Easter - Good Friday

Nothing to do with baseball today. It is Easter, Good Friday, today. I felt that I wanted to share this. For those who appreciate it, I'm glad you do. For those who don't, the baseball cards return on Monday. Have a good Easter, however you celebrate it.

Brodie Downs - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Yes, I know, it's a terrible quality photo - unfortunately Downs only seemed to play in night games, and as a reliever, only ever appeared late in the night, so my shots of him were never good. My equipment just isn't up to scratch once the games go under lights. Still, it's better than nothing.

Downs answered the call for a relief pitcher for the Canberra Cavalry for the latter part of the 2012-13 ABL season following the scheduled return of their Japanese pitchers back to Japan. The American did enough to capture the eye of the San Diego Padres organisation who invited him to their 2013 Spring Training. Downs had previously spent three years with the Seattle Mariners organisation between 2007 and 2009, reaching their AAA affiliate during that period.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Brodie Downs card front - © 2013 Adam East

Carlos Alonso - 2012-13 Brisbane Bandits

Alonso is a member of the Philadelphia Phillies organisation who has spent 3 years in the minors. In 2012 he played for the Clearwater Threshers in the high A level Florida State League. He joined the Brisbane Bandits as an American import for the 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Brisbane Bandits Carlos Alonso card front - © 2013 Adam East

Rinku Singh - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

Reality TV star and Indian native Singh returned for his third ABL season, playing for Adelaide again during the 2012-13 season. In 2012, he was still plying his trade for the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation, having played for their A level South Atlantic League affiliate, the West Virginia Power.

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Rinku Singh card front - © 2013 Adam East

JaDamion Williams - 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox

Williams is an American import from the Twins organisation who played with the Sydney Blue Sox during the 2012-13 ABL season. In 2012 he played for the Twins A level affiliate, the Beloit Snappers in the Midwest League. First name is JaDamion, but is known as JD.

2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox JaDamion Williams card front - © 2013 Adam East

Anthony Claggett - 2012-13 Perth Heat

Perth's American import Claggett played 3 games in the Major Leagues (2 with the Yankees and 1 with the Pirates)  in 2009. He spent a total of 7 years in the minor leagues across the Yankees, Pirates and Tigers organisations before being released following the 2011 season. In 2012 he played independent ball in both the Atlantic League and the American Association before joining Perth for the 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Perth Heat Anthony Claggett card front - © 2013 Adam East

Aaron Sayers - 2012-13 Melbourne Aces

Melbourne youngster who signed with the Detroit Tigers at age 16 in 2011, and debuted with the Melbourne Aces at age 17 during the 2011-12 ABL season. Whilst yet to actually appear in the minors with the Tigers, he returned to the Aces for the 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Melbourne Aces Aaron Sayers card front - © 2012 Adam East

Nathan Crawford - 2011-12 Canberra Cavalry

Nathan Crawford played both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 ABL seasons with the Canberra Cavalry, before returning to his hometown of Brisbane and playing with the Bandits in 2012-13. He had previously played two years of Rookie level ball with the Minnesota Twins before being released after 2006. This was followed by two years in independent leagues.

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Nathan Crawford card front - © 2012 Adam East

Jason Kilby - 2012-13 Brisbane Bandits

Brisbane youngster Kilby followed on from his 2011-12 debut with more games for the Bandits during the 2012-13 ABL season. He showed enough in relief during the season for the Cincinnati Reds organisation to sign him to a contract last week to enter into their farm system.

2012-13 Brisbane Bandits Jason Kilby card front - © 2013 Adam East

Dylan Child - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

Despite being an Adelaide boy who had 3 years minor league experience in the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation, 2012-13 was Child's first ABL season. He ended up playing 12 games for the Adelaide Bite. He has spent the last three northern summers playing for the GCL Pirates of the Rookie level Gulf Coast League.

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Dylan Child card front - © 2013 Adam East

Geoff Klein - Sydney Blue Sox 2012-13

Klein is an American import from the St Louis Cardinals organisation who played with the Sydney Blue Sox in the 2012-13 ABL season. In 2012 Klein played for the Palm Beach Cardinals in the High A Level Florida State League.

2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox Geoff Klein card front - © 2012 Adam East

Hirotaka Koishi (小石 博孝) - 2012-13 Melbourne Aces

Koishi was a Japanese import from the Seibu Lions who played for the Melbourne Aces during the 2012-13 ABL season. Koishi made his pitching debut for the Lions earlier in 2012 and had 9 NPB games under his belt before playing in the ABL.

2012-13 Melbourne aces Hirotaka Koishi card front - © 2012 Adam East

Michael Laird - 2011-2012 Canberra Cavalry

Laird is a Sydney born relief pitcher who played with the Cavalry during the 2011-12 ABL season. Laird had previously played for Parkland Community College in Champaign, Illinois, and Millikin University (2009 and 2010), also in Illinois, in an attempt to establish a professional baseball career in the USA. Following his time with the Cavalry, Laird returned to the US to seek further opportunities.

2011-12 Canberra Cavalry Michael Laird card front - © 2012 Adam East

Alex Maestri - 2011-12 Brisbane Bandits

Maestri was an Italian baseball player who pitched for the Bandits during the 2011-12 ABL season. Maestri had the distinction of winning the Inaugural ABL Fan's Choice Award in 2012 as the leagues most popular player. He had previously spent 6 seasons in the Chicago Cubs organisation, reaching AA level  before being released in April 2011. Following his ABL season, Maestri played for the Orix Buffaloes in the NPB. He is currently on the Italian roster for the 2013 World baseball Classic - his third WBC campaign.

2011-12 Brisbane Bandits Alex Maestri card front - ©  2012 Adam East

2011-12 Brisbane Bandits Alex Maestri alternate card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Calvin Anderson - 2011-12 Adelaide Bite

Anderson was an American import from the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation who played for the Adelaide Bite during the 2011-12 ABL season. He is the son of a former NFL player (Fred Anderson - 37 games over 4 seasons.)

Prior to playing First base with Adelaide, Anderson had been playing with the Bradenton Marauders of the High A level Florida State League. Unfortunately fort Anderson, he was released by the Pirates in March 2012 following his stint with the Bite.

Blog Admin note: I discovered a couple of 2011-12 card designs I still hadn't posted up such as this one. Will post several of these over the next couple of days.

2011-12 Adelaide Bite Calvin Anderson card front - ©  2012 Adam East

Tim Kennelly - 2012-13 Perth Heat

The Phillies are in the process of trying to convert Aussie utility Tim Kennelly to pitching. In the northern summer of 2012 , he played 5 different positions and pitched across their A+, AA and AAA teams. For the Perth Heat, he played both DH and Pitcher during a restricted 2012-13 ABL season.

2012-13 Perth Heat Tim Kennelly card front - © 2013 Adam East

Matthew Williams - 2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox

Williams is always fun to shoot - hamming it up for the camera. His 2012-13 campaign with the Blue Sox was the most successful of his three ABL seasons to date, setting the record for Saves in a single season at 15 - breaking team-mate Dae-Sung Koo's 2010-11 record of 12. He has been rewarded with a spot on Australia's 2013 WBC roster.

Rumor has it that Sydney will have to keep an extra roster spot open next season just for his beard.

2012-13 Sydney Blue Sox Matt Williams card front - © 2013 Adam East

Brendan Wise - 2012-13 Perth Heat

A Perth local, Wise has spent all three ABL seasons with the Perth Heat, however this was my first photo of him, so this 2012-13 card marks his card debut from me.Wise spent 2012 playing for the Rochester Red Wings, the Minnesota Twins AAA affiliate in the International League. Wise had spent the previous 7 seasons with the Detroit Tigers organisation - also reaching AAA level with them in 2011.

2012-13 Perth Heat Brendan Wise card front - © 2013 Adam East

Steve Kent - 2012-13 Canberra Cavalry

Canberra's sole representative on the Australian 2013 WBC playing roster (Michael Collins is on the coaching staff) is Canberra boy Steve Kent. Kent returned for his third ABL season with the Cavalry in 2012-13, following a 2012 stint with the Kansas City T-Bones of the independent Northern League  He'd earlier been both signed and released by the Kansas City Royals either side of 2012 Spring Training.

2012-13 Canberra Cavalry Steven Kent card front - © 2013 Adam East

Joshua Roberts - 2012-13 Brisbane Bandits

Roberts returned to the Bandits for his third ABL season in 2012-13, after capturing their MVP award during their first two seasons. Roberts is about to make his WBC debut for Australia in 2013.

2012-13 Brisbane Bandits Joshua Roberts card front - © 2013 Adam East

Stefan Welch - 2012-13 Adelaide Bite

First a quick blog admin post. The World Baseball Classic starts tomorrow, and in celebration, I'm trying to get up as many of Australia's 2013 WBC roster as I can whilst the tournament is on. I started oN Wednesday with Luke Hughes, and will continue on over the enxt week or two to get up as many that I still have 2012-13 card designs for.

Today's card is Adelaide Bite player Stefan Welch. Despite having been with the Bite since their inception, this is my first card of Welch. Welch is also a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates organisation, and finished the Northern summer playing with the Altoona Curve of the AA level Eastern League.

This is Welch's second WBC, having also been a part of the 2009 Australian roster.

2012-13 Adelaide Bite Stefan Welch card front - ©  2013 Adam East