Dunedin softballer Mitchell Finnie has made the first cut in becoming a New Zealand star in the other game played on a diamond.
Finnie was named yesterday in the New Zealand Tuataras Taxis baseball team, the development side of the Tuataras who are about to make their debut in the Australian Baseball League.
Finnie (21) has played softball since he was young but has always had a thirst for baseball.
He went to a trial camp in Christchurch on Saturday for the Tuataras after deciding to give it a go.
It was a tough workout for the triallists with short 60yd dash testing for speed and testing for arm strength along with the ability to hit the ball.
Finnie must have done enough as at the end of the trial he was asked to go to Auckland for a full trial the following day. Just one other player from the Christchurch camp flew north.
An early start on Sunday had him in the air to Auckland then watching the Auckland triallists show their skills before a tryout later in the day in a final trial in front of Tuataras management.
Finnie obviously did something right and has been named in the 17-man Tuatara Taxis squad.
He said baseball was not completely different from softball although the biggest change was in the batting.
``You have to get used to the ball coming down rather than it coming up in softball ... the ball is a bit smaller - more like a tennis ball than a softball, which is more like a grapefruit.''
The diamond is bigger and the pitcher further away in baseball compared to softball.
Finnie is not a complete novice at baseball as he played four games for the West City team in Auckland last season. The sport is active in Auckland with a competitive league while a national side has also been established.
The Tuatara Taxis will train alongside the senior Tuataras side throughout the season and learn the finer skills of the game.
Two of the 17 players named in the Taxis are expected to make the full Tuataras squad for the up coming Australian baseball season though that number may increase.
The Tuataras are expected to be made up of promising youngsters and veterans from overseas.
The season kicks off for the Tuataras in the middle of November and will run through until the end of January. Along with the side from Auckland, a team from Geelong in Victoria has joined the league this season.
Finnie, a shortstop or second base, said he was still waiting to confirm details about his role with the Tuataras.
He said the Tuataras management has been impressed with the skills on show from the New Zealanders and more than two may be added to the top squad of 22 players.
