1997–98 Sydney Storm season

The 1997–98 Sydney Storm season was the 6th season for the team, but first season known as the Storm. As was the case for the Franchises previous seasons they competed in the Australian Baseball League (ABL).

1997–98 Sydney Storm season
Season:
1997–98 Australian Baseball League season
Team Details
LeagueAustralian Baseball League
CitySydney, New South Wales
BallparkConcord Oval
← 1996–97
1998–99 →

Offseason

During the offseason the franchise changed its name from the Sydney Blues to the Sydney Storm, This was done as a result of legal action taken by Cricket NSW, Who also used the name Blues for its teams.

Regular season

Standings
Key
†Clinched final berth
1997-98 regular season standings
Team
W L Pct. GB Home Road
Melbourne Monarchs† 3220.615–––
Sydney Storm† 3222.5931––
Melbourne Reds† 3021.5881​1⁄2––
Gold Coast Cougars† 3122.5851​1⁄2––
Perth Heat 3023.5662​1⁄2––
Adelaide Giants 2627.4916​1⁄2––
Brisbane Bandits 2033.33312​1⁄2––
Hunter Eagles 1043.18922​1⁄2––

    Record vs opponents
    Opponent W–L
    Record    		 Largest Victory Largest Defeat Current
    Streak
    Score Date Ground Score Date Ground
    Adelaide Giants 5–3 6–3 Game 16 Norwood Oval 4 Runs (2) L1
    Brisbane Bandits 5–2 23–9 Game 33 Concord Oval 1–6 Game 48 ANZ Stadium L2
    Gold Coast Cougars 1–6 12–7 Game 52 Concord Oval 7–15 17 January 1998 Carrara Oval W1
    Hunter Eagles 9–1 14–3 10 January 1998 Concord Oval 4–6 Game 27 Marathon Stadium W5
    Melbourne Monarchs 5–3 18–5 7 December 1997 Concord Oval 4–8 6 December 1997 Concord Oval W1
    Melbourne Reds 4–2 8–4 5 January 1998 Moorabbin Oval 4–13 1 February 1998 Concord Oval L1
    Perth Heat 3–5 5-1 & 9-5 15 November 1997 WACA 3–10 8 November 1997 Concord Oval L2
    Total 32–22 Brisbane Bandits Melbourne Reds W2
    23–9 Game 33 Concord Oval 4–13 1 February 1998 Concord Oval

    Game log
    WStorm win
    LStorm loss
    TStorm tie
     Game postponed
    BoldStorm team member
    1997-98 Game Log
    November
    # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref
    1 1 November (DH 1) Eagles 11–10 1-0
    2 1 November (DH 2) Eagles 5–3 2-0
    3 2 November (DH 1) Eagles Re-Scheduled 2-0
    4 2 November (DH 2) Eagles Re-Scheduled 2-0
    5 7 November (DH 1) @ Heat 5–3 3-0 [1]
    6 7 November (DH 2) @ Heat 2-3 3-1 [1]
    7 8 November (DH 1) @ Heat 3-10 3-2 [1]
    8 8 November (DH 2) @ Heat 1-4 3-3 [1]
    9 15 November (DH 1) Heat 5-1 4-3 [2]
    10 15 November (DH 2) Heat 9-5 5-3 [2]
    11 16 November (DH 1) Heat 3-4 5-4 [2]
    12 16 November (DH 2) Heat 7-11 5-5 [2]
    13 @ Giants 1–5 5-6
    14 @ Giants 3–2 6-6
    15 @ Giants 5–2 7-6
    16 @ Giants 6–3 8-6
    17 Giants 6–5 9-6
    18 Giants 1–4 9-7
    19 Giants 8–7 10-7
    20 Giants 2–6 10-8
    December
    # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref
    21 5 December Monarchs 3-2 11-8
    22 6 December (DH 1) Monarchs 6-5 12-8
    23 6 December (DH 2) Monarchs 4-8 12-9
    24 7 December Monarchs 18-5 13-9
    25 @ Eagles 8–5 14-9
    26 @ Eagles 4–1 15-9
    27 @ Eagles 4–6 15-10
    28 @ Eagles Wash Out 15-10
    29 19 December @ Monarchs 5-3 16-10
    30 20 December (DH 1) @ Monarchs 3-6 16-11
    31 20 December (DH 2) @ Monarchs 0-1 16-12
    32 21 December @ Monarchs 6–5 17-12
    33 Bandits 23–9 18-12
    34 Bandits 3–2 19-12
    35 Bandits 10–0 20-12
    36 Bandits 10–7 21-12
    January
    # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref
    37 3 January @ Reds 4-1 22-12
    38 4 January @ Reds 1-10 22-13
    39 5 January @ Reds 8-4 23-13
    3 Eagles 17-14 24-13
    40 9 January Eagles 10-3 25-13
    41 10 January Eagles 14-3 26-13
    42 11 January Eagles 10-3 27-13
    43 16 January @ Cougars 12-17 27-14
    44 17 January (DH 2) @ Cougars 2-7 27-15
    45 17 January (DH 2) @ Cougars 7-15 27-16
    46 18 January @ Cougars 8-10 27-17
    47 @ Bandits 3-2 28-17
    48 @ Bandits 1-6 28-18
    49 @ Bandits 1-2 28-19
    50 Cougars 3-9 28-20
    51 Cougars 5-8 28-21
    52 Cougars 12-7 29-21
    53 31 January Reds 14–11 30-21
    February
    # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Crowd Record Ref
    54 1 February Reds 4–13 30-22
    55 2 February Reds 10-9 31-22
    4 Eagles 11-5 32-22

    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.[3]

    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.[3]

    Finals Series (Storm games)

    Full series results

    Game 2: 10 February 1998
    Team123456789RHE
    Melbourne Reds?????????18??
    Sydney Storm?????????5??
    WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ?
    Home runs:
    Reds: ?
    Storm: ?

    Game 3: 11 February 1998
    Team123456789RHE
    Melbourne Monarchs?????????1??
    Sydney Storm?????????5??
    WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ?
    Home runs:
    Monarchs: ?
    Storm: ?

    Game 5: 12 February 1998
    Team123456789RHE
    Sydney Storm?????????6??
    Gold Coast Cougars?????????8??
    WP: ? (1-0)   LP: ? (0-1)   Sv: ?
    Home runs:
    Storm: ?
    Cougars: ?

    Postseason Ladder
    Key
    †Clinched Championship series berth
    1997-98 postseason season standings
    Team
    		W L Pct. GB For Against
    Melbourne Reds† 21.667-2518
    Gold Coast Cougars† 21.667-1613
    Melbourne Monarchs 12.33311817
    Sydney Storm 12.33311627

      ABL awards
      Award Name Stat ref
      Most Valuable Player Brendan Kingman
      Golden Glove Glenn Williams
      Batting Award Brendan Kingman
      Rookie of the Year Rodney Van Buizen

      All-stars
      Position Name ref
      Catcher Gary White
      Designated Hitter Brendan Kingman

      Storm Awards
      Award Name Stat ref

      Roster
      Sydney Storm roster - 1997–98 ABL
      Active roster
      Pitchers

      Right-handed pitchers

      •    Grant Balfour
      • 27 John Boothby
      •  7 Graham Cassel
      • 28 Brent Iddon

      Left-handed pitchers

      • 11 Shane Pepper
      		Catchers

      Infielders

      Outfielders
      Current as of February 1998. Incomplete

      References
      1. "Round 2: PERTH HEAT vs SYDNEY STORM". Perth Heat. Archived from the original on 6 May 1999. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
      2. "Round 2: SYDNEY STORM vs PERTH HEAT". Perth Heat. Archived from the original on 6 May 1999. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
      3. "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.
      This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.