Stuff Digital Edition

Struck out: Examining the decline of the Black Sox

Tony Smith

Aconcerted push must be made to get more international competition for the Black Sox and improve the domestic game after back-to-back Softball World Cup failures.

The seven-time world champions have crashed to their worst finish after failing to make the medals round in Auckland this week. The Black Sox’s lowest previous placing was fifth – at the second world championships in Oklahoma City in 1968.

They will finish either seventh or eighth this time after losing three games in Pool A preliminaries – 7-0 against the United States, 11-5 to Argentina after leading 5-1, and 1-0 to Cuba. The Black Sox have gone from world champions to seventh at best in the space of five years.

It’s a shock to Kiwi softball fans after the Black Sox – arguably New Zealand’s most successful amateur sports team – had won three previous world titles in Aotearoa. Their plummet could potentially imperil any future government funding – currently set at $600,000 over three years.

Stuff understands getting a medal was critical. ‘‘It’s true to say that there are performance indicators that are associated with any funding of campaigns and certainly that’s going to be a conversation we’re going to need to have with High Performance Sport New Zealand,’’ Softball New Zealand chairman Hoani Lambert said.

Lambert said SNZ remain ‘‘really proud’’ of the Black Sox, who were ‘‘talented athletes who are totally committed to doing their best’’.

‘‘The reality is though that men’s softball has become far more competitive over the past decade and at this tournament you saw any number of eight teams who were able to make the gold medal match.’’

Lambert also noted the fine margin between victory and defeat. ‘‘But for one swing of the bat against Cuba, but for one out against Argentina, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.’’

No-one is hurting more than the coaches and players. Head coach Mark Sorenson – winner of four gold medals as a player and another as head coach in 2017 – has been a Black Sox servant since 1984 and some have been to multiple world series.

Sorenson said the mood in the camp was still ‘‘sombre’’. He accepts the Black Sox ‘‘are in this position through our own doing – the harsh reality is we just weren’t good enough’’.

But he’s adamant the players put their heart and soul into their preparation and is convinced ‘‘the talent is there but the domestic game will need to improve to help drive the standard of that talent higher.’’

Sorenson felt the Black Sox’s buildup had been compromised by the Covid-19 pandemic which had ruled out overseas tours between the 2019 and 2022 World Cups.

It was telling, he believed, that five of the six Super Round places went to teams from the Pan American region where international competition was able to be played during the pandemic.

Positives

Sorenson has said Daniel Chapman produced one of the best pitching performances by a Black Sox.

With his 18-strikeout effort against Cuba, Chapman clearly has the ability to become the best pitcher in the world, and at 25, could have another decade at the top. Pita Rona showed promise as a pitcher and must be encouraged to specialise in the role and add the velocity needed to be a worldclass pitcher.

Captain Cole Evans came of age at his fourth World Cup, and at 24, his best years are ahead of him. His batting has improved and he and teenage second baseman Tane Mumu form a worldclass middle infield combination.

The Black Sox defence was worldclass with no fielding errors in their first six games. They are a young team – only the Enoka brothers and Joel Evans – are over 30, and that trio still have another World Cup in them. Joel Evans is currently the Black Sox’s top hitter (.400), making it a surprise that he’s been persisted with at the bottom of the order, not the leadoff spot so he could get more at-bats.

Concerns

It is wrong to suggest the Black Sox’s failure in Auckland is a mere blip and that the problems can be overcome simply changing coaches.

The same signs were evident in Prague in 2019 where over-reliance on a long ball hitting game was equally costly. The Black Sox haven’t had any international softball opportunities since Prague to rectify their issues due to Covid. But nor have Australia, and they seem to be stronger while also blooding new players.

A Kiwi ‘she’ll be right’ approach simply won’t work. The Black Sox are now in the same space as the New Zealand women when they finished sixth in 1994 after four successive world series medals.

The White Sox continued to freefall down the rankings because bold measures weren’t taken. A comprehensive and transparent review of men’s softball in New Zealand is a must, which, for too long, has been living on past glories.

For over a decade, coaches and players have been insisting the Black Sox have moved away from the relentless power hitting game which garnered gold medals in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2013.

Yet there is little evidence that the current players’ mindset has changed. Throughout the vital Cuba game most seemed to think a solo shot home run would settle it. Few shortened their grip and tried to simply move the ball. Most resorted to long handle swings, with runners on base. They were generally unable to hit Cuban pitcher Alain Romain’s one go-to pitch – low and inside – for the last four innings.

Bunting for the base-hit also appears a lost art. This ‘a home run-willwin-it’ attitude plagues and inhibits the entire New Zealand men’s game. Black Sox players dominate with the long ball at domestic level against weaker pitching, but need more tools for internationals.

Coaching

A comprehensive review must be done of this campaign. It should start with coaching. Sorenson is yet to publicly announce if he will be stepping down, but it is likely SNZ have been preparing for change. New ideas are needed and the net must be cast wide. You shouldn’t have had to be a Black Sox player to coach the Black Sox – get the best person for the job.

Any overhaul must start long before the Black Sox. Rigorous hands-on coaching is essential at club, provincial and national level and players must commit to better game understanding. Softball NZ needs to fully integrate all the men’s programmes. All should be singing off the same sheet, not operating in silos.

Competition

SNZ must find the funds to get the team further afield. Lambert hopes the Black Sox can continue to enjoy the backing of their current sponsors and build on their association with television partner, Whakaata Māori. An annual series between the Black Sox, Japan and Australia should be held.

Now the World Cup is reverting to a four-year cycle, a Pacific Rim championship featuring New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Canada, the United States and Argentina would be a great drawcard every two years.

Conclusion

Once the world’s innovators, the Black Sox have been overtaken by other nations. New Zealand are playing catchup now, but that makes the challenge more exciting.

Sport

en-nz

2022-12-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-12-03T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282033331220327

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