One pitcher with Major League Baseball experience and eight other players with Minor League time are the features of the New Zealand Diamondblacks squad named to compete at a World Baseball Classic Qualifying tournament for the second time in four years.
Cleveland Indians pitcher Nick Maronde, who pitched in three separate seasons for the Los Angeles Angels is the marquee name on the 28-man roster named by Diamondblacks manager Chris Woodward to prepare for February's World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Sydney.
"With Nick heading a mix of youth and experience on the pitching staff, which is missing Pittsburgh Pirates reliever John Holdzkom, who is unavailable, we still have a good group to go head to head with our opponents," said Woodward." We'll obviously miss the veteran arm of John's brother Lincoln, (tragically killed in a recent car accident) when we hit Sydney too, but I'm confident in this group of ballplayers, many of whom I've coached in recent years."
Other features of the roster see the return to the diamond of former Blue Jays Triple-A player Scott Campbell, along with other 2012 veterans Riki Paewai (San Diego Padres), Andrew Marck (Brisbane Bandits), Jamie Wilson (Okotoks Dawgs, Canada), Te Wera "Beau" Bishop (Boston Red Sox and Milwaukee Brewers), Boss and Moko Moanaroa (both Boston Red Sox), Alan Schoenberger (Philadelphia Phillies & Brisbane Bandits), Daniel Lamb-Hunt (Brisbane Bandits & Bonn Capitals, Germany), Daniel Bradley (Missouri Baptist University), Tim Auty (Seattle Mariners & Sydney Blue Sox), Joe Boyce (Everett College, Seattle) and talented centre fielder Max Brown (Arizona Diamondbacks).
"Obviously the loss of the Holdzkom's will hit us hard, but there are plenty of other veteran players in this side that can pick up the rest of the team and help the younger members through," said Woodward, adding, "I'm excited at the roster we've been able to put together and really believe we have a chance to make a little noise."