Similar to 2008, the European Cup is split into two divisions in the first phase with the two best teams each qualifying for the European Cup Final Four (called European Champions Cup) in Barcelona in June, though there are only twelve teams in Pool A this time. Due to the early date in the calendar both competitions will be held in weather friendly Italy. One of the two groups will be played in Nettuno and Anzio from March 31st to April 4th.
And it is a tough one. Besides last year’s Italian vice champion and European Cup Final Four winner DANESI NETTUNO, there will be five national champions in the small city south of Rome, fighting for the two promising spots. NETTUNO, L&D AMSTERDAM and TENERIFE MARLINS should be considered as favored going into the single round robin.
Schedule for Tuesday, March 31:
13:00 L&D Amsterdam – Port of Antwerp Greys (in Nettuno)
14:30 Tenerife Marlins – Rouen Huskies (in Anzio)
18:00 Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg – Danesi Nettuno (in Nettuno)
Complete Schedule, including live play-by-play
Danesi Caffè‘ Nettuno
After losing the Italian finals once again in seven games, NETTUNO went to Barcelona at the beginning of September and captured the title at the inaugural edition of the European Cup Final Four. In the first round in Regensburg, Germany, they lost in a thrilling final against the FC BARCELONA. With new manager Giampiero Faraone DANESI isn’t expecting less this year. The team brought in quite a few new players during the winter, signing Spanish National Team pitchers Yoel Hernandez, Remigio Leal and catcher Dewis Navarro. Additionally they signed pitcher Jeff Farnsworth, outfielder Abraham Nunez, infielder Manny Alexander and catcher Manuel Gasparri. Due to the CEB rules only three non-EU players are allowed to be on the final roster, so not everyone is going to play. Their pitching staff is certainly deep enough to clinch first place, though it is a difficult time of the year, as the Italian Baseball League doesn’t start till April 9th.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates
AMSTERDAM is back on the European stage thanks to their surprise sweep over CORENDON KINHEIM in the Holland Series, winning the championship in the Netherlands. By default Dutch teams are always favored, going into the European Cups. Similar to most of their opponents they need to get rid of the rust, as the new Hoofdklasse season hasn’t started yet. The PIRATES will be led head coach Rikkert Fanyete and World Baseball Classic hero catcher Sidney de Jong. Also aboard are new Australian pitcher Adam Blackley and infielder Vince Rooi. The latter also played for the Dutch team in the WBC. Besides former Red Sox prospect Blackley, Kenny Berkenbosch, Jos de Jong, Pim Walsma and Nick Stuifbergen are expected to start this week. On the offensive end, the Cuban veteran Fausto Alvarez will be their main power source.
Rouen Huskies
After winning four French championships in a row and five in six years, ROUEN is highly motivated to bring some silver home from the European Cup competition. In 2007 they finished in second place behind KINHEIM, last season they had to settle with fourth place in Grosseto. New HUSKIES manager Francois Colombier mostly can rely on the roster of 2008, as only pitchers Jason Kosow, Jean-Baptiste Couton and infielder Randy Perez left the club. Pitcher Robin Roy returned from retirement during the winter and provides depth in the pitching staff besides the American TJ Stanton (also new on the team), Keino Perez, Giovanni Ouin, Mathieu Crescent and Alexandre Sochon. The question is, if their hurlers are already stretched out enough without any real games until now. Dany Scalabrini, Kenji Hagiwara (questionable: college), Joris Bert (questionable: minor league camp with Dodgers), Boris Marche and David Gauthier could form a well-producing offense.
Tenerife Marlins
The MARLINS have won four straight Spanish championships and won the CEB Cup in 2004. The past two European Cups weren’t that successful for PUERTO CRUZ, as they finished in sixth place in 2007 and fifth in 2008. However this year they could be the sleeper pick to win it all. In difference to all of Europe the Division de Honor season is already three weeks old and TENERIFE already dominated with six wins in six games. Some victories were so lopsided that they had problems to get the work in for their pitchers. The Venezuelan Leslie Nacar and Spanish National Team hurler Ivan Granados are their two aces at the top of the pitching staff. Audie Nunez is their number one option out of the bullpen and we might also see the Dutch prospect Ruben Rijkhof on the mound, who signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves this winter. Richard Montiel, Nestor Perez, Daniel Martinez and Daniel Sanchez are their main forces on the offensive end.
Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg
The BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE took full advantage from the home crowd in Regensburg last June and reached the semi-finals in the European Cup. In September their first ever German championship followed. Although this year’s European Cup isn’t much more than a preseason tournament, the LEGIONAERE with manager Martin Helmig take the competition seriously and even brought in an extra American pitcher to shoulder the heavy workload the next few days. Scott Lonergan, who will leave for the Golden Baseball League at the end of April, will form a nice one-two punch in the starting rotation with their other addition Eddie Aucoin . Martin Almstetter and Benedikt Antwi also will start. New shortstop Matt Vance takes over the third foreign spot in Nettuno. Also back on the roster is Ludwig Glaser, who had to end his engagement with the Los Angeles Angels organization after only one season. Glaser and Vance will support Philipp Howard, Alex Lauterbach and Klaus Hopfensperger on offense. They have a pretty young roster on hand with only Aucoin (33) exceeding the 30-year mark.
Port of Antwerp Greys
The GREYS were able to win the past four Belgian championships and also put Belgium back into Pool A of the European Cup competition, when they won the Qualifier in 2007. Last year they finished in sixth place at the EC in Grosseto, and successful avoided relegation in the playoffs against the BERN CARDINALS and KAUNAS LITUANICA. They once again are the underdog going into the tournament, but showed during the preseason with a win over CORENDON KINHEIM that they can surprise everybody on a good day. Staff ace Dennis van Hoof should get help from two of the three foreign pitchers Daniel Howard, Adam Crabb and Ulysses Roque, as Canadian outfielder Bryon Bell also is expected to play.
Photos: © Ferrini (top) and Photodigital/FIBS