From these 55, players will be selected for the various German youth national teams of the aforementioned age categories, which are scheduled to attend an Easter training camp in Boca Chica, Dominican Republic, the LR Open in Montpellier, the PONY League European Qualifier in Prague, the European Cadets Championship in the Czech Republic, the IBAF 15U Baseball World Championship in Mexico and tournaments in Amsterdam and the United States.

Coaches of the DBA are head coach Georg Bull, Octavio Medina, Michael Franke, Jens Hawlitzky, Ulli Wermuth and Alper Bozkurt. During the DBA Winterball Camp American coach and Milwaukee Brewers scout Nate Trosky from San Francisco will be on hand. Also current and future minor leaguers Kai Gronauer (New York Mets) and Daniel Thieben (Seattle Mariners) will make the trip to Paderborn.

Other crucial dates in German Baseball and Softball are the opening days for the Baseball-Bundesliga on March 31 and the Softball-Bundesliga on April 21. The regular season ends on July 1st in Baseball, respective August 19 in Softball. Due to the European Championship in September the German baseball champion will be known by August 25.

A major format change will be done for the Softball-Bundesliga playoffs as the final four apparently will be eliminated and replaced with a championship series. Additionally it seems that a Coppa Italia like Cup tournament will be played between the eliminated teams.

2012 Calendar German Baseball and Softball

Even though the German team did not manage to secure a win, the three players are glad they could make the trip and help represent their country. We caught up with them shortly after their return to Bonn:

Are you satisfied with the tournament or is the disappointment over the win-less run overwhelming?

Lennart Weller: Of course we war disappointed about not being able to win a game, but we still played a good tournament. It was a great experience to be able to represent Germany and play against such high-class opponents.

Max Schmitz: We saw that Teams like Cuba still play on another level, but we played hard and professional baseball and got better every day. So personally I see the tournement positively, even though the results were not satisfying.

Tim Henkenjohann: We delivered really close games on a high level, but of course I‘d rather leave the field victorious, especially in the games against Italy and South Korea. We are not that far away from the world class teams.

Max, you played a great tournament in your first World Cup. You had the best ERA of all German Pitchers and finished the tournament with three perfect innings against Australia. How would you rate your rookie performance?

Max Schmitz: I am very proud of my performance as a pitcher for the German team. The feeling you get on the mound is unbelievable and Kai Gronauer and Chris Howard behing the plate really helped me with my game. I hope this was only my first of many tournaments.

It was Germany‘s third World Cup Qualification in a row and next year the European Championship is around the corner. What can we expect from Capitals‘ Players on the German team?

Lennart Weller: We can expect a lot, hopefully. But to be able to play in the Euro 2012, we all need to work hard over the winter and next season.

Max Schmitz: It‘s really hard to predict the future, but we all want to come back for the German team next year.

Tim Henkenjohann: I‘m pretty sure the Capitals‘ Players will be in the focus next year, concerning new talent on the national team. Our coach, Mirko Heid, has installed a very good program here in Bonn and it‘s only a matter of time, that new talent will make its way to the national team.

Even though winter is just around the corner, we want to know what the Capitals have planned for next season, after making it to the semi-finals of the German championship this year?

Tim Henkenjohann: The last couple of years have shown where we want to go. OUr perforrmance has been getting better every year and our goal is to compete for the championship.

Lennart Weller: After reaching the semi-finals for the first time in eleven years, we at least want to achieve that again next year and if possible make it to the finals.

Max Schmitz: I‘m pretty sure the Capitals will be a contender next year. We want to establish ourselves as one of the top-4-teams in Germany.

Coach Mirko Heid can only agree with his players: „I‘m very proud of my Players. Tim has been a regular on the national team for years and I‘m very happy that Lennart and Max get the chance to show their talent for Germany after growing up in our organization and starting in our youth program. Time will tell, if we can get more Capitals‘ players on the national team.“

How did your Team qualify for the 2011 Baseball World Cup?

Greg Frady:   We finished 3rd at the 2010 European Championships in Germany.

What selection process did you went through to complete the roster for the BWC?

Greg Frady:  Always we had several meetings and discussions about the final roster.  For 2011, I wanted to get a mix of veterans and young guys to keep German baseball growing for now and the future.  We had a large group of players to select from and I divided them up using the World Port Tournament and the World Cup to continue with our National Team development.   Each roster features players that are skilled in their area and can help the team play at a competitive level.

What are your expectations for the BWC? Which teams are favored in your group and to win it all?

Greg Frady:  My expectation for the German team is to play each day at a very high level.  I expect the team to be in a position for positive results each day.  We are playing in a very difficult group, but this is the World Cup and each team is going to be very strong.  Our focus will be on playing the game hard, executing our game plan and finishing strong.  Baseball across International borders continues to grow stronger and each team in our pool has a chance to be a finalist.

How important is the BWC for the German Baseball and Softball Federation?

Greg Frady:  Our primary goal for the German Senior National team, is always the European Championship because it presents us with an opportunity to secure a spot in the World Cup.  Following the European Championship, the World Cup has been the next important event for the German Senior National Team because for years the WC has been the highest tournament we could play in.  The 2011 WC will be our third opportunity to participate, since I started with the team.  These tournaments have been the spring board to other invitations.  The consistency of playing at the WC level has helped us gain invitation to many international events, like the World Port Tournament, the World Baseball Challenge in Canada, series with the USA National Team, the Final Olympic Qualifier and now an invitation to the World Baseball Classic qualifier in 2012. Furthermore, the WC has been very important to development of German baseball.

Did/will you hold a training camp in preparation of the BWC? Did/will you play any exhibition games and if yes, against which team(s)? How important was the World Port Tournament for the German Team?

Greg Frady:  The World Port Tournament  this past summer was very important to the team because, we used that tournament to get ready for the World Cup.  Additionally, any tournament  we are able to participate in, is an opportunity to continue to help grow German baseball.  We will not be together before the WC, but time together from this past summer will serve as our preparation.  Loss of Olympic funding, university, jobs and family considerations made it difficult for us to be together for prior traning.  This is not perfect, but this is the best we can do at this time.

Any players missing due to injury or other obligations?

Greg Frady:  My focus is on the 24 man roster that we have selected and we will spend our time and energy on these guys.  Many factors create change to our roster each tournament, but the players chosen always represent German baseball well.

You selected Daniel Thieben to the German roster. He hasn’t played much in the Baseball-Bundesliga so far. What was the reason for this surprise selection?

Greg Frady:  Daniel is a very good young pitcher.  His talent and ability is the reason he was selected.  This tournament will serve as a very good learning experience for him as he continues a bright future in baseball.  I will pick the right spots for Daniel in this tournament, so that he will be in a position to have success in his Senior National team introduction.

Can you tell us something about your coaching staff?

Greg Frady:  Troy Williams is our pitching coach and he has been with me and the team for 8 years.  He brings consistency to the staff and the players feel a good comfort level with him.  Dirk Fries returns as Bench coach and brings a lot of experience to the Senior team.  He is in his 2nd year as a coach, but had a long a successful playing career.  Dirk is closer to the player’s age and speaks the native language; this is beneficial to me and for the success of the team.  Nick Hogan will fill the last spot on our staff.  He is a Division 1 college coach and is an excellent teacher with emphasis on base running, bunting and outfield play.  These are areas in which we pay a lot of attention to and must continue to improve.

The sixth current pro, Jennell Hudson of the Boston Red Sox, is not aboard after playing his first season following Tommy John surgery. Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez of Telemarket Rimini is also missing due to an injury. A surprise addition is the 17-year-old Daniel Thieben of the Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg. Invited to the MLB European Academy he only played in the second division in Germany this year.

Germany will face Cuba, South Korea, Australia, Venezuela, Italy, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in Group B. The coaching staff will be completed by Dirk Fries, Nick Hogan and Troy Williams.

Complete Roster:

Boldt, Max              Mainz Athletics
Cornelsen, Jens         Solingen Alligators
Dewald, Martin          Kansas City T-Bones
Franke, Michael         Paderborn Untouchables
Gessmann, Rodney        Buchbinder Legionäre
Glaser, Ludwig          Buchbinder Legionäre
Gronauer, Kai           New York Mets
Gühring, Simon          Heidenheim Heideköpfe
Hartinger, Dominik      Gauting Indians
Heilmann, Eugen         Paderborn Untouchables
Henkenjohann, Tim       Bonn Capitals
Hoffschild, Philipp     Buchbinder Legionäre
Howard, Christopher     Buchbinder Legionäre
Hughes, André           Solingen Alligators
Kepler-Rozycki, Max     Minnesota Twins
Lutz, Donald            Cincinnati Reds
Lutz, Sascha            Mannheim Tornados
Schmitz, Max            Bonn Capitals
Schonlau, Björn         Paderborn Untouchables
Solbach, Markus         Minnesota Twins
Speer, Jendrick         Paderborn Untouchables
Thieben, Daniel         Buchbinder Legionäre
Weller, Lennart         Bonn Capitals
Wulf, Dominik           Solingen Alligators

Complete Roster German Junior National Team:

Technical Staff

• Mathias Winterrath (Head Coach)
• Michael Wäller (Assistant Coach)
• Chris Dresel (Assistant Coach)
• Jens Welgenbach (Trainer)
• Tobias Lang

The ticket sale for the World Port Tournament already has started.

German Roster in Rotterdam:

• Cedric Bassel (Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg)
• Sascha Brockmeyer (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Jens Cornelsen (Solingen Alligators)
• Michael Franke (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Rene Franke (Mannheim Tornados)
• Florian Götze (Solingen Alligators)
• Simon Gühring (Heidenheim Heideköpfe)
• Daniel Harms (HSV Stealers)
• Dominik Hartinger (Gauting Indians)
• Nils Hartkopf (Haar Disciples)
• Tim Henkenjohann (Bonn Capitals)
• Eugen Heilmann (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Daniel Hinz (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Philipp Hoffschild (Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg)
• Christopher Howard (Buchbinder Legionäre Regensburg)
• André Hughes (Solingen Alligators)
• Dustin Hughes (Solingen Alligators)
• Jan Jacob (Bonn Capitals)
• Sascha Lutz (Mannheim Tornados)
• Octavio Medina (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Maximilian Schmitz (Bonn Capitals)
• Björn Schonlau (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Julius Uelschen (Untouchables Paderborn)
• Dominik Wulf (Solingen Alligators)

The German Baseball and Softball Federation (DBV) is currently advertising the position of exclusive game ball supplier of the German Baseball and Softball Leagues for 2012 and 2013. Companies and dealers that are interested in a licensing deal with the German federation are requested to contact the federation vie email info[at]baseball-softball.de to receive further information.

The 24-year-old Dewald was born in Mannheim, debuted in the German Baseball-Bundesliga for the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe in 2002 and later also played for the Mannheim Tornados in Germany. He joined Gordon College before transferring to Georgia College & State University, where he graduated last fall. He also had offers from teams in Italy, but decided to stay in the United States. He is expected to help the Heidekoepfe during the playoffs after finishing the season in the Frontier League.

Career Stats German Baseball-Bundesliga

Photo: © Walter Keller, www.catchthefever.de

by DBA, www.baseballakademie.de

The German Baseball Academy (Deutsche Baseball Akademie/DBA) held its annual winter training camp “DBA Winterball” from January 6 to 11 at the indoor facilities of the Ahorn Sportpark in Paderborn last weekend. 43 players participated in the training camp. They were coached by the DBA staff of Georg Bull, Sven Huhnholz, Michael Franke, Ulli Wermuth and Udo Happ. Additionally Martin Brunner of the Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg and Jens Hawlitzky of the HSV Stealers helped out.

Two more guest instructors were on hand. Dave Schuler of the Colorado Rockies, who is currently at the DBV Academy, did work with the pitchers. New York Mets minor league catcher and Germany’s current hope for a big leaguer in the near future, Kai Gronauer, took his time to give advice to the four catchers in training camp.

Split into four groups the players worked intensively for three days, doing drills for infield, outfield, pitching and core plus some batting practice. Martin Brunner introduced them to some new strength exercises, which are not only suited for baseball, but also are age appropriate. Overall the training camp is supposed to help the players get new impulses for their regular practice schedule at their home town clubs.

Photos: © Wolfgang Schulz

Williams is going to continue to work as assistant coach for Greg Frady with the German National Team. He also will be responsible for the regional baseball academy in Heidenheim and is going to coach the farm team in the 2nd Baseball-Bundesliga together with Christian Hägele. It is as well planned that Williams will be working as a basketball coach during the winter months. He will begin his work in mid-March.

At the coaching staff Williams will be assisted by the Americans Dusty Bergman, Matt Gaski and Andrew Smith besides the German national teamers Simon Gühring, Robert Gruber and Markus Winkler. Gaski and Smith are new on the roster. They also signed Alex Lauterbach this winter. The Heidekoepfe will open the new season on the road against the Gauting Indians in April.

Photo: © German Baseball and Softball Federation (DBV)

German national team head coach Greg Frady states:

“We are very please to accept the invitation to the WPT. As our organization continues to gain respect in the International community, invitations from world tournaments are beginning. This tournament will feature some of the most powerful teams in the world and will present a great challenge for our organization. As we grow and gain more International experience, we strengthen our position for future world tournaments. This WPT will help us take the next step in our development.”

The DBV also announced the extension of the contract with Greg Frady throughout the 2011 season. Both sides already reached an agreement a few weeks ago, when the Georgia State head coach was in Germany to accept the EBCA European Coach of the Year Award during the convention in Cologne. He is working with the German federation since 2004, leading the national team from the B-Pool to a three consecutive top-four finishes at European Championships with the highlight being the bronze medal in Stuttgart, Heidenheim and Neuenburg this summer.

Mister-Baseball: How much does the EBCA Coach of the Year Award mean to you?

Greg Frady: The EBCA Award means very much to me, because it means that the German team had success. When I started the job one of my goals was that the German team perception in the International Baseball community would be respect. And I think that was what we searched for as an organization. This award signifies that we have taking some strides in this area. Ultimately we haven’t reached our final goal or destination. But we’re making a good progress right now. When you win an award like this, it also represents many people, players, coaches, the DBV administration. Some names that stand out to me: Jürgen Elsishans, Michel Gomez, Jesco Veisz, Arndt Wiedmaier, Tobias Wersig, and of course Troy Williams. These people have worked with me from the beginning and have been able to see the German team to get a progression. So the award means a lot to me and I am honored to get it.

MRBB: Did you follow the EBCA? And how important are such clinics for European Baseball?

GF: I always follow the EBCA and I am a big supporter of the EBCA. This is a young organization and it is continuing to grow. But I think the future looks very bright. I think these clinics are important for everyone to share information about Baseball and how Baseball is done. Always when I am asked to speak on a clinic, I take a great pride and honor to do it and hope that my messages will help others with Baseball. And at the same time I am always learning from the other speakers at the clinic. I am trying to pick up new things. That is what we do as Baseball people. We share information to the others.

MRBB: What are the main differences between working at Georgia State and with the German National Team?

GF: The players are the same. Baseball is the same. The travel is the same. Dealing with all the aspects of the game like umpires, weather, conditions, tournaments, important games, everything is the same. The difference is that I get to spend every day with the Georgia State players and I get very little time with the German players, because the German National Team only gets together for a short period of time. So I think the thing that I am always missing with the German team is, I wish we had more time together.

MRBB: The Dutch team is working with their players on a regular basis, nearly full-time, trying to get better. Are you and the coaching staff having a similar approach and give the national team players personal plans to improve their skills when they are not with the national team?

GF: At the end of the season in the past dating back to a few years we sat down with each German player and had one-to-one, face-to-face meetings to say these are your strengths and these are your weaknesses. You need to improve these things over the winter. And we implement these plans with the German National Team coaches, the regional coaches like Mathias Winterrath, Martin Brunner in Regensburg, with Cae Santos in Mainz who now has moved on. You’ll see Troy Williams in the future to take a more active role in these things. Mathias Winterrath, who is now the German Junior National Team coach, is continuing in this role. You’ll see a transaction taking place.

One other thing that the Dutch have going well is their country is a little smaller so the people are closer. So they can drive and meet on a more regular basis. We have national team players that live in Munich and we have national team players that live in Paderborn. That is difficult thing, if you want them meet every week. So the size of the land and the proximity to one location is a very big challenge for the German team. So what is important regionally is the north, the center and the south, so we get these players together as much as possible in the middle of the week and they work on things.

MRBB: Are you talking to the club coaches about your players?

GF: Yes, I talk to club coaches. But probably not as much as you think. Because I think club business is not national team business. I respect club business. Each club coach must things to do to keep their job and keep his club winning. And I am not calling the club coach and say don’t pitch that guy, because I need him for the national team. I never do that. But I do talk to the club coaches to say who is playing well? Who do you like? Who do you recommend? Is this guy a little bit old now? Is the young guy old enough now? These are the kind of communications I have, not as much as about to play different people.

MRBB: What are areas for German Baseball it has to do to get on the same level as Italy and the Netherlands, so they can beat them on a regular basis?

GF: We just need more time. If you look at the last seven years, when I came here there was no chance mentally to discuss beating the Dutch or the Italian team. No chance. And then now, when we play those teams, the games are better and we have a chance. So with a good plan we closed the gap with them being on the top and we close to the bottom. But we still haven’t beaten the Dutch or the Italian teams.

I am happy with where we are today. I think the team doesn’t fear playing those teams. But we have a lot of respect for these teams. One of the other things I said to the German players is that when we’re going playing in the World Cups, when we’re playing Final Olympic Qualifiers. When we’re playing in tournaments like that and we can see how difficult it is to play teams like Japan, South Korea, the United States, Venezuela, Cuba, Australia, Canada, Mexico. Every single day is a brand new very hard game and then you see that the Dutch have been doing this for several years, it makes you respect what the Dutch has gone through.

And the way the Dutch looked at the German team, haven’t performed in World Cups and Final Olympics Qualifiers, it is hard to respect a team which is not doing the same thing you’re doing on the World level. But by participating in these tournaments, gaining some experience. I think we’ve earned some respect in the international world of being there. Now being in these tournaments and playing well, hopefully this will help us keeping a confidence when we’re playing the Dutch team and the Italians and giving us a better chance to compete with them.

MRBB: How much do you follow European Baseball in general?

GF: Of course I follow German Baseball. Closely. I follow the Italian League, the Dutch League, the Spanish League. Not as closely as the German league, but I have an idea what is going on there. I follow the Czech League some. But in general I focus on the German team and this is where I spend all my time and energy.

I am very proud of the German clubs. It was a great year for German Baseball. Paderborn winning the opening tournament in Regensburg was a good representation for the north. Heidenheim had a great representation at the European Cups this year. Regensburg won the Bundesliga championship. And the German national team won a medal in the European Championship. I think it was a very good year for German Baseball.

MRBB: You’re a college coach for basically your whole career. Do you consider coaching at a professional level or a club team in the future?

GF: Well, I always keep my options open. But I am very comfortable coaching the teams that I coach. I love coaching Georgia State University and being a college coach. College coaching is different from pro coaching in the way that they are more stable. The job has more security. The money is good. The competition, the travel, the hotel, the food is very good at the Division I level. And it is also very good at the Major League level, of course. But it takes a long time coaching in professional baseball to work up to something like a major league coach. It also equally takes a long time as a college coach to work up to become a Division I college coach.

So in a way you almost choose your track. Are you going to be a college coach or are you going to be a professional coach. I think there are really a lot of good college coaches that probably could be professional coaches and there are a lot of really good professional coaches that could come over to become good college coaches. So just being in Baseball is my love and I love coaching at the college level. But coaching the German team with the college team is kind of the best for me from both worlds. Coaching a pro team like the Germans, although it is not professional and coaching a college team every day, watching young guys improve and get baseball improving

MRBB: Is Georgia State University supporting your role as German national team coach?

GF: Very much support. At Georgia State I am looking at it as I am a teacher, coaching is teaching. Being a teacher at a University level. If you get the job, you have to have a good knowledge of your job area. You’re looked at as a University employee, the leading person in this area. It is your responsibility that you share your knowledge with the rest of the world. So I look at myself as a Baseball ambassador, a baseball professor going out into the world, doing work in the world, while I am working for the University. And I think that our University at Georgia State sees it that way too. They are very proud what the German team has accomplished and working it as cooperation.

MRBB: You recently visited Kai Gronauer in Arizona. What can he already do and what work has he left to do to get eventually to the Major League level?

GF: What he already can do is playing Baseball fantastic. He is making everyone in Germany very proud of the way he is doing things. He is catching outstanding, throwing the ball outstanding, blocking outstanding. He is calling a better game all the time. He is handling pitching staffs better. He is handling higher quality pitching staffs, Double-A, Triple-A, some big league guys. He has been invited to big league spring training this year. I think he is going to start at a higher level next year in pro ball. He is doing just some outstanding things.

The things Kai needs to improve on. Every time you change levels and move up, there is a question of ‘Am I being good enough for this level?’ He is going through a lot of first times. Kai doesn’t have any other German players to call: What was it like in the Arizona Fall League? What will it be like if I go to Double-A? What will it be like to get to big league baseball? He may ask a guy, who is from Venezuela, how he thinks about it. He could ask the guy from the US, how he thinks about it. But he has no German player to talk about it.

And the German league is different from the Dutch league and the Dutch league is different from the Italian league or the Czech league. It is just a brand new experience for Kai. He is handling it fantastic. I couldn’t be more proud of him. And when I go watch him play, the only thing I can thinking, he is one of the best baseball players in the world and he is making all Germans proud right now.

MRBB: What about Donald Lutz? Are you also following him in the US?

GF: Yes, I am following Donald Lutz. I am emailing with him. I went seeing Donald in the past two years. I think Donald is doing a fantastic job. Right now he is in the Australian Baseball League and he is getting more time to play the outfield. He is playing a lot of first base in the regular season. But the organization wants him to play in the outfield, so he is getting some work in the outfield. But Donald’s chance to go up on the organizational ladder or to play in the big leagues is based on, he is big, he is strong, he is left-handed and has some power. So his hitting is what takes him up the ladder. Donald is doing a great job. I think his best baseball is still to come for him.

MRBB: Did you also have a chance to see Max Kepler-Rozycki?

GF: Yes, I have seen Max Kepler, not in the US or in professional baseball. He is the great prospect right now, the big-money prospect. The money alone what the organization paid him, will give him a chance to go up the ladder. Some of the guys have to prove they can play, I think Max with the money he got he has to prove that he cannot play. So he always will be giving a good chance to move up the ladder.

MRBB: How important is it for German baseball that players are playing outside of the country, not only to professional baseball, but also to college ball or maybe into the Dutch or Italian League?

GF: That is a tough question. The German league is better than some might think. The competition is really good, when the game is being played. I like that. I think the league is getting better every year and is improving. I don’t think that a German player has to leave to get a good competition anymore. But with that said, the reason every German player has to consider playing outside of Germany is that the league is still only a one-day a week league, but Baseball is a game of every day.

I really would love German baseball go to Wednesday games, so you play at least two days a week, three games a week. Some of the clubs in Germany have gone to a Friday night/Saturday or Saturday/Sunday. I think that is fantastic. If all the clubs could get to two single games on the weekend and a single game in the middle of the week, I think the league again would improve and people would not have to look outside of the league as much.

The reason to look outside the league is that you play more games a week, maybe two, three, four, five, six or even seven depending where you’re going. You’re taking batting practice every day. You’re taking groundballs every day. You’re throwing every day. You’re working on your running, fitness, conditioning, your strength and conditioning. Everything starts to kick in to accelerate your improvement as a player.

And there are really some great clubs in Germany that doing a good job of having middle-of-the-week intra-squad games. The strength and conditioning is really good. The practicing every day is really good. And yet there are still some clubs that only practice one or two times a week and only play on Saturday. So depending on which club you’re in, depending where you’re at, there is maybe more a need to play outside of Germany then in other clubs.

In general for every European, an Italian, Dutch, German, it doesn’t matter. The experience of going to another country and another continent, playing and seeing how a different culture lives and understanding baseball from this perspective can only improve that player and when this player comes back it will improve the younger players at his club.

MRBB: What are the plans for the German National Team in 2011?

GF: Success. I wish I could tell you this. But right now we’re waiting for a lot of information about different events. The German team is qualified for the 2011 World Cup. And it is a very good tournament and a very good event. But we also remain hopeful to be part of the World Baseball Classic. That is right now the goal for the German federation, to be in the World Baseball Classic. We feel like that is very the money is for our organizations that are serious about playing baseball in the future. We go to be involved in that. And that is our goal.

We have opportunities for other world-type tournaments that are not involved in the World Cup and the World Baseball Classic, really high level invitational tournaments. We are considering those. But with the loss of Olympic funding, the unknown of the World Baseball Classic, the German organization, as other organizations in Europe too, are dealing with some reduced funding and so we must be very wise how we spent our money. How we train our players. Where we take our players. Trips that would sound cool that might be fun are not what we’re looking at. We’re looking at the best tournaments with the best competition with the most games that we can afford to train our players. So planning for 2011 is unclear, but we have a lot of choices at the moment.

Mister-Baseball thanks Greg Frady for taking his time to answer our questions

Photo: (c) EBCA Fanpage (top right) and Gregor Eisenhuth, www.eisenhuth-photographie.de

Mister-Baseball: Could you give our readers a short summary of your career so far?

Martin Dewald: Well, I started playing baseball when I was 11 years old with the Mannheim Amigos. Then I went on to play for Heidenheim on their 1st League team when I was 16 years old and moved there by all myself in order avoid problems with school that I had in Mannheim getting time off for National Team events and such. I was integrated in senior National Team stuff that year as well and soon somewhat realized that I might really have a chance to be able to play in the US somewhere. And after a couple crucial injuries, such as a broken collar bone and a broken hand, I realized how life without baseball isn’t that great after all. So I got my mind set on trying everything I can to be able to play baseball on a high level in the US somehow.

Then it was Coach Frady who got me in touch with some Junior Colleges in the US in order combine playing baseball and continuing to study in case the whole baseball thing wouldn’t work out. Gordon College was the one to give me a shot and I went there right after I graduated high school in Germany. Over the summer break I then went back to Germany to play for the Mannheim Tornados and moved back home, so that my parents were able to see me at least for a little bit of the year. After 2 years at Gordon College I got recruited to play at the Georgia College & State University, where I played for the next 2 years. Then after that was done and three closely failed attempts to win the German Championship with Mannheim, I decided to go back to play for Heidenheim again. And currently I am back in the US finishing up my Marketing degree wondering what next year will bring.

MRBB: You had a pretty successful season in four different competitions. With your college team you reached the semi-finals at the NCAA Division II World Series, you won the bronze medal at the Euros with Germany, got to the European Final Four with Heidenheim and lost in the German Finals. What would you consider your highlight of 2010 and why?

MD: This whole year was pretty amazing and besides having one at least one of the couple events, there really isn’t anything that could have been better. The highlight in this whole year, I believe that Germany was able to show the world how far they have come baseball wise. A German played a big role in getting a team to the NCAA II World series, Germany finished 3rd in the European Championship, where everybody saw that there even could have been more in it, and then a German team standing in the finals of the European Final Four.

Personally, I think, being part and able to contribute n some crucial wins, such as the big wins against the Dutch and Spanish team at the European Qualifier, but mainly the win against the Swedish Team at the European Cup to clinch 3rd place. I still think of the situation…bases loaded, full-count, the guy at bat that cause the benches to clear earlier that game, throwing cutter inside…well and the rest was just a big party then. [Laughs]

MRBB: You’re switching between a reliever and a starter role pretty often. How do you prepare for it and do you pitch differently in either?

MD: I get that question a lot…well the answer is not really. I approach every time I pitch and try to dominate every inning. So when I start I do the same thing, just that I wonder sometimes for how long I will still have enough juice left in my arm to be able to dominate the next inning. To sum it up, I don’t pitch any different and I don’t hold back.

MRBB: How many miles did you travel via plane this year and how did you manage the jetlag?

MD: [Laughs]…many I guess, especially over the last two years. I guess from last year’s experience where I got on the plane on Fridays, landed Saturday mornings, a couple hours after that, I pitched a game, then took the plane again on Sundays to fly back and hit the books and practice with my college team, I somewhat pretty much became immune of jetlag.

MRBB: Due to studying in the US, you hadn’t much practice time with your teammates in Heidenheim. Especially looking at the battery, was it difficult to get comfortable with the catcher, even though you obviously know Simon Guehring from the past couple of years with the national team?

MD: No, not at all. I’ve played with Simon when I first got to Heidenheim, so I have known him for a long time. Plus Simon is an outstanding Catcher. There is not much to get used to. You do what he tells you to do or throw…and then you are in good hands.

MRBB: Besides the schedule, what are the main differences between college ball and the Bundesliga? How would you rank the German league in comparison?

MD: That is hard to say. Mainly because of the different schedules there is more depth to the teams in college. But if my college team would play a single game every weekend against a team from Germany, the chances of the series being tied or pretty close after like 20 games is very high, I would say. If they were to play three-game series, I don’t know if there would be many won series for German Bundesliga teams. Also the fact that the lineup is strong 1 through 9, whereas in German Club teams you often have 1 or 2 weaker spots. There are many single players in Germany that would probably do fairly well in college, just the overall teams is just hard to say. I hope that somewhat answers the question.

MRBB: When you would have to give a scouting report about yourself, what would you say? What pitches do you throw and which do you trust during a game?

MD: I throw a cutter, a slider, a curveball, a changeup, oh yeah, and a fastball…every now and then. I think it is hard to have a scouting report on me, because I adjust to how I pitch to the hitter’s approach. But you can say that I do throw a lot of off-speed pitches, and mix in fast balls every now and then. I mean hitters practice hitting fastballs so why throw them what they see every day during batting practice. Numbers wise, on a good day my fastball is around 87-89mph, my cutter 80-83mph and my curveball around 74-78mph.

MRBB: What are your plans for 2011?

MD: To be honest I don’t really know yet. There are a couple opportunities I have baseball wise in Europe, Australia and the US. But I also might have the chance to start a job in the US next year or I might even try to get a Masters degree. There is something I will do and it will hopefully involve baseball in some sort of way. Thank you very much, and thanks to a great baseball season 2010!

Mister-Baseball thanks Martin Dewald for answering our questions.

Photo: © Georgia College & State University (portrait, top right), Iris Drobny (pitching for Germany in Stuttgart, middle left), Walter Keller www.catchthefever.de (game 5, German finals, bottom right)

Markus Winkler

• Born on December 18, 1981 in Göppingen, Germany
• Right-handed pitcher
• Plays in Baseball-Bundesliga for Heidenheim Heidekoepfe
• Also has played for Bonn Capitals, Cologne Cardinals and in South Africa
• German Champion 2009 with Heidekoepfe
• German Senior National Team since 2003
• Won Bronze Medal with Germany at 2010 European Championship

Mister-Baseball: Could you give our readers a short summary of your career so far?

Markus Winkler: I started playing baseball when I was 14 years old, for the Göppingen Green Sox a town near Stuttgart. When I was 17 I got picked up by the Heidenheim Heideköpfe during the European Junior Championships in Mainz. I played there until 2002 when I had to go to the German sports army program, which at that time was stationed in Cologne so in 2003 I played for the Bonn Capitals and in 2004 I went to the Cologne Cardinals. After that I went back to Heidenheim and stayed there ever since.

MRBB: Looking back at the 2010 season, what would you consider to be the highlight? Are you satisfied with the results?

MW: At the end I would say yes and no, off course going to the final four in Barcelona and almost winning it all was outstanding, but on the other side I would`ve loved to win another German championship, where we lost the 5th game to Regensburg. And off course the bronze medal at the EM back in my home city of Stuttgart was just awesome.

MRBB: Even though you won, you didn’t pitch that well during the European Cup in Brno. But in the title game at the Final Four in Barcelona, you nearly beat Fortitudo Bologna. What was your game plan versus the Italian champion? Was it your best start in your career?

MW: Yes I don`t really know what happened to me in Brno I didn`t pitch that good, but at the final in Barcelona I was so pumped and ready to pitch against bologna the only team that beat us in Brno, we almost had them, almost!

MRBB: Did you always wannabe a pitcher? What pitches are you throwing and which are you using during the games? When you would have to give a scouting report about yourself, what would you say?

MW: I started as a catcher, playing third base and first base. I love pitching. It`s so much fun I can control the game, that`s what I like about pitching.

I throw a fastball, curveball, slider, change-up and a cutter. I try to come right at batters with either the fastball or the cutter as my first pitch, my strike-out pitch would be the slider and curveball. As I am not a big strikeout pitcher I try to throw low in the zone and get groundballs and try to mix it up all the time on good hitters, so that nobody gets comfortable up there.

MRBB: Did you had a chance to play college ball or professionally in the US?

MW: I went to the States in 2000 and got a chance to go to spring training with the Boston Red Sox. I also played in Cape Town for three seasons, winning the championship there in 2004.

MRBB: Besides two seasons with Bonn and Cologne, you’ve spent your whole career with the Heidekoepfe. Will you stay in Heidenheim or would you like to play for a different team or in another country in the future?

MW: I`ve drawn interest from some Italian Baseball Clubs, because of my performance in Barcelona, but I haven`t decided yet where I`m going to play next year. I still work in Stuttgart until January. We`ll see what happens.

Mister-Baseball thanks Markus Winkler for answering our questions.

Photo: © Walter Keller, www.catchthefever.de

One of our photographers, which help out Mister-Baseball.com with beautiful pictures, Gregor Eisenhuth, has created a Baseball Calendar for 2011. Showing pictures from the 1st and 2nd German Baseball-Bundesliga and German National Teams, the 49.4cm*34.4cm piece is available for €13 plus shipping.

You can either buy it directly at Fielder’s Choice in Hilden, Germany and the Legionaere Fanshop in Regensburg. Or you can order it online via ge@eisenhuth-photographie.de. You can check out a preview of the calendar at his website (PDF-File)

Shipping costs (for one calendar) are €2 in Germany, approximately €4.50 throughout Europe and approximately €7 internationally. Payment via PayPal (with an extra fee of €0.65) is available. He is also offering a discount when you’re ordering more than five, ten or twenty calendars at once. Please contact Gregor Eisenhuth for further details.

Sam Whitehead

• 27 years old
• Attended Ponoma-Pitzer College
• British National Baseball League with Croydon Pirates
• German Baseball-Bundesliga with Tuebingen Hawks, Heidenheim Heidekoepfe (Champion in 2009)
• British National Team (Silver Medal at 2007 European Championship)

Jakub Janda: Please describe your career since you started playing baseball to the present.

Sam Whitehead: Well, when I was little, my parents put me in a lot of sports from basketball to soccer to swimming to football, but baseball was always my favorite. I started playing tee ball when I was around 5 years old, right after I moved to San Diego. I played on various travel teams growing up and on my high school team for 4 years. After I finished high school, I wasn’t sure if I would continue playing since I was never the power hitter or the guy that threw 90mph, so I wasn’t recruited by many schools, but I walked on at a small Division 3 school in the Los Angeles area, Pomona-Pitzer. The team was ranked 5th in the nation and had a lot of returners, so I was on the practice team for the first half of my first year before given a jersey. After a freak injury to the starting shortstop the second day of practice, I became the starting shortstop for the next 2 years and in my final year, I was moved to second base and did some pitching too.

My college coach had played in Sweden and Belgium, so he showed me some league websites in Europe and I thought it would be a fun experience to go play in England for a summer and see the country my dad grew up in since I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after school and never studied abroad during college since it was always during baseball season. I happened to email the General Manager of the British team and found out I was eligible for a British Passport and was set up with a team in the English League, the Croydon Pirates, where we won the league and finished 4th in a CEB Cup in 2005. That was also my first year playing for Great Britain. Through the British coach, Stephan Rapaglia, I was set up with the Tuebingen Hawks in Germany, where I played for 2 seasons. Unfortunately, we were relegated to the 2nd Bundesliga.

I wanted to continue playing in the 1st Bundesliga and contacted Heidenheim and have spent the last 3 years playing for them. I have been fortunate to see many places throughout Europe and have made some great friends over here playing. It was always a dream as a kid to play baseball in America professionally, but the experiences and times I have had over here have been incredible, especially since I wasn’t even sure I would continue playing after high school.

JJ: How were you preparing for this season during winter? Did you change anything from previous offseasons?

SW: This winter, I really concentrated on just getting in shape. I didn’t do much baseball related training this winter. Sometimes it’s good to take a break from the game and refresh. I think my arm needed a little rest from throwing, so I mainly just ran and lifted weights over the winter and about a month before coming back over to Germany is when I started throwing a little again and taking some swings just to get back in baseball shape.

JJ: What do you consider your career highlight?

SW: That’s a tough one. I would have to say from a team standpoint, it would be a tossup between winning the silver medal in the 2007 European Championships in Barcelona with the Great Britain National team and winning the Bundesliga last year with Heidenheim. I think anytime you win a championship or do well in a tournament, it’s exciting. Individually, getting to pitch against Japan and South Korea in the 2009 World Baseball Classic was also something I will never forget. I would say those things and surviving the running of the bulls in Pamplona last year with some of the other Bundesliga foreigners would also be a career highlight, even if it wasn’t on the field.

JJ: What has baseball taken from you and chat has the game given to you?

SW: I’m not really sure baseball has taken anything from me. It has definitely given me a lot. I have met many of my best friends through baseball, been to a lot of places many people haven’t and been able to play against some great players and teams in my career. Not too many people can say they played against Major League players before or played against the Cuban National Team for example. There are a lot of good memories that I have growing up because of baseball.

JJ: How do you like your own performance this season?

SW: I’ve been pleased with my performance this season. This has been my best season in the Bundesliga offensively, so it’s been nice. I also take pride in my defense. I think that part of the game can be overlooked sometimes by players, everyone wants to go up and hit a home run or a double in the gap, but for me, turning a double play or making a diving play is just as fun.

JJ: What do you think about your club in this season? Have you fulfilled expectations?

SW: Ever since I joined the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe, I have always had a great time playing with the team. They welcomed me to the team from the first day. We have a great bunch of guys on and off the field. We had a few goals for this season: to make the playoffs, to do well in the European CEB Cup and to defend our title. We played extremely well in the CEB Cup and earned a trip to the Final Four in Barcelona. We finished the regular season in second place and are currently in the middle of semifinals with a rematch from last year against Solingen. So, for now, we have met our goals for the season, we know it’s not finished yet because we want the title again, it won’t be easy, but we’re hoping that we can give ourselves the chance to repeat.

JJ: How many times in your career have you thought about quitting baseball?

SW: I don’t think I have ever really thought about quitting baseball. It has always been something I have done and wanted to do as long as I could and was still having fun. Maybe the one time after high school, I wasn’t sure if I would continue playing at the college level because I wasn’t recruited by many schools, but that wasn’t because I wanted to quit the game.

JJ: Do you have any special practice or game routine?

SW: I don’t really have any special practice routine. When I’m at practice, I try to get in quality work while I’m there. Since I don’t live in Heidenheim and can only practice twice a week, I try to make it count, whether it’s working on something specific in the batting cage, taking groundballs, or throwing a bullpen, I always try to practice as if it were a game and to get something out of it, so when the situation in a game comes up, it’s not something new for me and I feel prepared. I’ve seen too many players through my career just go through the motions at practice and not get better or seem to care. You can have all the talent, but if you don’t work hard at it, someone else who is working hard, will take your position.

As for a game routine, I usually try to do the same things before a game just to get focused and feel comfortable, whether it’s listening to some heavy metal music to get pumped up, having pregame butter pretzels with the guys before the game, or having a set routine in the on-deck circle before you get to the plate. For me, the more things I can keep consistent, the less I have to think and can just go out and play the game. I think everyone has some routine or superstitions that they do before or during the game, it’s part of being a baseball player.

JJ: Where do you see your own key for succeeding on the European level?

SW: I think my success has come through playing my whole life, whether it was going to the field behind my house as a little kid and having my dad hit me groundballs for hours or catch me pitching or my mom tossing me wiffle balls in the front yard and trying not to hit the windows or just gathering knowledge about the game from all the coaches I’ve had over the years. It’s surprising how you can always learn something new in this game, no matter how long you have been playing it and I think the desire to be the best that I can every weekend has pushed me and resulted in the success I have had.

JJ: Any funny story connected with baseball?

SW: There are too many funny stories that I have been a part of or witnessed while playing baseball for me to pick out one, especially with the Great Britain National Team. We only get to see each other once every year or two years and there are so many characters on the team, when we all get together, you know you’re in for a good time.

JJ: If you could advise young players reading this interview, what would you address them?

SW: I would tell them to follow your dreams and do what you want, whether it’s in sports, school or work. Do what you want and work hard to achieve it. Try to watch as much as you can. Growing up, I was always watching games on TV and you’ll be surprised how you pick up little things just from watching the game, not just from your coaches. Obviously, it’s a little more difficult being in Europe to catch a game on TV, but if you get the chance to watch a game in person or on TV or the internet, take advantage of it. Also, work on being a smart player, not just a good player. If you aren’t the biggest or strongest guy, you can make up for that by knowing the game and playing it the right way. And always have fun.

JJ: Your future plans on the field?

SW: This is probably going to be my last year playing since I’m trying to get into Air Traffic Control School/Training back in the states. I would like to continue to play for fun back home if I have the time and can find a Men’s League. But, you never know what might happen, I could be back again next year, I never imagined playing baseball in Europe or as long as I have, so you never know what might happen in the future.

Photos: (c) Heidenheim Heidekoepfe (top right), Gregor Eisenhuth, www.eisenhuth-photographie.de (bottom left)

Mister-Baseball: What do you expect from your team in Stuttgart, Heidenheim and Neuenburg?

Greg Frady: The German team has worked very hard for this championship and we all expect to play at a very high level to represent Deutschland. It is very important to get a good result in front of the home crowd.

MRBB: Can a team challenge defending Champion Netherlands in the 2010 European Championship? Which teams have the best chances of advancing in your group?

GF: All the teams from our group will be eager to show that they belong at the highest level of European baseball and we will prepare for each day differently. There is always talk about who is the best team, but playing the best baseball will be our focus. If we play as well as we have prepared, we will be in a great position to advance to the next round.

MRBB: Which team could be the surprise of the tournament?

GF: The teams in this tournament will be without many of their professional players and that will make some teams weaker and other teams more competitive. Depending on how the fans see their team’s position, many teams could be the tournaments surprise team by moving up or finishing below expectations.

MRBB: General speaking is the level of play in European Baseball getting better and more balanced since the EC 2007 or is there still a gap between the top teams and the underdogs?

GF: This makes my 7th year with the German team and I have seen both the German team and the rest of the European teams improving each year. Baseball continues to grow worldwide and Europe is matching this pace. As the MLB Baseball Classic grows in interest, many teams are positioning their organization to financially reap the benefits. The gap between teams is directly related to those teams that have money to train, travel and develop players from a young age. This is the same even in the MLB will clubs that spend a lot of money and those that are concerned about staying inside their yearly budget.

MRBB: There will be only a few professional players in the tournament. Does this will have an influence and does it hurt some teams more than others?

GF: Many teams will miss one or more pro players, but this will give other players a chance to show they can play at a high level also. The missing pro players will make the field more equal.

MRBB: Looking at the rosters of the other teams, which players could be especially worthy to watch?

GF: There will be many great players at the EM for the spectators to watch, but I will be watching the German players and their progress. Hopefully, everyone will enjoy seeing our players perform at their best.

MRBB: What is your plan for the final days before the Euro 2010? Which exhibition games do you have planned?

GF: We met for one week to practice two times a day and then met Belgium for exhibition games. This plan is not perfect; however being flexible with European baseball training has worked best for us. All coaches would like more practice and games before the EM, but we are not professionals. So work, university and being a husband and father create difficulties for many of our players. It is never perfect, but we make the most out of our time together.

MRBB: Do you already have a starting lineup in place and who will be in your starting rotation?

GF: We plan to use our entire team to get the best match ups as possible. Injuries, weather and fatigue must be taken into consideration each day for the best possible result for our team.

Mister-Baseball thanks Greg Frady for answering our questions and wishes good luck in the European Championship.

Previous:
Sven Hendrickx (Belgium)
Jim Stoeckel (Netherlands)
Mauro Mazzotti (Spain)
Marco Mazzieri (Italy)
Krunoslav Karin (Croatia)
Dennis Cook (Sweden)
Tom Mazarakis (Greece)
Jason Greenberg (Great Britain)
Arnost Nesnal (Czech Republic)

Germany had announced a 25-player roster at the beginning of July and played a pair of exhibition games versus Belgium (10-2, 11-2) this weekend. Afterwards the players received two off days before they meet up again in Stuttgart on Wednesday for the final preparations before the opener on Friday against the Ukraine. Gessmann is batting .363 (OBP .439/SLG .516) with ten extra-base hits, but only pitched two innings in the Baseball-Bundesliga this season.

Final Roster Germany:
Pitchers: Martin Almstetter, Markus Winkler, Martin Dewald (all three Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Dominik Hartinger (Gauting Indians), Tim Henkenjohann (Bonn Capitals), Philipp Hoffschild (Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Andre Hughes (Solingen Alligators), Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (Telemarket Rimini), Moritz Sckaer (Cologne Cardinals), Eugen Heilmann (Paderborn Untouchables)

Catchers: Simon Guehring (Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Chris Howard (Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg)

Infielders: Max Boldt (Mainz Athletics), Ludwig Glaser, Philipp Howard (both Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Nils Hartkopf, Dominik Wulf (Solingen Alligators), Edward Martinez (Saarlouis Hornets), Jendrick Speer (Paderborn Untouchables)

Outfielders: Cedric Bassel, Klaus Hopfensperger (both Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Robert Gruber (Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Sascha Lutz (Mannheim Tornados), Julius Uelschen (Paderborn Untouchables)

Coaching Staff: Greg Frady (Head Coach), Troy Williams, Omar Johnson, Tim Boeth, Dirk Fries (Assistant Coaches)

Belgium – Germany 2-11

GER 002 120 303  11 13 1
BEL 110 000 000   2  8 3

One day after celebrating a 10-2 win over Belgium in Heidenheim, Germany also prevailed against the same opponent on Sunday in Ulm, winning by a score of 11-2. And as on Saturday the team of head coach Greg Frady blew a close game wide open in the last three frames, thanks to three-run rallies in the seventh and ninth.

Former minor leaguer Ludwig Glaser went 3-for-4 playing first base for Germany to lead the pack. Dominik Hartinger, Martin Dewald, Tim Henkenjohann, Max Boldt and Philipp Hoffschild pitched for the host of the European Championship. Frady is going to announce the final roster on Monday.

While Belgium is going to play another exhibition game on Wednesday in Tuebingen against Great Britain, Germany’s players get a few days off before going to Stuttgart for the last work-outs before the opener against the Ukraine.

Belgium – Germany 2-10

GER 000 024 040  10 11 0
BEL 101 000 000   2  7 2

The German national team has won an exhibition game 10-2 against Belgium on Saturday in Heidenheim. Both team meet again today in Ulm. Belgium took a fast 2-0 lead after three innings against Germany’s starting pitcher Eugen Heilmann and held on to it until the fifth thanks to a solid pitching by Terence Antonacci. Sascha Lutz tied the game with a two-run single in the fifth. Four-run rallies in the sixth and eighth secured the victory for the team of head coach Greg Frady.

While Sunday’s game is going to be the last warm-up for Germany, Belgium is going to play another exhibition on Wednesday in Tuebingen against Great Britain. On opening day of the European Championship next Friday, Germany will face the Ukraine in Stuttgart, Belgium takes on France in Neuenburg. As Group A opponents they will play against each other next Sunday in Stuttgart.

The only new guys on the team in comparison to last year’s Baseball World Cup are Cedric Bassel, Dominik Hartinger, Klaus Hopfensperger and Moritz Sckaer. Besides the four professional players Kai Gronauer, Donald Lutz, Max Kepler-Rozycki and Jennell Hudson, also missing are former Minor Leaguer Michael Franke, Octavio Medina, Marvin Appiah and Andy Janzen.

Dirk Fries, who is injured, is going to be an assistant coach on the staff of head coach Greg Frady. The only player on the squad not playing in the German Baseball-Bundesliga is Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez of Telemarket Rimini, although Sckaer and Martin Dewald spent time at a college earlier this year.

The German National Team will hold a training camp in Heidenheim from July 12th to 18thbefore the start of the tournament, including at least one exhibition game against Belgium. Afterwards they have to cut one of the 25 players for the final roster.

Complete Roster:
Pitchers: Martin Almstetter, Markus Winkler, Martin Dewald (all three Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Dominik Hartinger (Gauting Indians), Tim Henkenjohann (Bonn Capitals), Philipp Hoffschild (Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Andre Hughes (Solingen Alligators), Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (Telemarket Rimini), Moritz Sckaer (Cologne Cardinals), Eugen Heilmann (Paderborn Untouchables)

Catchers: Simon Guehring (Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Chris Howard (Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg)

Infielders: Max Boldt (Mainz Athletics), Ludwig Glaser, Philipp Howard (both Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Nils Hartkopf, Dominik Wulf (Solingen Alligators), Edward Martinez (Saarlouis Hornets), Jendrick Speer (Paderborn Untouchables)

Outfielders: Cedric Bassel, Rodney Gessmann, Klaus Hopfensperger (all three Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Robert Gruber (Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Sascha Lutz (Mannheim Tornados), Julius Uelschen (Paderborn Untouchables)

Coaching Staff: Greg Frady (Head Coach), Troy Williams, Omar Johnson, Tim Boeth, Dirk Fries (Assistant Coaches)

Excitement and anticipation are on the rise in Stuttgart, Heidenheim and Neuenburg, the three German cities hosting the European Championship this summer. Less than a month remains to July 23, with the host locations working hard to wrap up final logistics, prep the fields, and complete stadium set-ups. But when it comes to the circus known as baseball, the German organizers are among the best on the continent; the twelve participating nations expect nothing less than a perfectly organized tournament. With the countdown on to the first pitch of the European Baseball Championship, the athletic aspect finally moves into focus after weeks of infrastructure preparations at each of the hosting locations.

Germany’s head coach Greg Frady, meanwhile, will be pleased to hear that the German club teams ended their European Cup duties with brilliant results. The defending Germany Champion Heidenheim Heideköpfe took part in the qualifying tournament in Brno, Czech Republic, fighting to and an outstanding second place finish behind the reigning Italian champions Fortitudo Bologna. As such, they become the first German team to participate in the European Cup Final Four Tournament, which will be held in late September in Barcelona. The Heideköpfe will test their merit n the quasi semi-finals against three Italian clubs.

The Solingen Alligators, from Germany’s North Division, put on an equally impressive show during their participation in a CEB-Qualifier for the CEB Cup Final in September. As hosts of the week long tournament, comparable to the UEFA Cup competition, the Alligators qualified for the final by going undefeated against their European competition, topped off by an exciting final against the Swiss champion Therwil Flyers.

Frady was pleased with the practice his players received against tough European competition: it’s hard to imagine a better way to prepare for the EU Championship, than the way the numerous national team players on Heidenheim and Solingen were able to. The national team coach will name his 40-man squad roughly 30 days before the first match, which will then be whittled down to 24 during the subsequent preparation. As part of this preparation, Frady will see the men in Black-Red-Gold take the field in warm up games against Belgium and Great Britain.

by Klaus Eckle, translated by Ty Eriksen

Jakub Janda: Dear sir, how has your team been preparing for the 2010 European Cadet Championship? What kind of preparation have you gone through in last two years?

Georg Bull: We´ve been working out indoors in January and then travelled to the Dominican Republic over the Easter break (15 days).

JJ: How does you roster look like? How many players do you expect from the national league and do you have any players playing abroad? How many players of your tem play in the first league?

GB: Since the players are all 15 years old or younger there is obviously nobody playing in men´s competition

JJ: Do you scout your opponents? What do you expect of the teams in your pool?

GB: During the tournament we will scout our opponents. We´re in a very tough group since both Italy and the Netherlands are in our group as well as Belgium who will also be strong.

JJ: What are your country’s goals for the ECH? What would you consider a success?

GB: A great success would be to advance to the semifinals which would mean that we are going to win two games in our group. Other than that we would have to try and not get relegated.

JJ: Do you know anything about Czech national team? Do you have any experience with them?

GB: The Czech cadet national team is always strong. They have a very good manager are therefore well managed and we’ve played exciting games in the past.

JJ: Thank you for your time.

Mister-Baseball thanks Jakub Janda and Georg Bull for the Q&A.

Mathias Winterrath

Photo: © Gregor Eisenhuth www.eisenhuth-photographie.de

In difference to the 40-man selection outfielder Marvin Appiah of the MANNHEIM TORNADOS and starting pitcher Eugen Heilmann of the PADERBORN UNTOUCHABLES were added to the roster. Also still on the team is catcher Simon Guehring of the HEIDENHEIM HEIDEKOEPFE, who is recovering from a fractured heel. Among others, the German minor leaguers Donald Lutz (Cincinnati Reds) and Jennell Hudson (Boston Red Sox) are not on the team anymore. Lutz broke his hand a few weeks ago and might be healthy again right in time for the BWC, but the Reds vetoed his participation. Hudson hasn’t played all season.

The German National Team is going to hold training camp in Heidenheim and will play a three-game exhibition series against Great Britain from September 4th to 6th in Stuttgart and Heidenheim.

Complete Roster:
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach Greg Frady, Assistant Coaches Jesco Veisz and Omar Johnson, Pitching Coach Troy Williams

Pitchers:
Martin Almstetter, Benedikt Antwi, Rodney Gessmann, Philipp Hoffschild (all Regensburg), Nils Hartkopf (Mainz), Jens Cornelsen, Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (both Solingen), Andre Hughes (HCAW Mr. Cocker), Eugen Heilmann (Paderborn), Martin Dewald (Mannheim), Markus Winkler (Heidenheim), Tim Henkenjohann (Bonn)

Catchers:
Michael Franke (Paderborn), Simon Guehring (Heidenheim), Kai Gronauer (Savannah Sand Gnats/New York Mets), Chris Howard (Regensburg)

Infielders:
Jendrick Speer, Octavio Medina (Paderborn), Andreas Janzen (Heidenheim), Ludwig Glaser, Philipp Howard (both Regensburg), Dominik Wulf (Solingen), Max Boldt (Mainz)

Outfielders:
Marvin Appiah, Sascha Lutz (both Mannheim), Robert Gruber (Heidenheim)
(Several of the players can play different positions on the field)

Schedule Exhibition Series:
Friday, September 4th:
18:00 Germany – Great Britain (Ballpark TV Cannstatt/Stuttgart)
Saturday, September 5th:
18:00 Germany – Great Britain (Heidekoepfe Ballpark in Heidenheim)
Sunday, September 6th:
18:00 Germany – Great Britain (Heidekoepfe Ballpark in Heidenheim)

GER 100 000 000  1  1 0
USA 012 320 00X  8 13 1

Box score

Team USA has won the 2009 World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia with an 8-1 victory over Germany in the final on Sunday afternoon. Drew Pomeranz (W 2-0) allowed just one hit by Andy Janzen with two outs in the seventh to lead his team to a dominating win, getting some payback for the 3-6 loss during the preliminary phase.

However the lone European team in the tournament still can be happy about its performance, as they were able to beat each one of the five other squads and made quite an impression in Canada. The second place is kind of bitter sweet, as catcher/outfielder Simon Guehring fractured a bone in his left heel on Saturday and is going to miss the rest of the playoffs with the HEIDENHEIM HEIDEKOEPFE and probably the Baseball World Cup in September too.

On Sunday Pomeranz only struggled during the first frame, allowing Sascha Lutz to score on a RBI groundout by Ludwig Glaser for an early 1-0 lead by Germany. The only other time that a German base runner reached third base came in the top of the sixth. The Americans evened the score in the second on a RBI single by Blake Forsythe. During the following three innings Team USA blew the game wide open on solo homeruns by Michael Choice, Yasmani Grandal and Bryce Brentz, plus a two-run double by Tyler Holt.

Pomeranz pitched seven innings total, giving up just one hit, a run and two walks. He struck out twelve batters, including five in a row from the first to the third. After Germany had used its three best starting pitchers Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez, Tim Henkenjohann and Andre Hughes on Friday and Saturday, Markus Winkler (L 0-1) got the starting nod in the finals and was hit hard from the beginning. He gave up seven hits, three runs (2 ER) and one walk in three innings.

During the medal ceremony after the game, Tim Henkenjohann received the MVP award for the tournament, leading Germany to wins over Team USA last Monday and against British Columbia on Saturday with stellar starts. Guehring, catcher Chris Howard and second baseman Jendrick Speer were named to the all-star team. Michael Choice of Team USA received the trophies as the best first baseman, best hitter and for the most homeruns. His teammates Gerrit Cole and Pomeranz were named best pitchers, Grandal best designated hitter.

Final Standings World Baseball Challenge:

1. USA
2. Germany
3. Canada
4. British Columbia
5. Prince George Axemen
6. Bahamas

More info on www.worldbasebll.ca

GER 100 110 032  8 11 1
BC  001 000 000  1  4 5

Box score

Germany defeated British Columbia 8-1 on Saturday morning in Prince George, Canada at the World Baseball Challenge to reach the semi-finals later that day against Canada. After both teams exchanged single runs in the first three frames, Germany took a 3-1 lead after RBIs by Andy Janzen and Jendrick Speer in the fourth and fifth. A three-run homerun by Chris Howard in the eighth and two more runs in the ninth blew the game wide open at the end.

Tim Henkenjohann, who had beaten Team USA earlier this week, gave up just one run on three hits and six walks in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five. Martin Dewald closed it out with 2 1/3 scoreless frames. Jesse Peters (L 0-1) struck out eight in 7 2/3 innings, but didn’t get much help from his defense, which committed five errors in the game. He conceded seven hits, six runs (2 ER) and a bb.

British Columbia defeated Germany 12-3 during the preliminary phase, but couldn’t repeat that offensive performance on Saturday. They finish the World Baseball Challenge in fourth place in the final standings.

Canada – Germany 2-4

(Line score, Box score and more info on the game to follow, as soon as they become available)

With the win against British Columbia, Germany got the opportunity to play against Canada for the second final spot. Thanks to a great performance by starter Andre Hughes and former minor leaguer Ludwig Glaser Germany prevailed 4-2 and will take on Team USA on Sunday afternoon at 4pm (local time) in the title game. Glaser went three-for-three against the maple leafs with a homerun in the ninth. Hughes went 7 2/3 innings for the win. Germany is now the only team in the World Baseball Challenge to have won against each opponent.

Results Playoffs:
Friday, July 24:
Playoff #1: British Columbia – Bahamas 14-1 (7)
Playoff #2: Prince George Axemen – Germany 4-9
Playoff #3: USA – Canada 1-0
Saturday, July 25:
Playoff #4: Germany – British Columbia 8-1 (British Columbia finishes in fourth)
Playoff #5: Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 2-10 (Axemen finish in fifth place, Bahamas in sixth)
Playoff #6: Canada – Germany 2-4 (Germany reaches finals, Canada finishes third)
All Box scores

Schedule
Sunday, Jul 26:
4pm Finals: USA – Germany
(all times local)

Live stream of the final at www.worldbaseball.ca, game starts at 1am CET on Monday, July 27

GER 000 000 153  9 15 1
PGA 000 010 003  4  5 3

Box score

The German national team won their first playoff game at the World Baseball Challenge on Friday 9-4 against the locals Prince George Axemen and will play British Columbia on Saturday morning in their next game. They still can make the finals on Sunday.

In the quarterfinal both teams exchanged zeros in the first few frames, before the Axemen took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a RBI fielder’s choice by Paul Wilson. But Germany came back. They tied the contest in the seventh when Cedric Bassel scored on a throwing error by reliever Andrew Brock after having reached with a one-out double. One frame later Chris Howard initiated the decisive rally with a two-run double down the left field line. Sascha Lutz, Jendrick Speer and Octavio Medina also had RBIs in the period.

Bassel, Lutz and Medina added three more runs in the top of the ninth with a pair of run-scoring groundouts and a single. Prince George cut off three runs of the deficit in the bottom of the last frame thanks to a three-run homerun by Charlie Strandlund, but it was too little too late.

Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (W 2-0) pitched eight innings for the win, allowing just three hits, a run and five bb. He struck out five. Shawn Schaefer (PGA) began for Prince George and matched the German southpaw for 6 1/3 innings. He gave up nine hits, an unearned run and three walks. Brock, who replaced Schaefer in the seventh, took the loss.

Germany will face British Columbia at 2pm CET on Saturday, after they beat the Bahamas 14-1 in game one on Friday. The winner of this matchup will take on Canada in the evening to play for the second finals berth. The Maple Leafs lost 0-1 against the USA on Friday evening. With the victory Team USA already has reached the finals on Sunday.  The Bahamas and the Axemen are going to play for fifth place.

Schedule & Results:
Results Friday, July 24:
Playoff #1: British Columbia – Bahamas 14-1 (7)
Playoff #2: Prince George Axemen – Germany 4-9
Playoff #3: USA – Canada 1-0
All Box scores
Schedule Saturday, July 25:
11am Playoff #4: Germany – British Columbia (loser finishes in fourth)
2pm Playoff #5: Bahamas – Prince George Axemen (winner finishes in fifth place)
7pm Playoff #6: Canada – Winner #4 (winner reaches finals, loser finishes third)
Sunday, Jul 26:
4pm Finals: USA – Winner #6
(all times local)

You can follow the games via live stream on the official website www.worldbaseball.ca

Complete Results World Baseball Challenge:
July 17:
Prince George Axemen – Germany 8-4
July 18:
Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 3-13 (7)
British Columbia – Canada 2-6
July 19:
Germany – Bahamas 20-3 (7)
British Columbia – Prince George Axemen 10-4
Canada – USA 2-5
July 20:
Bahamas – Canada 0-14 (7)
Germany – USA 6-3
July 21:
Germany – British Columbia 3-12
USA – Bahamas 8-1
July 22:
British Columbia – Bahamas 20-4
Canada – Germany 9-3
Prince George Axemen – USA 2-10
July 23
USA – British Columbia 12-2
Prince George Axemen – Canada 2-15
Box scores to all games

Standings:

1. USA 4-1
2. Canada 4-1
3. British Columbia 3-2
4. Prince George Axemen 2-3
5. Germany 2-3
6. Bahamas 0-5

Schedule:
Friday, July 24:
12pm Playoff #1: British Columbia – Bahamas
3pm Playoff #2: Prince George Axemen – Germany
7pm Playoff #3: USA – Canada
Saturday, July 25:
11am Playoff #4: Winner #2 – Winner #1 (loser finishes in fourth)
2pm Playoff #5: Loser #1 – Loser #2 (winner finishes in fifth place)
7pm Playoff #6: Loser #3 – Winner #4 (winner reaches finals, loser finishes third)
Sunday, Jul 26:
4pm Finals: Winner #3 – Winner #6
(all times local)

Live stream and more info at www.worldbaseball.ca

GER 000 002 100  3  6 1
CAN 022 401 00X  9 11 0

Box score

Germany concluded the preliminary round at the World Baseball Challenge with a 2-3 record after losing their last game 3-9 against Canada. The maple leafs scored eight of their nine runs between the second and fourth and decided the outcome early. Junior Nicholls drove in three, while the first three batters in the starting lineup each scored twice. Simon Guehring put Germany on the board in the sixth with a two-run single. One frame later Octavio Medina plated Ludwig Glaser with a single.

Matt Bannister (W 1-0) allowed three hits, two runs and three walks in six innings. He struck out five. Martin Almstetter (L 0-1) began for the team of Greg Frady and conceded five hits, four runs and two bb in 2 1/3 innings. His club teammate from Regensburg followed him on the mound, but wasn’t able to stop the offense Canada’s either. Martin Dewald and Max Boldt closed it out with solid relief appearances.

Germany has an off day on Thursday and takes the field again on Friday, when the playoffs begin. Starters Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez, Andre Hughes and Tim Henkenjohann all are available for the final round. In other games on Wednesday, British Columbia crushed the Bahamas 20-4 and Team USA beat the local Prince George Axemen.

Complete Results World Baseball Challenge:
July 17:
Prince George Axemen – Germany 8-4
July 18:
Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 3-13 (7)
British Columbia – Canada 2-6
July 19:
Germany – Bahamas 20-3 (7)
British Columbia – Prince George Axemen 10-4
Canada – USA 2-5
July 20:
Bahamas – Canada 0-14 (7)
Germany – USA 6-3
July 21:
Germany – British Columbia 3-12
USA – Bahamas 8-1
July 22:
British Columbia – Bahamas 20-4
Canada – Germany 9-3
Prince George Axemen – USA 2-10
Box scores for all games

Standings:

1. British Columbia 3-1
2. Canada 3-1
3. USA 3-1
4. Prince George Axemen 2-2
5. Germany 2-3
6. Bahamas 0-5

Schedule:
July 23:
3pm USA – British Columbia
7pm Prince George Axemen – Canada

Live stream and more information on www.worldbaseball.ca

BC  040 012 050  12 16 2
GER 000 002 100   3  8 2

Box score

Germany lost game number four at the World Baseball Challenge 3-12 against British Columbia on Tuesday and is now 2-2 with one game to go in the preliminary round. The Canadian selection hit German pitching hard from the start, took a fast 4-0 lead in the second and blew the game wide open in the eighth with a five-run rally. Rob Recuenco (4-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Mike Collins (3 RBI) and Mike Styrna (3 RBI) hit homeruns for BC.

The lone European squad in the competition put their first two runs on the board in the sixth on a two-run shot by Simon Guehring. One frame later they added another run, when Sascha Lutz plated Chris Howard with a groundball to the first baseman, who made the error. They had the bases loaded with no outs, but Jendrick Speer grounded into a 1-2-3 double play and Dominik Wulf flied out to end the threat.

J Alexander (W 1-0) allowed just four hits, two runs and a walk in six innings to earn the win. He struck out five. Rene Franke (L 0-1) got the starting nod from head coach Greg Frady for Germany, but couldn’t stop the offense by BC. He conceded eight hits, five runs (4 ER) and two bb in 4 1/3 innings, striking out one. Markus Winkler and Nils Hartkopf followed, but combined to give up seven more runs on eight hits and seven walks.

In the second game at the WBC in Prince George on Tuesday, Team USA beat the Bahamas 8-1 and improved to 2-1 in the tournament. On Wednesday three games are scheduled with Germany facing Canada in their last first-round match. The second round starts on Friday.

Complete Results World Baseball Challenge:
July 17:
Prince George Axemen – Germany 8-4
July 18:
Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 3-13 (7)
British Columbia – Canada 2-6
July 19:
Germany – Bahamas 20-3 (7)
British Columbia – Prince George Axemen 10-4
Canada – USA 2-5
July 20:
Bahamas – Canada 0-14 (7)
Germany – USA 6-3
July 21:
Germany – British Columbia 3-12
USA – Bahamas 8-1
Box scores to all games

Schedule:
12pm British Columbia – Bahamas
3pm Canada – Germany
7pm Prince George Axemen – USA
(all times local)

Standings:

1. Prince George Axemen 2-1
2. British Columbia 2-1
3. Canada 2-1
4. USA 2-1
5. Germany 2-2
6. Bahamas 0-4

Live stream and Video on Demand available on www.worldbaseball.ca

USA 000 010 002  3 4 1
GER 000 302 01X  6 9 3

Box score

Germany stunned Team USA (collegiate) on Monday at the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, Canada with a 6-3 victory. Three homeruns by Jendrick Speer, Simon Guehring (2 RBI) and Michael Franke (2 RBI) put Germany ahead by a score of 5-1 after eight innings, before the Americans tried to come back in the top of the ninth. But closer Martin Almstetter struck out Michael Choice to seal the win, after Yasmani Grandal and Matt Newman had cut the deficit to three runs with solo shots against starter Tim Henkenjohann (W 1-0).

Henkenjohann had quite a wild night, walking seven of the 35 batters he faced. However he allowed just three runs (2 ER) on four hits in 8 2/3 innings. He struck out six to lead Germany to its second victory in the tournament. They are now tied with Prince George Axemen and Team Canada for first place in the standings. TJ Walz (L 0-1) took the loss, conceding three runs on six hits in three-plus innings. Team USA now has a 14-5 record overall this year and is 1-1 in the World Baseball Challenge. They have 13 players on their roster, which were drafted by Major League organizations in the past few years. It was the first win ever by a German national team against Team USA (eleven games overall so far).

Earlier on Monday Canada no hit the Bahamas over seven innings in a 14-0 shutout. Jordan Rawlyk, Brandon Kaye and Matt Bannister combined to allow just three walks, while striking out eight. K Atkinson went five-for-five with two homeruns, two doubles, two runs scored and six RBI.

Germany will face British Columbia at midnight today (CET). Team USA squares off with the Bahamas four hours later.

Complete Results World Baseball Challenge:
July 17:
Prince George Axemen – Germany 8-4
July 18:
Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 3-13 (7)
British Columbia – Canada 2-6
July 19:
Germany – Bahamas 20-3 (7)
British Columbia – Prince George Axemen 10-4
Canada – USA 2-5
July 20:
Bahamas – Canada 0-14 (7)
Germany – USA 6-3
Box scores to all games

Schedule:
July 21:
3pm Germany – British Columbia
7pm USA – Bahamas
(times are local)

Box scores, live stream and video on demand at www.worldbaseball.ca

BAH 201   0 00 0   3  6 5
GER 321 (14)00 X  20 13 0

Box score

The German national team celebrated its first win at the World Baseball Challenge on Sunday afternoon in Prince George, British Columbia. They used a 14-run fourth inning to beat up the Bahamas 20-3 in ten-run rule shortened seven innings. After losing the opener 4-8 to the Axemen, the team of head coach Greg Frady now is 1-1 in the tournament.

After Sherman Ferguson put the Bahamas ahead 2-0 with a two-run homerun in the top of the first, Germany answered right away, taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the frame. They continued to score and led 6-3 at the end of the third. The fourth began, in which the Europeans sent 19 batters to the plate, putting 14 runs on the board. The rally was highlighted by a three-run single by Ludwig Glaser and a grand slam by Chris Howard. Sascha Lutz scored four times in the game. Simon Guehring drove in three.

Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (W 1-0) gave up five hits, three runs and two walks in five innings, picking up an easy victory. Benedikt Antwi closed it out with two scoreless frames. Darren Bowleg (L 0-1) conceded five hits, eight runs (7 ER) and eight bb in three-plus innings. He also threw four wild pitches and balked twice. Five errors by the defense led to a total of ten unearned runs.

Germany is going to face Team USA on Tuesday morning at 4am CET. The Americans opened the tournament on Sunday with a 5-2 win over Canada.

Complete Results World Baseball Challenge:
July 17:
Prince George Axemen – Germany 8-4
July 18:
Bahamas – Prince George Axemen 3-13 (7)
British Columbia – Canada 2-6
July 19:
Germany – Bahamas 20-3 (7)
British Columbia – Prince George Axemen 10-4
Canada – USA 2-5
Box scores to all games

Schedule:
July 20:
3pm Bahamas – Canada
7pm Germany – USA
(all times are local)

More information, including a live stream and video on demand of all games on www.worldbaseball.ca

GER 100 001 200  4 8 1
AXE 010 040 21X  8 9 1

Box score

On Friday evening the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia started with the opener between locals Prince George Axemen and the German National Team. The Axemen of manager Jim Swanson used a four-run fifth to beat the lone European participant 8-4. The rally was highlighted by a three-run homerun of Charlie Strandlund. Dustin Bissonnette and Brandon Hunter drove in two each.

Germany had taken an early 1-0 lead through a solo homerun by Dominik Wulf in the first. Wulf participated in the homerun derby on Thursday, reaching the finals with a total of three long balls. The third baseman of the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS later drove in another run with a fielder’s choice in the seventh. Simon Guehring collected three hits.

Andrew Brock (W 1-0) picked up the win on the mound, allowing seven hits, two runs and two bb in six innings. He struck out four. Andre Hughes (L 0-1) of the Dutch Hoofdklasse club MR COCKER HCAW conceded six hits, five runs and three bb in five innings. Nils Hartkopf and Martin Dewald also pitched for Germany in the game.

The team of head coach Greg Frady will take on the Bahamas on Sunday at 9pm CET. A live stream of the game will be available on www.worldbasebll.ca. You can also watch the opener as well as the home run derby as video on demand.

Schedule, Saturday, July 18:
3pm Bahamas – Prince George Axemen
7pm British Columbia – Canada
(times are local)

Mister-Baseball: How are the preparations going for the Baseball World Cup?

Jesco Veisz: The coaching staff has picked a 40-man list of players that are under consideration to play for Germany at the World Cup 2009. 24 players will travel to Canada on July 15th to attend the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia. Some athletes could not be with the team for that due to work duties or university exams, but are still considered for the World Cup. Also, the current players under professional contracts will not be with us in Canada.

MRBB: What do you expect from the upcoming World Baseball Challenge?

JV: We expect very good competition. This will be a great chance to prepare for the upcoming World Cup. The local organization is doing a superb job and we are really looking forward to play in front of a good crowd at this high class tournament.

MRBB: After the Bundesliga season a training camp will be held in Heidenheim. We heard rumors about eventual exhibition games against France and Australia. Can you already specify any dates?

JV: We are still in the working process for the immediate preparation for the World Cup’s first round in Regensburg. Australia was on the agenda but can’t make it. France is still checking its possibility to play team Germany the weekend of September 4th to 6th.

MRBB: Obviously the selection, even of a preliminary roster, always creates discussions all around the Baseball community. Let’s go case for case to clear up some questions.  Why did you choose to include Octavio Medina and Edward Martinez to the roster? It is for certain that they are strong enough to play, but especially in the middle infield positions it seemed that Germany looked relatively strong.

JV: Medina and Martinez are worthy players to be considered for the national team. They bring a lot of experience to any team. Offensively and defensively they are, even at their age, outstanding baseball players. They have been playing excellent in the past and they are doing it now. We always look to improve our game.

MRBB: Why are strong hitters like Marvin Appiah, Sascha Steffens or Christian Nsien not on the roster?

JV: All the players that you have mentioned are very good guys. Due to limited roster spots they are not on our list at this point. In general, we talk about the players that made the roster and not the ones, that didn’t make it.

MRBB: Regarding the three players in the American Minor League system. Did you already talk to the clubs about their availability during the World Cup?

JV: The coaching staff is in contact with the professional players regularly.  All of them want to represent their country at the Baseball World Cup in September. The DBV (German Baseball Federation) office is working together with the IBAF, MLB and the clubs to get them eligible to play.

MRBB: Did you try to bring back players, who already retired from the national team like Jens Heymer for example?

JV: All of the retired players did a great job for Team Germany in the past and brought success to the team. They retired from active participation with the national team, we accepted that and we will move on. In 2008 we tried out a lot of young players that we think can help us in the future. They will grow into their roles as time moves along. Other veteran players take over their roles as team leaders.

MRBB: How do you keep track on your players during the season?

JV: Due to the fact that men’s national team head coach Greg Frady can’t be in Germany all year long, we established a well functioning scouting system. Local area coaches send in scouting reports on a weekly base. I travel during the season basically every weekend to one or more Bundesliga games to scout and keep touch with possible national team players. Coach Frady visits Germany a couple of times too to conduct workout camps and to scout Bundesliga games as well. Combined with the stats, we get a pretty good picture of our pool of players.

MRBB: Did you already start with the scouting process for the three opponents of Germany in Regensburg? How difficult is it to find good information?

JV: Of course, everybody tries to collect information on opponents. We have people that scout for us worldwide.

Our focus however will always be on our team, playing the best baseball we can play. That is the most important task on our agenda.

Mister-Baseball thanks Jesco Veisz for the interview. Good luck in Canada and the Baseball World Cup in September.

Reigning champion BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE REGENSBURG has ten players on the team, the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS six and the HEIDENHEIM HEIDEKOEPFE five. Five of the 40 aren’t playing in Germany currently, as Kai Gronauer, Donald Lutz and Jennell Hudson are under contract by Major League organizations, Andre Hughes by the Dutch Hoofdklasse club HCAW MR COCKER and Moritz Sckaer played at a college in the US. Jendrick Speer leads all selected players with 64 appearances.

The coaching staff surprised everyone by adding the Bundesliga veteran infielders Octavio Medina and Edward Martinez to the roster. Both received a German passport recently and are among the hit leaders in Bundesliga history. But obviously they aren’t the youngest players anymore. Medina came from Mexico to Germany and is 37 years old. Martinez is from the Dominican Republic and 35. Also a surprise is the selection of starting pitcher Manuel Moeller of the MAINZ ATHLETICS, who had announced his non-participation in the World Cup during the winter months, as his exams are this fall.

The German national team will kick off preparations for the Baseball World Cup at the World Baseball Challenge in Prince George, British Columbia against seven other teams, including Teams USA, China and Canada from July 16 to 26 (official website).

Complete 40-Man Roster:
Kai Gronauer (Savannah Sand Gnats), Donald Lutz (Cincinnati Reds), Jennell Hudson (Boston Red Sox), Martin Almstetter, Benedikt Antwi, Cedric Bassel, Rodney Gessmann, Ludwig Glaser, Philipp Hoffschild, Christopher Howard, Philipp Howard, Klaus Hopfensperger, Alexander Lauterbach (all Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg), Sebastian Bernards, Jens Cornelsen, Robin Drache, Enorbel Ramirez-Marquez, Julian Steinberg, Dominik Wulf (all Solingen Alligators), Maximilian Boldt, Nils Hartkopf, Manuel Moeller (all Mainz Athletics), Peter Dankerl, Robert Gruber, Simon Gühring, Andreas Janzen, Markus Winkler (all Heidenheim Heidekoepfe), Martin Dewald, Rene Franke, Sascha Lutz (all Mannheim Tornados), Michael Franke, Octavio Medina, Jendrick Speer, Julius Uelschen (all Paderborn Untouchables), Dirk Fries, Michael Stephan (both Haar Disciples), Tim Henkenjohann (Bonn Capitals), Edward Martinez (Saarlouis Hornets), Moritz Sckaer (US College), Andre Hughes (Mr. Cocker Bussum/Netherlands)

Press Release regarding Croatia:

The Northern Gateway WBC is also excited to announce the addition of China to the official tournament roster. The Chinese team was recommended to the organizing committee by USA Baseball officials, and will be managed by Xu ZhenXiang. Mr. Larry Seminoff, the founder of the tournament (Grand Forks, 2002) was instrumental in putting the final pieces in place for China to play in Prince George.
.
China, represented by the Beijing Tigers, replaces Croatia, which recently informed the organizing committee that funding issues with their association, tied to the global economic crisis, were creating a difficult barrier in the way of arranging travel and covering other expenses, such as visas. Many of the Beijing Tigers played in the recent World Baseball Classic.
.
“We are sorry to get the news from Croatia, we have empathy for their situation, but we are ecstatic to add China to a truly global roster that includes teams from North America, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean,” said Seminoff.
.
“There were countries that wanted to participate but couldn’t because the roster was full, so finding a replacement did not take long. This event is of interest to so many national programs that are part of the International Baseball Federation, and I’m eager to see the show that will be put on. It will be first-class; the people of Prince George always do things at a high level.”

An excerpt:
After considering several national candidates, the American Greg Frady entered the picture. He had a successful track record of turning around sports teams three times before and when coach Jesco Veisz flew to Orlando where Frady was associate head coach at the University of Central Florida, he knew that they had their man. “He was the best we could get,“ said Jürgen Elsishans, Vice President of the German Baseball and Softball Federation.
.
When Greg Frady moved to Germany, not only did the beautiful surroundings of the Main River seem like a fairytale to him, also the attitude and the hard work of the players were a dream come true. In just 8 months, he made a new beginning and revamped the team. “I have some German heritage on my father’s side and I am German in many ways – straightforward and to the point,“ Frady says about himself. “Germans love leadership and I told the team that if they follow me, they will have great success.“

Read the full article on www.germany.info

Quote:
Greg Frady is no stranger to resurrecting baseball programs. Georgia State had just three winning seasons in its 40-plus-year baseball history before he took over as head coach and in 2008, just his second year, led the squad to its most wins ever (33). The German National Team, which was on the brink of extinction in the year prior to his appointment at the helm, is now a viable European program. Now Frady is lending his knowledge of baseball and leadership to the nascent Brazilian Baseball Federation in an attempt to expand the sport in one of the few Latin American countries to not yet have experienced its growth.

Read the full article on BaseballDigest.com

Schedule:
Saturday, April 11:
12:00 Germany – Denmark (DH)
Sunday, April 12:
11:00 Germany – Denmark (DH)

As the month of February progresses, fans of baseball will start to focus more and more on the World Baseball Classic and its early March start in four cities, San Juan, Mexico City, Toronto and Tokyo. The sixteen nations competing will have a good part of the world’s sporting population watching, with the event televised in more than 220 countries. However one of the countries not in this year’s WBC, but with strong hopes for the future, is Germany.

The German Baseball and Softball Federation will be watching the WBC even more immediate interest, as the city of Regensburg will be one of host cities for the Baseball World Cup this September. One of those German baseballers keeping a close eye on the goings-on will be Arndt Wiedmaier, the Managing Director for the German Baseball and Softball Federation. The German Federation, with over 27,000 members, ranks just behind the Netherlands and Italy in terms of size in Europe, but is second to none in passion for the game, especially on the grassroots level.

“I grew up in Mainz, Germany, close to a housing area where lots of U.S. Army Officers lived, and I had lots of friends who were interested and one day they took me to a game and I loved it,” he said recently. “Shortly after that we started playing baseball amongst more friends, and we founded the Mainz Athletics baseball Club in 1988 which has been growing for over 20 years now. It is a passion for me, and I think with a successful World Cup we will bring even more fans to the game.”

Wiedmaier, a left-handed pitching St. Louis Cardinals fan who idolized Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, takes great pride in the efforts of the European Federation, which under the leadership of federation head Martin Miller, has grown from less than 300 members to its current size, with most participants native Germans.

“The perception with baseball in Europe is that it’s all Americans living here who play the game, but the truth is German baseball is played by Germans and has a feel to it that is distinctly German,” he added. “That is what is great about baseball…it teaches you individual and team skills and is a sport that people can play at any age and it is very adaptable to the local culture and customs. It is an international game that is really just starting to grow in Europe, and we are very proud to be a part of that growth.”

Wiedmaier speaks with great passion about the potential of German baseball, and points to the success of the four or five German-born players currently playing in the minor leagues in the United States as example of that growth.

One of the brightest prospects is Kai Gronauer, who is a catcher in the New York Mets organization. The current minor leaguers hope to follow in the footsteps of Martin and Juergen Helmig, who played in the Baltimore Orioles organization in the 1950’s.

“We have a visionary leader in Martin Miller at the European federation, and have seen with the early ticket sales in Regensburg (over 8,000 sold in the first few days) that the time may be right for German baseball to really grow,” he added. “Will we ever be as big as soccer? No. But with World Cup success, and hopefully more games on television, we know that baseball in Germany will be a success and teach all the values of the game to a new generation of players and fans.”

Moeller is pitching for the ATHLETICS in the Bundesliga since 2002 and made his National Team debut in 2003. Since then he played in four European Championships and the Olympic Qualifier last March. The 2007 Baseball World Cup took place without him due to similar reasons. In nine games (seven starts) for the National Team in major tournaments, Moeller has a 4-2 record with an ERA of 2.52 and 32 strikeouts (22 walks) in 35 2/3 innings.

Last year he had a 7-4 record with an ERA of 2.82 in 14 starts for MAINZ. He struck out 74 (34 walks) in 95.2 innings pitched. He lost both of his starts in the playoffs against the SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS. In 2007 he won the German Championship with the A’s.

Photo: © Tanja Szidat

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According to the website of the Baseball-Bundesliga club HEIDEKOEPFE the EC will take place in July 2010. However the deal isn’t official yet, as a few renovations at the ballparks have to be made. In Stuttgart and Heidenheim the stands and the lightning systems need a few refurbishments. In Tuebingen the field requires a complete overhaul.

The twelve participating countries are already known after the Qualifiers took place this summer. Besides host Germany and the defending champion Netherlands, Great Britain, France, Sweden, Italy, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Croatia, Belgium, Spain and Greece will also send teams to the three cities.

The last time Germany hosted a European Baseball Championship was in 2001, when Bonn, Cologne and Solingen organized the tournament.