After a fantastic Australian Baseball League season, and a
tremendous Finals series in Canberra, debate continues to rage about the status
of Import players in the competition, specifically the number of imports
afforded to Canberra Cavalry as opposed to the other 5 teams in the league.
While I don’t think I can bring anything new to the debate, I do have random
thoughts about the import culture in the league, so I thought I'd try this blogging thing.
Let me first in light of this start by saying, I do like watching the Imports added to the mix. As a Sydney Blue Sox fan, one of the highlights of the season for me was watching the amazing defensive plays of infielder Zach Penprase (and also his record breaking stolen base efforts too!). Imports have an important role to play in the development of Baseball in Australia, I recognise that. However, there is a negative side to the import culture that often goes unmentioned or even unnoticed. You see, to put it simply, the success of team sports off the field, like any sports really, is in large part dependent on fans. Fans become a part of the culture of a club, just like players. What does that have to do with imports? Let me explain by starting with a silly story.
Let me first in light of this start by saying, I do like watching the Imports added to the mix. As a Sydney Blue Sox fan, one of the highlights of the season for me was watching the amazing defensive plays of infielder Zach Penprase (and also his record breaking stolen base efforts too!). Imports have an important role to play in the development of Baseball in Australia, I recognise that. However, there is a negative side to the import culture that often goes unmentioned or even unnoticed. You see, to put it simply, the success of team sports off the field, like any sports really, is in large part dependent on fans. Fans become a part of the culture of a club, just like players. What does that have to do with imports? Let me explain by starting with a silly story.
I decided recently, while sitting on the train on my daily
commute to work, to write a song about the Blue Sox. As I sat their penning
lyrics about the team I love, I came across a dilemma… How do I write a song now
and have it still relevant next season? Put simply, could we sing a song next
season, about Penprase’s defensive flair or Herr’s command on the mound? How
about a song about J.D. Williams’ speed or Klein’s work behind the plate? The
simple reality for me is this, I can’t write about them, because I don’t know
if they will be wearing the Blue Sox next season. For my song, it turned out
far easier to write about Ox, Matt Williams’ Beard and Dennings’ Bat, because
as they’ve demonstrated, they love playing in the blue, and they’ll be back
again and again!
Consistency is important, culturally, to growth. How do you
explain to your 6 year old son, who is developing a love for the game that his
favourite player isn’t here anymore? Imports, in most cases, tend to be one
season wonders. In rare cases, such as with Canberra’s Cody Hightower, they
return and are fan favourites, but in my experience, that’s rare, here one
season, gone the next (And no doubt, as soon as I click submit on this blog
post, I’m sure you will come up with a heap of examples on your teams of more
than one season Imports). That’s the downside of the import culture. As was
highlighted by one pundit on Twitter, I have no idea who will be defending the
Canberra Cavalry’s championship next season. But this I can tell you, I know
who will be gunning for it. You see, while those imports may have won it this
time around, and question marks abound about whether we’ll see them again next
year. That said, some people you KNOW you will see next year are players like
Hughes, De San Miguel and their band of Kennelly’s at the Heat, Ox, The Boss
and Denning and the boys in Blue at the Blue Sox, Roberts, Dutton and their
gang of Bandits in Brisbane… they’ll be there.
It’s what the Cavs won’t have for some time. It’s the flip
side to the perceived “Import Advantage”. Yes, it’s great to see a Canberra
team have success, and it takes nothing away from their achievement. I hope
some of their core group does stay together to develop a culture the fans can
get behind. But consistency is a great tool to build with. I love imports, but
in this writers opinion in the Aussie culture, I’d take the multiple years of
Luke Hughes passionate play for his home team, over one season of the flame-throwing
pitching of Alex Maestri any day. I can still remember excitedly cheering for
Ox in season 1, but I can’t name an import from that season (Did the Sox even
have any that year?) And being able to see Brandon Barnes play in the outfield
for the Houston Astros is great too, knowing he donned the Blue Sox once, but
it’s not gonna help bring the Claxton Shield to Sydney next season. Imports
will come and go, but out boys will keep coming back.
So yes, there is a lot of debate about imports and their
place in our league, but just remember this one important point… Luke Hughes is
pissed that someone stole his shield, and you better believe he will want it
back next season!
Where do you stand on this? Would you rather a gun import for
one season, or a home-grown star for five?
