We went to practice for the New Zealand Breakers basketball team and got to talk with some of the guys and shoot around. It was fun to talk with some of the American-born players on that team, as well as the ones for Adelaide, their opponents. Former Michigan State star Adam Ballinger, also an Indiana guy, was also playing. That was cool since he was playing while I was in Detroit.

Curtis is on a trip to New Zealand as a Major League Baseball Ambassador to assist with the growth and promotion of the game of baseball, one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.

Curtis’ visit will coincide with the country’s Oceania Under-16 Baseball Championship Trials, taking place Jan. 25-28 in Pakuranga, which will include teams from Australia and Guam. The winner of the this event will travel to Mexico in 2011 to compete.