Baseball: Diamond Blacks in search of hot prospects

Jax Ryan, Katikati 9-year-old, hit with plenty of power and also tied for the fastest throw on the radar gun. Photo/George Novak

A pair of national representatives put about a dozen promising young baseballers through their paces yesterday in search of diamonds in the rough at Carlton Street Reserve.

Diamond Blacks second baseman Daniel Tan and pitcher Riki Paewai - whose fastball once registered a rapid 96mph (154.5km/h) on the radar gun - led the little legion of under-12s through throwing, running and hitting drills as the search for players for the Ripken World Series continued.

Matthew Collins of Tauranga Baseball, a former winner of the World Series with the New Zealand youth softball side in 1989, believes the advantages of offering baseball as an option are just too great to pass up.

"I think it's time to give the kids another choice; there are so many pathways available to them in baseball," Collins said.

"From what you can see today, we have two New Zealand baseball players who are full-time and get paid - I'm not sure if any softballers get that."

Collins was impressed with the talent on display, with a couple of powerful young arms hitting 51mph on the radar gun raising more than the odd eyebrow among scouts and parents alike. "There's some good talent ... We've got a kid here who has played 120 games a year - he just came over from America.

"These young kids can really play - a lot of them are from Te Puna. They swing the bat every day."

Collins' plans to grow the game include primary schools building diamonds and switching from a softball to a baseball when playing T Ball.

Players also had their speed to first base and over the 40m dash timed, and were put through hitting drills to gauge hand-eye co-ordination.

With a number of high-profile softballers having defected to the great American pastime due to the opportunities it presents, the scene is set for baseball to continue its recent surge in popularity.

Training sessions will be held at the Carlton Street Reserve each Tuesday from 4pm.