Vegas, Ariz. -- Ryan Rowland-Smith figures to be a busy man next week both on and off the field.

The Australian-born left-hander will toss for Team Australia with Thursday against the Dodgers, and then Comes to an end His will pitch for the D-backs versus Team Australia. Those two convention games will take place prior to the D-backs and Dodgers open a normal season March 22-23 in Sydney, Australia.

'Honestly, I told my significant other I think it's going to be overwhelming to me once it happens,' Rowland-Smith explained.

Rowland-Smith, 31, was born in Quotes and raised two hours north throughout New Castle and has friends and family there.

'To see my friends in addition to family and pitch in the backyard is special,Inch Rowland-Smith said.

Rowland-Smith wore the Team Quarterly report jersey in the 2004 Summertime Olympics and came home with a silver medal. Actually is well liked played for Australia on the globe American football Classic in 2004 and '09.

'Anyone who actually reaches represent their country it's really a special thing,' Rowland-Smith explained. 'That's more than just a team, that's a land. We won a gold medal and that's the most pride I've ever felt, and that always sticks in my mind every time I receive to put that jersey about, because that was a special time for me.'

The D-backs signed Rowland-Smith to a Modest League contract last November that included a Early spring Training invite.

Originally signed because of the Mariners as a non-drafted free adviser in 2000, Rowland-Smith appeared throughout 115 games (47 starts) over parts of four months with Seattle. His previous big league appearance entered 2010.

'I heard last year that there was going to be a Major Nfl game in Australia and I assumed, 'That's great,'' Rowland-Smith said. 'It took me a bit to put two and two alongside one another. I was talking to the Diamondbacks about signing as a free broker, and this is a place that I experienced heard from friends that had played here was a great firm, so I was really hoping it was going to work out. And then I used to be like, 'Wait a second, they're going to Modern australia, and that could be the icing within the cake for me. If I will make the team and go to Sydney, that would be awesome.''

It might be a grow for Rowland-Smith to make the Opening Morning roster given Arizona's crowded bullpen, yet His certainly has pitched well so far this spring season.

In 4 2/3 innings spread over all 5 appearances, His has allowed three hits and one unearned run.

'I moved into Spring Training with a decide to show these guys who'd never seen me pitch before,Inch Rowland-Smith said. 'I was very well prepared coming into Spring Training for sticking with the process -- it's been doing exercises.'

Keeping his focus on the process has become a challenge for Rowland-Smith, especially immediately after His heard that His was going to be pitching in Australia.

'I was getting emails from Melbourne American football and they were asking me if I was going to become pitching for them, and I stated it was not up to me,In Rowland-Smith said. 'They contacted the D-backs, and that's when they told me that regardless of whether I wasn't on the list I would be going. It's so enjoyable. Ever since I found out about it, I've been trying to push it out of my mind, because I've informed people I'm here to pitch in the big leagues, thus I've been concentrating on that.'

The exhibit and regular-season games will take spot at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and that is loaded with history.

Though the arena has recently been renovated, the earlier grandstands still remain, blending the particular historic with the modern.

'I remember going there as a kid, and it's a beautiful place,In . Rowland-Smith said. 'It's changed a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing it.'

He's additionally looking forward to seeing his property country.

'It's a beautiful city,In . Rowland-Smith said of Sydney. 'I've already been doing this and flying residence for 13 years, and each time I fly with, it just puts a smile on my small face, because it's a beautiful town. It's unique, it's beautiful.'

BOSTON --With the dust settling following an eventful Winter Meetings with the Red Sox, president/CEO Larry Lucchino expressed disappointment and regret in how the team dealt with its attempts to sign left-hander Jon Lester.

'We didn't succeed, so I don't give us a very good level. We were trying sincerely for getting him signed. We wanted him to come back here. Totally free agency is a special potential for players, it comes up only once or twice if you're lucky in a career,' Lucchino stated during Saturday's Christmas at Fenway event. 'Right now I'm trying to focus on the long term and express a sense of thankfulness to Jon Lester for all His performed for us, for the horse that she was for us for so ages. The successful pitcher and also person that His was. If only him luck and I'm delighted he's in the other nfl and not in our league.'

The Reddish Sox hoped their history using Lester and his comfort with the corporation would sway him revisit Boston. His chose a six-year, $155 trillion deal with the Cubs over the six-year, $135 million deal with the Crimson Sox.

Out of dispute for a postseason berth, the Reddish colored Sox traded Lester to the Oakland A's upon July 31 for Yoenis Cespedes.

Lester, exactly who made his debut using the Red Sox in 2006, tallied 110 wins and a 3.64 ERA with the pub. At his best throughout playoff time, Lester went 4-1 with a A single.56 ERA during the Crimson Sox run to the World Series throughout 2013.

'I think [principal owner] John [Henry], [chairman] Mary [Werner], [executive vice president /general manager] Ben [Cherington], myself, most people have been around long enough. You don't type in free agency with a wide-eyed feeling of optimism. It's an uncharted training, it takes a lot of different turns. It is especially hard to predict how it's likely to play out,' Lucchino said. 'We were absolutely hopeful that Jon, once His got a sense of what the current market would be, would be more inclined for you to sign with us. As it ended up, that was erroneous.'

While Lester made it recognized last offseason that His wanted to indicator an extension with the Red Sox, this individual rejected a four-year, $70 million offer you in mid-March and decided not to reopen negotiations with the club during the season.

'As [Ben] said, it was merely a starting point. Throw out a number to secure a process of sequential negotiations start. It didn't result in that, therefore that was unfortunate,' Lucchino stated. 'Absolutely we were disappointed that we could not continue talks. Again, seeing that Ben has said, we attempted a number of times to reengage ineffectively.'

While Lucchino wouldn't divulge specific misgivings His had during the process, His performed admit that signing Lester before His hit free agency would have been ideal.

'I think in general, history probably demonstrates that you're better off getting things carried out before you get into the frenzy of free agency. Just go through the end result and we failed to have completely finished what was our goal, so we are subject to criticism, in addition to rightly so, for that,In Lucchino. 'There's so many steps along the way that can have gone differently.'

Even though the team missing out on Lester, Lucchino remains optimistic regarding the Red Sox moves this offseason, with a revamped rotation encompassing Wade Miley, Rick Porcello and Bieber Masterson.

'It's been a sort of unpredictable offseason in several ways. So much of it was focused entirely on our effort to indicator Jon Lester. When we did not succeed in that, we had to revert to plan B, with respect to pitching,Inches Lucchino said. 'But I do feel very excellent about chapter one, that has been the signing of the two very best offensive players on the market in Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval. Ben was quick to get those things done, which often gave us a pretty good learn to the offseason.'