Results tagged ‘ Ryan Battaglia ’
Battaglia goes long – twice, George getting his hits
Ryan Battaglia – Beginning to hit the long ball
Ryan Battaglia has hit 3 home runs this season. Thing is he has hit 2 of them in the last 2 days against the AZLDodgers. Yesterday he was 2-4, scored a run and finished with 4RBI in the Indians 9-6 win when he pounded out a 2 on, 2 out 3RBI home run.
Today he put another one out, this time with the bases empty. He finished today going 2-5, scoring 2 and raising his AVG to .254.
Also hitting well this weekend is the Ray’s Darryl George who went 3-4 yesterday with 3 RBI and followed with 1-4, scoring a run and 1 RBI. He is currently hitting .276.
Joshua Hendricks, Rory Rhodes, Ryan Battaglia, Dylan Child
Josh Hendricks
Joshua Hendricks, Elizabethton Twins, went 2-5 scoring 2 runs and a RBI. Josh is currently hitting . 261 and .297 in his last 10 games
Rory Rhodes also of the Elizabethton Twins is has a batting AVg of .252 after going 3-5 today. Josh scored 2 runs and 2 RBI.
Ryan Battaglia, AZL Indians, had 2 walks today scoring a run. Ryan is currently hitting .212 and .240 in his last 10 games.
Dylan Child of the GCL Pirates came on as a pinch hitter. Dylan hit a double and walked.
Rookie Leagues – Ryan Battaglia, Elliott Hargreaves, Aaron Sookee
Good day in the office for Elliott
Elliott Hargreaves had his most productive day in pro ball today going 3-4 for the AZL Reds in their 6-3 win over the Cubs. He hit a double and had 1RBI giving him a .286AVG after 6 games.
Ryan Battaglia didn’t get a hit today but instead showed patience at the plate to collect 4 walks and subsequently scored 2 runs for the AZL Indians.
Aaron Sookee struck out the only hitter he faced when he was called upon to finish off the 9th with 2 out in the Orem Owlz’ 13-6 loss to Billings. He has a 4.38ERA.
Rookie Leagues – Battaglia, Gibbons, Lamb, Wade
Ryan Battaglia
Ryan Battaglia went 1-3 today, scoring a run for the Indians. He is hitting .239.
Sam Gibbons gave the Twins 3 innings in their 4-2 win over the Rays. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and 2 walks. He has an ERA of 2.25. In the game Logan Wade went 0-3 and is now hitting .244.
We mention Cameron Lamb here although he was moved up today to the Giants Short Season A team on a further step on his rehab progress. He had thrown 3.1 innings at Rookie Ball without giving up a run and today went 1.1 inning for Salem-Keizer allowing 1R on 3H, 0BB with 1K.
A – Ryan Battaglia, David Kandilas, Rory Rhodes
Ryan Battaglia
Whilst David Kandilas (0-3) and Rory Rhodes (1-5) are having a quiet week Ryan Battaglia followed up his 1st home run on July 9th with a triple yesterday going 2-3 with 1 run and 2RBI against the D’Backs.
Ryan is hitting .303 in his last 10 games.
David is in Rome this weekend so may well find himself facing Peter Moylan.
Update – Beau Bishop, Ryan Battaglia, Cameron Lamb, Guy Edmonds
Ryan Battaglia
Beau Bishop, GCL Red Sox, is hitting .214 currently going 1-3 with a RBI just before the allstar break
Ryan Battaglia, AZL Indians, has a batting AVG of .200. Ryan went 1-4 with 2 RBI today.
Cameron Lamb has been assigned to AZL Giants, after being on the DL. Cameron in his first appearance today pitched 1 inning for no runs, hits or walks with a strike out.
Guy Edmonds, Spokane Indians, went 1-4 today with a double.
Update – Ryan Battaglia, Tim Kennelly, Darryl George
Ryan Battaglia, AZL Indians, has had a slow start to the season going 2-20, Ryan has scored 5 runs, 4 RBI, with a double and a triple.
Tim Kennelly, Reading Phillies, is hitting .244 with 25 runs, 24 RBI and 4 home runs.
Darryl George, Princeton Rays, went 1-3 with 2 walks today. Darryl scored 1 run on a double. He is hitting .346
Down on the Farm – Brisbane backstop is a natural
Ryan Battaglia is currently at extended spring training in Arizona with the Cleveland Indians organistion
By Alexis Brudnicki / Brisbane Bandits
Good things come to those who wait.
Or if you’re Ryan Battaglia, maybe waiting isn’t that big a part of the game.
The Brisbane Bandits catcher didn’t take up baseball until he was already a teenager, but got an opportunity and signed with the Cleveland Indians just a few years later. Battaglia was late to the diamond after spending his youth playing more traditional Aussie sports.
“When I was younger I played rugby and cricket,” the Bandits backstop said. “And I didn’t start playing baseball until I was like 13. A couple of my friends, close family friends, played baseball and they basically said I should come and try it, so I did.
“I started playing baseball and gave footy and cricket up and just kept playing baseball. I still played rugby league when I was at school. But I was realizing that it was probably going to be harder for me to make it at that. I just felt like I was better at baseball than I was at football.”
Battaglia was a natural when he started taking up America’s favourite pastime, though he wasn’t thinking of a future in baseball right away. And while the game came to him easily, many of the intricacies of the sport did not.
“I took to it fairly easily,” Battaglia said of baseball. “For the first two years I was always learning little rules because there are so many rules and stuff. But after a couple years I had a fairly good idea and I didn’t really think much of it, like making a career out of it. But it sort of hit me when I was in the Under-18s, and I was hearing about other kids signing and stuff like that.”
Just four years after his introduction to the sport, Indians scout Peter Gahan was knocking on Battaglia’s door with a contract for the then 17-year-old. The native of Brisbane was happy to accept almost immediately, though he might have had bigger offers if he’d waited a little longer.
“I was really excited about it at the time,” Battaglia said of signing. “I don’t regret signing when I did but right afterward I went away and I had a really good tournament and then I went to the world titles and had another really good tournament. But that’s the risk you take I guess. I could have been injured and then not played at all. I was definitely happy that I signed then.”
Battaglia signed with Cleveland as a catcher, the position he also occupies with the Bandits. Before playing professional ball however, he spent time all over the diamond, and still doesn’t know which spot is his favourite.
“That’s a hard one,” Battaglia said of which position he likes best. “I don’t know. I probably wouldn’t choose catching if I had my time over again. I used to like playing third and first and even the outfield. I used to like pitching but when I see what the pitchers do over here [in Arizona at spring training] and it seems pretty boring.”
Taking his spot behind the dish at extended spring training with the Cleveland organisation is anything but boring for Battaglia and his fellow catching counterparts. Catchers have the toughest time in the pre-season, squatting for hours on end, receiving pitch after pitch from hurler after hurler. When each pitcher is done with his bullpen session, the catchers remain, waiting only for another to take the mound.
“Catchers always have the worst time in spring training and at camp,” Battaglia said. “Sometimes you’ll even have to miss out on hitting because you have to catch a bullpen for someone.”
It can be an especially hard time for catchers, because coming from the off-season they aren’t used to using all the muscles they exhaust when taking their places behind the plate. Battaglia’s biggest adjustment is going from playing just a few days a week in Australia to playing every day overseas.
“Yeah, definitely,” Battaglia said of spring being a big change. “I guess it got me a little more last year because it was my first year [with the Indians]. This year was good because I already knew what to expect. I’ve found everything to be a lot easier this year.”
Things might be easier for the backstop this year because his success from the Australian Baseball League has carried over to the Indians. Battaglia was a runner-up for the ABL’s Rookie of the Year award after batting .273/.319/.523 over 14 games. He led all Bandits in slugging percentage over that time and had two homers, five doubles and six RBI.
“When I got the chance I felt like I did well,” Battaglia said of the ABL. “Hopefully this season I get to play and I’m a regular starter but we’ll have to wait and see.”
Battaglia made strides from his first year with the Bandits to his second, notching more playing time and giving fans and teammates a little more to look at. The 19-year-old was the youngest on Brisbane’s roster for the most recent season, but his numbers at the plate weren’t evident of his age.
Between playing for the Bandits and for his A-grade team, the Windsor Royals, the young catcher didn’t get much of a break between baseball with the Indians last year and this year. Nonstop playing just helped him prepare for what lay ahead.
“I definitely feel more like I’m in shape baseball-wise, like I’m ready,” he said of coming to spring training without having a break. “I definitely felt like I had an off-season because even though we were playing Bandits, it’s only four days a week. It’s kind of nothing compared to over here. It’s not easier but you can just rock up and play. Four days a week doesn’t kill your body.”
Battaglia swung a hot bat at the end of the season down under, going 6-for-13 in his last three games with the Bandits, launching a home run and two doubles. He has continued his success at the plate so far in Arizona.
“It’s been good,” Battaglia said of his hitting. “My swing’s been going really well. I started hitting really well at the start of extended, and in spring training I got a couple hits. The last week or two probably I’ve slowed down a little bit but it’s nothing I’m really worried about. Other than that, I’ve felt really good.”
The slugger has been working on his catching game at extended spring training as well. Though there is no specific catching coach around all the time, the organisation’s catching coordinator was in town last week for a few days to work with the young backstops on their defense and game-calling, among other skills.
“It’s good,” Battaglia said of his defensive game. “I feel like it’s improved since last year. I think the only thing I need to keep consistent now is my hitting. And if I keep that consistent hopefully it will all just flow and everything will be good.”
If all is well at the end of extended spring training, Battaglia will look to head back to the short-season Class-A Mahoning Valley Scrappers, where he spent a significant amount of time last year. Though most of that time wasn’t on the field, the catcher hopes his improvements will change his status for the upcoming season.
“I didn’t get a whole lot of game time,” Battaglia said of last season with the Scrappers. “Probably through the last three months I didn’t get a whole lot of game time…I still trained and took [batting practice] every day. It wasn’t great. But I so much fun there even though I didn’t play. I’m just hoping that I will get to go back again this year and I will actually be an everyday player.”
And beyond the North American summer months, the Brisbane backstop is already looking forward to getting back to the Bandits and playing at home again.
“I can’t wait,” he said. “I’ll go home and probably start playing right away. I’ll play for Windsor for the first couple weeks before the Bandits start. So I think I started playing a couple weeks for Windsor before Bandits last year so hopefully I can do that again. And then hopefully I will play the whole season with the Bandits.
“But I definitely can’t wait to come back home, take a little bit of time off and then start playing again.”
Some outstanding Rookies – Part 1
This season has seen some outstanding performances by some of the new breed. Using the ABL’s definition of *’Rookie’ we have taken a closer look at some of the young players who attracted attention this season. We have listed them in alphabetical order.
Corey Adamson. SMP Images
Adamson, a speedy outfielder with a prodigious left-handed swing, landed a US $500,000 deal with the San Diego Padres in 2008 making him one of the highest signings from Australia. In 3 seasons with the Padres he has a .230AVG in 119 games.
In 15 games this season with the Perth Heat [he took the early part of the ABL season off after a busy pro season with the Padres] he is hitting .325 which is a huge improvement on his .038 in limited appearances [9 games] with the Heat in 2010.
Ryan Battaglia. SMP Images
Battaglia signed as a 17yr old with the Cleveland Indians in Dec. 2009. He saw very limited action with the Indians in his 1st season [2011] but should get more game time in their Rookie team in 2012.
He made his debut as a defensive substitution on 26 November 2010 against the Blue Sox, being the youngest player to play for the Bandits. It took until his seventh game before Ryan got his first hit, going 3/6 against the Canberra Cavalry. Ryan’s only other hit that season would be a HR against the Adelaide Bite.
He was much more productive this season with a total of 44ABs in 14 games going .273 for the season with 2HRs. In his last 10 games of the season he hit .306.
Andrew Campbell. SMP Images
Just a few months older than catcher Ryan Battaglia, Campbell is one of the youngest Bandits. You could never tell – currently 2nd in the team with a .387 on base percentage, the Ipswich lad is certainly holding his own amongst the big boys.
Campbell has played club ball for 13 years, attended the MLBAAP and since 2009, been in the Cleveland Indians Organization. In 2011, his 1st season with the Indians, he appeared in 20 games in Rookie League hitting .265.
This season with the Bandits he has appeared in 26 games for a .301AVG, a big jump from his .214 in 6 games in 2010.
Aidan Francis. SMP Images
Francis graduated from Georgia State University in 2011. He was in the varsity team in his final 3 years at GSU. He finished with 16-6 record on the mound over the three seasons, fourth-most wins in school history and fifth-best winning percentage.
Prior to attending GSU he had spent 2 years at the NSWIS and the MLBAAP.
This is his 1st season with the Blue Sox and he started in 10 games for a W4-4 season and an ERA of 4.97. The highlight of his season was a scoreless 8 innings against the Adelaide Bite on Nov 26th for his 1st win.
Parts 2 & 3 to follow:
*Rookies must be Australian Residents and have had less than 50ABs or 8 pitching appearances in previous Australian senior national competitions (Claxton Shield or ABL) and/or the Senior National Team (WBC, Olympic Games, World Cup events only).
ABL – Bandits have good start to spring training games
Ryan Battaglia - Bandit's exciting young catcher
New Bandits Head Coach Kevin Jordan knows a thing or two about success in the ABL. The former Major League veteran won both the ABL MVP and batting title in his inaugural season playing for Brisbane in 1993 according to this article by the ABL today.
“I can’t overstate how important it is to start off on the right foot,” Jordan said. “Tonight was a great first step.”
Thursday’s exhibition game at the RNA Showgrounds found players, staff and supporters eagerly anticipating the second season of the new ABL with the first pitch thrown at 7:05pm. Jordan, in his first season at the helm with the Bandits, led his team to a 6-3 victory over the Brisbane All-Stars. The All-Stars, a collection of players from local and regional competitions, were a formidable group and gave the eager Bandits a work out.
The Bandits, who took the field looking sharp in their new look white uniforms, were led on the mound by two pitchers – one a familiar face and one brand new – who will be counted on to supply key innings for the team this year.
Brisbane native Simon Morriss got the start for the Bandits and didn’t allow a base runner while striking out four in his two perfect frames. From there, Alex Maestri, Brisbane’s newest import from Italy, pitched two scoreless innings in relief, striking out five in the effort.
Ryan Battaglia, the Bandits young catcher, lead the offensive output, tallying a huge 4 for 4 night while driving in two. In the second inning, veteran outfielder Wade Dutton jumpstarted the Bandits offense with a long solo homerun to left field.
Long-locked fan favorite Chris Mowday closed the game for Bandits, pitching a hitless eight and ninth innings.
“We’ve got a lot to be excited about here in Brisbane,” said Jordan. “Tonight was a good reminder. As they say, hope springs eternal.”
Last night gave supporters a good reason to look forward to the upcoming season. The Bandits will host their annual Fanfest on Saturday, the 29th of October starting at 12 PM. Fanfest is a free community day for all fans, friends and supporters and with all players and coaches in attendance signing autographs and taking pictures.
The first regular season game is November 10th at 7 PM versus the Sydney Blue Sox.
