Marauders Latimore Tearing Up Australian Baseball League

BRADENTON--Quincy Latimore isn’t sitting at home during the fall and winter waiting for spring training to begin. He’s down under lighting up pitchers in the Australian Baseball League. Playing for the Adelaide Bite, the Bradenton Marauders' outfielder is leading the ABL with 4 homers, 13 RBI and 35 total bases in just 43 at-bats and is second with an .814 slugging percentage.

Quincy Latimore's team in the ABL

Quincy Latimore had a solid season for the Marauders in 2010, helping them get to the playoffs in the club's first year of existence. He batted .266 with 19 home runs and a league leading 100 RBI. However, his 136 strikeouts in 518 plate appearances were a concern for the Pirates organization who want the 21 year old to develop better hitting discipline for next season.

The Australian Baseball League started earlier this month and is jointly funded by Major League Baseball and the Australian federal government. The original ABL lasted from 1989 to 1999. Rather than following more traditional models of the franchises being owned privately by individuals or organizations, the league is the owner of each team and all players are paid by the league.

Quincy Latimore

The ABL will play a 10 week, 40 game schedule running from November through January during the spring and summer in Australia. There are six teams in the league: Adelaide Bite, Brisbane Bandits, Canberra Cavalry, Melbourne Aces, Perth Heat and Sydney Blue Sox.

Quincy Latimore along with Marauder teammates Starling Marte and Robbie Grossman are three of the parent club Pittsburgh Pirates’ hottest prospects playing in the Florida State League. Playing in the ABL will give the Bradenton outfielder the work and game experience he needs to develop as a more disciplined hitter and improve his outfield play for next year and probable promotion to the double A Altoona Curve.

A report on the ABL by Australian One television is posted below.