Hearing that the Sharks were just a hit away from winning last year’s Swedish regional championship, the player from the Copenhagen seemed a bit surprised. And that’s easy to understand. Because for nearly every nice play made by the Sharks, there was a bad one to match. Even so, there was plenty to smile about in Sunday’s spring training opener against the Malmö Pilots and the Copenhagen Urban Achievers.

Caleb Chu, 16, standout veteran of the Taiwanese leagues, breaks for second in a successful steal against the Pilots.

The stars were aligned and the gods of baseball were smiling down on Limnhamnsfältet Sunday. With the mercury at seventeen degrees , blue skies and free burgers courtesy of the home team, it would take more than an occasional error, watching a called third strike go by or wildness on the mound to dampen spirits.

Acting Coach Rick Kronqvist, when asked about losing both games of the doubleheader, had this to say: “Although winning is always better than losing, there were no losers here today. This was baseball at it’s finest, in its purest form.”

Malmö burgers — best in the league

Did you know…
This was the first time Erik Earnest and Joel Earnest had played together since combining with the legendary Jason Norderum in throwing a no-hitter against Sundbyberg back in 2015.

Sweden’s stringent border checks, established to protect its citizens from the forces of evil had an unexpected effect Sunday, with several of Copenhagen’s top players being turned away while trying to cross the bridge between Denmark and Sweden due to insufficient travel documents.

After a long winter, some light can finally be seen at the end of the tunnel.
It all starts with a couple of SWBL games in Malmö.
“Winter practice has really paid off,” coach Edgren says.

As the Sharks travel south to the friendly confines of Limhamnsfältet for their unofficial season opener they do so without the regular coaching staff. In their absence, Toofan Khazal, Lars Karlsson and Rickard Kronqvist will run the show.

“It ain’t no thing, I’ve got this thing down,” Kronqvist says.

All through winter, coach Jonny Edgren has sharpened the finer points of throwing and hitting during grueling indoor practices in Gothenburg. As outdoor practice started last week, it seems to have payed off.

“Compared to last year, I think we look pretty sharp,” Edgren says.

With Skövde now in the official Regionserien, the SWBL games will be fewer this season. On the other hand, this has included other teams. On Sunday, the Sharks will not only face the Pilots in Malmö but also the Copenhagen Urban Achievers.

This weekend, a few question marks return as last year’s MVP and best pitcher award winner returns in José Munoz and José Martinez. Old friend Erik Earnest will also make the trip, having the Sharks fans drooling and dreaming of having the best outfielder of the regional league on the field.

Earnest the younger agrees with his father that winning is better than losing.

Furthermore Logan Grossberg has joined the team during the winter. The exile american has shown a lot of promise during the winter, can basically play all over the field and will surely be a exciting part of the 2018 Sharks squad.

“I’m excited, we’re all excited. Team’s looking good, everyone is in great shape and I think we’re well prepared for the season to start,” Edgren says.

“And we have to be, all these other teams, they bring a wallop,” Edgren says before rushing on to the plane to China for a weird scouting trip.

An enthusiastic group of young Sharks are finally back on the grass after a solid off-season of weekly Sunday-evening practices in preparation for a new season, a season that promises to be the best in years.

“The level of excitement and expectation is very high, and we have an amazing group of young individuals, both boys and girls, who are to form the young Shark team this year,” says Coach Rikard Kronqvist. “We hope to develop as a club and everyone is welcome to come down to Shark Park and give it a try. A warning, though: Baseball is highly addictive.

“It was great to hear when our when youngest player Charlie Norström stepped up to the plate, that he was aiming for Tampa Bay. Whether it meant that the ball was to land there or that is where he plans to sign his first Major League contract is yet to be seen, but I’m happy with either one – or both.

“A smile of satisfaction came over the face of Gabriel Wargswärd when he was congratulated by the coaches for giving his brand new white baseball pants a nice coat of red baseball dirt sliding in on a close play.”

Youth practices this season will be held Mondays and Wednesdays, 18:00-19:30, weather permitting. Sharks like water, so a little rain won’t keep us Sharks off the field.

Sunday May 6 is Opening Game Day for the young Sharks. Teams will be formed and a couple couple of games will be played. Other teams have also been invited, so depending on their schedules, they might show up to play too.

On June 2-3, the Sharks will participate in the U15 Billingslaget in Skövde, always a popular tournament for Sweden’s younger players.

Shark Park is nearly ready for another season of exciting baseball thanks to the fine efforts of the Sharks’ unofficial grounds crew. Players, parents and friends all joined in getting the field back in playing condition.

Even if it would have been nice with more people, those who showed up on this fine Saturday morning were ready to work, finishing the job in record time. By two-thirty, all that was left was to pack up the tools, shake off the dust and pat each other on the back for a job well done.

There is still work to be done outside the foul lines and we’ll be meeting at the field again next Saturday at ten to finish things up.

BREAKING NEWS: The Players’ Union has announced that all players in attendance at Shark Park on April 14 to work on the field would be exempt from fence duty for the entire 2018 season. The union would also look favorably upon the six senior players in attendance being in the starting lineup for the Sharks’ spring training opener on April 29 in Malmö.