by Andy Fleischacker, Swiss National Team Head Coach
Therwil Flyers vs. Zurich Barracudas
Just 1 month ago this series would have looked like a no brainer and the flyers would be heavy favorites to sweep the Cudas in 3 games. But a lot has changed in 1 month. Daniel Eichenberger has gotten hurt for the Flyers and has not played in 1 month so his big bat may be rusty. And the Barracudas have gotten very hot. They are coming off a big 2 game sweep off the Bern Cardinals and have been the hottest offensive team in the league. The bat of Nderim Coma has come alive this season and he has hit 13 homeruns including 3 vs. the Bern ardinals last weekend and if he keeps up this unprecedented home run barrage the Barracudas offense will keep marching on. Kody Hightower is the other big bat in the lineup and he brings a power and speed combination that will be hard to contain. Andi Ruesch has returned from school in Holland, and Chico Colandarus are 2 more potent offensive players. The wild card for the Barracudas offense may be Ryan Trask and Ian Young who play on Sundays only due to work obligations, with these 2 British national team players the Barracudas lineup is strong and deep. On the mound for the Cudas it’s a 3 month show. National team pitcher Frank Berchtold will start the Swiss pitching game and Nderim Coma will be the closer. In game 2 its all Hightower all the time, he will be counted on to go the distance. The fate of the Barracudas will lie with Berchtold if he gets hot on the mound trouble could be brewing for the flyers.
The Flyers where my pre season favorite and they lived up to the hype. Going 26-2 and dominating the Swiss baseball league in both offense and pitching. The flyers offense is a deep and strong lineup and was even able to overcome the loss of big hitter and national team player Daniel Eichenberger. The offense is lead by player/coach JB Tucker who has turned in another big year at the plate, and by center fielder Reto Siegel. The veteran Siegel has had another strong year at the plate out of the leadoff spot and is capable of beating you with his speed and with the long ball. Other hitters that will be counted on heavily in this deep and balanced offense will be Stefan Koller, Adi Kaufmann, and Chris Blackbee. If this lineup gets hot they will be hard to stop and with their pitching staff a ton of runs is not needed. The best part of the flyers is there pitching. Number 1 starter Lukas Croton has proved he can beat not only the Swiss teams but some of the best teams in Europe and had an outstanding performance in a loss to the Spanish national team in Barcelona. Croton is a strike throwing machine who when he is on its game over for the other team. A close number 2 on this team is lefty Hide Oshima. He gets better with every start and is not far behind Croton in terms of the best pitcher in Switzerland. The foreign pitcher game is well in hand as well with Aussi Chris Blackbee and American JB Tucker both being solid on the mound. The bullpen brings out Stefan Koller and Adi Kaufmann to more national team pitchers. With the strong offense and exceptional pitching the flyers will be hard to beat and with strong defensive players like Taka Oshima a spot in the finals should be had.
Prediction- this will be a hard fought series but the Flyers take it 3-1
Bern Cardinals vs. Embrach Mustangs
The second place Cardinals have had some rough patches including last weekend when the dropped 2 games vs. the Barracudas. But when this team is clicking watch out. The cards have arguably the most potent offense in the league. Led by Americans John Baum and Seth Suplin, Latinos Eduardo Vilacis and Sammy Paulino and Swiss hitters Johnny Perigos, Vitus Huber, Raphael Hanzi, and Tobias Imboden the Cards have the deepest 1-9 lineup in Swiss baseball. There are no holes in this offense with speed and power all the way up and down the lineup. The key as always will be john Baum he is the offense leader and the heart and soul of the team and when he is off his game the Cards usually are. On the mound the cards do has some problems. In game 1 all hope rely on national team starter Tobias Imboden, he has thrown 13 complete games this year and may be worn out. The Cards have no other solid Swiss pitchers and if Imboden is off the cards are in trouble. Game 2 is much stronger for the Cards. They have former major leaguer Eduardo Vilacis to start and veteran John Baum to relieve. This season Vilacis has not dominated the league like everyone thought he would and the real force on the bump has been Baum who has posted a sub 1.00 era to completely shut down the league.
The Mustangs come into the playoffs with 1 of if not the best season in club history. They are a confident club where the name of the game is small ball and speed. Pitching and defense are also the name of the game for the Mustangs and if either is off the offensive firepower is not there to compete in slugfests. On offense the mustangs are lead by Americans Josh Crouse and former Indy ball player Andrew Wong, as well as Canadian Casey Aurbech and Swiss hitter Harry Wischnewski and Bruno Albrecht. There team speed is unmatched in all of Swiss baseball but the only real long ball threat is Wong. If the table setters are not getting on the mustangs offense does not click. On the mound the rainbows are in the same shape as the cards in game 1. The only real solid arm they have is veteran national team pitcher Roger Salvodelli. He has 13 complete games and often come back in relief in game 2. The Mustangs have no other Swiss pitching so if Salvodelli does not have it the mustangs have no chance. In game 2 they have the combination of Andrew Wong and up and comer Kory Kovach. These 2 are average on the mound at this point and just don’t match up well with the cards game 2 arms.
Prediction- this series went to all 5 games last year but the cards have improved and if they are top of their game it won’t go 5 again. The Cards take this series also 3-1