“Tigers identity pushing claim for national honours in baseball”
JOSH Roberts gets another chance to push his national credentials, having been named for this season’s All Stars game.
The Ipswich Musketeers star will don the Team Australia jersey for the second time when they take on Team World at Melbourne on Sunday, December 16.
Last year the Brisbane Bandits captain and two-time most valuable player hit a home run.
“It means a lot to me to represent my country,” Roberts said.
“Just putting on the green and gold uniform is always something special.
“It’s going to be a good experience again.
“Playing against the World All Stars, you’re up against the best players in the league.
“It’s going to be fun.”
For Roberts, it is also a chance to press his claims for inclusion in the Australian team to contest the World Baseball Classic (world championships).
Roberts admits it is his major goal for the season, alongside claiming an Australian Baseball League title with the Bandits.
“If you do well against the best, it always counts,” Roberts said. “But I don’t try to put too much pressure on myself.
“It’s just another game.”
Roberts can’t be far from representing Australia in a full international, with his second All Stars selection following his selection in Team Australia when they took on the Sydney Blue Sox in a three-game series before the start of this year’s ABL season.
But the WBC is a different story as all of Australia’s overseas-based players will be available for selection.
Roberts still rates his chances and believes he is starting to get some decent recognition in the game.
“I think so,” he said.
“People seem to be starting to take notice.”
If they aren’t then Roberts, at 26, has been around too long to let it affect him.
“I am who I am,” he said.
“People can either like it or not. I’m not going to change what I am.”
Roberts wasn’t overly enthused about his form so far this season, despite hitting his third home run of the summer on Saturday, as the Bandits went down 3-1 against the Sydney Blue Sox in Lismore.
“It’s not the greatest,” he said.
“Hopefully I can improve a lot.”
