BITE VS BANDITS PREVIEW
For the second weekend in succession the Adelaide Bite squad board the big bird, this time on route to Anna Bligh territory to take on the Brisbane Bandits at the RNA Showgrounds. The Bite are operating with some deserved Wayne Carey-esque swagger after swooping into Fort Bundah-Dome last weekend, putting on a baseball clinic, and exiting the premises with a 4-1 series victory. All 1 week after the Cavs had popped into Barbarellagallo to snaffle an unheard of 3-1 away series victory out west!There was a lot to like about Adelaide’s performance in the capital that has shot them up to clear 2nd place on the ABL ladder, the only blemish coming on the opposing end of the ABL Pitcher of the Week for the 5th time in 5 series! Is this just a mere coincidence and bad luck the Bite have come up against the most dominating ABL pitching performance every series, or are the sometimes quiet bats being charitable a little too often? Could Round 7 be the turn for the maestro Maestri?
But hey, to win the other 4 backing up from a stirring series finale comeback against the Aces is good form… the sort not to flirt with!Meanwhile the hosting Bandidos also hosted the Perth Heat last weekend after their home series loss to the Cavs, the seething Perth outfit opening up a can of whoop@ss at the RNA for a 3-1 series victory, a result that leaves Brisbane languishing at the bottom of the ladder. The good news is in the tight tussle for spots Brizzy are only 2 games shy of 3The money man for Adelaide the past fortnight with a well documented stat line is the #23 out in centre field Denny Almonte. This dude has 5 tools tattooed on his forehead, and the word on the streets is he’s the best prospect for the Show playing out of Norwood Oval in years… if he can cut down on the Ks we may see him in several months out next to Ichiro! Local lads Cakeole & G-Whiz have been keeping it real and swinging a hot stick. Ice cold Brice, Calvinator and not Earl Jones are showing signs of life, whilst the luckless CAAAAARLTON is scarily close to drivin’ the Interstates!
Stud lefty hitter Josh Roberts is a little down on last season, but the brothers Dutton – crazy eyes and motor mouth – have picked up the slack to have the Bandits in the pack. Pacing the club however is ultra impressive Japanese catcher Ayatsugu Yamashita, whose poll rolling mojo has limited the game time of local products Joel Naughton and son-of-a-gun Mitch Nilsson. All from the 9 hole in the line-up! Compatriot Keiji Nakahara has also been tearing it up after a slow start and is looking to shoot his club back into playoff contention. Brisbane not only has glorious beaches, but also recently unearthed the HOEF… keep an eye out for the red floatation device at the RNA!Checking in with the verpers, the Bite look settled with big Roo Ruzic, Milli Vanilli, the Specimen Fidge and Japanese import Isaka-san, the latter needing to be replaced post Christmas. The unlucky Smokey Lawson makes way in the pruned 4 game roster, but will get a sniff in the New Years series minus the 2 Japanese imports. The Bandidos have a heavy reliance on the aforementioned Maestri and All World verper Yanagawa-san. Simon Morriss & Steven Chambers have shouldered the remaining starts without success – Chambers particularly hard done by being winless with a sub 0 WHIP!Results have been harder to pick than a broken nose in this years ABL – a healthy sign of good competition – and resident Astrologist Athena Starwoman tells us a 2-2 split between the teams is on the cards this weekend. Get down the RNA Showgrounds sports fans to smite the Bite, ‘cos when it’s a little hot in the kitchen , you can’t fake the funk on a nasty dunk!* At the time of publish Brisbane has won Game 1 of the series 5-3.