FINALS IN SWISS BASEBALL BEGIN SATURDAY IN LAUSANNE…A PREVIEW BY NATIONAL TEAM COACH, AND ZURICH CHALLENGER, CHRIS PALATINUS…
The best hitting team of the league will face the best pitching team in the Swiss Finals this year as the Lausanne Indians square off against the reigning Champions Bern Cardinals in the best-of-five series. The Indians dominated the league this season with 180 runs scored, hitting .338 including 24 homers. Four of the top ten leaders in batting average come from Lausanne, and Jimenez with his seven four-baggers led the league.
On the other hand, the Cards led the league with an astonishing team ERA of 1.82, while the Indians were a distant fourth with a 4.20 mark. The Cardinals pitching staff also allowed the fewest runs (62), hits (112), and homers allowed (7), and were second in strikeouts only to the Zurich Barracudas with 162; and second to the Therwil Flyers in walks allowed with 64 in 157 2-3 innings.
Great pitching almost always beats great hitting in a best-of-five or best-of-seven series, as witnessed year-in year-out in the big leagues. Relying on just one Swiss-born pitcher in Nicolas Jaquemet (5-4, 5.08 ERA), might be too much to overcome for the Indians, whereas the Cardinals can counter with Christoph Beyeler (7-2, 2.06 ERA), and Severin Fries (2-1, 0.99 ERA). Throw into the mix John Baum (6-1, 0.59 ERA), who could throw four innings in every nine-inning playoff game and the Cards should be good to go.
Prediction: Cardinals in four
Game 1 probable starting pitchers: Nicolas Jaquemet – Severin Fries
Game 2 probable starting pitchers: Nicolas Jaquemet – Chris Beyeler
Schedule:
Saturday, October 4
14:00 Lausanne Indians – Bern Cardinals
Sunday, October 5
14:00 Bern Cardinals – Lausanne Indians
Saturday, October 11
14:00 Bern Cardinals – Lausanne Indians
Sunday, October 12
14:00 Lausanne Indians – Bern Cardinals*
Saturday, October 18
14:00 Bern Cardinals – Lausanne Indians*
*if necessary