The Swiss Nationalliga A will kick off the 2013 season this weekend, weather permitting. Chris Byrnes of the Embrach Mustangs, who already provided a couple of articles to Mister-Baseball.com in the past, has produced this lengthy and awesome preview (including review of 2012 season). Enjoy.
You can also download the whole preview as PDF
2012 Swiss Baseball NLA Review
2012 was a great baseball season in Switzerland. It was the first year that the Swiss Baseball Federation sponsored a tournament at Heerenschürli; the Alpine cup was well supported and was a good weekend of baseball. The Swiss All-Stars won the three day tournament with Casey Auerbach or the Embrach Mustangs taking home the MVP trophy.
The Bern Cardinals fought off the Montpellier Barracudas, a good Division 1 team in France, to win the qualification to the A pool in 2013. This was hosted in Zurich and was well attended by the Swiss baseball community. This was a very exciting moment for Swiss baseball and I could not feel more proud of the Bern Cardinals and Swiss baseball on that weekend. I am sure this weighed heavily on the minds of the European Commission to let Zurich host the National qualifier in 2013. Hats off to the Bern Cardinals for being such great ambassadors for Swiss Baseball.
2012 was also the year of the pitcher in Switzerland. The season showcased many top pitchers in the NLA. Teams are getting smart and know the importance of pitching quality and depth in the quest to win a championship. The Bern Cardinals brought in two top pitchers in Benji Waite and Ryan Byrne to compliment Tobias Imboden and John Baum. The Embrach Mustangs brought in Tim Jones who proved to be one of the top pitchers in Europe. The Challengers brought in Andrea Girasole from Italy and Robert Sedin from California and these two helped the Challengers overtake the Barracudas for the final playoff spot. The Barracudas had Dan Rogers and Beni Montag establish themselves as a top pitching combination. The Zurich Lions gave the ball to LJ Aquinaga, while the Devils had American import John Schmidt. Add the Flyers pitching staff to this mix and you will see why pitching was dominant in 2012.
2012 Regular Season
The Cardinals and the Flyers tied for the league lead but the Cardinals won the division based on the tie breaker.
The Mustangs, who made the playoffs the last two years, solidified their spot with great pitching from Savoldelli and Jones.
The fourth playoff spot was taken by the Challengers who got off to a slow start, but manager Chris Palatinus was able to regroup his team and get them on a roll at the end of the year, winning key games over the Cardinals to snatch the last playoff spot.
The Barracudas, coming off a strong finish in 2011, looked like a team destined for the playoffs. They started out the season with a sweep of the Eagles, then had two tough losses to the Cardinals. They beat the Flyers soundly 6-1, however, the Challengers beat them three out of four which was the difference in making the playoffs.
| Team |
W |
L |
| Flyers |
23 |
5 |
| Cardinals |
23 |
5 |
| Mustangs |
20 |
8 |
| Challengers |
18 |
10 |
| Baracuddas |
16 |
12 |
| Eagles |
7 |
22 |
| Lions |
3 |
25 |
| Devils |
2 |
26 |
The Eagles, Devils and Lions all had disappointing seasons and will have to regroup and look forward to the 2013 season.
2012 Playoffs
Bern Cardinals vs. Zurich Challengers
The Cardinals faced the Challengers and took no prisoners. The Cards pitching was too much for the Challengers in game one as Ryan Byrne threw a four hit one run gem to start off the series. In game two, Benji Waite pitched a four hit 10 strike out performance and allowed only three runs to edge Robert Sedin for the win. The Challengers’ two unearned runs were the difference. In game three, the Cardinals bats were too much as they cranked out 16 hits and scored 10 runs behind the combined pitching of Tobias Imboden and Ryan Byrne.
Therwil Flyers vs. Embarch Mustangs
In the other playoff series , the Mustangs took the Flyers to game five but came up short . In game one, the Mustangs’ pitching and defense were the story as they held the Flyers to three runs. Roger Savoldelli and Christian Klarer combined on the win. In game two, the Mustangs’ Tim Jones was lights out and kept the Flyers at bay, allowing only one unearned run. With the Mustangs leading the series 2-0 and the Flyers facing elimination, the Flyers completely trashed the Mustangs in game three. The Flyers pounded the Mustang pitching for 20 hits and 17 runs. Game four was dominated by Flyers’ pitcher Chris Blackbee, who stifled the Mustangs and allowed only one run.
In game five, the Mustangs pulled out to a 5-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning when Chris Byrnes lined a two out single to right field scoring two runs. At that point it looked as if the Mustangs were going to win this game. The Flyers did not disappoint the home crowd (100+) and came back to score five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to go ahead 6-5. The Mustangs added one in the top of the eighth to tie the score at 6. In the bottom of the eighth, the Flyers put pressure on the Mustangs, loaded the bases and scored 4 runs to put the game away and move on to face the Cardinals in the finals.
Bern Cardinals vs. Therwil Flyers
The finals pitted two Swiss Baseball Legends against each other when John Baum and Reto Siegel faced each other for the last time in their long careers. Both retired after the season.
In game one, Ryan Byrne once again was too tough with a 13 strike out performance, allowing only three unearned runs. That was the difference as the Cardinals won 6-4 to take the opener. In game two, Benji Waite was superior throwing a masterpiece with 11 strike outs, allowing only two earned runs, and paving the way to a 6-3 victory and a two game lead in the series. In game three, the Cardinals were led by a home run by John Baum to win a close one 8-7 and successfully sweep the Flyers. The Cardinals have won their seventh Championship in eight years which is very impressive. If the SBSF gave out World Series like rings, these guys would be loaded.
Swiss NLA 2012 All-Star Teams
The SBSF does not officially choose an All- Star team at the end of the year so I thought it would be interesting to see who would be on the first team and second team. The selections were based on the following criteria:
ü Offensive statistics available in Easyscore
ü Defense
ü Impact on team
ü Games played/ injuries – z.b. Daniel Eichenberger who was injured most of the season
Many position players are also pitchers, so I placed them in positions they would be best evaluated. Additionally, some played multiple positions so I made a utility player spot on each team.
Coach of the year
John Baum – Bern Cardinals: John led the Cardinals to another Championship and the A pool spot for 2013.
Money Pitchers & Hitters
According to Easyscore, 40 or 28% (40/144) of the NLA batters hit over .300 in 2012. I decided to dig deeper and figure out who the real money hitters were in 2012. So I looked at the top five pitchers in the NLA and looked at how the batters performed against them. We had a great group of pitchers in the top five so that was my criteria for this evaluation.
These five pitchers all threw very hard mid 80’s, had a good curveball and were very experienced US pitchers. They had a combined batting average against of .167 and struck out almost two batters per inning. The ERA was 1.44 and the WHIP .93, which is an awesome pitching staff.
Only 13 batters (8%) hit over .300 against the above pitchers. These are the money hitters who deserve some serious respect. These are hitters that can handle the heat but can also be patient and wait for their pitch. The batting averages against top pitchers and playoff teams are a better indication of a player’s true batting average.
Minimum at bats of 6 was taken for this stat. Casey Auerbach hit .333 but had only three at bats.
Most Underrated Players in NLA
Sebastian Zwyer – Therwil Flyers – Sebastian is one of the most unappreciated players in the NLA. He hits in the eight or nine spot but manages to help his team win. Don’t look at his batting average (.234) as that does not show his true value. Sebastian walked 18 times, struck out only 9 times, was on base 39 times and had 15 RBI’s. He is solid in the field and on the bases. It is players like Sepi that add so much value to a winning team as good teams have good eight and nine hitters.
Bruno Albrecht – Embrach Mustangs – Bruno shows up to play and is consistently among the leaders in many offensive categories. He is a four tool player: he can hit, run, field and throw with the best in the NLA. Last year he hit .370 and had an OB% of over 500. He steals over 10 bases every year and he is the best left fielder in the league. The best things about Bruno are that he does not get emotional and doesn’t let anyone take his focus away. I wish more players were like this. Bruno is one of the top 10 players in the NLA every year.
Rafael Hänzi – Bern Cardinals – Rafael is another one of those players that flies under the radar as he plays on a very talented Bern Cardinal team. He played solid defense, hit just under .400 and had a .500 OB% last season. What more can you ask for? He has power, can hit a home run and he can steal a base when needed. He also led the league in hitting against the top pitchers with a batting avg of .444. See table above.
Miro Bussman – Bern Cardinals – Where did this guy come from? Nobody really noticed Miro, but at the end of the year he hit .357 and had 23 RBI’s hitting mostly in the nine hole. He has worked hard and become a good hitter and shouldn’t be overlooked. Miro was also ninth in batting avg versus the top pitchers in the league and was a key ingredient to the Cardinals` success.
Markus Streicher – Zurich Lions – Markus is another player that comes to play every day and has huge potential. Since Markus plays on a non -playoff team, his value is not obvious to everyone. Markus is the classic utility man, doing whatever it takes for the team: he catches, pitches and plays infield. He was on base 33 times last year, which led his team. His batting average suffered as he played hurt almost all year. If you put Markus on a playoff team he will definitely add value and help a team win.
Stefan Haltmeier – Luzern Eagles – Stefan pitches his heart out every week and does not have the numbers to show that he is one of the best pitchers in the NLA. He has good movement on his slider and is not afraid to throw it in any count. He is a solid seven inning pitcher and he would win 9 games every year on a playoff team. He needs an Adrian Kaufmann to follow him.
Rafael Strub – Luzern Eagles – Another talented player whose stats do not show his value. He is a very good defensive catcher and his offensive numbers are also very good. He is a difficult out and he was on base 31 times last season in only 69 plate appearances. His numbers would look differently if he played on a playoff team.
Strahil Georgiev – Zurich Barracudas – I just like how this guy plays the game. He is a team player and a very good situational hitter. He walks more than he strikes out and is always hitting around .300. Not much power, but he can hit to all fields and is a very smart player. I would draft him any day.
Players worth the price of admission
Harry Wischnewski – Embrach Mustangs – Harry is one of the most exciting athletes in all of Switzerland to watch play ball. Harry only picked up baseball as a 23 year old after watching a game in Red Sox town while at grad school. He brings tremendous energy to every play, any ball hit toward him in centerfield he will make an attempt at catching it. Last season he made 17 diving catches, saving the Mustangs on many occasions. On the base paths he is a joy to watch as he looks to swipe bases at any chance. He puts a lot of pressure on a defense. After a game he has his battle scars to show for his effort. He is well worth the admission price to watch. Just wait until he starts bunting.
John Baum – Bern Cardinals – John is a presence on the field, he is vocal and he plays the game hard. You can see the energy and passion he has in every inning. He is most vocal with the umpires, arguing for his team’s calls. Most of all he is exciting to watch as his performance is consistently outstanding: he is a great hitter with power and he can shut anyone down when he comes in to pitch. He is very aggressive on the field and you see that. Swiss baseball will miss John in 2013 when he retires.
Sami Paulino – Bern Cardinals – Sami was born a shortstop; he has that style/swagger in his game like Domingo Ayala. He is upbeat and full of energy on the field. Sami is most known for his speed on the bases and his flashy switch hitting. When you watch him play, you notice that he really enjoys playing the game of baseball. He can create a lot of problems for the opposing teams as he is a good hitter, can switch hit and runs extremely well.
Bounce Back Players
Marco Limacher – Luzern Eagles – Marco would probably like to forget 2012 as his offensive production slowed with only 4 rbi’s and 2 doubles in 62 at bats. His strike out total was high with 28 with only 6 walks. This signals a hitting approach problem. Marco is a young hitter but has the potential to be one of the best power hitters in the game. I think last season was not a true indication of his talent. He will be super motivated in 2013 so look out. My prediction for Marco is a .300 batting avg with 24 rbi’s and 10 doubles next season.
Thomas Fasching – Embarch Mustangs – Tommy was hurt during the middle of the season and missed some games, however, he did manage to get 75 at bats. His power numbers were down from 2011, when he hit .370, had 13 rbi’s and scored 12 times. In 2012 he had only 6 rbi’s , two doubles, no runs scored, walked 3 times and struck out 18. This signals a hitting approach problem. Tommy hit over .300 versus playoff teams last season and he is capable of hitting .300 with 10 doubles and 20 rbi’s. Look for Tommy to have a more productive year in 2013.
Bryan Shemley – Zurich Challengers – Bryan has been working hard on his swing and could be dangerous. He teamed up with Kevin Seitzer in the offseason to fix some mechanical issues and he is super motivated to win and help his team. He knows how to play the game and is a good situational hitter. He has the potential to hit .300 and get 15 rbi’s hitting in the eight or nine hole next season in this lineup.
Oliver Walser – Embrach Mustangs – Forget about 2012 as Ollie slumped at the plate. He did however get on base via walks and hbp and score 50% of the time. Ollie finished strong against the Cards in the final game of the season and got a key hit in the playoffs so I think 2013 will be a much better year for him. He worked on his swing with Royals hitting coach Kevin Seitzer and he will be ready to turn his game around. Expect .250 batting avg and 12 rbi’s hitting in the nine spot.
Frank Berchtold – Zurich Barracudas – In 2011 Frank was one of the main reasons the Barracudas made the playoffs as he pitched extremely well and made the National Team. 2012 was a bit of a disappointment as control issues plagued him all season. He had 24 walks and 19 ks in 34 innings. His WHIP was a very high 1.96 and that led to his high ERA. When Frank has his curve ball on, It allows him to attack and be aggressive. He is a quality pitcher and I expect a rebound year from him. I see him winning 5 games in 2013 with a 3.50 era.
Stephan Pribitzer – Embrach Mustangs – Stephan a very good outfielder and base runner but struggled at the plate in 2012. In 35 at bats he walked only 4 times and struck out 13. For a speedy guy who is capable of stealing 20 bases, he needs to get on base more and be more selective at the plate. The changeover to the Mustangs should give him that fresh new start. I expect with some minor adjustments to his approach this kid will be on fire and help the Mustangs solidify a playoff spot. A .280 batting avg, 70% runs scored rate with 20 swipes is within his capabilities.
McDonalds Combo Meal
There were many good one/two combos in the NLA in 2012. Below we will look at the key stats and determine which combos were the most effective. What are the key criteria for a leadoff and second hitter? What is their importance in the batting order? How do they help their offense?
- I think the first thing you look at is how frequently these guys get on base. You can see from the OBP that they all were over .400 and the Challengers almost topped .500.
- Let’s look at runs scored as you want your top two guys scoring runs. All were just around 60 so this was also good.
- Now we start to get into the interesting stuff: times on base and percentage of runs scored. The Challengers (115) and Mustangs (102) are way ahead of the Flyers (85) and Cards (79) in times getting on base
- However, look at the % of runs scored. The Cards and the Flyers were much better at scoring their top two guys. Why? This is because their teams’ 3/4/5/6 hitters did a better job of scoring them. The Challengers and Mustangs certainly had the opportunities but it looks like their 3/4/5 hitters were not as clutch as the Flyers and Cards.
- I have also done the same analysis on the 8/9 hitters and found that the Cards and Flyers were also the best in that category. Look at the rbi’s the leadoff batters produced: Cards 26, Flyers 22, Challengers 12 and Mustangs 9. This tells you the story of rbi opportunities for the leadoff batters. This is a key ingredient in winning a Championship, just ask the Cards and the Flyers.
Young Guns: Players to Watch in 2013/2014
The following players should be watched in 2013 as they have not yet reached their potential. They should be improving every year and will be major players in the NLA for years to come.
Tim Wittwer – Embrach Mustangs/Thun Hunters – Tim played on the U18 team last summer and has made the varsity baseball team at West Allegheny High School located near Pittsburgh. He will be playing every day in high school and that will help him. He is a very athletic player with a lot of talent. He is extremely fast and is a good base stealer. He should lead the league someday. He has a nice opposite field swing and he is a solid infielder. Keep an eye on this young talent as he can be one of the best in a few years.
Jacen Bracko – Embrach Mustangs/Wittenbach Vikings – Jacen also played on the U18 last summer and will make the jump to the NLA this season. He has a nice lefty swing, a great eye at the plate, and is very disciplined. This gives him an advantage over most young hitters as they have to learn to be more patient. Jacen is still growing and when he fills out he will be one of the best hitters in the NLA . He can play second base or the outfield but needs to step up his defense to play regularly at the NLA level.
Sven Leemann– Therwil Flyers – Sven also played on the U18 team last season and has a nice swing and good eye. He played with the Flyers last season and saw NLA pitching for the first time. He is versatile in the field and can play many positions. He is primarily a catcher but can also play the infield and with his tall frame, he might be an ideal first baseman.
Linus Maillard – Therwil Flyers– Another of the U18 players from last summer, a lefty with a line drive swing with some pop, ideal for the Therwil ballpark. Linus needs to be more confident and believe in himself as he has all the tools to be an outstanding hitter in the NLA. He will need to work on his defense a bit and find the right position which might be in the outfield.
Yanik Probst – Zurich Challengers – Yanik has played in the NLA now for three seasons and is still only 18 years old. Facing NLA pitching has been a challenge but this kid has a lot of potential that has not yet been unleashed. He has shown glimpses of brilliance but struggles with consistency as he learns. Yanik is very athletic and can play many different positions and might be best suited for centerfield. He has great speed and should lead the league in stolen bases someday. This kid is sitting on some great years as he gains consistency.
2013 NLA Projections
- Therwil Flyers – Pitching dominates, Championship in sight
- Zurich Challengers – Sedin returns and leads them to another playoff spot
- Bern Cardinals – not as dominant offensively but pitching helps keep them on track
- Embrach Mustangs – rely on speed and pitching to get them into the playoffs
———————————-
- Zurich Barracudas – pitching keeps them in the race, must beat Mustangs and Challengers
- Luzern Eagles – talent exists but not enough depth in the lineup
- Wil Devils – can win at home to stay out of the cellar
- Zurich Lions – no new upgrades in 2013 so looks to be a long year
Team Previews
Bern Cardinals ( 23-5)
The champion Cardinals made some great roster moves in 2012 with Benji Waite and Ryan Byrne. Both made a significant contribution on the mound and on the offensive end. Without them I am not sure they would have won the Championship again.
The Cards are known for an explosive offense. Their field is ideal for their power style lineup, they belted 24 home runs and 83 doubles last season and led the league in 11 offensive categories: scoring 324 runs and avg of 10 runs per game while batting a whopping .361 as a team. Not many pitchers were excited to wake up on the weekend and have to pitch nine innings versus the Cards lineup.
New coach Rick Schaller will take over the reins of the championship machine. Mister Baseball has ranked the Bern Cardinals as the 31st team in Europe. I believe this is the best ranking a Swiss team has had in the European rankings.
The Cards will have to regroup in 2013 as their lineup has many departures from last season. John Baum has retired due to injuries and Seth Suplin has departed Switzerland to go back to the States. Benji Waite is also not returning for the 2013 season and Vitus Huber is working on his Doctorate degree in Germany. These players have brought a lot to the Cards and their production and leadership will be missed on the field.
The Cards have signed Marc Oboussier formerly of the Zurich Barracudas, Rudy Vargas from the Luzern Eagles and American Catcher/Pitcher Anthony Palladino to help out on the offensive end.
The Cards offense will be led by Sami Paulino, who is the catalyst for this offense. He hit .324 and scored 78% of the time he was on base. That should be a sign to opposing pitchers to keep this runner off the base paths. Sami can also steal bases as he registered 18 last season.
Following Sami in the lineup will most likely be Ryan Byrne, a solid left handed hitter who also hit over .300 last season. He has speed as he swiped 9 bases and scored 67% time on base. He does not strike out much. Batting third in the line up will most likely be Rafael Hänzi. One of the most underrated players in the league, Rafael hit close to .400 last season and played solid defense. He was limited to only 47 at bats and his power numbers were down from 2011. He led the league in hitting against the top pitchers so he is capable of doing damage. The clean up spot belongs to Johnny Perigo who just keeps on slugging for the Cardinals. Johnny is the most feared hitter in the NLA as he had three home runs and 10 doubles to go along with his 32 rbi’s. He averages an rbi every two at bats, that is awesome. Opposing teams might want to pitch around him when the ball game is on the line.
Batting fifth in the lineup will be Marc Oboussier who last season showed some good power numbers with the Barracudas: 10 doubles, 31 rbi’s, .325 batting avg. He is a legitimate threat hitting at the Bern ballpark in 2013. Opposing pitchers might want to be careful when facing him in Bern. He is a free swinging type who did not walk much and struck out 29 times. Following Oboussier in the lineup will be Rudy Vargas who is coming off a disappointing year. If Rudy can find his power game in Bern he will be very dangerous. He provides needed depth behind the plate. The rest of the batting order 7/8/9 has gone unnoticed, but forms one of the Cardinals’ keys to success. Tobias Imboden (19 rbi), Miro Bussman (23 rbi) and Angelo Rodriguez (13 rbi) get on base and make this a solid lineup. Opposing pitchers have no easy outs and struggle to keep these guys off base. This is why Sami Paulino has 26 rbi’s as a leadoff hitter.
It also looks like the Cards will sign Anthony Palladino, a catcher from the United States, who can also pitch. Anthony is scheduled to join the Cards for three months starting in May to help them with the European qualifier tournament. He was a three year starter at a good college in the States and has a reputation as a great defensive catcher with a very good arm. He made some relief appearances his last year in college and he throws hard in the 85 mph range.
Line Up Projection
- Sami Paulino – SS
- Ryan Byrne – P
- Rafael Hänzi – 2b
- Johnny Perigo – 1b
- Marc Oboussier – 3b
- Rudy Vargas – C
- Tobias Imboden RF
- Angelo Rodriquez – CF
- Miro Bussman – LF
Pitching:
The Cardinals’ pitching was excellent last season. Ryan Byrne, Benji Waite, Johan Baum and Tobias Imboden combined for over 300 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.18. The Cards will miss John Baum and Benji Waite but still have Ryan Byrne who sported a 1.71 era and averaged just under two strike outs per inning. Tobias Imboden was limited to only 54 innings due to arm/shoulder issues that compromised his velocity. If Imboden comes back to normal strength he will be a very difficult pitcher to beat. The Cardinals have also signed Patrick Lawson who was drafted by the Detroit Tigers and played one year in the minor leagues. He will replace Benji Waite as the game two starter. Christoph Beyler, who has not played the last two seasons, has rejoined the team. He was an innings eater for the Cards back in 2009 and 2010. If he can regain his form from years past then the Cardinals will have four good options to take the mound.
Team Challenges in 2013:
Bern will have to replace the offensive production from Baum, Suplin and Waite who produced 100 RBI’s and 14 home runs in 2012. Adding Oboussier, Vargas and Palladino will help.
Catching will be a problem as Suplin did all the catching the last three years. Vitus Huber is not available for catching so the only experienced catcher is Rudy Vargas and that is not his natural position. Angelo Rodriquez has done some catching but only in emergency situations. Palladino will also help while he is in Bern.
Pitching – Yes they have Byrne and Lawson but the question will be if Imboden and Beyler will be able to find their top form in 2013. If they do then the Cards will be difficult to beat. If not, then Byrne and Lawson will have to pitch more innings and that might compromise them for the playoffs. Palladino might be able to close out games which will help.
Therwil Flyers (22-6)
The Flyers were runner up to the Cardinals for the second straight year. They are still searching for that little extra to put them on top. Sebastian Zwyer takes over as President of the club and they have hired National Team Coach Andy Fleischacker for the 2013 season. They have also signed two pitchers to strengthen an already strong pitching staff. This might be the added ingredient that puts them in position to win the Championship in 2013.
The Flyers are a very disciplined hitting team and they led the league in walks again with 150. They force the pitcher to throw strikes. The Flyers lineup has five left handed hitters which is a huge advantage as they see mostly right handed pitching. A right handed pitcher generally throws with movement going from right to left and the Flyers eat that up like a free Big Mac. They use that Fenway -like green monster fence in centerfield to their advantage. The Flyers are really lucky as there are only four lefty pitchers in the NLA and one pitches for them. Ryan Byrne and Tim Jones, both overpowering lefties, were able to shut down the Flyers at home. So the key to beating the Flyers is to have a shut down lefty.
Offensively the Flyers will lose one of the best hitters of all time as Reto Siegel has decided to retire. Perhaps Reto will regret that decision after the season as the Flyers are my pick to win it all in 2013.
Daniel Eichenberger is the key to this offense, when he is healthy he really makes the Flyers go. He returned from injury last season and had 20 rbi’s in 48 at bats, very impressive. However, he is the only power hitter on the team and is unprotected now without Siegel and Hubbert in the lineup.
The Flyers have many pesky hitters, Taka Oshima was brilliant last year. Not sure anyone noticed but Taka added a new dimension to his game last season: power. He had 3 home runs and eight doubles along with 22 rbi’s. In addition, he was on base 48 times, scored 70% of the time and had 22 rbi’s. This was primarily achieved in the leadoff spot. This means the eighth and ninth hitters were getting on base doing their job.
Another key player is Stefan Koller who takes full advantage of the Therwil ballpark. He led the league in doubles with 17, batted over. 400, walked 16 times and had 20 rbi’s. Koller was on base 56 times but scored 39% of the time. The low scoring percentage most likely indicates some production issues farther down in the lineup.
Chris Blackbee, another steady player, had good offense numbers last season, hitting .377 with 11 doubles and 16 rbi’s. He is a difficult out. He will move up in the lineup and try to protect Eichenberger next season. Emanuel Raouzeos, a left handed hitting catcher, should be ready to assume the starting role this season and his swing is ideal for the Therwil ballpark. He hit over .300 and scored more than 70% of the time on base. Sven Leemann, one of the young guns, will try to get at bats where ever he can in 2013. I would also look for Linus Millard to get some playing time in the outfield as he is a powerful lefty who is also ideal for Therwil.
Sebastian Zwyer and Adrian Kaufmann were both drawing walks last season and were amongst the leaders with 18 and 20 respectively. Kaufmann had 24 rbi’s hitting in the seven and eight spot last year. Like Koller, Kaufmann was on base a lot, 44 times but only scored 43% of the time.
Iannis Bouteloup perhaps the best utility player in the league, will get an opportunity to play and see more at bats with Siegal, Eriksen and Roper-Hubbert out of the lineup. Michael La Torre adds to the bench depth and had a very strong 2012 campaign hitting 3.98 in 68 at bats. He contributed 16 rbi’s in only 68 at bats, which is great for a bench player who occasionally starts.
The Flyers also do not strike out much as a team and they make the defensive plays. With the improved pitching the Flyers are looking at a good year in 2013.
Projected Lineup
- 1. Taka Oshima – SS
- 2. Hide Oshima – LF
- 3. Stefan Koller – P
- 4. Daniel Eichenberger – 1B
- 5. Chris Blackbee – RF
- 6. Emanuel Raouzeos – C
- 7. Adrian Kaufmann – 2B
- 8. Sebastian Zwyer – 3B
- 9. Iannis Bouteloup – CF
Pitching:
The Flyers are stacked with pitching this year. They have entered the free agent market and plucked themself two good pitchers. Top signee is Josh Tamba, a former seventh round pick of the Baltimore Orioles, who has been playing in the Bundisliga the last few years. For those of you that are not familiar with seventh round MLB draft picks, they sign for more than 150k. This is a legitimate pitcher who will make his mark in Switzerland next season. The Flyers have also signed college Senior Daniel Levine for the summer. Daniel is pitching for division 1 Nevada Reno. This is the same league that produced 2012 1st round KC Royals pick Kyle Zimmer. This is a very competitive league and he should have some game.
Let’s not forget that the Flyers, even without these imports, are loaded with pitching. Stephan Koller continues to impress every year. He won 9 games and his WHIP was 1.14. He goes as far as he can in games and then they bring in the closer Adrian Kaufmann. Kaufmann was untouchable last year in regular season play with a 0.00 era and a WHIP of 0.54.
The Flyers also have Lukas Croton and Hide Oshima. Croton sported a very low .96 WHIP and was rated in the top five pitchers in terms of batting average against with .191 rating. The Flyers can also turn to Chris Blackbee who won three games with a respectable 1.29 WHIP. Blackbee threw an absolute gem in the playoffs versus Tim Jones for the win when the Flyers were facing elimination.
Overall this is a very strong pitching staff with many options and a very good closer. The Flyers will be hard to beat in 2013. Opposing teams will have to learn how to play small ball against this pitching staff if they want to be successful.
Team Challenges in 2013;
The Flyers are a very good ball club with not too many obvious problems. Perhaps one area of concern could be catching, as Raouzeos is hurt and young Sven Leemann will have to step up to do the bulk of the catching.
Without Siegel, Roper Hubbert and Eriksen in the lineup there is a noticeable downgrade in the power game. Remember in the playoffs the Flyers lost two games without Eriksen and Hubbert in the lineup. Will they hit 80 doubles again in 2013?
It is not easy to score on a single from second base in Therwil, where doubles are the name of the game. The Flyers will have to work a bit harder to score runs in 2013 if they cannot crank out the doubles like in years past.
Zurich Challengers
The Challengers started the season slowly but seemed to pick up the pace when Rob Sedin joined the club. First year manager Chris Palatinus turned this team around and by the end of the season the Challengers were the hottest team in the league with the third ranked offense. They were also ranked third in batting average .293, runs 224, % runs scored 54%, SB 73, doubles 55 and they led the league in sac bunts and sac flies. The Challengers had a good year offensively but I think they did not reach their full potential. They had some gaps in the lineup and their walk to strikeout ratio was only 95/182. They struck out twice for every walk and this is an indication that there might be an approach issue with some hitters. I expect 2013 to be an even better year for the Challengers and they will be a playoff team.
Coach Palatinus has done a great job in the offseason trying to fill some depth issues and make this a Championship team. They have retained Rob Sedin who was one of the best in the NLA last season and signed American shortstop Myles Cordell. In addition to these signings they have added Jesus Martinez from the Eagles and Chico Colindres from the Barracudas. This makes them a serious contender. They are strong up the middle with Siegrist, Cordell, Zeller and Sedin and they have added experienced bats with Colindres and Martinez.
Leading off will be Saentis Zeller, who had a productive year . He hit over .400, stole 11 bases, was on base 57 times and was one of the 10 best hitters versus the best pitching. However, he only scored 45% of the time when on base. This means there was an offensive production hole in the Challengers’ lineup.
Batting in the two spot will be Rob Sedin. This dude swiped 24 bases, hit over .400, had 25 rbi’s was on base 58 times and scored 60% of the time on base. If that was not enough, he pitched, caught, played shortstop and centerfield. That is some kind of player. He should get a raise from the Challengers in 2013 as he made this team better with his presence on the field.
Most likely hitting third will be American import Myles Cordell. Myles played in the Alpine cup and was one of the best players. He is very solid at short and he is a professional hitter. He will bat close to .400 and really help this Challenger team fight for the top spot. Myles will join the Challengers in June.
Toby Siegrist will move to the clean up spot. Toby had a much better year in 2012 than in 2011 by hitting over 350 with 28 rbi’s and 10 doubles. He has a good eye at the plate and uses the opposite field. The Challengers need his production if they are to reach the playoffs. Look for more of the same in 2013.
The rest of the Challengers’ lineup is solid with free swinging Jesus Martinez hitting in the fifth spot. He is a power hitter capable of hitting doubles (14) and home runs (2). He strikes out a lot but he gets his rbi’s (25) every year. Chico Colindres will follow in the six spot and he is a line drive contact hitter who does not strike out much. He should have many opportunities for rbi’s with this lineup, possibly as many as 20 for the season. The 7/8/9 hitters will most likely be Harry Bregy , Bryan Shemley and Thomas Blank, three very experienced NLA hitters who will also have great opportunities for rbi’s. Bregy and Blank always seem to be around .300 and Blank has some double pop as he had six in 2012. Shemley scuffled a bit in 2012 but he is the type to make adjustments and I am sure he will be a great situational hitter in 2013.
The Challengers also have depth on the bench with Fabio Aimi and Yanik Probst. Yanik will rejoin the Challengers in the summer once his apprenticeship is completed. Yanik played well for the Eagles last season and can be a critical player down the stretch and in the playoffs.
Projected Lineup:
- Saentis Zeller – 2B
- Rob Sedin – CF
- Myles Cordell – SS
- Toby Siegrist – C
- Jesus Martinez – LF
- Chico Colindres – 3B
- Thomas Blank – DH
- Harry Bregy – 1B
- Bryan Shemley – RF
Andreas Girasole- P
Pitching:
The Challengers improved their pitching in 2012 by bringing in Andrea Girasole to pitch game one. Andrea won eight games and pitched 80 innings to lead the Challengers. His ERA 4.37 and WHIP 1.64 were a bit high, but the Challengers supported him with runs when he pitched. Robert Sedin established himself as the game two pitcher and was one of the top five in the league. He had a M Budget like .90 WHIP, 1.37 era and struck out 86 batters in only 59 innings. Toby Siegrist was able to pick his spots and went 3-2 with a 1.25 WHIP over 40 innings. The Challengers also have other options with Thomas Burger, Fabio Aimi, Patrick Maier and Harry Bregy, four of the more experienced pitchers ready in the bullpen. There is enough pitching depth for them to again make the playoffs.
Team Challenges for 2013:
Offensive production – The Challengers have to get a few more guys driving in runs in 2013. Outside of the Superman (Siegrist) and Spiderman (Sedin) show, only Zeller had double digit rbi’s. Teams can pitch around the S&S show and face the players that will not hurt them.
Can Sedin, Girasole and Siegrist beat the top two teams consistently? This will be a big test as in the playoffs they were beat by the Cardinals in three games.
Embrach Mustangs (20-8)
Embrach Baseball Team 25th Anniversary
This will be the 25th Anniversary of the Embrach Baseball Team. Bruno Hubler and Roger Savoldelli, the founding members of the organization, have donated so much of their time to make this organization run. Without these two men the Embrach organization would not be here today. Congrats to Embrach Baseball Team.
The Mustangs won 20 games for the first time in their franchise history and have the made the playoffs for the last three years. They are a classic small market team in the shadow of their Zurich rivals.
The Mustangs made some key player moves last season. They signed lefty power hitter Christian Klarer from the Frogs and southpaw Tim Jones, a shutdown game two pitcher from Texas. Both will be back in 2013. The Mustangs have picked up Stephan Pribitzer, formerly of the Challengers, to fill their vacant outfield spot. Pribitzer has speed and can help the team in 2013. The Mustangs have also added some young talent in Jacen Bracko and Tim Wittwer, both U18 players last season who will start to gain some NLA experience. Both are lefties and have a lot of talent. Bracko has extremely good plate discipline and will hit for average. Wittwer is a speedy type who, once on base, will create problems. He is a very solid infielder.
Unfortunately, the Mustangs will be without the Hutchinson brothers. Carl will move to the 1st league team and Chris has retired. Both these players grew up in this organization and the Mustangs will miss them. A very special thanks to them for all the fun the last few seasons.
The Mustangs are known for their speed on the base paths and they did not disappoint in 2012. They led the league again in stolen bases with 110 and were successful on 95% of their attempts. The Mustangs have five guys that can run like the wind. They are led by Harry Wischnewski, who was awesome on the bases, swiping 34 without being caught. Josh Crouse, again second in the league with 25, Bruno Albrecht with 13 and Christian Klarer with 12 contributed to the Mustang stampede. Add Stephan Pribitzer and Tim Wittwer to the mix in 2013 and the Mustangs will be running. This should help the batters see more fastballs.
The Mustangs are not only a speed team, they improved their power and finished 3rd in home runs, 4th in doubles and were first in triples in 2012. Harry Wischnewski is a very dangerous leadoff hitter and did a great job scoring 68% of the time on base. Josh Crouse, the MVP candidate, is a solid line drive hitter with pop. His rbi total was down last year with only 13 but this was mostly due to the eighth and ninth hitter not getting on base for him. He is capable of 25 and will bat second. Christian Klarer, a lefty with power, bats third and led the team in rbi’s with 26. Bruno Albrecht, probably one of the best Swiss players in the league, hits clean up. He is a very dangerous contact hitter with a good patient approach at the plate. Casey Auerbach hits fifth and is a pure hitter with a great eye. He is an rbi machine like Domingo Ayala, averaging a rbi every 2.9 at bats, which placed him in the top five in the league. He also took MVP honors in the inaugural Alpine Cup. He solidifies the Mustang lineup.
Tommy Fasching, will hit sixth and is a dangerous batter who has great gap power. He had an off year as he injured his ankle midway through. His power numbers were down, he managed only four doubles, no home runs, six rbi’s and a .250 batting avg. Despite the downturn, Tommy did hit over .300 against the playoff teams, which is a good sign. His bat is needed in this lineup. Tim Jones will bat seventh. He was a nice surprise offensively last season hitting over .300 and making solid contact. He was also one of 13 players to hit over .300 against the best pitchers in the league. Chris Byrnes will be back to hit eighth this season. Byrnes is a gamer, he is ready on every play to help his team. He is a good line drive hitter, can bunt and is a good situational hitter. He leads by example on the field. Don’t let age and bad knees fool you, Byrnes can still play. He was the fourth rated batter (.385) against top pitching and he plays solid defense. His overall knowledge of the game really helps this club do the small things better. Stephan Pribitzer will be hitting ninth in the lineup.
Defensively the Mustangs improved last season. Josh Crouse led the league in assists and combined with Christian Klarer to lead the NLA in double plays. The Mustangs had the best defensive outfield hands down: Harry Wischnewski, Josh Crouse and Bruno Albrecht are amazing when it comes to chasing anything down in the air. The catching staff led the league throwing base runners out.
The Mustangs’ biggest problem is that they allowed 63 unearned runs and gave up only 60 earned runs. It seems that when they made errors, they let it bother them. They got rattled, which opened the flood gates for a lot of unearned runs. This is a key issue to be addressed in 2013.
The Mustangs were very close to going to the Championship round last year. They played excellent defense, had good pitching and made the most of their opportunities to score against the good Flyer pitching. This is what they need to duplicate more consistently if they want to move into the Championship round.
Projected Lineup
- Harry Wischnewski – CF
- Josh Crouse – SS
- Christian Klarer – 2B
- Bruno Albrecht – LF
- Casey Auerbach – 1b
- Tom Fasching – C
- Tim Jones – DH
- Chris Byrnes -3b
- Stefan Pribitzer – RF
Roger Savoldelli P
Pitching:
The Mustangs will once again rely on the efforts of Roger Savoldelli and Tim Jones in 2013. Both were inning eaters last season, pitching 95% of the innings. The Mustangs’ pitching was absolutely fantastic in the regular season. They led the league in several key pitching categories: ERA 2.38, strike outs per walks ratio 3.46, complete games 23 and WHIP 1.14. Savoldelli and Jones also allowed the fewest walks with only 63 and allowed the fewest earned runs with 60.
Savoldelli was working his magic all season long with 13 complete games, registered an impressive 1.16 WHIP and posted nine victories. Tim Jones led the league in strike outs with 155 and was lights out every week. He won 11 games.
The Mustangs’ catchers Ollie Walser and Tommy Fasching led the league in throwing out runners at a 38% clip. This is a marked improvement from 2011 when they threw out only 24% of base runners.
Christian Klarer is expected to step in and grab some of those innings next season. Unfortunately, Josh Crouse, one of the best pitchers in the league, is still not able to throw regularly for the Mustangs. Chris Byrnes and Ollie Walser will also see some innings 2013.
Team Challenges in 2013:
The Mustangs rely heavily on their two starting pitchers Savoldelli and Jones to carry the pitching load. This is a very risky approach, especially if one gets hurt during the season. Can Christian Klarer show consistency and take on 40 innings in 2013?
Can the Mustangs score runs in 2013? They led the league in getting runners in scoring position but seemed to struggle as they averaged only 6 runs a game. Can Coach Byrnes and the Mustangs turn this around in 2013?
Will the Mustangs improve defensively? They have improved every year but they allowed 63 unearned runs last season. It seems when they did make errors it led to big innings for their opponents. The Mustangs will have to improve a bit more defensively to complement their strong pitching.
Zurich Barracudas (16 -12)
The Barracudas finished fifth last season and did not make the playoffs. This was a disappointment as they were in the picture for the playoffs all season but let it slip away. The Barracudas played extremely well against the Cards, Flyers and Mustangs but the Challengers beat them three times and that was the difference.
The Barracudas will face a challenge this season as four top players Ueli Von Burg, Chico Colindres, Marc Oboussier and Dan Rogers will not be in the lineup. These guys were key to the offense and generated 81 rbi’s. They also represented the entire infield so this will be a huge hurdle for them to overcome. To counter these departures the Barracudas have hired Canadian Jack Thompson as a player coach. He is a switch hitting utility player who will solidify the infield.
The Barracudas’ offensive production was good last season with seven players having over 10 rbi’s and they were generally around third or fourth in the key offensive categories. They were second in times on base but tied for fifth in getting runners in scoring position. They led the league in grounding into double plays and they were at the bottom of the stolen base category. Somehow they were good at getting on base and scoring runs but they could have been an even more potent offense if they had improved in the other categories.
Leading off will be second baseman Marc Schnider. This kid is capable of great things but has not yet had that break out year. Last year he was on base 24 times and stole only two bases. He has the potential for 12-20 bases. He scored at a 70% clip last season, one of the best in the NLA. Schnider did hit .274 but only walked three times in 75 plate appearances. He likes to swing and perhaps he should think about getting on base more often so that he can help his team. He will get good pitches to hit if the opposing teams fear that a walk will turn into a double.
Hasson Rogers will most likely bat second, he is another one with speed. He was on base 22 times and stole four bases. Like Schnider, he is capable of stealing 15 bases. Rogers walked seven times but struck out 17 times. Rogers is a better hitter (.241) than he showed in 2012. I am expecting him to hit .300 this season.
Jack Thompson will bat third in the lineup and if Schnider and Rogers can get on base, he will rake in the third spot. He is a good contact hitter and he will hit close to 400 this season. Nderim Coma will take his usual cleanup spot. Coma had an unbelievable 2011 year hitting over 10 home runs and mashing the ball every weekend. Last season he had a solid year hitting .273 with 23 rbi’s and 8 doubles. However, he hit only one homerun so maybe he is missing Cody Hightower.
Andi Rüesch will hit fifth and will have to step up for the Barracudas in 2013. He led the league in walks with 28 and was on base 58 times, but he only scored 48% of the time. Andi has a ton of potential and he has pop in his bat. He has a good eye, evidenced by the league leading walk totals, but he also strikes out a lot which is a mystery to me. Nevertheless, Andi is a hard working player and he should profit from his work with Royal’s Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. They made some minor adjustments to his hands and Seitzer was very impressed. Andi will get his breakout year with 25 rbi’s, hit .350 and protect Coma.
Batting sixth in the lineup will be Strahil Georgiev, a great team player. I remember last season, he came up late in the game with the infield in and a runner on third base. He was trying to hit the ball to the right side and, after fouling off about four balls, he hit a hard ground ball single between first base and second base to score the run. He is a classic situational hitter and I would trade for him any day.
Rounding out the lineup will be Manu Hirtz and Marcel Ochsner, both had off years offensively. Hirtz is a smart hitter who found his way on base 28 times in 2012. He generally hits around 300 and takes what the pitcher gives him. Ochsner has some speed and can also steal 10 or more bases. He hit .241 in only 24 at bats so he will have to play a larger role on the team if the Barracudas want to contend.
Projected Lineup
- Marc Schnider -2b
- Hasson Rogers – 3b
- Jack Thompson – SS
- Nderim Coma – 1B
- Andi Rüesch –LF
- Strahil Georgiev – C
- Manu Hirtz – CF
- Marcel Ochsner– RF
- Alex Tufts- DH
Beni Montag – P
Pitching:
Pitching was one of the Barracudas’ strengths last season, with a team ERA of 3.04.. Beni Montag returned to action after a two year layoff and was brilliant on the mound. He won five games and registered 1.84 ERA. Dan Rogers was a work horse in game two and proved to be one of the top pitchers in the league registering eight wins, striking out 152 batters and posting a 1.73 ERA.
Frank Berchtold pitched 34 innings but struggled with his control all season long. His ERA of 7.01 and WHIP of 1.96 emphasize this problem. Frank is a better pitcher than he showed last season as he has a very good breaking pitch and a good fastball. Once he gets his control in order he will be a top pitcher in this league. Relief pitcher Andi Rüesch pitched 25 innings and registered three wins. Andi has been pitching only three seasons and he has made great progress. He struggled a bit with his command and had a high WHIP of 2.06. Coma, also capable of closing out games, did not pitch in 2012. If he is available as a closer, he can be one of the best in the league.
The Barracudas have signed a top pitcher from Canada, Alex Tufts, who played college ball with Canisius College, a division 1 school in upstate New York. He is tall (1.90 meters) and 95kg and throws hard. He should be the game two pitcher replacing Dan Rogers.
Team Challenges in 2013:
The Barracudas will lose three potent offensive weapons in Dan Rogers, Marc Oboussier and Chico Colindres. Nderim Coma is the only power hitter and is exposed in the batting order. How are the Barracudas going to replace this production (73 RBI’s, 136 times on base) in the lineup?
Defensively, the Barracudas have lost most of their 2012 infield with Von Burg, Rogers, Oboussier and Colindres not returning. This is a big question mark for the Barracudas, Thompson will help up the middle, Rogers and Schnider need to play solid defense and make the routine play.
Luzern Eagles (7-21)
What happened to the Eagles in 2012? They finished strong in 2011 and looked like a playoff contender but they never seemed to get it together and won only seven games. The Eagles again struggled with consistency, both at the plate and in the field. Many of their key players had an off year. Their plate approach did not improve as they struck out 238 times and walked only 102 times. The Eagles had only three players with 10 or more rbi’s, so this indicates a production problem. As previously mentioned, 2012 was the year of the pitcher, and the Eagles did not upgrade in this area so they continued to struggle every weekend. They are better than a sixth place team and need to regroup for the 2013 season.
The Eagles will be losing key players Yanik Probst, Jesus Martinez and Rudy Vargas. This creates some challenges for them to fill this offensive production.
The Eagles have started in the right direction in 2013 by signing American Pitcher James Chapman as a player coach in 2013. He pitched for the Avila University Eagles in Missouri. Chapman will have a good young nucleus to work with in 2013 as not all is doom and gloom in Luzern.
The Eagles lone bright spot offensively was Tifa Cruz who hit over .300 and had an all-star season. Yanik Probst and Rafael Strub had good seasons, both hitting just under .300. Rene Plüss still has some pop to his bat and scored 63% time when on base. That is very good considering he is not a Ricky Henderson on the bases. Junior Rosario hit .303 in 66 at bats and showed that he is capable of producing and could be a starter on this team.
Both Tom Enz and Marco Limacher had disappointing seasons. The Eagles need these two guys to have good years if they want to contend. Enz , a power hitting lefty, hit only .213 compared to .351 in 2011.He produced only four doubles but had 15 rbi’s, second on the team. Swiss ball parks heavily favor left handed power hitters, so the expectations for Enz are much higher. Limacher struggled at the plate with a .161 batting average, hitting only two doubles and four rbi’s. In 2011 Limacher hit over .300 and had eight doubles with 13 rbi’s. He will have to cut down on his strike outs as the last two years he averaged only six walks and 20+ strike outs. I think this is more an approach issue as this kid can hit. These guys are the key to the Eagles’ offense. They should bounce back and make 2013 a much better year in Luzern.
Marc Hurschler has a ton of speed and he needs to get on base to make this offense go. He needs to work on plate approach as his six walks and 27 strike outs hurt his production. A walk for him should be like a double, so he needs to refine his approach at the plate to become a top notch leadoff hitter.
The catching staff led the league by throwing out 22 base runners. They had a 25% rate of throwing runners, which was third behind the Mustangs and Challengers.
The Eagles are a very scrappy team and they are capable of much better. They need to use their field to their advantage like the Flyers do in Therwil. The Flyers rarely hit the ball to left field. They all hit to centerfield and right field and use the fence to hit doubles. This comes with practice and the Eagles have not fully capitalized on this yet. They had only 4HR and 38 doubles last season.
Projected Lineup:
- Mark Hurschler – LF
- Rafael Strub – CF
- Marco Limacher – C
- Tifa Cruz – 3b
- Tom Enz – 1B
- Rene Plüss – DH
- Geronimo Garcia – SS
- Carlos Pena – 2B
- Junior Del Rosario – RF
Stefan Haltmeier – P
Pitching:
The Eagles are lucky to have Stephan Haltmeier who throws 80+ innings every year and who won four games. Stephan can be an elite pitcher and should be able to beat the top teams. He regularly gives the Mustangs problems and if he would reduce his walks per inning, he would have a chance. His WHIP of 1.84 is too high for an elite pitcher.
James Chapman ill be the game two pitcher. James has an above average fastball (85/86) mph and a good change up. He has come back from Tommy John surgery and is probably just getting back to his old self on the mound. This is perhaps bad news for NLA hitters.
Ronald Veras can now move to the bullpen where he is better suited. He has decent stuff and is a smart pitcher. He is capable to come on in relief and help the Eagles. Jerome Müller is not the fastest of pitchers in the league, but he produces difficulties for hitters as he screws up their timing. I think he is a good option to get a few batters out as he is a good contrast of speed to Haltmeier and Chapman. After a few innings batters catch up to him so I would use him in specific spots and he will be more effective.
The Eagles will need to develop more pitching options in 2013 if they want to compete for the playoff spot. Tom Enz threw 16 innings last season. He needs to work on his command and control and then he would be a very good option as he is tall and imposing on the mound.
Team Challenges in 2013:
The Eagles pitching will be the key. Can they beat the playoff teams consistently?
Plate discipline is still a problem as they do not walk enough and strike out way too much. They only scored 44% of the time they had runners on base. They hit .287 in 2011 and only .247 in 2012, so the focus on situational hitting seems to be a concern.
Can Limacher and Enz be the bash brothers and light up the league next season?Wil Devils (2-25)
It was a rough welcome back to the NLA for the Devils as they struggled all year and won only three games. The Devils were not able to play a consistent nine innings; they showed flashes of playing well in a number of games before self-destructing. They had the Mustangs beat at home but let the game slip away late and lost 13-12. They have a good core bunch of players led by Manuel Keller (who did hit over .300) and Claudio Studerus. However, they need to get more depth to compete at the NLA level every weekend. Ben Wood and John Schmidt, their two American imports, were only available for a few months and therefore made a limited impact. If these guys were available the entire year the Devils would win 8-10 games.
The Devils struggled in 2012 with their pitching depth. Manuel Keller and Claudio Studerus pitched the bulk of the innings but each struggled with control which seemed to kill their chances. Same issue plagued Ben Wood who had 35 walks in 22 innings. John Schmidt only pitched 14 innings as he was injured but he showed that he can keep the Devils in the game. If the Devils sign another import pitcher, they will have a chance to win some more ball games.
Zurich Lions (3-24)
The Lions finally got the monkey off their back with a win in 2012. They managed to finish in seventh place this year behind the leadership of LJ Aguinaga, their import from Canada. The Lions made good progress as a team in 2012. They were able to win with some younger players and build some confidence. The problem they had was inconsistency.
On offense, the Lions struggled to produce runs. They had only 15 doubles and 63 rbi’s last season so there is room to improve the situational hitting and approach of the younger players. Markus Streicher played hurt all year with many different injuries. He is a warrior and just keeps playing. Hopefully he will not be so beat up next season and can show his true potential as he is a good hitter.
Pitching:
Andreas Eugster, one of the few lefties in the NLA, has shown some talent every year. He pitched 66 innings but struggled with his control, allowing 57 walks. His WHIP is too high to compete for wins. Nevertheless, the Eugster can be one of the elite pitchers in the league, he has good movement and would be a great six inning pitcher on a playoff team. His stats are misleading and if he can get his command down, he will give teams problems. I would draft this kid any day.
2012 Stat Department
Most people look at the traditional stats to evaluate players as these are easy to track. I like to find stats that show the true value of a player. The stats below are good indications of players and how they contribute to a team’s success. Stats courtesy of Easyscore.
- Times on base (TB) – I like to know the guys who get on base and get into scoring position as this gives a team opportunities to score runs
| Name | Team | TB | PA | AB | H | CS | SB | RP | R | %RS | RBI |
| Suplin, Se. CAR | CAR | 61 | 117 | 92 | 38 | 3 | 4 | 73 | 42 | 68.9% | 36 |
| Rogers, Da. BAR | BAR | 60 | 135 | 121 | 48 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 28 | 46.7% | 31 |
| Zeller, Sa. CHA | CHA | 59 | 121 | 106 | 45 | 3 | 11 | 39 | 27 | 45.8% | 12 |
| Crouse, Jo. MUS | MUS | 58 | 115 | 91 | 34 | 1 | 25 | 42 | 30 | 51.7% | 13 |
| Rüesch, An. BAR | BAR | 58 | 134 | 102 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 39 | 28 | 48.3% | 11 |
| Siegrist, To. CHA | CHA | 57 | 129 | 109 | 40 | 0 | 5 | 52 | 26 | 45.6% | 28 |
| Sedin, Ro. CHA | CHA | 56 | 115 | 99 | 43 | 3 | 24 | 58 | 34 | 60.7% | 25 |
| Koller, St. FLY | FLY | 56 | 111 | 92 | 38 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 22 | 39.3% | 20 |
| Waite, Be. CAR | CAR | 55 | 111 | 88 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 62 | 37 | 67.3% | 32 |
| Oshima, Ta. FLY | FLY | 48 | 111 | 88 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 53 | 34 | 70.8% | 22 |
Scoring position (SP) – the players that can get into scoring position give you opportunities and put pressure on the defense. Interesting to notice that the leaders here were not always the leaders in % of runs scored per on base. Sami and Harry were the only ones that scored high in both. That means that hitting behind these players there are some holes in the lineup.
| Name | Team | SP | TB | PA | AB | H | CS | SB | RP | R | %RS | RBI |
| Wischnewski, Ha | MUS | 39 | 44 | 113 | 92 | 25 | 0 | 34 | 39 | 30 | 68.2% | 9 |
| Sedin, Ro. | CHA | 38 | 56 | 115 | 99 | 43 | 3 | 24 | 58 | 34 | 60.7% | 25 |
| Crouse, Jo | MUS | 37 | 58 | 115 | 91 | 34 | 1 | 25 | 42 | 30 | 51.7% | 13 |
| Paulino De Los Santos | CAR | 26 | 42 | 113 | 102 | 33 | 6 | 18 | 58 | 33 | 78.6% | 26 |
| Koller, St | FLY | 23 | 56 | 111 | 92 | 38 | 3 | 6 | 42 | 22 | 39.3% | 20 |
| Klarer, Ch | MUS | 21 | 43 | 116 | 103 | 30 | 0 | 12 | 45 | 21 | 48.8% | 26 |
| Martinez Marin, Je | CHA | 19 | 34 | 91 | 79 | 26 | 0 | 4 | 41 | 18 | 52.9% | 25 |
| Albrecht, Br | MUS | 18 | 46 | 90 | 65 | 24 | 0 | 13 | 38 | 21 | 45.7% | 17 |
| Zeller, Sa | CHA | 18 | 59 | 121 | 106 | 45 | 3 | 11 | 39 | 27 | 45.8% | 12 |
Percentage of Runs Scored – the players that get on base and who cross the plate at a high rate are very valuable to your offense
| Name | Team | %RS | TB | PA | AB | H | CS | SB | RP | R | RBI |
| Hernandez Martinez, Ed. | CAR | 81.5% | 29 | 68 | 63 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 35 | 22 | 13 |
| Paulino De Los Santos | CAR | 78.6% | 42 | 113 | 102 | 33 | 6 | 18 | 58 | 33 | 26 |
| Hutchinson, Ca | MUS | 76.5% | 17 | 53 | 44 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 2 |
| Bernet Garcia, Ol | CHA | 75.0% | 8 | 51 | 46 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| Rodriguez Mercedes, An | CAR | 73.3% | 30 | 90 | 80 | 21 | 4 | 5 | 34 | 22 | 13 |
| Novas Gil, Lu | LIO | 73.3% | 15 | 60 | 57 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 11 | 3 |
| Maier, Pa | CHA | 72.7% | 22 | 61 | 54 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 16 | 9 |
| Raouzeos, Em | FLY | 71.9% | 32 | 82 | 70 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 40 | 23 | 17 |
| Bregy, Ha | CHA | 71.4% | 21 | 55 | 48 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 24 | 15 | 9 |
| Oshima, Ta | FLY | 70.8% | 48 | 111 | 88 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 53 | 34 | 22 |
| Schnider, Ma | BAR | 70.8% | 24 | 75 | 66 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 17 | 12 |
RBI’s/At Bat – the players that can get those runners in are also adding value to the team. Here are the leaders per At Bat. You might want to pitch around these guys late in the game.
|
Name |
Team |
PA |
AB |
RBI |
AB/rbi | |
|
1 |
Baum, Jo. CAR |
CAR |
82 |
70 |
32 |
2.2 |
|
2 |
Eichenberger, Da. FLY |
FLY |
51 |
48 |
20 |
2.4 |
|
3 |
Suplin, Se. CAR |
CAR |
117 |
92 |
36 |
2.6 |
|
4 |
Roper-Hubbert, Br. FLY |
FLY |
54 |
42 |
16 |
2.6 |
|
5 |
Perigo Mejias, Jo. CAR |
CAR |
92 |
78 |
29 |
2.7 |
|
6 |
Waite, Be. CAR |
CAR |
111 |
88 |
32 |
2.8 |
|
7 |
Auerbach, Ca. MUS |
MUS |
73 |
57 |
20 |
2.9 |
|
8 |
Martinez Marin, Je. CHA |
CHA |
91 |
79 |
25 |
3.2 |
|
9 |
Kaufmann, Ad. FLY |
FLY |
106 |
83 |
24 |
3.5 |
|
10 |
Cruz Tifa, Al. EAG |
EAG |
99 |
87 |
24 |
3.6 |
|
11 |
Bussmann, Mi. CAR |
CAR |
95 |
84 |
23 |
3.7 |
|
12 |
Oboussier, Ma. BAR |
BAR |
120 |
114 |
31 |
3.7 |
|
13 |
Albrecht, Br. MUS |
MUS |
90 |
65 |
17 |
3.8 |
|
14 |
Coma, Nd. BAR |
BAR |
105 |
88 |
23 |
3.8 |
|
15 |
Siegrist, To. CHA |
CHA |
129 |
109 |
28 |
3.9 |
Stolen Bases (SB) – players that steal bases make a team more dangerous, they put pressure on the defense and make things happen, especially in those one run games
| Name | Team | SB | RBI | %RS | TB | PA | AB | H | CS | RP | R |
| Wischnewski, Ha | MUS | 34 | 9 | 68.2% | 44 | 113 | 92 | 25 | 0 | 39 | 30 |
| Crouse, Jo | MUS | 25 | 13 | 51.7% | 58 | 115 | 91 | 34 | 1 | 42 | 30 |
| Sedin, Ro | CHA | 24 | 25 | 60.7% | 56 | 115 | 99 | 43 | 3 | 58 | 34 |
| Paulino De Los Santos, Ma | CAR | 18 | 26 | 78.6% | 42 | 113 | 102 | 33 | 6 | 58 | 33 |
| Albrecht, Br | MUS | 13 | 17 | 45.7% | 46 | 90 | 65 | 24 | 0 | 38 | 21 |
| Klarer, Ch | MUS | 12 | 26 | 48.8% | 43 | 116 | 103 | 30 | 0 | 45 | 21 |
| Zeller, Sa | CHA | 11 | 12 | 45.8% | 59 | 121 | 106 | 45 | 3 | 39 | 27 |
| Gränz, Mi | LIO | 11 | 8 | 36.0% | 25 | 75 | 60 | 11 | 0 | 17 | 9 |
| Holguin Santos, Ga | LIO | 11 | 9 | 29.0% | 31 | 106 | 91 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 9 |
| Hänzi, Ra | CAR | 10 | 8 | 50.0% | 32 | 59 | 47 | 21 | 2 | 23 | 16 |
Base on Balls (BB) – the players with good discipline and a good eye can get on base and increase a pitcher’s pitch count
| Name | Team | BB | SB | RBI | %RS | TB | PA | AB | H | CS | RP | R |
| Rüesch, An | BAR | 28 | 6 | 11 | 48.3% | 58 | 134 | 102 | 27 | 3 | 39 | 28 |
| Crouse, Jo | MUS | 22 | 25 | 13 | 51.7% | 58 | 115 | 91 | 34 | 1 | 42 | 30 |
| Von Burg, Ue | BAR | 21 | 4 | 7 | 61.1% | 36 | 78 | 55 | 14 | 2 | 29 | 22 |
| Kaufmann, Ad | FLY | 20 | 4 | 24 | 43.2% | 44 | 106 | 83 | 21 | 3 | 42 | 19 |
| Albrecht, Br | MUS | 20 | 13 | 17 | 45.7% | 46 | 90 | 65 | 24 | 0 | 38 | 21 |
| Zwyer, Se | FLY | 18 | 1 | 15 | 59.0% | 39 | 101 | 77 | 18 | 2 | 37 | 23 |
| Suplin, Se | CAR | 17 | 4 | 36 | 68.9% | 61 | 117 | 92 | 38 | 3 | 73 | 42 |
On base versus Batting Avg differential (DIFF) – this stat shows potential value, it shows players that might have struggled with their batting avg but still get on base.
| Name | Team | BA | OBP | Diff | BB | HBP |
| Von Burg, Ue | BAR | 0.255 | 0.468 | 0.213 | 21 | 1 |
| Walser, Ol | MUS | 0.070 | 0.256 | 0.185 | 15 | 3 |
| Bouteloup, Ia | FLY | 0.349 | 0.525 | 0.176 | 13 | 4 |
| Strub, Ra | EAG | 0.280 | 0.456 | 0.176 | 11 | 6 |
| Rüesch, An | BAR | 0.265 | 0.436 | 0.171 | 28 | 3 |
| Hutchinson, Ch | MUS | 0.228 | 0.397 | 0.169 | 16 | 0 |
| Wood, Be | DEV | 0.303 | 0.465 | 0.162 | 6 | 4 |
| Kaufmann, Ad | FLY | 0.253 | 0.415 | 0.162 | 20 | 3 |
| Zwyer, Se | FLY | 0.234 | 0.394 | 0.160 | 18 | 3 |
| Streicher, Ma | LIO | 0.169 | 0.324 | 0.155 | 13 | 6 |
Walks +Hits per inning (WHIP).
This is a very important statistic as it tells you how many base runners a pitcher allows per inning. The pitchers with the lower numbers here are generally doing something correct. There is a correlation to WHIP and success. The pitchers on this list were the best in 2012.
| Name | Team |
IP |
Whip |
H |
BB |
K |
k/bb |
| Kaufmann, Ad | FLY |
9.2 |
0.54 |
4 |
1 |
9 |
9.0 |
| Waite, Be | CAR |
72.0 |
0.74 |
40 |
13 |
113 |
8.7 |
| Bregy, Ha | CHA |
10.0 |
0.80 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
1.8 |
| Oshima, Hi | FLY |
19.2 |
0.89 |
12 |
5 |
19 |
3.8 |
| Byrne, Ry | CAR |
68.1 |
0.90 |
30 |
31 |
127 |
4.1 |
| Sedin, Ro | CHA |
59.0 |
0.90 |
33 |
20 |
86 |
4.3 |
| Croton, Lu | FLY |
34.2 |
0.96 |
25 |
8 |
23 |
2.9 |
| Jones, Ti | MUS |
104.0 |
0.98 |
64 |
38 |
155 |
4.1 |
| Rogers, Da | BAR |
109.0 |
1.06 |
95 |
20 |
152 |
7.6 |
| Koller, St | FLY |
72.2 |
1.14 |
70 |
12 |
44 |
3.7 |
| Savoldelli, Ro | MUS |
111.1 |
1.16 |
112 |
17 |
52 |
3.1 |
| Blackbee, Ch | FLY |
28.0 |
1.21 |
26 |
8 |
17 |
2.1 |
| Siegrist, To | CHA |
40.0 |
1.25 |
36 |
14 |
38 |
2.7 |
Stats provided by Easyscore.ch