Ex-MLB pitcher is eyeing a role in NZ
Josh Collmenter needs no prompting to choose the most memorable strikeout of his Major League Baseball career.
Making his debut for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants in 2011, the teams were locked at 5-5 at the top of the 11th inning when a then 25-year-old Collmenter got the call from the bullpen.
After getting centrefielder Darren Ford and catcher Buster Posey to ground out, he blew the imposing figure of Pablo Sandoval away, getting the Giants’ third baseman to swing at a cut fastball high and outside.
His first inning in the majors was perfect. He followed it up with a 1-2-3 inning in the 12th, and won.
Collmenter went on to play in 214 MLB games between the Diamondbacks and Atlanta Braves, starting 78 of those. He posted a career record of 38-35, with an earned run average of 3.64 and had two seasons in which he struck out 100 or more hitters.
It’s quite the re´sume´, and now the 32-year-old is looking to make his mark on the New Zealand scene.
Collmenter is expected to be one of the first players signed to the proposed Auckland-based professional team vying for a place as one of two expansion teams to join the Australian Baseball League (ABL).
Baseball New Zealand will sign off on their bid to join the ABL tomorrow, with the ABL then expected to announce their decision on Wednesday or Thursday.
Although no players can be officially signed until the team is confirmed, Collmenter said he had spoken to BNZ chief executive Ryan Flynn about coming down under to play. Collmenter hit free agency late in 2017, but with the game turning towards younger players, there was not a lot of opportunity for him to continue his craft in the United States. “I started looking internationally,” he said. Despite being unable to officially commit to play for the Aucklandbased ABL franchise, Collmenter will get involved with BNZ in a coaching role, taking over as pitching coach for the New Zealand under-15 development team headed to Taiwan.
“I met Ryan and talked to him. We were initially talking about the potential Australian Baseball League team.
“He was just talking about getting a chance to get to know the country and people and baseball culture there, and potentially coach this team. I looked at it as a great opportunity to familiarise myself with New Zealand and some of the people I’d be working with.”
The idea of getting stuck into a role with such raw talent was an exciting one for the seven-year MLB veteran. He’ll work with the squad before the team sets off for a series of games and a national tournament early in July.