# 1998–99 Australian Baseball League season

The 1998–99 Australian Baseball League season was the 10th season of the original Australian Baseball League, contested between six teams representing state and regional capitals: Adelaide Giants, Gold Coast Cougars, Melbourne Monarchs, Melbourne Reds, Perth Heat and Sydney Storm. The championship was won by the Gold Coast Cougars, who defeated the Sydney Storm in 2 games in the championship series at the Sydney Showground Stadium. The Adelaide Giants finished the season on top of the ladder but were knocked out in Semi-final 1 by the Sydney Storm.
All play-off games in the 1998–99 ABL season were held at the then-recently completed Sydney Showground, which was to become the main venue for baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
1998–99 was the final season of the original Australian Baseball League. At the completion of the season the rights to the league were purchased by Dave Nilsson who then attempted to form the International Baseball League of Australia.

## Teams

Only 6 of the 8 teams from the previous season returned, The Hunter Eagles and Brisbane Bandits were both unable to continue in the league due to increasing financial pressure.

### Rosters

During the regular season each team made use of an active roster of 22–24 men, with a maximum of 4 import players.

#### Sydney Storm
### Venues

Teams in the ABL :
| Team | City | State | Stadium |
| Adelaide Giants | Adelaide | South Australia | Norwood Oval |
| Gold Coast Cougars | Gold Coast | Queensland | Carrara Oval |
| Melbourne Monarchs | Melbourne | Victoria | Melbourne Ballpark |
| Melbourne Reds | Melbourne | Victoria | Moorabbin Oval |
| Perth Heat | Perth | Western Australia | Bassendean Oval |
| Sydney Storm | Sydney | New South Wales | Sydney Showground Stadium |

## Match results

Key :
| † | Clinched final berth |
Regular season standings :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Adelaide Giants$^†$ | 28 | 17 | .622 | - | 15-9 | 13–8 |
| Gold Coast Cougars$^†$ | 24 | 20 | .545 | 31⁄2 | 16–10 | 8–10 |
| Melbourne Monarchs$^†$ | 22 | 22 | .500 | 51⁄2 | 13–8 | 9–14 |
| Sydney Storm$^†$ | 21 | 22 | .488 | 6 | 13–10 | 8–12 |
| Melbourne Reds | 20 | 23 | .465 | 7 | 15–8 | 5–15 |
| Perth Heat | 17 | 28 | .378 | 11 | 12–9 | 5–19 |

## Postseason
### Finals series at Sydney Showground Stadium

The 1999 Postseason was held at the newly constructed Sydney Showground Stadium, The Showgrounds Stadium was to be the main venue for Baseball at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
The Postseason followed a 3-game Semi-final playoff format, 1st vs 4th and 2nd vs 3rd. The winners of the two Semi-finals series then played off in a 3-game Championship series.

#### Semi-final 1: 1st vs 4th
##### Game 1: 10 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Sydney Storm | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
| Adelaide Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ? | ? | ? |
| Starting pitchers: Storm: C. Anderson Giants: S. Bennett WP: C. Anderson (1–0) LP: S. Bennett (0–1) Sv: C. Lewis Home runs: Storm: G. White, C. Snelling Giants: D. Phillips Attendance: 1,500 |||||||||||||

##### Game 2: 10 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Sydney Storm | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| Adelaide Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Starting pitchers: Storm: G Glover Giants: M. Herges WP: G Glover (1–0) LP: M. Herges (0–1) Sv: G. Cassel Home runs: Storm: - Giants: - Attendance: 1,500 |||||||||||||

#### Semi-final 2: 2nd vs 3rd
##### Game 1: 11 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Melbourne Monarchs | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Gold Coast Cougars | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| WP: ? (1–0) LP: ? (0–1) Sv: ? Home runs: Monarchs: ? Cougars: ? |||||||||||||

##### Game 2: 11 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Melbourne Monarchs | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Gold Coast Cougars | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| WP: ? (1–0) LP: ? (0–1) Sv: ? Home runs: Monarchs: ? Cougars: ? |||||||||||||

### Championship Series at Sydney Showground Stadium
#### Game 1: 12 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Sydney Storm | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 | 1 |
| Gold Coast Cougars | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 1 |
| Starting pitchers: Storm: C. Lawrence Cougars: K. Calvert WP: A. Meagher (1–0) LP: G. Cassel (0–1) Sv: nill Home runs: Storm: - Cougars: R. Jonhnson, B. Pollard, P. Gorman Attendance: 3,120 |||||||||||||

#### Game 2: 12 February 1999

| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Sydney Storm | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 13 | 8 |
| Gold Coast Cougars | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | - | 14 | 9 | 1 |
| Starting pitchers: Storm: C. Lewis Cougars: P. Brassington WP: P. Brassington (1–0) LP: S. Pepper (0–1) Sv: nill Home runs: Storm: S. Tunkin, G. White (2) Cougars: S. Hinton, A. Pearce Attendance: 5,600 |||||||||||||

## Awards

| Award | Person | Team |
| Most Valuable Player | Adam BURTON | Melbourne Reds |
| Championship M.V.P. | Paul GORMAN | Gold Coast Cougars |
| Golden Glove | Gary WHITE | Sydney Storm |
| Batting Champion | Adam BURTON | Melbourne Reds |
| Pitcher of the Year | Pat Ahearne | Perth Heat |
| Rookie of the Year | Clinton BALGERA | Perth Heat |
| Manager of the Year | | |

## All-Star Team

| Position | Name | Team |
| Catcher | Gary WHITE | Sydney Storm |
| 1st Base | Andrew SCOTT | Adelaide Giants |
| 2nd Base | Adam BURTON | Melbourne Reds |
| 3rd Base | Paul GONZALEZ | Melbourne Monarchs |
| Short Stop | Matt BUCKLEY | Sydney Storm |
| Out Field | Brandon POLLARD | Gold Coast Cougars |
| Out Field | Matt Quatraro | Melbourne Reds |
| Out Field | Chip SELL | Adelaide Giants |
| Designated Hitter | Craig WATTS | Adelaide Giants |
| Starting Pitcher | Pat Ahearne | Perth Heat |
| Relief Pitcher | John CHALLINOR | Adelaide Giants |
| Manager | Tony HARRIS | Adelaide Giants |