With 3 or perhaps 4 new free agents available to pick from before Sunday’s final Hunlock Series games, the decisions to be made by the managers could be critical.
There was a late twist in relation to the picking of these free agents. Over the last few weeks the original order from the draft has been maintained with each team taking their turn every week to select new free agents becoming available. For this final week, the picking order was changed to resemble the picking order adopted by MLB giving teams which have finished last to pick first. White Lightning which is at the bottom of the standings has been given the first pick. Third-placed Blue Dogs will have the second pick, second-placed Black Widows will pick third and the leading Roosters will pick last.
At the time of writing this report there were 3 new free agents available to pick from, with possibility of a fourth free agent becoming available.
Catcher, Xavier Gonzalez, is hoping to challenge for a place with the Herts Falcons in the NBL next season and this Sunday he will have the opportunity to make his debut and impress the coaches who are already planning for 2013. Gonzalez is 23 years old and has played for the Spain National Team at junior and senior level, but the highest point of his career so far came when he was 17 years old and was offered a contract by the Minnesota Twins, which we understand was as part of the Twins’ farm system.
John Jansson, father of Herts U17 player, Tom Jansson-Wright and a member of the coaching staff of the Herts U14 team has also become available as a free agent. Will he be picked by the Black Widows to make it a father-and-son combination?
Serge Plata has moved to Hertfordshire and has just made contact with the club looking to be part of the Herts organisation in 2013. He is a Mexican-American in his 30s who has played at the high school level back in the USA. He is a shortstop.
We also understand that Herts Falcons left-handed pitcher, Matt Spaulding, may be available as a free agent in time for Sunday. White Lightning are waiting for a confirmation of his availability status before deciding which free agent to select with their first pick.