The Swedish National Team returned this week from a trip to the United States to start the final preparations for the Prague Baseball Week in July and the IBAF Baseball World Cup in September. Two weeks full of practices and exhibition games are behind them.
They received help from experienced American coaches and used top notch facilities of the Major League organizations Detroit Tigers, Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros in Florida during week one and played games versus their teams in extended spring training. They also visited a Major League game between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Oakland Athletics at the Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. In the end they made the trip north to Minnesota and Wisconsin for three more test matches against independent teams.
Although rain hindered a few games and practice session, the Swedish team should be satisfied with trip, as they were able to play against some talented teams, which should help during the important tournaments this summer. The 2-6 record doesn’t speak the whole truth, as they were competitive in each of the eight games. They used Joakim Claesson, Oscar Carlstedt, Nick Soubiea, Niklas Melin and Rickard Leander as starting pitchers. Melin, Philip Gajzler, Bjorn Johannessen and Peter Johannessen even got a head start, arriving in Florida a week earlier and being allowed to participate in Pittsburgh Pirates extended spring training.
Pictures are available on the website of the Swedish Baseball and Softball Federation.
Results:
May 17
Atlanta Braves – Sweden 12-6
SWE 000 022 200 6 ATL 201 203 13X 12
May 18
Detroit Tigers – Sweden 2-5 (4)
SWE 130 1 5 DET 200 0 2
May 20
Houston Astros – Sweden 6-0 (8)
SWE 000 000 00 0 HOU 040 000 2X 6
May 21
Atlanta Braves – Sweden 4-0 (7)
SWE 000 000 0 0 ATL 400 000 X 4
Sweden – Atlanta Braves 0-2 (7)
ATL 002 000 0 2 SWE 000 000 0 0
May 25
Brainerd Allstars – Sweden 2-3
SWE 100 000 101 3 BRA 000 100 010 2
May 26
La Crosse Loggers – Sweden 5-7
SWE 003 202 000 7 LAC 000 000 050 5
May 27
Madison Mallard – Sweden 14-5 (6)
SWE 200 003 5 MAD 821 30X 14
Photo courtesy Swedish Baseball and Softball Federation