Australian Baseball League

BUSAN, South Korea - After an impressive opening series sweep of the Adelaide Bite presented by SA Power Networks, the Alcohol. Think Again Perth Heat are headed to Busan, Korea to represent Australia and the ABL brought to you by "Be the Influence: Tackling Binge Drinking" in the prestigious Asia Series.

As the two-time reigning ABL champions, the Heat will compete against the champions of the second largest pro sports league in the world, Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as well as the Korea Baseball Organisation (KBO), the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) and the China Baseball League (CBL).  

The six competing teams are divided into two pools (A and B) and the team with the highest winning percentage from each pool will advance to the championship game, held on Sunday 11 November at 14:00.

The Heat will have the opportunity to showcase the high quality of Australian baseball while playing in front of tens of thousands of fans and television viewers reaching into the tens of millions.

All games will be played at Sajik Baseball Stadium, home of the KBO’s Lotte Giants. Perth will take on the host club on Thursday 8 November at 18:00 and then face the NPB’s Yomiuri Giants the following day, Friday 9 November at 12:00. The Yomiuri Giants were crowned champions of the Japan Series last Saturday for the 22nd time in franchise history.

In preparation for the Asia Series, the Heat revamped their roster with recent additions to their lineup. Baltimore Orioles imports Steve Bumbry (OF) and Michael Ohman (1B/C) arrived Sunday in Perth, just a day before turning around to head for Korea.

Another key addition for the Heat staff will be Korean hero Dae-Sung Koo. The lefty legend, who has pitched for MLB’s New York Mets, will also bring experience from his time playing with the KBO and the NPB. Australian baseball fans will recognize him from his two seasons with the Sydney Blue Sox, where he tallied up 12 saves with an impressive 1.00 ERA in 2010-2011, earning him the title of Reliever of the Year.

Baseball Operations Lachlan Dale said, "It's great to have a talent such as Koo on our roster. He is a national hero in Korea and I'm sure he'll add quality to our bullpen."

The Heat are optimistic that their return to the Asia Series will be successful due to their previous experience in the tournament, team chemistry, impressive domestic talent and strong imports. Their ultimate goal is to bring the title of Asia’s best to Australia, as well as the 1 billion Won (roughly AUD $885,000) cash prize.

Perth's Asia Series Roster

Pools and Schedule

▶ Pool A: CBA, CPBL, KBO 1 (champion team)

▶ Pool B: ABL-Perth Heat, NPB-Yomiuri Giants, KBO 2-Lotte Giants (host team)

*Times listed locally for Busan, Korea