Wednesday 10th October 2007

An Australian team stacked with Major League Baseball (MLB) experience will head to next month's world championships firmly believing they can return with Gold Medals

The 24-man Australian squad includes eight players who are either playing in the MLB or have been signed by teams in the world's premier baseball competition

Coach Jon Deeble said it was realistic aim for Australia to topple the sport's superpowers, including Cuba, Japan and the United States, and win the world championships in Taiwan
"We're going there to become World Champions" he said
"Twenty years ago you'd never think of it
But it is a reality because we've got a lot better and I think the Cubans are very vulnerable
They're getting older
But it's not just them, there's a lot of other teams that are very good also, so it's going to be tough
But that's the way we're heading
Our first aim will be to finish in the top eight to qualify for the next round and from there hopefully get through to the medal rounds"

Colorado Rockies pitcher Adam Bright, son of former Australian Test cricketer Ray Bright, San Francisco Giant Travis Blackley and Philadelphia Phillies signing Brad Harman are among the Australian squad which features seven members of the Silver Medal winning team at the 2004 Athens Olympics

While it is a strong line-up, it will still have a tough task reaching the medal rounds in Taiwan
Australia have been pooled with Korea, Venezuela, Canada, the Netherlands, Germany and near-unbackable favourites Cuba, who have won a remarkable 25 World Cups from 36 previous campaigns

"The world championships are very tough" Deeble said
"You look at all these countries where baseball's their number one sport
I think people really underestimate how well we do being a sport that's probably ranked eighth or ninth or tenth in Australia
For what we've achieved and what we do, we do a bloody good job"

Deeble has a difficult assignment to get the team firing on all cylinders, having just a matter of days with the squad before the tournament starts
"It's the same as the Olympics
We're probably going to have four days" he said
"It makes it very tough just because of the fact that all our kids are in America and Japan
"Things have really changed over the last few years
It's really at the point where they're all professionals the kids"

Australia will get an early indication of their world championship hopes when they face reigning champions Cuba in their opening game on November 7

Australian Squad