Herts baseball fans followed the playoff race this season while keeping one eye on the German Bundesliga where 2013 Herts Falcons MVP, Xavi Gonzalez, reached the semi-final after his transfer to the Stuttgart Reds.
News has just emerged that the 2012 Herts Falcons MVP, Ryan Bird, is making news across the Atlantic with the Mayfair Fighting Irish in the Greater Philadelphia Men’s Adult Baseball League (GPMABL). The 3-time National Baseball League started the season with the Herts Falcons, but his move to the USA meant that British baseball had to begin search for a new Ryan Bird. He marked his final game for the Falcons with a towering home run against the London Mets. It looks like his excellent performances continue in America.
He made his debut for the Mayfair Fighting Irish on 8 June 2014 going 2-for-5 and driving in a run against the Quad County Brawlers. Since then he has been producing phenomenal numbers which has moved him to the top in some of the key statistical rankings. At .529 Ryan Bird has the second highest batting average in the whole league (159 players). The Mayfair Fighting Irish must have seen his impressive pitching stats in the British leagues and have added Bird to their pitching staff. He currently has one of the lowest ERAs (1.10) in the whole league.
Ryan Bird’s view from the dugout during the GPMABL 2014 All Star Game
Despite arriving partway through the season, his performances earned him a place in the League’s All-Star game which was played last week at Frawley Stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, which is the Single-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals.
Herts fans enjoy seeing updates about former players making news across the globe and we will keep you informed about Ryan Bird, Xavi Gonzalez, Riley Fisher and other Herts players who have moved on to other parts of the world.