Thursday 29th January 2004
by Sports Reporter, Philip Henderson
Thursday 29th January 2004
by Sports Reporter, Philip Henderson
(An enlarged version of this photo follows the article
below)
Brett Roneberg has made
a stylish return to Australian baseball competition, claiming
"The Player of the Series" award in the Claxton Shield
National Titles.
After a six-year absence from domestic representative competition,
the Cairns-product suited up for Queensland in the week-long Titles
in preparation for Australia's Olympic Qualifiers next month.
But more than just gaining valuable match practise, Roneberg took
out the tournament's "Most
Valuable Player" crown, The Helms Award, as Queensland fell just short of claiming the national
titles, going down 7-4 to New South Wales in the final on Saturday.
"I didn't expect to get this Award," he said. "It's
an honour really to get it."
Roneberg, who signed a one-year contract with Major League Baseball's
Boston Red Sox in November, hit 0.474 for the tournament, going
9-for-19, while driving in seven runs and scoring eight himself.
The left-hander went 3-for-4 in Queensland's semi-final win against
Western Australia, batting second ahead of former MLB All-Star
David Nilsson.
The 24-year-old was supposed to be with the rest of the Australian
team in Sydney this week for a five-day Olympic qualifying series
against Guam.
But he returned home to Cairns on Monday after the small Pacific
Island Nation withdrew from the Oceania Championship.
The outfielder will return to Sydney early next week as Australia
prepares for its series against South Africa.
Starting February 5, that series will decide the final place for
Athens.
Should Australia qualify as expected, Roneberg remains undecided
whether he will make another Olympic pilgrimage in August.
While keen to go, much will depend on Roneberg's form in the US
and his chances of playing major league ball.
Roneberg is expected to start the season with the Boston Red Sox's
Double-A affiliate, the Portland Sea Dogs, but if he performs
well early it may open a door for him to achieve his life-long
dream of playing in the majors.
If playing in Athens affects his chances of making the big leagues,
the Sydney Olympian will more than likely stay in the US.
"The majors are my number one priority right now," Roneberg
said.
"But things can change over there. Things can change in the
next five months."
Roneberg leaves for Florida in late February to begin Spring Training
with the Red Sox.
It will be his ninth season in the minor leagues.
