{"id":21129,"date":"2019-02-17T11:27:20","date_gmt":"2019-02-17T11:27:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=21129"},"modified":"2019-02-17T11:27:52","modified_gmt":"2019-02-17T11:27:52","slug":"british-baseball-beat-2019-preparations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/baseballgb.co.uk\/?p=21129","title":{"rendered":"British Baseball Beat: 2019 Preparations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

As MLB teams look ahead to starting Spring Training games this week, so baseball clubs across the British Isles continue with their 2019 season preparations on and off the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few notes from around the leagues (I’ll write a separate blog about the recent GB baseball funding news in the next few days).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Irish British Baseball Cup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pretty much every comment about British baseball this year can be framed in the context of the publicty benefits that the MLB London Series will bring. The more events that can be put on the better and the BBF have started well with the inaugural Irish British Baseball Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event will see reigning Irish Baseball champions the Dublin City Hurricanes travelling to Farnham Park to take on the reigning NBL champions the London Mets to open the season on Saturday 6 April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/jwflIYBlEW0\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those unable to make it to Farnham can watch live (or on-demand) via the impressive BBF YouTube live stream game coverage. It will be interesting to see how the two teams stack up against each other, albeit for practical reasons just in a single nine-inning game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that the game will come barely a week after our supposed Brexit date may add a little more to the mix, hopefully in a positive publicity way in a British\/EU coming-together rather than negative publicity in it being called off with our beloved Government not letting EU nationals in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BBF Leagues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We can be certain that the London Mets will be defending their NBL crown once again, but we’ll be waiting a little while longer to see how the rest of the clubs and leagues will shape up as plans and fixture lists are put together following the 31 January BBF registration deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We do know that the ever-progressive Herts Baseball Club took a Luniz approach to their submission by putting five on it<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Pop culture aside: I remember that song coming out in 1995 and in looking it up for this reference realise that, in all my youthful naivety, I was completely oblivious to what the song was about!). <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We knew Herts had plans to launch a new club in North West London and it turns out that not only will the Herts Londoners be bringing Triple-A baseball to their Basing Hill Ballpark, but the Herts Eagles name will be back in British baseball and offering Single-A baseball there too. That’s great news and provide yet another route for people in the capital inspired by the London Series to give baseball a go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 is a magic number for Bristol <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bristol are another club expanding for 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

We are delighted that we have added a third team to the club – Bristol Buccaneers @BritishBaseball<\/a> @swbleague<\/a> @bsuk<\/a> @geoff20man<\/a> @swsportsnews<\/a> @mtannersports<\/a> #baseball<\/a> #bristol<\/a> @SomerPavilion<\/a> @NeilMaggs2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/dULNDLwofB<\/a><\/p>— Bristol Baseball Club (@BristolBaseball) January 27, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>