Diamondbacks, Dodgers could play series in Australia

The Arizona Diamondbacks may soon play baseball on what's usually the cricket pitch. Negotiations to bring a series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Diamondbacks to Australia are well advanced, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. If the games take place, it would be the 100 year anniversary of the Chicago White Sox's visit to the Sydney Cricket Grounds in 1914.

Getting the games to Sydney has been a multi-year project between MLB, Destination NSW, and the Australian Baseball League. The identity of the teams involved was unknown until Sydney Blue Sox chairman Bob Turner revealed his hopes at his season launch:

''If we can get Major League Baseball's season opener, which we're working on, in a couple of years' time at the SCG, it will really put the game on the map. Especially if we can get the LA Dodgers to come, where Magic Johnson is the spokesman-owner. That would be great for the game to give us a profile no other sport can really match.''

The games would be day games in Australia, which would line them up for prime-time on Saturday night on the West coast.

The Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics opened their 2012 season in Japan, though Japanese fans are certainly more noted in the world of baseball than Australian fans. Major League Baseball does sponsor the Australian Baseball League.