Mike McGillivray - 2015-16 Melbourne Aces

Canadian import McGillivray played with the Melbourne Aces during the 2015-16 ABL season. McGillivray had previously been playing club level ball in Melbourne prior to being signed by the Aces as well as semi-pro level ball in the US and Canada (Kitchener Panthers in the Intercounty Baseball League)

2015-16 Melbourne Aces Mike McGillivray card front - ©2016 Adam East

Aaron Sloan - 2015-16 Canberra Cavalry

The younger of the Cavalry's Sloan brothers once again joined the Canberra Cavalry for the 2015-16 ABL season. It was Aaron's fourth season with the Cavalry, although, like last season, it's been more of a cameo appearance. In 2014-15 his limited games were due to injury and he had not intended to resume playing with the Cavs in 2015-16, planning to be overseas over the summer. Apparently older brother Jason convinced him to return home early from overseas to rejoin the Cavalry and help cover injuries to several other Aussie Cavalry players. What may be especially memorable for him is pitching long relief in a blowout against the Bite late in the season.

2015-16 Canberra Cavalry Aaron Sloan card front - ©2016 Adam East

Taylor Stanton - 2015-16 Brisbane Bandits

Stanton is an American import who played with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2015-16 ABL season. Stanton spent five years in the Seattle Mariners organisation between 2008 and 2012 before being released. Since then he has played for the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks in the independent American Association.

2015-16 Brisbane Bandits Taylor Stanton card front - ©2016 Adam East

Just a warning to ABL players - if you make a silly face for the camera when I'm taking a shot of you, I will try and incorporate it into a card :)

2015-16 Brisbane Bandits Taylor Stanton alternate card front - ©2016 Adam East

Travis Demeritte - 2015-16 Adelaide Bite

Demeritte is an American import from the Texas Rangers organisation who played with the Adelaide Bite during the 2015-16 ABL season. In 2015 he played with the Spokane Indians and the Hickory Crawdads, the Rangers' respective short and Single A affiliates.

The second card features an image of Demeritte dancing a jig whilst wearing his glove on his head during the middle of a game. Not the greatest of photos, but I thought it was worth including on a card for sheer novelty value.

2015-16 Adelaide Bite Travis Demeritte card front - ©2016 Adam East

2015-16 Adelaide Bite Travis Demeritte alternate card front - ©2016 Adam East

Aaron Sookee - 2015-16 Sydney Blue Sox

Well, after a longer delay than expected, I now have a brand spanking new computer, and I have been able to start work on card design again. My first card post new computer is Aussie Aaron Sookee.

Sookee is playing his fifth season with the Sydney Blue Sox in the 2015-16 ABL season. In 2015 Sookee joind the Arizona Diamonbacks organisation, playing for the Missoula Osprey, their Rookie level team in the Pioneer League.

2015-16 Sydney Blue Sox Aaron Sookee card front - ©2016 Adam East

Tad Gold - 2015-16 Perth Heat

Gold is an American import from the Baltimore Orioles organisation who is playing with the Perth Heat during the 2015-16 ABL season. In 2015 he played both low and high A level ball, with the Aberdeen IronBirds in the New York-Pennsylvania League and for the Frederick Keys in the Carolina League.

2015-16 Perth Heat Tad Gold card front - ©2016 Adam East

On a blog admin note, my main PC has finally succumbed and died of old age after 7½ years. I probably won't have any new blog posts until late next week whilst I wait on a new PC to be delivered, load on my software and data and get some new cards made.

Virgil Vasquez - 2015-16 Melbourne Aces

Former MLB player Vasquez is getting the grand tour of Australia, both coaching and playing with the Melbourne Aces for the 2015-16 ABL season. This is his fourth season in the ABL, his first two were with Perth, whilst his third was last season with Adelaide.

Vasquez retired from affiliated baseball in late 2014 and then had short stints in the Mexican Winter League, and pitched a single game for Adelaide in the 2014-15 ABL Championship series. Although he's been used in relief by the Aces this season, he is listed as their pitching coach, so I'm presuming that he may originally have been brought to the Aces in the coaching role, and the playing role has emerged through necessity.

I like it when the players react to the camera, so I chose this shot of Vasquez responding to the camera in the dugout.

2015-16 Melbourne Aces Virgil Vasquez card front - ©2016 Adam East

Jeremy Barnes - 2015-16 Canberra Cavalry

After missing the 2014-15 season, American import Jeremy Barnes returned to the Canberra Cavalry for the 2015-16 ABL season, his third with the Cavalry since 2012-13. Barnes played for the New Jersey Jackals in the independent Canadian American Association in 2014. He didn't play professionally in 2015, but the change to the ABL import rules meant that the Cavalry could play him as an Australian player due to his two years previous ABL experience.

Unfortunately for Barnes and the Cavalry, Barnes injured his toe ("turf toe") near the mid season All-Star game, and has been on the  injured list since. I couldn't resist getting a photo of Barnes sititng in the dugout with his moon boot on.

2015-16 Canberra Cavalry Jeremy Barnes card front - ©2015 Adam East

2015-16 Canberra Cavalry Jeremy Barnes alternate card front - ©2015 Adam East

Riley Unroe - 2015-16 Brisbane Bandits

Happy New Year to everyone! The New year means there's only just over a month left in the Australian Baseball League's 2015-16 season.

Our play for today is Riley Unroe. Unroe is an American import from the Tampa Bay Rays organisation who is playing with the Brisbane Bandits during the 2015-16 ABL season. Unroe has been with the Rays organisation since 2013, and spent 2015 playing with the Bowling Green Hot Rods in the Single A level Midwest League.

2015-16 Brisbane Bandits Riley Unroe card front - ©2015 Adam East 

2015-16 Brisbane Bandits Riley Unroe alternate card front - ©2015 Adam East