WBC Recap - GB warm up against the Brewers
This was the first chance to see the GB Baseball team in action and the first visit to an MLB spring training facility for fans.
First of all we want to thank the Brewers for their hospitality and their genuine interest in British baseball. All the GB fans there were made to feel extremely welcome.
The GB team were in the middle of BP on one of the four training fields on site when we arrived. It was impressive to watch them work.
Once they had completed their hitting, they were happy to share some time with the many British fans who had made the trip.
As well as being great players, it was clear they were totally committed to doing the best they could in the GB jersey and were clearly delighted to see the British fans.
Gavin Marshall, the first born and bred British player to get a professional contract in the US summed up the pride in the players perfectly.
“The best moment from the World Baseball Classic for me was when I was able to address the players and tell them about the history of British Baseball, the honour I had from carrying the flag for two decades and asking them to continue flying the British flag for them, their support teams and the whole British Baseball Family back home,” said Gavin as he recently looked backed on the tournament.
What was really striking was the quality of the facilities. There were four full size training fields, all beautifully manicured, bullpens galore and of course the necessary batting cages.
Replicating something like that in Great Britain would obviously require a massive investment in time, money and possibly land.
However if we are to improve our facilities, either at Farnham Park or at regional hubs across the country or a combination of both, we need to seriously look at how we can develop baseball facilities across the country.
That includes working with clubs, BSUK and GB Baseball to develop a long term strategy that is deliverable through a sustainable business model.
