing for his wedding and honeymoon in Hawaii. He pitched 7 games in relief during his time with the Cavalry, gaining a 1-0 record, 10 strikeouts and a perfect ERA of 0.00.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Masanori Fujihara card front - © 2013 Adam East

Angus Roeger - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

Born in Melbourne, Roeger was signed as a 16 year old to the Philadelphia Phillies organisation but was cut before playing in the minor leagues. Spent the last two years studying and playing at the Northeast Texas Community College before returning to Australia and joining the Bite for the 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Angus Roeger card front - © 2013 Adam East

Hirokazu Shiranita (白仁田寛和) - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Japanese import from the Hanshin Tigers who played with Canberra during the 2012-13 ABL season. Shiranita had already debuted in the NPB back in 2011, playing 2 games in both the 2011 and 2012 seasons for the Tigers.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Hirokazu Shiranita card front - © 2013 Adam East

Mitch Dening 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox

Gosford born Dening returns for his third season with the Blue Sox in the 2012-13 ABL season. Dening was cut by the Boston Red Sox during 2012 Spring Training following 5 years in the minors. He subsequently played a short stint with the Washington WildThings in the independent Frontier League.

2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox Mitch Dening card front - © 2012 Adam East

Joey Zrinzo - 2011-12 Canberra Cavalry

Zrinzo was an American import who ended up answering a mid-season emergency call from Canberra for pichers during the 2011-12 season. He had only flown out 3 weeks previously to play with the Penrith Panthers in the Sydney Metro League following a stint at German club the Frohnau Flamingos in 2011.

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Joey Zrinzo card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Virgil Vasquez - 2012-13 Perth Heat

The Heat were fortunate to secure American import and former MLB player Vasquez back for the 2012-13 ABL season. He signed with the Minnesota Twins as a free agent on the 11th Dec 2012 - this photo is actually of his final ABL game before he was recalled back to the US by the Twins.

This card also represents the final card design to be unveiled from my 2012-13 series of ABL cards - the card design for Perth Heat players.

2012-13 Perth Heat Virgil Vasquez card front - © 2013 Adam East

Jack Murphy - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

John J Murphy AKA Jack Murphy is an American import from the Toronto Blue Jays organisation playing with the Canberra Cavalry for the 2012-13 ABL season. Murphy mainly played high level A ball for the Dunedin Blue Jays during 2012, but also had a short stint at AA level with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in the Eastern League.

This is a photo of Murphy from earlier in the season, as judged by his no-mo appearance. Like many players, Murphy grew a mustache during Movember, however his appears to have remained on throughout the season. I reckon he looks better without it, hence my use of an earlier photo.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Jack Murphy card front - © 2013 Adam East

Justin Huber - 2012-13 Melbourne Aces

I was happy to finally get some shots of Australian former MLB player Justin Huber this season. Huber played 72 MLB games between 2005 - 2009, mainly with the Royals, but with short stints at the Padres and Twins. Had a stint with the Hiroshima Carp in the NPB in 2010, before playing independent ball in 2011.

He is currently in his third ABL season with the Melbourne Aces, however this is the first time I was able to capture some decent shots of him, and hence his first "regular season" card design by me.

2012-13 Melbourne Aces Justin Huber card front - © 2012 Adam East

Brian Grening - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

American import Grening returned for a second ABL stint with the Cavalry for the 2012-13 season. Brian spent the intervening 2012 period playing for the Kansas City T-Bones in the independent American Association league.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Brian Grening card front - ©  2013 Adam East

Andrew Campbell - 2012-13 Brisbane Bandits

A local player originally from Ipswich, Campbell is in his third ABL season with the Brisbane Bandits in 2012-13. In 2011 he commenced playing with the Cleveland Indians organisation. In 2012 he started the year playing Rookie level ball for the Indians before being promoted to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers in the low A level New York-Pennsylvania League.

2012-13 Brisbane Bandits Andrew (Andy) Campbell card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Jean Carlos Diaz - 2011-12 Canberra Cavalry

I've invariably seen Diaz' given name(s) written as both Jeancarlos and separated as Jean Carlos, whilst the Cavalry listed him as just Carlos, so I'm not sure which is most correct (hence the possibly incorrect spelling on the card). Having said that, Diaz was an import from Puerto Rico who played with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2011-12 season.

Diaz had been drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 2006 draft, but didn't appear to have played any minor league baseball in the US. Spent 2007 at Stetson University, but only managed two games that year. He is currently playing for the Atenienses de Manati in the Liga de Beisbol Profesional Roberto Clemente (Puerto Rico's National Baseball League).

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Jean Carlos Diaz card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Ji-Man Choi (최지만) - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

South Korean import from the Seattle Mariners organisation who is playing with the Adelaide Bite for the 2012-13 ABL season. Choi started in the minors in 2010, but sat out 2011 due to back surgery. 2012 saw him recovering at the Clinton LumberKings in the A level Midwest League, so obviously the Mariners saw value in extending his opportunities by playing ball Down Under in the American winter. I know that when I saw him play, he was getting a lot of physiotherapy during the games, so unsure how well the back is recovering.

Update: Thanks for the comment on the correct Hangul translation!

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Ji-Man Choi card front - © 2012 Adam East

KC Hobson - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Hobson was an American import from the Toronto Blue Jays organisation who played with the Canberra Cavalry during the 2012-13 season. Hobson has played three years in the minors, spending 2012 playing for the Lansing Lugnuts in the A level Midwest League. He is the son of former MLB player "Butch" Hobson, who played 738 MLB games, primarily with the Red Sox between 1975 - 1982.

Hobson had been in fine form for the Cavalry, hitting well and gaining selection to the World Team for the 2012 ABL All-Star game. Unfortunately, a calf injury curtailed his batting and led to a recall back to the US by the Blue Jays in late December 2012 after 20 games for the Cav.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry KC Hobson card front - © 2012 Adam East

Luke Wilkins - 2011-12 Sydney Blue Sox

My 2011-12 card design for local boy Luke Wilkins following his move from the Cavalry to the Blue Sox. He looked better in a Cav uniform ;)

Oh, and Happy New Year :)

2011-12 Sydney Blue Sox Luke Wilkins card front - © 2012 Adam East