Manchester A's

[[File:MBClogo.jpg]]

{{advert|date=September 2008}}
{{trivia|date=September 2008}}
{{infobox baseball team|

| Name =Manchester A's
| Logo =[[Image:MBClogo.jpg|120px]]
| League =British
| Division =North AA
| Location =Manchester, England
| Stadium =Allen Field (Mersey Bank Playing Fields)
| Founded =1947
| Nickname =A's, Aces
| Colors =
| BackColor =Black
| TextColor =White
| LogoDesign =
| Mascot =
| Ownership =
| Management =
| Manager =Chris Jackson
| Season =2008
| Record =14-8
| Playoffs =
| h_title =Home
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| h_pattern_pants =
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| h_socks =006400
| a_title =Alternative
| a_pattern_cap =
| a_cap =000000
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}}

'''Manchester A's''' are an English amateur baseball team based in South [[Manchester]] situated in the North West region of England, playing in the British Northern League under the [[British Baseball Federation]].

==Recent history==
Since 1998 Manchester A's have built up a core of experienced veterans, with players such as Marchment, Gunn, Jackson and Marginson there is no shortage of advice for learning rookies and the team has built a strong squad around the veteran presence. In 2007 this resulted in the team reaching the .524 mark for the first time since 2004.

In 2008 the A's managed to cement their position within the new BBF league structure. The A's secured first place within the first month of the season and won fixtures against division rivals [[Bolton Blaze|Bolton Robots of Doom]] and the newly formed Oldham North Stars. Manchester attempted to match their 2007 out of division success when facing AAA opponents but sadly could only manage a single win against the Humber Pilots.

The 2008 season also introduced the newly formed Northern Challenge Cup and the A's completed the opening rounds with wins against [[Liverpool]] Trojans, [[Oldham]] North Stars and most likely the best performance of the season against the [[Sheffield Bladerunners]].

On the 6th September 2008 the A's played in the AA playoff semi finals against Enfield Sidewinders, it wasn't to be Manchesters day as the Sidewinders brought good pitching and hit the gaps in the outfield to secure the lead early on. The game ended 19-2.

For the 2009 season Manchester Baseball Club will promote the A's to first team and introduce the Manchester Torrent team into the league structure as the new feeder squad for the A's.

==Quick facts==

:'''Uniform Colours:''' Dark Green, Black, White,
:'''Logo Design:''' Old English M
:'''Alternate Logo Design:''' A's Design
:'''Team Mascot:''' Sideways Running Man
:'''Spring Training Facility:''' Armitage Sports Center
:'''Team Training:''' Thursday Nights at [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=penroy+avenue&sll=53.800651,-4.064941&sspn=7.011332,17.753906&ie=UTF8&ll=53.418037,-2.259943&spn=0.001726,0.004334&t=h&z=18 Allen Field]

==Standings==

{| class="wikitable" align="center" border="1"
|+League Standings & Awards
! YEAR
! W
! L
! RF
! RA
! Win%
! MVP
! Batting Champ
! Rookie
|-
| 2008
| 14
| 8
| 275
| 193
| .636
| TBA
| TBA
| TBA
|-
| 2007
| 11
| 10
| 236
| 180
| .524
| Eduardo Wulff
| Yang Wu
| James Pearson
|-
| 2006
| 7
| 15
| 143
| 210
| .318
| David Gaskell
| Roger Young
| Phil Wood
|-
| 2005
| 6
| 13
| 194
| 265
| .316
| Martin Gough
| Ian Marginson
|
|-
| 2004
| 11
| 10
| 246
| 234
| .524
| Liam Dickinson
| Ian Marginson
|
|-
| 2003
| 5
| 16
| 165
| 331
| .238
| Paul Fagan
| Paul Fagan
| Rob Taylor
|}
==Current roster==
{|width=70% class="wikitable"
<tr>
<td colspan=5 align=center>'''Manchester A's Roster'''</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align=center>'''Player'''</td>
<td align=center>'''Nationality'''</td>
<td align=center>'''Positions'''</td>
<td align=center>'''Bat/Throw'''</td>
<td align=center>'''Joined MBC'''</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''43''' Luis Arrevillagas </td> <td> {{flagicon|Venezuela}} </td> <td> 1B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2003 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''9''' Hervé Boutin </td> <td> {{flagicon|France}} </td> <td> IF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 1999 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''24''' Jack Chaing </td> <td> {{flagicon|Taiwan}} </td> <td> OF/1B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2007 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''25''' Ben Davis </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> R/R</td> <td> 2007 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''13''' Mark Davis </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF/2B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''10''' Ronan Dunne </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> 2B/CF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2000 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''11''' Paul "Sticks" Fagan </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> P/IF/CF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2002 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''15''' Martin Gough </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> P/SS/OF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2003 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''--''' Nick "Buzzard" Guddmann </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''1''' Jim "Wheels" Gunn </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> 1B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 1998 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''28''' Chris "Junkball" Jackson </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> P/CF/C </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 1999 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''84''' Chih-chuan Kao </td> <td> {{flagicon|Taiwan}} </td> <td> 1B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''17''' Jason Leslie </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''12''' Tsung Chi Liu "Johnston"</td> <td> {{flagicon|Taiwan}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> L/L </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''16''' Ian "Earl of Bloopington" Marchment </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> C/3B/P </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 1998 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''33''' Ian "Slap" Marginson </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> IF/DH </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2000 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''98''' Andrew "Nuke" Metcalf </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> P </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2006 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''51''' Ben Pearson </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> P/SS </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''7''' James Pearson </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> C/3B/P </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2007 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''81''' Rob "Vegas" Taylor </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF/P </td> <td> L/L </td> <td> 2003 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''49''' Mark Trullinger </td> <td> {{flagicon|USA}} </td> <td> P/C/3B </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''45''' Stuart "Hazy" Winter </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2004 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''42''' Mark Woodhead </td> <td> {{flagicon|England}} </td> <td> OF </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2008 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''64''' Yang "Don't Call Me Ted" Wu </td> <td> {{flagicon|China}} </td> <td> SS/2B/P </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2001 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td> '''29''' Eduardo "MVP" Wulff </td> <td> {{flagicon|Brazil}} </td> <td> C/OF/2B/P </td> <td> R/R </td> <td> 2003 </td>
</tr>
|}

==See also==
*[[Baseball in the United Kingdom]]
*[[British Baseball Federation]]

==References==

==External links==
* [http://www.manchesterbaseballclub.co.uk/ Club website]
* [http://www.manchesterbaseballclub.co.uk/guestbook.html/ MBC messageboard]
* [http://www.baseballsoftballuk.com/ BSUK website]
* [http://www.britishbaseball.org/ British Baseball website]

[[Category:Baseball in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Baseball teams in the United Kingdom]]