Melbourne Aces' former major league pitcher Mark Hamburger looms as the key figure in the Australian Baseball League Series grand final series starting on Friday against Brisbane.
Hamburger will start for the Aces in game one in Melbourne on Friday night which both teams see as a crunch match in the best of three series, with game two Saturday night and a third if required on Sunday.
Minor premiers Melbourne, who finished last in the previous two seasons, are gunning for their first Claxton Shield while Brisbane are defending champions.
Hamburger played in Major League Baseball for Texas Rangers and will return there for another trial later this month.
The runaway league leader in strikeouts and runs conceded, the 30-year-old also brings a relaxed vibe to the Aces camp.
He rides a skateboard to and from games, lives in a campervan, and gets away surfing whenever he can.
"I try to approach the finals like any other game as I don't like there to be any tension in your body but I guess there's a lot riding on it," Hamburger, originally from Minnesota, said.
"At the end of the day it's just you looking in the mirror and how you view yourself and that helps me remain calm."
Melbourne coach Jon Deeble, who is also the Australian coach, said he would look to Hamburger's experience on the big stage to set up their push for a maiden title.
"He will start Friday night and hopefully give us the quality outing that he has all year," Deeble said.
"He's an easy free-going guy who keeps the clubhouse upbeat so he's been really good to have around."
While Melbourne have the best pitcher, Brisbane boast the biggest hitters led by outfielder Aaron Whitefield, with the Bandits crushing Adelaide in their preliminary final 18-2 including seven home runs.
The 20-year-old, who along with Hamburger is in the running to win the league's Most Valuable Player, said it was vital his team got off to a good start.
"In our first game through the season he really gave it to us and we took a loss and in the second game we got a hold of him a little bit but we still took a loss," said Whitefield, who was part of Brisbane's title-winning team last year.
"I reckon if we can take Friday night out that will be a big confidence boost for the boys and a great start to the weekend."
