Sharks veterans Johan Weidolf, Joe Lankford and Håkan Wikström, along with veterans Pelle Rhodin and Richard Mellgren from the Kungsbacka Chiefs, joined a combination Sharks-Chiefs squad over the weekend in the second round of SWBL play.

Asked if he felt he could still perform after a two-year layoff, Lankford quipped, “I’ve got the glove, I’ve got the spikes, I’ve got the jersey with my name on it. And I’ve got the skills to back it all up.”

As it turned out, this was no exaggeration, with all five demonstrating the skills and pure grit that have made them living legends in west coast baseball.

At the other end of the scale, the Yamazaki youngsters Zaki and Yudai were dominant, in the field, at the plate and even behind the plate with Zaki making catching chores look easy. Their parents also contributed with Mrs Yamazaki treating both teams to delicious Japanese sugar cakes.

The fans witnessed the emergence of two potential closers with Johan Weidolf and Joel Earnest – with a combined age rumored to be in excess of 110 years – shutting down the Tranås offfence in games two and three.

Los Chicos, also known as Jose Martinez and Jose Munoz, made the trip and as always, made solid contributions both on and off the field.

According to Coach Edgren, “the team is looking good, we have a good mix of new guys and veteran players, and I can’t wait to start the season for real.”

If the Sharks fail this season, it will not be for lack of trying.
The schedule includes at least 36 games.
“I’m in over my head this year,” travel coordinator Joel Earnest says.

An ambitious second season of the South West Baseball League that includes more teams for this season is the main reason for the Shark’s season expanding. Depending on how many games the SWBL dates include, the season will include 36 to 46 games.

“It’s a lot to organize, I should get a raise”, travel coordinator Earnest says.

The regional schedule are set for eight dates, with 16 matches, ranging from opening day on May 13th to August 26th when the Sharks close out the regular season. Oh yeah, this is of course just the regular season. If the Sharks repeat last year’s success and advance to the playoffs, more game(s) will be played.

“We have a lot of time to practice winning. Apparently, it’s better than losing,” coach Jonny Edgren says.

The SWBL season started last weekend against Jönköping and Skövde and continues tomorrow, April 29th, when the Shark bus travels north to Tranås for a triple header.

This is the third part of the 2017 regional preview for the Göteborg Hajarna. Ideally, this series would have concluded by looking at the opposition. Alas, the scouting department has not been up to speed to bring me the spreadsheets.

Disclaimer: This series of previews is the opinion of one person and does not necessarily reflect the organization’s views or any other for that matter.

Niclas Ekström

Ekström’s 2016 season was one of his best in his career and took home the Sharks version of the Silver slugger.

2015	Göteborg B	16	11	5	2	.181	0	0	0	.181	.437	.619	2	5	0	2
2016	Göteborg	41	20	9	5	.250	2	0	0	.350	.634	.984	18	5	0	4

His numbers proves that this season was a giant leap forward and especially since he really got going as the season went on. That .634 OBP placed him second in the league and the .984 OPS is impressive as well. Ekström still has not reached his full potential but surely, this is closer to it that during 2015. Defensively, he logged 36 stellar innings at first base and actually 28 perfect innings in the corner outfield spots. More surprisingly, he appeared at second base in two games for a total of seven innings. The second one, was in that dreadful playoff game at Karlskoga. Ekström performed well, but his future will hopefully be at first base. There was rumblings that Ekström would not play in 2017 but the Sharks faithful were relieved when he decided to come back. He is, for sure, a key component in the Hajarna offense.

Mokhlad al-Ghamini

The MVP and best pitcher winner also played stable defense at shortstop and on occasion showed flashes of brilliance at the plate.

2016

Göteborg

68

45

23

10

.222

1

1

1

.355

.485

.840

20

15

0

10

al-Ghamini, at the plate, is an untapped resource for the 2017 season. It was clear for the Hajarna faithful that al-Ghamini very well could have been the best hitter in the league, alas so was not the case. Now, it should be made clear that al-Ghamini’s numbers are not at all abysmal or anything, just not quite living up to his potential. A tad more discipline at the plate and not swinging for the fences would probably do it. The Iraqi native was also sometimes brilliant at the bases, stealing approximately 456.234 bases on the season. However, there were also times when he got caught running the bases in a not so impressive fashion.

Defensively, he probably has the best range at shortstop in the entire league. With slick hands and nice footwork the only thing that might improve is his throws that sometimes can be errant and forced. Notably, al-Ghamini also played games at second and third base, catcher and, of course, pitcher. Going into the 2017 season, al-Ghamini will be surely be important.

Daniel André

The 2016 Sharks homerun derby winner did not produce as he would have liked at the plate.

2015	Göteborg B	15	12	3	3	.250	0	0	0	.250	.400	.650	1	2	0	2
2016	Göteborg	28	25	3	3	.120	0	0	0	.120	.214	.334	1	5	1	1

A step backwards to be sure, but there were positive signs for André during the 2016 season. The problem for André was mostly not getting the bat on the ball. When he does that, he’s got some pop and can surely improve that statline a lot.

On defense, André played 35 stellar innings at second base. He was, however, fighting various injuries during last season but has worked hard in the offseason with strengthening and conditioning to abide coach Edgren’s wishes of staying on the field.

Fabian Hanning

The Sharks favorite German took a step backwards at the plate but did progress in the field.

2015	Göteborg B	13	9	0	1	.111	0	0	0	.111	.384	.495	3	5	0	1
2016	Göteborg	33	27	8	3	.111	0	0	0	.111	.272	.383	3	10	0	2

That average is for sure something that Hanning needs to improve going forward if he wants to keep playing the hot corner. Hanning has always had good pitch recognition, which is why last seasons dip in OBP came as a surprise. Let’s put some money on that being an abbreviation. He does a perfectly stellar job on defense, both at third base and in the corner outfield spots. That versatility makes him very valuable to the Sharks organization.

Josef Hussein

Hussein had the numbers to be considered the Sharks best offensive, if not all around, player last season.

2015	Göteborg B	7	7	0	1	.142	0	0	0	.142	.142	.285	0	2	0	0
2016	Göteborg	41	31	8	11	.354	2	0	0	.419	.512	.931	9	3	0	8

It was a kind of resurgence at the plate for Hussein who did not have a bad game during last seasons campaign. There is not much to add to the very impressive numbers ‘Jojo’ put up but that he would be considered a top player on all regional teams. While the signs do not point to him playing for the Sharks this season, one should never lose faith. If he were to return, that would be a huge win at the top of the Sharks lineup.

Shervin Shakki

Young gun Shakki was, as always solid at second base and progressed at the plate.

2015	Göteborg B	25	23	2	3	.130	0	0	0	.130	.200	.330	2	17	1	0
2016	Göteborg	58	42	14	7	.166	0	0	0	.166	.396	.563	16	22	0	2

That OBP does look nice, doesn’t it? The patient showed by Shakki points to him progressing at the plate and while he does not project to be a homerun hitter, he could very well be a .300 hitter that can find the gaps and provide some doubles.

On defense, ‘Swirvin’ Shervin was slick at second base and also showed off his strong arm from the shortstop position. Going forward, he is of course the future of the Sharks organization (as he is one of few players that are not closing in on retirement age) and will be crucial in the defensive works of the infield.

Toofan Khazal

The longtime catcher took a moneyballish approach at the plate in 2016 and saw success with it.

2015	Göteborg B	33	27	3	6	.222	0	0	0	.222	.363	.585	6	6	0	5
2016	Göteborg	62	35	12	6	.171	1	0	0	.200	.524	.724	24	14	0	9

While the average and slugging percentage dropped a bit, Khazal took a big step forward in the OBP department. Adding to that, he looked more comfortable at the plate and if Heatstat provided BABIP, he would most certainly be a victim of a low such number as he hit the ball harder than previous seasons. As he is the key to the Sharks battery (read: the only catcher that can actually catch), his offensive progression bodes well going forward. Hopefully, that patient approach at the plate continues and here’s to a ball or two passing through the infielders as well.

Mikael Lindquist

Lindquist, in a very small sample size, put up impressive offensive numbers in 2016.

2015	Göteborg B	11	7	2	1	.142	0	0	0	.142	.454	.597	4	4	1	1
2016	Göteborg	12	9	1	3	.333	0	0	0	.333	.500	.833	3	3	0	1

Marred by injuries, his defensive assignments on the infield were fewer than normal. At the plate however he was brilliant and we especially remember that game in Tranås where he pitched no hit-ball and went 2-4 at the plate. Going forward, Lindquist will hopefully find health to be a bigger factor in the field.

Eric Marquez

The exile American had the walk off hit in his first game and looked impressive in his rookie season for the Sharks.

2016

Göteborg

21

20

4

7

.350

1

0

0

.400

.380

.780

1

2

0

6

While everyone was satisfied with his performance on both sides of the ball in 2016, Marquez himself was not. Vowing to hit balls over the left field fence at Shark Park, Marquez has been working hard during the offseason to add some extra power to his swing. He showed defensively that he was very good at third base and perfectly capable of playing all infield positions. Truly, an asset when looking through the crystal ball to the 2017 season.

Hannes Wiström

The other rookie, showed loads of promise during his first season in Shark blue but did not have the numbers to show for it.

2016

Göteborg

24

22

5

3

.136

0

0

0

.136

.208

.344

1

9

0

3

Wiström was a very welcome addition to the 2016 Shark squad. He provided stellar defense at first base and the outfield and showed glimpses of great ability at the plate. With more AB’s under the plate, he will be a force to count on offense.

Defensively, the young gun is far too athletic to stay at first base. One could see him as the long time catcher of the Sharks organization or perhaps a solid infielder as he has the potential to play any infield position. He could also provide value in center field if needed. In 2017, Wiström will be a key component of the team although Edgren’s intentions on where he will play are still unknown.

Johan Weidolf

Oldtimer Weidolf flashed how his bat could be the best in regional play.

2015	Göteborg	39	38	3	9	.236	1	0	0	.263	.256	.519	1	8	0	6
2016	Göteborg	9	8	2	4	.500	1	0	0	.625	.555	.1180	1	1	0	2

Yes, nine at bats are not enough to talk about but those are some shiny numbers up there. And also, we’re talking about the longtime prominent Shark legend Weidolf that has never failed to impress in the past. If he were to have enough time to play continuously in 2017, he could very well be the David Ortiz of Sharks baseball.

Jonny Edgren

Let’s not glorify coach too much and have those pretty numbers go to his head.

2015	Göteborg B	13	12	5	8	.666	3	0	0	.916	.666	.1583	0	0	0	3
2016	Göteborg	29	22	11	8	.363	4	0	0	.545	.517	.1062	3	3	0	4

Suffice to say, looking in to the future, Edgren will certainly be solid at the plate in 2017 as well if he were to give himself at bats.

Joel Earnest

Earnest took a step backwards at the plate while battling health issues.

2015	Göteborg B	31	31	5	10	.322	0	0	0	.322	.322	.645	0	8	0	6
2016	Göteborg	23	19	2	4	.210	0	0	0	.210	.318	.528	2	9	1	5

It was not surprising that the numbers of ‘Mr RBI’ took a step backwards. The fighting of illness was a factor to be sure, but also missing multiple matchups with favorite opponent Malmö Pilots had Earnest wanting more when coming back to the 2017 season. His likeness to Ty Cobb is of course undisputable and will, as always, be feasting on those high fastballs.

Prediction:

It’s easy to see, just by the length of this piece, that the Sharks infield is crowded. The project of versatility that the front office has been talking about would be reasonable since the outfield seldom is overcrowded. The infield do look solid as the partnership of al-Ghamini and Shakki progressed throughout last season. With the addition of Marquez at third base and Nic Ekström’s resurgence at first, the starting day infield might reach the heights of “The Infield” (when the Dodgers had Ron Cey, Bill Russell, Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey).

Anywho, José Munoz is apparently in the shadows and wanting to play again and he is one of the best shortstops this franchise has ever seen. Hannes Wiström is a real asset anywhere on the infield and Fabian Hanning, Daniel André and Joel Earnest are veteran players that will fight for the starting spots come opening day.

The real problematic position in the Sharks infield is at catcher. Not the present catcher as veteran Toofan Khazal turned in what might have been his best season in 2016 but the depth behind him is underwhelming to say the least. Well, it’s non existent. That is a problem. If opponents were to be evil, a well timed hit to the Sharks catcher would be devastating and this is something the front office need to look at, post haste!

This is the second part of the 2017 regional preview for the Göteborg Hajarna. Ideally, this series would have concluded by looking at the opposition. Alas, the scouting department has not been up to speed to bring me the spreadsheets.

Disclaimer: This series of previews is the opinion of one person and does not necessarily reflect the organization’s views or any other for that matter.

Isak Voigt Jansson

Last season, a lot of players cycled through the outfield positions with few consistent parts. One of the more consistent players, however, was Voigt Jansson who amassed a total of 70 innings in the corner outfield spots.

2015	Göteborg B	10	10	0	1	.100	0	0	0	.100	.100	.200	0	7	0	0
2016	Göteborg	41	31	7	2	.064	0	0	0	.064	.292	.357	8	13	0	5

It was evident that Jansson took a step forward in the on base department (not surprisingly considering the Shark’s Moneyballish approach at the plate last season. Coming in to the 2017 season, Jansson has spent the offseason in Umeå, practicing with the Blue Harriers and trying desperately to recruit Ted Bratsberg to return to Shark Park (to no avail).

Joel Earnest

With the stellar play of veteran Niclas Ekström and the emergence of Hannes Wiström, Earnest only saw six innings of play at first base. Instead, Earnest played 39 innings in the corner outfield positions with a perfect fielding average.

2015	Göteborg B	31	31	5	10	.322	0	0	0	.322	.322	.645	0	8	0	6
2016	Göteborg	23	19	2	4	.210	0	0	0	.210	.318	.528	2	9	1	5

Earnest, also known as Big Daddy and Mr RBI (the latter being his own nickname, eds. note), slumped at the plate last season, basically taking a step back in all categories. The numbers might however be misleading. Earnest fought his way back from a somewhat serious hospital stay and missed games against his favorite opponents, the Malmö Pilots. Nonetheless, it has to be assumed that age (Earnest is rapidly approaching the respectable age of 70) could increasingly become an issue. This remains to be seen but surely, Earnest will be a factor all over the field and probably on the mound as well in 2017. Asked about coming back for yet another season, Earnest quipped, “I’ve put in the work this winter and am in the best shape of my career. Tell the fans they ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Jun Kono

Kono, a Japanese native, played his second season in the Sharks uniform in 2016 and performed well in limited time. He logged 19 innings in center and 2 innings in right field with stellar defensive play.

2015	Göteborg	29	25	2	1	.040	0	0	0	.040	.142	.182	3	12	0	0
2016	Göteborg	11	8	1	2	.250	1	0	0	.375	.454	.829	2	2	0	0

At the plate, Kono improved immensely (small sample size applies) with solid numbers in all categories. It should be noted that his 2016 numbers was from Elitserien. No one has doubted Kono’s ability to enhance the Sharks roster; the issue has always been his availability. If he can be a consistent contributor in the 2017 season, the Sharks will be happy.

Fredrik Unger

As Kono, Unger was also somewhat of a inconsistent contributor for the 2016 Sharks. When he was on the field, he was good. Servicing 18 innings in center and 4 in right field.

2015	Göteborg B	15	11	4	3	.272	0	0	0	.272	.466	.739	4	1	0	1
2016	Göteborg	14	10	6	3	.300	0	0	0	.300	.500	.800	4	2	0	2

Unger saw his offensive numbers rise a tick during the 2016 campaign (with a small sample size) but generally showed great patience at the plate. The Umeå native has secured his personal future in Göteborg and will hopefully be a more regular figure in the Shark Park outfield.

This reporter

Logging 46 innings in the outfield, mainly in center, this reporter did at least not embarrass himself defensively and was most happy with providing an outfield assist.

2015	Göteborg B	30	23	7	6	.260	1	0	0	.304	.400	.704	6	4	1	4
2016	Göteborg	30	25	6	7	.280	1	0	0	.320	.400	.720	5	5	0	2

Offensively, the numbers were slightly better than in 2015 but yeah. You try and publish an evaluation of yourself and see how easy it is…

Prediction:

The 2017 Sharks could obviously benefit from some more consistency at the outfield positions. On occasion, the Sharks faithful shook their heads as the defensive interactions was lacking. The offseason has seen a lot of new players showing up for practice and while it remains to be seen how many of them will see action in the outfield; competition within a team is always beneficial.

It is rumored that the front office will be trying to improve the versatility of the team, both by acquisitions and from within. As the outfield has seen a decent amount of spot starts from non-outfielders, that might be a good thing.

One acquisition is South African Warren Graham. Known for his hard-nosed approach to the game and offbeat sense of humor, the former third baseman will be returning this season as an outfielder after a two-year layoff. Graham has always been a solid contributor, both at the plate and in the field.

It would be nice to see the outfield perform better defensively during the upcoming season. Communication could improve, as well as the reads and precision of the relays. Kono and Unger are to be seen as key players going forward.

Notably, Daniel André, Wiström, Fabian Hanning and others also logged innings in the outfield but too few to actually be of concern in this preview.

This is the first part of the 2017 regional preview for Göteborg Hajarna. Ideally, this series would have concluded by looking at the opposition. Alas, the scouting department has not been up to speed to bring me the spreadsheets.

Disclaimer: This series of previews is the opinion of one person and does not necessarily reflect the organization’s views or any other for that matter.

Starting pitchers:

Mokhlad al-Ghamini

al-Ghamini exceeded all expectations in his first season winning the Sharks versions of best pitcher and MVP.

2016

Göteborg

35.2

3

3

48

26

6.56

200

156

38

.243

2.05

35

0

8

70

While starting the season relatively slow, al-Ghamini heated up and was undoubtedly the ace of the Sharks rotation throughout the season. The former Iraqi national team player won the league in strikeouts by a landslide, despite being limited to four inning starts. His ERA suffered from weird scorekeeping and the inconsistent Sharks defense. He will definitely anchor the rotation in 2017 and be the key to success in the upcoming campaign.

Mikael Lindquist

The veteran Lindquist battled through the season by mostly contributing short and effective starts.

2014	Göteborg B	10.0	0	1	22	14	12.60	68	59	24	.406	3.30	9	0	0	4
2015	Göteborg B	26.2	1	3	43	29	9.79	164	137	46	.335	2.48	20	0	5	16
2016	Göteborg	16.0	1	2	27	11	6.19	87	67	18	.268	1.88	12	0	8	11

His numbers improved compared to the 2015 campaign, most notably his BAA and WHIP. His control was, however, failing him at times and as a result he hit more batters despite pitching twelve innings less. That control will be what he needs to improve if he wants to continue his success.

Shervin Shakki

Shakki, a three year veteran with the Sharks, is still the youngest player on the team and has showed a lot of potential while still contributing on the mound.

2015	Göteborg B	5.0	0	1	9	6	10.80	27	25	12	.480	2.60	1	0	1	2
2016	Göteborg	19.1	2	2	39	24	11.17	120	104	37	.355	2.53	12	0	3	10

The 17-year old (turning 18 this season) saw his ERA rise slightly but can be encouraged by improved peripherals. A notable decline in his BAA and slight decline in WHIP bodes well going forward. While he walked more players, that was also in far more innings. As his fastball is considered a plus-plus pitch, he would benefit from adding a strong off speed pitch to keep hitters off balance.

Hiba Nabi

The legendary Sharks pitcher Nabi was at times brilliant during the 2016 season but his season ended on a sour note as he underwent season ending knee surgery.

2015	Göteborg	23.1	0	4	40	22	8.49	151	114	36	.315	2.91	32	0	3	12
2016	Göteborg	15.0	1	1	17	8	4.80	88	74	19	.256	2.00	11	0	3	18

Nabi’s numbers progressed immensely but it should be noted that his 2015 season was spent entirely in Elitserien. Even so, Nabi showed why he is one of the best pitchers at the regional level. Constantly baffling hitters with his variety of pitches and a curveball that is a sight for sore eyes. His status for the 2017 season is yet unknown, but there isn’t a team in the regional series that wouldn’t benefit from his inclusion to their rotation.

Relief pitchers:

Josef Hussein

Much like his Kurdish brother, Hussein provided brilliant pitching throughout the first half of the 2016 campaign.

2015	Göteborg B	5.0	0	1	10	6	10.80	26	23	9	.391	2.40	3	0	0	4
2016	Göteborg	11.0	1	0	9	4	3.27	54	49	13	.265	1.36	2	0	2	14

With such a limited sample size from 2015 (and not that much bigger in 2016) it’s hard to really analyze the progression of ‘Jojo’ Hussein. But for anyone who saw Hussein pitch, it was clear that he had a lot to offer. When on the roster, he was the first pitcher out of the ‘pen to provide relief for the Sharks. As he finished the season with the best WHIP on the Sharks pitching staff and with a great K/9 ratio, you can see why he was a key pitcher when he played. He is listed here as a relief pitcher due to his usage during last season but could very well be considered a starter.

Much like his running mate Nabi, Husseins be or not to be on the 2017 roster is unknown. If he were to play, he would provide great value to the pitching staff.

Toofan Khazal

The longtime catcher occasionally abandoned his seat behind the plate to relieve his own pitching staff.

2016

Göteborg

4.2

0

1

8

7

13.49

29

22

8

.363

3.21

7

0

0

1

With just 4.2 innings to show for, it’s hard to analyze anything. Furthermore, his batterymates were the not so experienced catchers Jonny Edgren and Eric Marquez. We do remember the matchup against the Malmö Pilots when Coach Edgren inserted himself in relief only to not be able to find the strike zone and turned to his catcher Khazal to bail him out. And bail him out he did…

Jonny Edgren

Coach Edgren actually inserted himself twice in during the 2016 season. His pitching line, only showing 1.0 innings pitched, does not take in to account when he couldn’t make an out…

2015	Göteborg B	2.0	0	0	2	0	0.00	10	9	3	.333	2.00	1	0	0	1
2016	Göteborg	1.0	0	0	8	6	54.00	14	7	3	.428	9.00	6	0	1	1

No, Edgren’s 2016 on the mound was nothing to write home about. But everyone knows he has the arm to fill the classic coach/closer-role if he can improve that control going forward. Quite possibly one of the more unused assets during last season.

Joel Earnest

‘Big Daddy’ Earnest didn’t see a lot of work from the mound last season.

2016

Göteborg

1.0

0

0

1

1

9.00

6

5

2

0.400

0

1

0

The one inning he pitched against Karlskoga was not really anything special. As Earnest has gotten older, he’s lost some speed on his fastball and is now considered more of a finesse pitcher. There have been rumours that he has been working on new offspeed pitches during the winter break. One could only hope he returns to the 2017 season a knuckleballer.

Prediction:

It is easy to see that this part of the team holds the most potential going in to the season. With the emergence of al-Ghamini and the potential of Shakki to go along with the veteran starter Lindquist, the rotation is one or two pieces away from being excellent. Those pieces would hopefully include legendary Hiba Nabi and ‘Jojo’ Hussein. If they were to play during the 2017 campaign, the Sharks would hold one of the better, if not the best, rotation in the regional league.

The front office has during the offseason showed willingness to add versatility within the squad and tried to convert current players to pitching. If nothing else to be able to bolster a bullpen that is desperately yearning for help. While Khazal showed last season that he could be a solid bullpen arm, his presence behind the plate is essential.

The prime candidate within the team is Hannes Wiström whose arm is excellent. Another candidate is last years rookie Eric Marquez who offers a plus fastball and decent offspead pitches. Marquez, however, is American and combined with al-Ghamini they can only pitch four innings in a double header. If either of them had their citizenship granted, that would be equal to an acquisition.

There have been rumblings about the comeback of the dynamic José duo for the 2017 campaign. José Martinez and José Munoz would both be top tier players in the regional league and Martinez proved during the 2015 season that he can pitch efficiently.

As this reporter was sometimes unable or unwilling to provide material, Hajarna.se was looking for help.
They found it in an earnest reporter.

While the veteran outfielder/first baseman/pitcher does provide value on the field, his primary legacy might become this websites new star reporter. As Earnest joins the Hajarna.se ‘team’, he will provide much needed relief to a beleaguered reporter staff.

“I’m proud to be joining the editorial staff of such a widely respected website as Hajarna.se, and am looking forward to working with the reporter already on the staff,” Earnest says.

Hopefully, Earnest can also provide much needed visual work. Few know that he was once considered one of the best photography prospects in the United States.