Perth 'team to beat' in new ABL season

Inaugural champions Perth Heat’s recruitment of reigning MVP Jamie McOwens adds to high expectations when the Australian Baseball League season starts on Thursday.

The Heat bullied their way to the title last year on the back of one of the most aggressive hitting line-ups in the league.

And in a case of the rich getting richer, they’ve upgraded their roster in a big way by nabbing American outfielder McOwens from last season’s championship series rival Adelaide Bite.

The man with most reason to be upset about the move, Adelaide Bite boss Tony Harris, admits that it makes the Heat even more formidable.

“It’s definitely a plus for Perth for Jamie to go there,” Harris said ahead of his side’s season-opening clash with the Heat.

“Jamie’s a great ball player and an exciting ball player. Good for them.”

The Heat triumphed over the Bite in the last championship when their offence exploded in games two and three.

Harris, whose team travels to Perth for the ABL season opener on November 3, has no doubts about who deserves early title favouritism.

“Obviously Perth are the benchmark, they’re the championship team, they set the benchmark last year,” he said.

“I don’t think they were the team throughout the whole year but they hit their straps at the right time and proved to be the best club at the appropriate time of the season.

“But hopefully we’ve put together a ball club that is going to one-up them.”

Perth manager Brooke Knight says he has worked hard to eliminate any complacency in an effort to go back-to-back and has great confidence in his roster.

“If you had a preferred position coming into a season this is the one you want to be in, right? With a chance to defend something,” Knight said.

“You can only do so much as a coach, but if you’ve got two or three key guys who really believe in winning you always give yourself a chance.

“Guys that win, they like to win. That’s just the way it is. And if you’ve got a few of those guys who are really focussed on really thriving and beating everyone, then you’re in a good spot.

“And I think we’ve got quite a few of those guys.”

Glamour club Sydney Blue Sox should again be major factors in the season, having added American minor league manager Kevin Boles to their coaching staff while maintaining the core of last season’s impressive roster.

Knight expects the biggest competition to emerge from the Blue Sox and the Bite, while Melbourne can never be ruled out with a classy roster stacked with veterans.

Canberra are expected to battle after losing quality imports Donald Lutz and DiDi Gregorious and may struggle building chemistry in the early rounds with a host of new names joining the club.

Brisbane, meanwhile, enter the new year as the wildcard of the league.

They’re the youngest team with the most potential improvement in them, but experience in baseball is invaluable and new manager Kevin Jordan has a big job ahead.