Life couldn't get much better for Jack Murphy. The Canberra Cavalry catcher was a crucial cog in the nation's capital winning the Claxton Shield for the first time in the trophy's 79 years, with a 2-0 series sweep of Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League championships series at Narrabundah Ballpark on Saturday.
Plus Murphy will fly home to report for Major League spring training with his affiliated club, the Toronto Blue Jays, which starts on Tuesday.
It's a huge step up for the 24-year-old who has played just 11 games at AA class - two levels below the Majors - in his short career.
A good camp could have him become just the second Cavalry player to make it to ''the show''.
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Foundation shortstop Didi Gregorius played eight Major League games for the Cincinnati Reds last year before getting traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks, who see him as their long-term starting shortstop.
''I didn't find out [about spring training] until about two weeks ago,'' Murphy told The Canberra Times.
''Initially it looked like I wasn't going and then it turned out I was, but I couldn't be more thankful to the Blue Jays for the opportunity.
''It's incredible, I can't even explain it, I went from backing up for a long time and being someone who really wasn't a big part of the organisation to finally getting an opportunity and playing really well … I'll feel great when I get there, but I'll probably be pretty exhausted, too.''
He was one of eight Cavalrymen who averaged more than .300 this season - he hit .304, smashed five home runs, had 24 runs batted in and the switch-hitter's ability to bat left-handed gave a crucial point of difference in a right-hand-dominated batting line-up.
But it wasn't just his hitting. His work behind the plate directing Canberra's pitchers was a big factor in their championship success.
Murphy was drafted by Toronto in 2009 from Princeton University.
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/d ... 2e6y3.html
