Warwick Saupold has had a remarkable baseball career all over the world but it’s Perth Heat where his heart will always lie and that’s why he was so proud to reach 100 ABL appearances.
Saupold first played with the Heat all the way back in 2010 and has put together a brilliant career that included three seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers, playing professionally in Korea and representing Australia with great pride.
However, it’s playing with the Heat that will always mean the world to the 34-year-old pitcher and he has been delighted to settle back since moving back to Perth permanently when the COVID-19 pandemic hit back in 2020.
Saupold celebrated his 100th appearance for the Heat on Saturday night when he took the mound, but ultimately it’s that Claxton Shield triumph that he’s chasing and by splitting that series with the Melbourne Aces, Perth kept themselves in fourth position.
“It’s a little milestone and obviously it’s a team sport and the team comes first,” Saupold told 91.3 SportFM.
“We’re in it to win championship and not personal success so hopefully we can put a good foot forward this week in Canberra to be in a good position to make playoffs.”
It was 15 years ago when Saupold made his first start as a pitcher with the Heat back in 2010 and on the back of that, he spent seven years playing in the United States highlighted by those three seasons and 82 appearances for the Tigers in MLB.
Saupold was then able to play two years in Korea, but COVID threw the world into chaos and that’s when he returned home and has been back playing with the Heat regularly ever since along with the Australian national team.
As a Perth local, Saupold couldn’t be happier to be setting up the rest of his life back home and being able to still play with the Heat at the same time, and to now reach the 100 appearances which takes a lot longer to compile for a pitcher than someone like his long-time teammate Tim Kennelly.
“It has taken me a while and obviously I’ve had some commitments overseas and being a starting pitcher we only have a maximum of 10 starts per year so it does take me a bit longer compared with the position players,” Saupold said.
“It was very daunting as a 16, 17-year-old kid first playing on the national stage and playing in the national comp. There’s a lot of nerves that go with it especially when you’re younger, but you do kinda get used to it even though I still get butterflies to this day.
“Even after 100 games and everywhere I have played, it still gets the blood pumping and the heart beating that bit faster when you walk out there.
“I think that’s more because of how much this club means to me and it’s my second family, and we’re a band of brothers. It really is a family atmosphere in this club house so it means a lot to play for such a long time for this club.”
Speaking of Kennelly, the milestones keep racking up for the remarkable Heat captain and back on Friday night against the Aces he registered the 500th hit of his ABL career.
He’s the first ma to do it in the modern incarnation of the league and the second overall, and he has the all-time record in his sights which Saupold hopes he ticks off this season.
“It’s amazing what TK keeps doing and he’s like a fine wine who keeps getting better with age,” Saupold said.
“He’s a true professional and he keeps ticking off these records, and he’s only 20 or so hits away from breaking Andrew Scott’s record of the most hits ever in the ABL.
“Hopefully he gets that this year because that would mean he’s gone on an absolute tear to finish the season and we’re playing playoff baseball. He still has plenty more to go and one of those goals for him is to play playoffs this year again more than anything.”