Mister Baseball

by John Baum

This week in Swiss baseball the Swiss Cup tournament began in full force. The tournament features every team, from every league, top to bottom, in a single elimination format. There are teams with beginners facing off against the best that we have to offer in terms of talent in the country. The winner of this tournament, before last season, would have the opportunity to go to the Cup Winners Cup tournament somewhere in Europe.

Things have changed in that respect here in Switzerland though; we are now only given one automatic chance to compete in European competition, that being the domestic championships. I also want to touch on this topic a bit some week. But I think it’s great that the smaller clubs get to strap-it-on and try to give the big bad NLA clubs hell!! But there is the argument that to make the league better, and its’ players better, that a 20 game schedule maybe is a bit to small. Eliminating the Swiss Cup would definitely open up some extra weekends…

I don’t’ know if eliminating this tournament necessarily makes the league any better, but it makes the NLA better. If the league is looking to focus on it’s top division, helping to give teams a better chance of competing against some of the bigger countries, more games need to be played! I know along with several other teams, that there are so many breaks in our season that it’s tough to stay consistent with improving players. Now I don’t want to say that working in practice doesn’t help improve you, but to truly find out the steps taken, games are the measuring stick. Eliminating the tourney opens up five weekends where games can be scheduled. Play on only three of those weekends, (most teams wont be playing anyway, lost in tourney), and you have a 26 game schedule. I’m a believer that the more you play, the better player, and team you are.

On the flip side though, I love the fact that the smaller clubs get the chance to see the better teams in the league play. It helps to improve their level by witnessing first hand what baseball is like in the NLA. But is a 33-0 shellacking like the FLYERS NLA put on the 1st Liga LIONS good for anyone?? The chance to beat the BERN CARDINALS, or the ZURICH BARRACUDAS, or whoever, is fun for those guys to think about. But the reality is, that the chance is minimal.

There are a few NLB clubs out there that are pretty good, as witnessed in 2006 when the GENEVA DRAGONS knocked off the defending Cup and league champs from Bern in the semi-finals. Or the now NLA INDIANS from Lausanne making the finals in 2005 when they were NLB. Maybe the solution lies in some kind of play in for the smaller clubs, keeping the NLA teams out for a couple weeks, opening up weekends for league play… I don’t know, but the fact that the tournament has no implication other than a trophy, doesn’t make a lot of sense anymore…

As for the CARDINALS, we will line up against the NLB THERWIL FLYERS, May 31st in the 2nd round of Cup action. We look forward to seeing these guys on the field, and know they will do their best to knock us off!!!

In the domestic league this week we extended our winning steak to 16 games…we look to get to 18 against the SISSACH FROGS this coming weekend. Johnny Perigos just keeps on hitting for us, going 6-8 with five doubles! Chris Beyeler extended his winning streak to twelve games… Their are plenty of concerns on my side though. After cruising through the league last season, winning by an average of 8-10 runs every day out, we have been pushed to the edge in two of four games. I hope we find that killer attitude soon, we expect to compete for a spot in the “A” pool this summer, and on current form, we’d be lucky to finish 4th!!