1997–98 Melbourne Reds season

The 1997-98 Melbourne Reds season was the eighth season for the team. As was the case for the Red's previous seasons they competed in the Australian Baseball League (ABL).

1997–98 Melbourne Reds season

Season: 1997–98 Australian Baseball League season
Team Details
League	Australian Baseball League
City	Melbourne, Victoria
Ballpark	Moorabbin Oval
Management
Manager	Tom Nieto
Owner	Geoff Pearce
General Manager	Tony Peek
Assistant GM	Andy Karetsky Paul Tierney
← 1996–97 1998–99 →

Regular season

Standings

Key

†	Clinched final berth

1997-98 regular season standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Melbourne Monarchs^†	32	20	.615	–	–	–
Sydney Storm^†	32	22	.593	1	–	–
Melbourne Reds^†	30	21	.588	1​^1⁄2	–	–
Gold Coast Cougars^†	31	22	.585	1​^1⁄2	–	–
Perth Heat	30	23	.566	2​^1⁄2	–	–
Adelaide Giants	26	27	.491	6​^1⁄2	–	–
Brisbane Bandits	20	33	.333	12​^1⁄2	–	–
Hunter Eagles	10	43	.189	22​^1⁄2	–	–

Record vs opponents

Opponent	W–L Record	Largest Victory			Largest Defeat			Current Streak
		Score	Date	Ground	Score	Date	Ground
Adelaide Giants	5-2	11–2	27 January 1998	Moorabbin Oval	4-5	16 January 1998	Norwood Oval	L1
Brisbane Bandits	7–1	20–7	22 November 1997	ANZ Stadium	7–11	22 November 1997	ANZ Stadium	W7
Gold Coast Cougars	4–3	10–6	7 November 1997	Carrara Oval	3–6	7 November 1997	Carrara Oval	L1
Hunter Eagles	7–1	17–7	19 December 1997	Marathon Stadium	4–5	19 December 1997	Marathon Stadium	W3
Melbourne Monarchs	3–6	8–2	2 November 1997	Moorabbin Oval	4–14	10 January 1998	Moorabbin Oval	W1
Perth Heat	2–4	8–3	27 December 1997	WACA	6–13	26 December 1997	WACA	L2
Sydney Storm	2–4	13–4	1 February 1998	Concord Oval	4–8	5 January 1998	Moorabbin Oval	W1
Total	30–21	Brisbane Bandits			Melbourne Monarchs			W1
		20–7	22 November 1997	ANZ Stadium	4–14	10 January 1998	Moorabbin Oval

Game log

W	Reds win
L	Reds loss
T	Reds tie
	Game postponed
Bold	Reds team member

1997-98 Game Log
October # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref 1 31 October Monarchs 6–8 0-1
November # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref 2 1 November (DH 1) @ Monarchs 6–10 0-2 3 1 November (DH 2) @ Monarchs 2–7 0-3 4 2 November Monarchs 8–2 1-3 5 7 November (DH 1) @ Cougars 3–6 1-4 6 7 November (DH 2) @ Cougars 10–6 2-4 7 8 November (DH 1) @ Cougars 4–5 2-5 8 8 November (DH 2) @ Cougars Wash Out 2-5 9 14 November Cougars 4–1 3-5 [1] 10 15 November (DH 1) Cougars 6–2 4-5 [1] 11 15 November (DH 2) Cougars 3–2 5-5 [1] 12 16 November Cougars 1–2 5-6 [1] 13 21 November @ Bandits 7–11 5-7 [2] 14 22 November (DH 1) @ Bandits 20–7 6-7 [2] 15 22 November (DH 2) @ Bandits 12–7 7-7 [2] 16 23 November @ Bandits 12–8 8-7 [2] 17 28 November Bandits 12–8 9-7 [3] 18 29 November (DH 1) Bandits 12–1 10-7 [3] 19 29 November (DH 2) Bandits 11–7 11-7 [3] 20 30 November Bandits 11–7 12-7 [3]
December # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref 21 5 December Eagles 2–1 13-7 [4] 22 6 December(DH 1) Eagles 10–6 14-7 [4] 23 6 December (DH 2) Eagles 7–6 15-7 [4] 24 7 December Eagles 8–1 16-7 [4] 25 19 December (DH 1) @ Eagles 4–5 16-8 [5] 26 19 December (DH 2) @ Eagles 17–7 17-8 [5] 27 21 December (DH 1) @ Eagles 8–7 18-8 [5] 28 21 December (DH 2) @ Eagles 7–0 19-8 [5] 29 26 December (DH 1) @ Heat 6–13 19-9 [6] 30 26 December (DH 2) @ Heat 0–1 19-10 [6] 31 27 December (DH 1) @ Heat 3–2 20-10 [6] 32 27 December (DH 2) @ Heat 8–3 21-10 [6]
January # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref 33 3 January Storm 1–4 21-11 34 4 January Storm 10–1 22-11 35 5 January Storm 4–8 22-12 36 8 January Monarchs 2–6 22-13 37 9 January Monarchs 7–3 23-13 38 10 January Monarchs 4–14 23-14 39 16 January (DH 1) @ Giants 4–5 23-15 [7] 40 16 December (DH 2) @ Giants 10–6 24-15 [7] 41 17 January (DH 1) @ Giants 10–8 25-15 [7] 42 17 December (DH 2) @ Giants 11–10 26-15 [7] 43 22 January Heat 0–2 26-16 44 23 January Heat 6–9 26-17 45 24 January Heat No Result 26-17 46 26 January Giants 1–0 27-17 47 27 January Giants 11–2 28-17 48 28 January Giants 5–6 28-18 49 31 January @ Storm 11–14 28-19
February # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref 50 1 February @ Storm 13–4 29-19 51 2 February @ Storm 9–10 29-20 52 5 February @ Monarchs 4–5 29-21 [8] 53 6 February @ Monarchs 5–4 30-21 [8] 54 7 February @ Monarchs Wash Out 30-21 [8]

Postseason

Finals Series at Melbourne Ballpark

In previous years the post season was played as home and away best of 3 games, with the two winner of each series meeting for a best of 5 series{fact}, in 1997-98 this was changed to a round robin play-off format with each team playing 3 games, 1 against each of the other 3 qualified teams, with the two highest places teams playing off in the Championship Series.[9]

All games for the 9th ABL title were played at the Melbourne Ballpark from February, 10-12 with the best of three championship series February 14–15.[9]

Finals Series (Reds games)

Full series results

Game 2: 10 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	18	?	?
Sydney Storm	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Reds: ? Storm: ?

Game 4: 11 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Gold Coast Cougars	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	1	?	?
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	2	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Cougars: ? Reds: ?

Game 6: 12 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Monarchs	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	12	?	?
Melbourne Reds	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	5	?	?
WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Monarchs: ? Reds: ?

Postseason Ladder

Key

†	Clinched Championship series berth

1997-98 postseason season standings

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	For	Against
Melbourne Reds^†	2	1	.667	-	25	18
Gold Coast Cougars^†	2	1	.667	-	16	13
Melbourne Monarchs	1	2	.333	1	18	17
Sydney Storm	1	2	.333	1	16	27

Game 1: 14 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Gold Coast Cougars	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	3	?	?
Melbourne Reds	1	0	0	0	2	0	1	0	-	4	?	?
WP: David White (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ? Home runs: Cougars: - Reds: Shane Hogan (1)

Game 2: 15 February 1998

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Melbourne Reds	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3	0	4	6	?
Gold Coast Cougars	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	?	?
WP: Jason Beverlin (1-0)   LP: Paxton Crawford (0-1)   Sv: - Home runs: Reds: Shane Hogan (1), Myles Barnden (1) Cougars: -

ABL awards

Award	Name	Stat	ref
Manager of the Year	Tom Nieto		[10]
All-Star Game Home Run King	Chris Ashby		[10]
Championship Series MVP	Shane Hogan		[10]

All-stars

Position	Name	ref
1st Base	Adam Burton	[10]
Short Stop	Ben Utting	[10]
Manager	Tom Nieto	[10]

Reds Awards

Award	Name	Stat	ref
Batting Champion	Adam Burton	.388 (165 At Bats)	[10]
RBI Champion	Adam Burton	55	[10]
Home Run King	Adam Burton	21	[10]
Base Path Pirate	Adam Burton	18 of 19	[10]
Pitching Champion	Pat Ahearne	3.36ERA 3–4, 56.1IP	[10]
Pitching Workhorse	Jason Beverlin	72.1IP 2–4, 6.22	[10]
Strikeout King	Jason Beverlin	67	[10]
Sigh of Relief	David Simpson David White	2 Saves	[10]

Roster

Melbourne Reds roster - 1997–98 ABL
Active roster				Coaching Staff
Pitchers Right-handed pitchers 52 Jason Beverlin 49 Jason Blejwas 15 Michael Crooks    Andrew Fennell 27 Matthew Gourlay 24 Lee Hogan 41 Rob Hogan 37 Warren May 10 David Simpson 29 Sloan Smith 28 Ben Smith 36 Jarrod Warner    David White Left-handed pitchers 44 Ben Donald    Ryan Francis 25 Rikki Johnston		Catchers 34 Mark Cater  8 Scott Dawes  7 Andrew Utting Infielders 14 Chris Ashby 22 Myles Barnden 20 Adam Burton    Ross Cameron 16 Shane Hogan 26 Jeff Spencer 30 Ben Utting Outfielders    Glynn Kimberley 35 Glen Reeves 46 Derek Shumpert 18 Paul Weichard 19 Darren White		Manager -- Tom Nieto Coaches -- David Clarkson -- Gavin Marshall
Current as of February 1998.[11]

References

1. "Reds Savage Cougars". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
2. "Reds On a Roll". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
3. "Reds Rout Bandits". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
4. "Reds Sweep Hunter". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
5. "Reds Clip Eagles". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
6. "Reds Draw with Perth". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
7. "Reds Back On Top". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
8. "Reds March to Playoffs". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
9. "FAI Cup Pitches new finals format and all star competition as baseball bats up for the summer of 1997/1998". Press Release. Australian Baseball League. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
10. "1997/98 MELBOURNE REDS". Waverley Baseball Club. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
11. "Melbourne Reds Roster". Melbourne Reds. Archived from the original on 30 June 1998. Retrieved 19 November 2012.