Australia v Italy

The opportunity to start on the mound for Australia’s opening World Baseball Classic against Italy today at Disney’s Wide World Of Sports, Orlando, Florida is not lost on John Stephens
Stephens is fully aware of the significance resting on his right arm, but he’s also “honoured” to be selected for such an important role

“It’s a big game, it can set us up for the rest of the tournament” Stephens said
“By what everyone is saying it might be the easiest game of the tournament
If we can win it might take a little pressure off us and hopefully we can get one more win and go to the second round”

Stephens, 26, started the Gold Medal game of the 2004 Athens Olympic games, a match Cuba controversially won 6-2

He has pitched in the Major Leagues for Baltimore Orioles in 2002 and before joining the Australian team he was in the Orioles spring training camp in a bid to make the major league team

“I’m glad they have given the ball to me, it’s definitely an honour” Stephens said
“Every time you get to represent Australia is awesome
Everyone really gels well, we all want to do well for our country
I’ve got the same expectations I had when I threw in the Gold Medal game - give it my best”

With Australia needing to win two games to advance to the second round in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Stephens understands the cutthroat nature of the competition
He views it as a positive for Australia
“It’s not like the major league season where you have 162 games and if you don’t win the first game there is always the next game” Stephens said
“Here you get one chance at it
You survive or you don’t”

While there are some familiar major league faces, particularly All Star catcher Mike Piazza, among the Italian batting line up, Stephens is not fazed by facing unknown hitters
He said it regularly happens during the season
“If you make your pitch selection, normally the game will go well for you, but if you don’t that’s when the trouble starts”

Australian manager Jon Deeble finds himself with an embarrassment of riches in the infield with Glenn Williams joining the camp
Williams missed the first three days training, including the game against the Boston Red Sox split squad at Fort Myers, as he continued spring training with the Minnesota Twins
With Williams taking over at third base, it leaves Deeble to find a spot in the line-up for Brendan Kingman, a proven performer for Australia and who swung the bat well during batting practice and against the Red Sox

Former Milwaukee Brewer All Star catcher David Nilsson will be the designated hitter and Justin Huber, who made his Major League debut last season, will play first base

Deeble said he would not finalise his line up until hours before the game

ESPN will cover todays’s game beginning at 11.00am