Miracle Oeltjen in Australian Baseball League Championships

Rochester Red wings Press Release

(Rocherster, Ny) -- We might have over a foot of snow on the ground in Rochester, but Down Under it’s summer; and three Twins farmhands are playing Saturday for the championship of the Australian Baseball League. Trent Oeltjen, Glenn Williams and Ryan Rowland-Smith are all native Aussies playing for the New South Wales Patriots who are trying to defend their Claxton Shield title from a year ago. They will meet Victoria tomorrow at Blacktown Olympic Park in Sydney.

Williams, who played for Syracuse the last three seasons before signing a minor league free agent deal with the Twins this offseason, went 1 for 3 with an RBI in leading the Patriots to a 2-0 win over South Australia in the semi-finals on Friday. Williams has gone 6 for 20 with a homer during Claxton Shield play while playing shortstop. The switch-hitter, who hit a career high 23 home runs for the Sky Chiefs in 2004, figures to see time all around the infield for the Wings in 2005.

Oeltjen was 1 for 4 in the semi-final win for New South Wales. The left-handed hitting outfielder is 4 for 22 with a home run during the tournament. He hit .278 with two homers and 28 RBIs for Class A Fort Myers in 2004.

Rowland-Smith has not allowed a run in the tournament. The southpaw has worked 6.2 innings and has given up six hits and one walk while fanning nine. He is entering his first season in the Twins system after getting selected from the Seattle Mariners in the annual Rule V draft. The Twins paid the Mariners $50,000 for his rights and now must keep him in the big leagues all of the 2005 season. If they don’t keep him in the majors, they must offer him back to the Mariners for $25,000 or they can try to work out a trade with Seattle to keep Rowland-Smith in the Twins organization. Rowland-Smith spent last year in the Class A California League and posted a 5-3 record with a 3.70 ERA. He struck out an impressive 119 hitters in 100 innings while working as both a starter and reliever for Inland Empire.

Update!

Three Twins farmhands have helped the New South Wales Patriots to a second straight Australian Baseball League championship. OF Trent Oeltjen, INF Glenn Williams and LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith played for the Patriots, with Williams contributing two hits and an RBI in the 8-4 title game win over Victoria Jan. 29.