Overseas Baseball Podcast

In October 2013, Jeff Barto decided to get an early start contacting clubs in Europe for the 2014 season. The NCAA division one grad from the Utah Valley University had a number of opportunities quickly pop up soon after creating a profile on the International Baseball Community website. After exchanging a few emails with about 8 different clubs, his inbox dried up and all leads fizzled up. Just before the new year and right around the time when Barto starting wonder if he was going to get another opportunity, a club from second Division Austria made him an offer and he jumped on it. Second division Austria was not the ideal level of competition, but Jeff knew it was a chance for him to harness his coaching skills and get his foot into professional baseball overseas. Upon arriving in Austria, Barto was whisked off to Florence, Italy, where the team spent a long weekend for spring training. When the season finally rolled around, Barto and his young squad found themselves at the top of the standings early on.

Late May 2014, Eric Brenk wrapped up his senior year at Wofford College, an NCAA I school from the Southern Conference, and had hit a very respectable .268 on the season and started every game in this final season. One era had come to an end and another was just about to begin, a journey that Eric was about to embark on would take him on an unforeseen path of playing on a national baseball team that does not dawn the red, white and blue that Eric had grown up routing for.

Two players from two different NCAA Division 1 backgrounds tell their stories of their summer in Germany playing for the same team. This is part 1 of a 2 part series due to an extraordinary twist that this experience has taken for one player. After suffering shoulder problems and receiving surgery, University of Michigan pitcher Matt Broder found himself on the sidelines after being passed up by a number of independent clubs. Not willing to give up on his dream to play baseball, Matt decided to turn his focus towards clubs overseas. Within days of creating a profile on the International Baseball Community website, Matt had his first offer and he jumped on it. Within a week he was on his way to play in Germany. A month into Broder's stint in Germany, Eric Brenk wrapped up his college career at the NCAA D1 school of Wofford College in South Carolina. Brenk knew early in his senior year that he probably wasn't going to get drafted but wanted to continue his baseball career post college. He did his research ea

This episode is a goldmine for pro baseball players as it offers detail on a Japanese independent pro baseball showcase and an opportunity to win a free Mine Wood Baseball Bat. This episode introduces the first IBC podcast giveaway. Mine Wood Bats has stepped up to the plate for this giveaway by giving away one of their bats to a listener that answers six international baseball trivia questions correctly over the next six episodes. Those with 6 correct answers will have their name entered into a draw for the bat and have the bat shipped directly to their house. Each trivia question is injected randomly in a podcast episode so listeners will have to listen to me yak at least for a little bit.

In addition to numerous opportunities to see the world while playing professional baseball, there are opportunities to see the world and lend a helping hand to the less fortunate baseball markets around the globe. Organizations like the Kosovo Baseball Initiative and Baseball Without Borders do just that, provide lesser known baseball markets with the opportunity to learn the game and use the equipment that they otherwise do not have access to. Through these non-profit organizations, baseball players and coaches from around the world have the opportunity to travel to Kosovo, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Israel, Ecuador to share their knowledge of the game. It's time to sacrifice playing baseball at a higher level for the sake of helping the game grow in markets that need our help the most while also having the experience of a lifetime. On the International Baseball Community website, there are nearly 100 member in the "walk-on" group, a group created for players and coaches who are willing to pay their fl

Kevin Bosson spent the winter of 2013-2014 in Perth Australia with the South Perth Cubs living the dream and playing against the likes of IBC podcast episode 27 guest Jon Rodriguez and the Rockingham Rams. Right off the bat Kevin reaffirms what Jon said in episode 27, that the baseball in the Western Australian State League is quite high and more than one might expect. He also shares a comparison between the baseball in Western Australia to the ball in other parts of Australia where close friends of his have played. This can shed some light on those who seeking to play the strongest level of baseball possible in the land down under. Kevin provides info on compensation as pro player, visas, the baseball schedule and the unreal lifestyle off the field.

Clayton Carson had a strong desire to take his career overseas and after being overlooked, he decided to take his fate in his own hands and buy a ticket to Europe with no job prospects on the horizon. Given that the 2014 season in Europe was well under way (late May), one would think his chances were slim to get picked up somewhere, especially given the fact that he has had three back surgeries and his best days of baseball were behind him. Clayton's first goal was to get on with a club as a coach who can play if needed. After visiting with clubs in the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic, he found that there was simply no room for another import with most clubs at this time of the year. He then made his way to my neck of the woods in Austria for our annual invitational tournament Finksonball, a relaxed tournament/party for three days that features clubs from 10-12 different nations every year. Clayton showed up, crashed on the couch, and took advantage of this opportunity. We got him a spot with the

The Pacific Coast Baseball League (PCBL) in New South Wales Australia is not the top level of baseball on the continent (in fact considered third division), however it presents plenty of opportunity for those who have yet to find a home for the winter. PCBL league president Luis Almenara shares in detail what opportunities exist for the professional player seeking to take his career abroad to New South Wales (NSW) and the various leagues within the state. He also dives into the New South Wales State league, the Australian Baseball League, and the Sydney Metro League and the opportunities within them. On top of that, he elaborates on the differences between each league including the summer and winter leagues. Luis also has a vast knowledge of Australian working visas and is more than happy to clarify the options foreign players have. He talks about working visas, student visas and options for those looking to stay longer term. Lastly, Luis walks us through each NSW State League club, their name and where t

From a strong NCAA D2 conference, Melvin played pro ball in Texas which eventually led to a role in the movie Moneyball. After Moneyball, Melvin had numerous independent baseball offers but decided to take his career overseas to experience other parts of the world and ended up in the Netherlands. Now, four years later, Melvin is still playing Dutch baseball and is heavily involved in youth development within the club. Melvin shares a lot of information on the second Dutch division and the opportunities within and is also able to speak on the opportunities in the first division, Hoofdklasse a.k.a Dutch Major League. Unfortunately, Melvin tells the same story as other IBC interviewee's on Dutch baseball, which is that of a steady decline of importing of professional players from the US due to visa restrictions. This has presented an opportunity for Canadian baseball players who play at a high level as Canada has a working holiday visa agreement with the Netherlands. Australia has the same deal with the Dutch a

At 49 years old, married and with teenage children, retired high school and college coach Ron Frazier decided to throw his hat in the coaching ring again but this time his focus was overseas. With the support of his family, Ron created a profile on the International Baseball Community website and began sending out emails to clubs all across Europe. Within a weeks he has a number of responses and soon found himself in the luxurious position of having multiple options. When considering level of baseball, location, and compensation, Ron decided to settle on the Nada Split of Croatia, right on the Adriatic sea. Split plays in the Interleague, which is a league formed with the top clubs in Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia. This international aspect is one other reason Ron decided to turn down an offer from a top Czech club for more money. With Split, Ron has the opportunity to see more of Europe and develop baseball in a country that has more room for growth.

David T. Burns (me) interviews David J. Burns on his experience playing baseball in Italy. He explains how he went from the verge of hanging them up after college to using his Italian heritage as a ticket to a professional baseball career in one of Europe's top baseball countries. For those of you who qualify for duo citizenship in Europe, David provides a good tip on speeding up the process. I also pipe in before the interview with some info on the value of players with duo citizenship, and also why Canadian and Australian baseball players are of high value to many leagues around the Europe. Being one of only two professional leagues in Europe, David takes us through the lifestyle on and off the field and what playing professional baseball in Europe has to offer. We then take the interview in a direction on careers off the field and David's current role in professional baseball and how he stood out from all the other professionals seeking jobs within professional baseball. At the end of the interview, Dav

Jon Rodriguez at only 27 had the experience of a lifetime in the winter of 2013-2014 as the head coach of the Rockingham Rams in beautiful Perth, Australia. Fresh off of this experience and back in California for the interview, you can hear the energy in Jon's voice when telling his story. If this interview doesn't get you fired up to take your career overseas, you need to take up badminton or something. Jon explains that Western Australian baseball is so big, that his club and the others in the league are so large, that there are three different levels of men's baseball within each club. State league baseball is the top level next to the Australian Baseball League , and below that is AAA and then AA. The beauty of it, they welcome imports at all levels! The Rams had five imports for this past season but not all were paid the full package, however all were minimally set up with a place to stay and a job. What I love the most about this interview is Jon's ability to paint a story about baseball in Australia

NAIA All-American and World Series Champion Zak Colby fills me in on his experience playing independent Japanese baseball and how others can go about doing the same. We dive into everything from the process for getting on with a club, how many independent clubs there are, the monster stadiums and decent size crowds, what pay can be expected, the insanely long pre-season, the list goes on. By the end of this interview one thing was clear, Japanese Independent baseball and their importing of foreign players is on the rise and this trends appears like it will continue.

In this second interview, Chris provides listeners and aspiring European baseball professionals with great info on: 1) History of going from non-drafted to playing in three of Europe’s top leagues. 2) Detail on the Dutch Major League. Weekly schedule, top clubs, opportunities. 3) The subtle differences between European baseball and baseball in the US. 4) Differences between the EU leagues he has played in. 5) Two great tips for newcomers to European baseball.

In this interview with Aaron Brandt he tells us how the International Baseball Community website helped him to take his career to Belgium in the summer of 2013 and then how that was immediately followed up with a winter stint in Melbourne, Australia for the winter of 2013-2014. Aaron landed a job with Belgium club the Namur Angels and then immediately moved on to the St. Kilda Saints of Melbourne, Australia. He goes into a lot of detail about both the leagues in Belgium and Australia (Melbourne) , the compensation, the schedule, the opportunities within, and the lifestyle. At the end of the interview Aaron provides some solid tips on what to do prior to signing on with a club overseas.

The International Baseball Community podcast Episode #23 features back-to-back interviews on Czech baseball. First I interview Draci Brno GM Arny Nesnal and then Lucie Cubikova, director of international affairs for Czech baseball. Between the two of them, listeners are able to get a clear idea of what Czech baseball has to offer. Mr. Nesnal fills IBC listeners in on what is going on in Brno and why they have won 18 of the last 19 championships. We also dive into the importing that has been going on over the years and what their imports usually bring to the table. Mr. Nesol also elaborates on the lifestyle of the Draci import and why they seem to always want to return for a second or third year. Ms. Cubikova provides a more broad view on Czech baseball and of the various clubs around the league and opportunities within for professional players and coaches. Lastly, I introduce a new intro that I am very excited about. One of my favourite bands and local Austrian talent, Wham Bam Bodyslam allowed me to use o

Ryan Flynn, CEO of baseball New Zealand put me in contact with Jacques Levy at New Caledonian baseball recently as they are in need of someone to come help them grow the game of baseball. This small Island that is just 1000 km's off the coast of Australia in the South Pacific, is seeking a young, energetic and motivated individual who is passionate about teaching the game of baseball and enthusiastic about helping develop the game overseas. Baseball in New Caledonia is very small, with members hovering only around 200 with, spread out amongst 5 clubs on the South end of the island. This experience will also involved side trips to Australia and New Zealand for competitions. For those interested, please submit your resume and a short cover letter explaining why you would be the perfect candidate for taking on the responsibility of creating a baseball buzz on this small island. This year long contract would begin in April 2014 so if you are interested you need to act quick.

In this episode I interview Baseball New Zealand CEO Ryan Flynn for the second time. Ryan takes us through his story of how he followed his passion to work in baseball from the unlikely country of Guam to his current position as CEO of Baseball New Zealand. Listen to Ryan explain how he used international baseball to build his resume and eventually uproot his family in the US to move to New Zealand for his new position as CEO. I also include a list of "do's" and "do not's" for first year international baseball players who are seeking longevity in the sport internationally.

In Episode number 20 I interview Drew Samuelson, the Australian Baseball Federation’s Player & Coach Development Coordinator as well as the Performance Manager of Southern Australian baseball. Drew takes us through his story of how he dropped his promising 9-5 career to follow his passion, a career in baseball. After some short stints within baseball in the Northwest, he worked his way in to the administration side of Australian baseball and hasn’t looked back. In addition to sharing his story, Drew provides some info on the development strategies in Australia which could be beneficial for listeners who have a hand in the development of foreign leagues. Lastly, I drill Drew about the opportunities around the various state leagues and where the hotbeds are for foreigners looking to play or coach in Australia.

This interview with Austin Weymouth goes into areas yet to be covered on the podcast including an alternative way to selecting your team, working your way into Dutch baseball from a much lower league within one year, visa requirements, a vivid idea of what life is like in Europe, playing for small town clubs, the list goes on. In this 45 minute, very informative conversation where we talk about just about everything you can think of with regards to the lifestyle of baseball in Europe. Austin even talks about tulips in the Netherlands!?!?