Ever since the announcement of GB slugger Maikel Azcuy joining the Herts Falcons, the club has been buzzing with anticipation. Can he help the team get back in the title race? Which spot will he take in the batting order? Will the Grovehill Ballpark outfield dimensions suit him? These are just some of the questions ahead of the new season, but there is also a NBL record on the line. Azcuy currently has 33 career NBL home runs and in 2015 he could potentially overtake the all-time record-holder Simon Pole who is on 35.

We all remember the excitement of the home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa as well as Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron’s record 733 MLB career home runs. Azcuy versus Pole is unlikely to get the same media coverage, but it will be followed with interest by fans of British baseball.

Little-known incident dating back to 2011 didn’t generate much media coverage at the time, but it has suddenly gained significance now that Maikel Azcuy has joined Herts and is so close to breaking the record. The Falcons were the visitors on a hot day in Croydon as they faced the Pirates in a key NBL doubleheader. Maikel Azcuy was playing third base for the Croydon Pirates. Lee Manning, was the catcher for the Falcons on the day and, as the Herts Falcons manager, Azcuy will be playing under Manning’s management in 2015. We spoke with both of them to help us reconstruct the incident.

What do you remember from that NBL game between the Croydon Pirates and Herts Falcons in 2011?

Lee Manning: I remember it like it was yesterday. Jose (Sosa) was on the mound for Croydon sitting us down in order. It was a tight ball game and Maikel was a hard out, as he always is. I think this play was the only time we got him out the whole day. I was catching and called for a low outside curve. It was a ball low and away. Maikel crushed the ball over the right field wall. The Pirates went crazy as the ball landed in the car park – a massive homer. As he was rounding the bases I nicely asked the umpire to watch him touch the bases and home. When he came home his teammates were jumping all over him and home plate, like he just hit the game-winning dinger in game seven of the World Series. We made the appeal and I think the umpire called him out on a rule about the on-deck batter touching or entering the batter’s box before the hitter crossed the plate. We went on to win the game by one run. I must say that Maikel was class. He sat down and let his manager do the talking. I apologised after. He didn’t seem to mind and we had a laugh about it.

Maikel Azcuy: What I remember most from that game is that I hit a home run and Lee appealed because I didn’t step on the home plate. It was a really good game. The moment I hit that home run it was something special for me because we could have won the game but we lost by one run at the end.

Most players would be angry when a perfectly legitimate home run is taken away from them, but you did not dispute the decision and were the calmest player in the ballpark. How did you manage to keep your composure?

Maikel Azcuy: To be honest, I was really disappointed because I couldn’t believe the umpire called me out and took the home run away from me, especially in a situation where we could have won the game. I remember that after the home run I sat on the bench. I saw Lee and my manager talk to the umpire and then my home run was cancelled. I felt that was a bit silly because I never heard of this happening before. I stayed calm because I knew I could not do anything about it.

Maikel is one of the most liked players in the NBL and he is a rare case where opponents really like him despite the fact that he is a formidable opponent. At the time of the incident did you feel bad having to take away a perfectly legitimate home run from a nice guy like Maikel?

Lee Manning: I was interested in winning the game and I couldn’t see if he touched the plate with 12+ players jumping on top of him. I think it ended the inning and when I sat down I felt awful. I apologised once I got to third base the following inning. I’m still surprised I didn’t get beamed during my next at bat. We laughed about it after the game.

When the 2015 season starts there will be a lot of media attention to see if you will set the new all-time home run record. Is this likely to play on your mind when you step up to bat or do you have a way of separating yourself from this?

Maikel Azcuy: When the 2015 season starts I think I will be fine because I have been playing this game for a long time. Of course I am very happy to be only three home runs away from breaking the NBL home run record. I’m the kind of person who never thinks about hitting a home run when I go up to bat, because hitting a home run is difficult to predict. I’m always trying to get a good pitch and hit the ball very hard, and I’m pretty sure it will be the same next season.

Grovehill Ballpark has some of the shortest home run distances in the NBL. Where do you usually hit your home runs, left field, left-centerfield, centerfield, right-centerfield or down the right field foul line?

Maikel Azcuy: I think most of my home runs at Grovehill Ballpark were to the right-centerfield.

Lee, we know you feel bad about taking away that home run. Is there something that you as Falcons manager can do to help Maikel reach the all-time NBL home run record quicker? Perhaps bringing in the outfield wall in left field?

Lee Manning: In our ballpark I’m sure Maikel can hit double digits. We’re working hard on strengthening the team and have Cris and Jose who could hit fourth in the batting order. We need runners on the bases so the pitcher has to pitch to Maikel.

Herts have received a boost ahead of the new baseball season with the news that Sri Lanka national team player Mahendra Prasad is back in London and will be making his return in a Herts uniform.

He joined Herts in 2010. In that first season he was part of the Herts Eagles team which finished third in the Triple-A National Championships after a heartbreaking loss to the Oxford Kings. Prasad’s outstanding performances were recognised with three end-of-season awards – Home Run Champion, Outfield Gold Glove and Most Stolen Bases.

In 2011 he was added to the Herts Falcons roster in the National Baseball League. He felt very much at home moving up to Britain’s top league. In a difficult season for the Falcons, Mahendra Prasad stood out and was deservedly voted the Herts Falcons 2011 Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was also awarded the Outfield Gold Glove.

His batting average during the 2011 NBL season was .277 and on-base average of .393, slugging average .447, 5 stolen bases and 1 home run.

In 2012 Prasad left the UK, and the club has missed him, but he is back now. Defensively he will bring a gold glove to the outfield with outstanding speed and range. His speed will also help the team offensively. At first sight he may not have the body structure of a home run hitter but in previous seasons he has punished pitchers hitting one or two home runs per season. It will be interesting to see if Mahendra Prasad has changed as a player since 2011.

He will be reporting for Spring Training shortly where he will see many familiar faces, and some new ones.

Xavi Gonzalez played only one season for the Herts Falcons but that was enough to establish himself as one of the top players not just for Herts but in the whole of the National Baseball League. But it wasn’t just his performances on the field which endeared him to everyone connected with Herts. He also had a very positive influence off the field.

He spent the 2014 season playing for the Stuttgart Reds in the Bundesliga reaching the playoff semi-final – the club’s highest achievement in its history.

Despite being far away, Gonzalez has kept closely in touch with Herts and we understand Pau Sancho chose the Herts Falcons on his recommendation. Obviously, Sancho’s personal circumstances changed a few weeks ago so it looks like we will not see him in a Herts uniform this season, but despite this it will mean a lot to Herts fans that Xavi Gonzalez is thinking of Herts and looking for ways to support the club despite being far away.

We had a chance to speak with Xavi Gonzalez on these and other topics ahead of the 2015 season.

In 2014 you played your first season in the German Bundesliga. How does baseball in Germany compare to the other countries you played in?

Xavi Gonzalez: Baseball is the same everywhere but the Germans are starting to create their own way of playing and I think they have the potential to achieve great success.

We understand this was Stuttgart’s most successful season in their history. What were the key changes they made to achieve this? Was it the addition of high-profile players? Was it the coach bringing the best out of the team or perhaps it was the whole baseball community in Stuttgart getting together and making a big push?

Xavi Gonzalez: Yes, it was. I think one of the keys was that regardless of the score, we kept fighting to the last out of the game. During the regular season we did not lose games which we were expected to win. I must say that none of the teams in our league were easy to play against.

The Stuttgart community played a big part. They came together and supported us in every game. Our club had the second highest attendance. Only the champions, Solingen, attracted more fans. I am very proud to have represented them.

If the British Baseball leagues and clubs made a big push to grow and develop, how many years would it take to catch up with Germany?

Xavi Gonzalez: This is very difficult to predict because there are many factors which could have an effect. Baseball needs time to develop and grow among youth and adult players. From my time in the British leagues I saw that the British Baseball Federation and the clubs are ambitious and want to grow. Herts Baseball Club is a good example. I think it is on the right track not only to grow further but to be one of the most successful clubs in the UK.

Which areas should British clubs and the league focus on to achieve this e.g. invest in ballparks, coaches, high-profile players, youth baseball, better community engagement or something else?

Xavi Gonzalez: Ballparks, quality foreign players who also work as coaches, and, very importantly, work with schools to introduce baseball to kids.

What are your plans for the 2015 season? Are you staying with the Reds?

Xavi Gonzalez: I will be with the Stuttgart Reds in 2015.

If British baseball catches up and is able to match or beat the financial conditions offered by the German clubs, could we see Xavi Gonzalez back in a Herts uniform in the next few years?

Xavi Gonzalez: Why not? I still have my Herts jersey.

NBL 2015 SCHEDULE

The BBF has published the 2015 NBL games schedule and the Herts Falcons will open their season at home on 12 April.  Unlike previous seasons, three teams will be in action at Grovehill Ballpark in Hemel Hempstead. Herts Falcons will get the season started at 10:30am against the South London Pirates.  The Pirates will then play the Southampton Mustangs at 1pm.  The third and final game of the day will be the Falcons versus the Mustangs at 3pm.  Herts Spring League organisers are currently checking how this will affect the Herts Spring League plans. At the same time over at Farnham Park, the other three NBL teams, Essex Arrows, London Mets and Bracknell Blazers, will face each other in a similar triple-header.

NBL EXPANSION IN 2016

It has also been revealed that Brighton’s resurgent baseball programme has confirmed an intention to re-enter the NBL in 2016. We understand the BBF hopes to gradually build the number of teams in its pinnacle competition though improvement in teams at AAA level and the emergence of new teams and clubs. This certainly is positive news and hopefully the BBF can achieve a rapid expansion.  As we mentioned in one of our recent articles, an NBL made up of between 12 or 16 teams would seem to be a reasonable target in the coming years if it is going to compete with growing leagues such as the German Bundesliga which currently has 15 teams in its top league tier.

BBF CUP

The BBF announcement also reveals the launch of a new concept for British Baseball, the BBF Cup, the first officially-sanctioned Cup Tournament to be run in the modern era. The BBF Cup will involve games between teams from the National Baseball League (NBL) and the AAA South division, drawn at random as in football’s FA Cup. This should create some great match-ups between old foes as well as creating new rivalries.  This implies that the Herts Eagles who will be playing in the Triple-A League this year could face NBL opponents along the way, including a potential Herts derby versus the Falcons.

Cup games will take place over three weekends during the season, with the Cup Final being played in September after the National Baseball Championships (NBCs). The opportunity for the Federation to launch the BBF Cup has come about because of a reduced number of teams this year in the NBL, leaving room in the schedule for more games. The BBF will make an announcement shortly on the scope of the BBF Cup in 2015, the dates involved, and how the competition will fit into the NBL and AAA South schedules. The BBF Board hopes that the Cup competition will add interest to the season and draw fans from different areas to watch games between teams that don’t normally get to play each other. The Board will look to expand the BBF Cup to the other AAA divisions next season.