Only one week until regular season starts.
Only one spring training weekend remains.
Time for Coach Edgren to get some answers.
“I think the bullpen is most important this weekend,” he says.

Pitching depth is something that has been an issue for the Sharks organization for quite some time now. For years, there has been a need for more pitchers, especially Swedish, both in the bullen and in the rotation.

“I think it’s important for me this weekend, to see that we have sufficient depth in the bullpen,” Coach Jonny Edgren says.
“But then again, the most important thing is that everyone feel comfortable in their defensive positions and feel good at the plate,” he adds after some thought.

There has been a lot of talk about this Sharks team during the Swedish version of spring training. There has also been a lot of new players. With the influx of players and skill to the team, there has also been a lot of worry about team spirit and players not being in sync with each other.

“We have experienced players that know how to handle new players and between the regional series and the SWBL there is enough games to get everyone in the game,” Edgren says.

Preferably, there would be more games, more practices for the players to get to know each other but Edgren is certain that the current state of the team is beneficial for new players.

“This squad, this core group of guys are really a happy bunch of players. Really including and open, I can see how that really helps,” Edgren says.

Young guns Shervin ‘Swirvin’ Shakki and Hannes Wiström has showed off their skillset during spring training this season and Coach Edgren surely hopes that is something that will continue when the regular season starts.

“I hope that Shervin and Hannes continue to develop and can be a force at the plate this season,” Edgren says.

Adding players adds rivalry within the team. Rivalry can be good for the team, especially when such additions are Japanese siblings Yudai and Momoko ‘Zaki’ Yamazaki and dynamic duo José Martinez and José Munoz.

“I think ‘Zaki’ will surprise everyone this year and be atop the leaderboards on Heatstat,” Edgren says.

“Oh, I almost forgot, winning is better than losing,” Edgren adds before running off to yet another interview.

 

This is the fourth part of the 2017 regional preview for the Göteborg Hajarna. Ideally, this series would have concluded by looking at the opposition. And since the scouting department brought me ‘information’ about the Sharks upcoming opponents, this is now happening.

Disclaimer: This particular preview is the opinion of the scouting department and does not necessarily reflect the organization’s views or any other for that matter.

Malmö Pilots

The Sharks face off with their brothers from Malmö six times during the 2017 season, including the home opener and the final games of the regular season.

Last year’s record: 2-14
The Pilots was presumably not at all satisfied with their play in 2016 and it wasn’t an easy season for them. Struggling at times to fill out the roster come game day, it was impressive that they still showed loads of potential at times. They displayed great pitching at times and the top of the lineup looked especially solid.

Acquisitions:
Unknown. Last player update on the official website was a couple of years ago. No player news on the facebook page, nor Instagram. During the offseason, someone did post interest to play in the guestbook on their website.

Prediction:
It’s hard to tell what kind of talent the Pilots added to their roster, or any other facts for that matter (this might be a theme during this preview). However, we do know that they played a spring training game against the Copenhagen Urban Achievers. While we have no idea how (or if) the game ended, it’s pretty neat to have some international experiences. Hopefully, that will help the Pilots in the upcoming season (hopefully not enough against the Sharks).

Karlskoga Bats

The Sharks overpowering big brother will visit Shark Park on June 4^th.

Last year’s record: 13-3.
The Bats last season showed that they have the potential to advance to the Eliteserien as they only lost three games in the regular season and embarrassed the Sharks in the playoffs winning 15-0.

Acquisitions: Now we’re talking! Not only has the Bats made offseason acquisitions, they’ve also announced them to the world. Forrest Weaver and Rafael Torres are set to join Karlskoga in their ambition to advance to the Elitserien in 2018.

Weaver, 25, is a pitcher that can throw with both arms(!) and reaches low to mid 80s from both… arms… That was a weird sentence to write. Anywho, he can apparently throw a changeup and curveball from the left side and changeup and slider from his right. To go with a fastball from both sides of the plate. No, from both arms. Both sides of the mound? Weaver, whom has a coaching background despite his young age, will try to lead the young Bats players to new heights.

Rafael Torres was born in Puerto Rico and is primarily an outfielder but, from experience, professional baseball players could probably play any position in Sweden (including all positions in cricket, water polo and rugby). Torres, 26, like Weaver played baseball at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. And is though to be a force at the plate, among other things.

Prediction:
Well, the Bats were the best team by far in the southern parts of baseball Sweden before the acquisitions from Oklahoma and will quite possibly go through the Regional series undefeated. Top players from the 2016 season, such as Emil Lundh and pitcher Anton Carlson, will likely return and mixed with great talent from abroad, they undoubtedly have the best team from the old “Southern” division. This will presumably and, I would think from the Bats point of view, hopefully put them over the top on the whole regional level.

It will be exciting to see imports in the regional league and especially so with an ambidextrous pitcher. While it’s safe to assume that the Sharks, nor any other regional team, most likely will not stand a chance against the Bats, it will be fun to host them at Shark Park. Also, interesting to see how the farm team deal with Sölvesborg plays out as the Firehawks of Sölvesborg now have their own regional team.

Tranås Baseboll

The Sharks combat with Tranås four times during the 2017 season.

Last year’s record: 11-5.
Tranås can play baseball, there is no doubt about that. On occasion, they did have some troubles last year to field a team but that will hopefully be sorted out come the opener of this season.

Acquisitions:
Unknown. The website was last updated in 2014 and a facebook site is nowhere to be found. Nils Bergehed was one of the top pitchers in the league last season and rumor has it he will continue to pitch in 2017. Other than that, rumors about acquisitions have been sparse. However, there have been rumblings that the Jönköping side of the team has grown in numbers while the Tranås side has dwindled. It remains to be seen whether or not that is true and if it has an impact on their firepower.

Prediction:
One can never give up on the Tranås Baseball team. No matter what kind of players the lose or gain, they always show up with a competitive side. This upcoming season will be no exception. Markus Sandqvist was a force at the plate last season and his inclusion in the lineup will go a long way to ensure success for the Tranås side this season.

Norrköping Blue Sox

The Sharks has a double header at Norrköping in the beginning of August. They did not play Norrköping in 2016 and split the four game series with them in 2015.

Last year’s record: 2-14
The Blue Sox are still a new organization and a new team. As such, they are sure to have their growing pains but as they start their third season in regional ball they will quite possibly take a few steps forward.

Acquisitions:
Unknown. The website has not been updated (ever?) and no posts have been added to the instagram page for the last two years. They have, however, the best fangroup in all of Swedish baseball – Stödstrumporna (translation: compression stockings, not at all as much fun in English).

Prediction:
Jesus Mendoza was the main force in the Blue Sox lineup during last season. He had a shiny .500 average and an OPS north of .1200 which is… quite impressive. Other than that, Hampus Eriksson and Erik Lindström is the main batters to look for when scouting Norrköping.

Sölvesborg Firehawks (B)

The Sharks travel to Deer Park for a meet and greet with the Firebats. It might be good that it’s only one double header as the Firehawks logo and jerseys are suspiciously similar to the Sharks. It would have been hard for the Sharks faithful to make sense of that situation.

Last year’s record: Did not play in the regional series.
It’s hard to make any kind of assumptions about the Firebats firepower in the 2017 version of the regional series. The organization is loaded with talent and has (had?) a farm deal with Karlskoga during the 2016 season. It is unclear, however, how much of that talent that will feature on the regional team.

Acquisitions:
Most of the news, rumblings and rumors from the organization has been about the elite team and the comings and goings of the international players. It’s sad to see Evan Porter leave Sweden as he was a treat to watch for any baseball fan but he would probably not have featured in the regional series anyway.

Prediciton:
It’s unlikely that the very competitive organization would field at regional team without knowing they have the talent to back it up. Count on the Firebats to be a contender for the playoffs and that Deer Park is one of the cosiest ballparks in Sweden (sadly, they now have a electronic scoreboard).

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.

As pitchers and catchers soon report, Hajarna.se wake up from hibernation. This time with news and notes from the annual meeting.

Heidi Bader was re-appointed as chairman of the board and continues her succesful reign for another season. Three spots on the board were open for election as Mathilda Silverwald, Mikael Lindquist and Jonny Edgren still has one year left on the term. The meeting approved the nominating comimttees’ suggestions of incumbent board members Daniel André and Toofan Khazal. This reporter was also elected to the board and will hopefully serve as an infiltrator and keep the board in line.

Marthe Roosenboom and Joel Earnest were suggested as alternate members and approved while veterans Johan Weidolf and Maria Kühnemuth will serve as the nominating committee.

The fun part began as awards were handed out after the most successful regional season in years. We start with the Sharks version of the Silver Slugger:

“A Silver Slugger should have a high OPS – he should get on base and hit with power.”
The 2017 Silver Slugger award was awarded to Niclas Ekström.

 

 

 

On to the Cy Young of Sharks baseball. While we don’t have an official motivation for this one, it’s hard to disapprove. Mokhlad al-Ghamini lead the league in strikeouts despite not being close to the top in innings pitched. He struck out north of 17 batters per nine innings and averaged five more K’s than the second best player in the league.

 

 

As for the 2017 Gold Glove of Hajarna Baseball, this one was also won in a landslide. Anyone who saw the Sharks play in 2016 noticed Toofan Khazals‘ improved his defence behind the plate immensely. He earned praise from the beat writers on a regular basis and emerged as a team leader.

 

 

 

 

The MVP of the 2016 season was also Rookie of the year, if such an award was handed out:
“For consistent run production through aggressive but sometimes reckless base running, great range as a shortstop and most strikeouts in the Regional series. But also for being a good teammate that always shows up, works hard and brings his best game to Shark Park”
Hajarna MVP of 2016 was awarded to Mokhlad al-Ghamini.

The full schedule will be official as soon as the federation post it on their website. In short, the Sharks will host the Malmö Pilots on opening day on May 13th and close out the 2017 regular season with a swim as they play the Pilots away.

Besides the Regional series, the Sharks will once again play in the popular and much appreciated South West Baseball League starting on April 22.

 

 

A bad rehearsal makes for a good premiere.
Right?
“We are better than this,” the interim manager said.

Once again, Göteborg Hajarna (8-8) was without coach Jonny Edgren at the helm.
Once again, the Sharks lost.

This time, however, it was against a good opponent. When the Karlskoga Bats (13-3) come to Shark Park, it’s usually a not so close affair. This time though, the Sharks fought back. Behind starter Mikael Lindquist (1-2) the Sharks smelled blood as they took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Karlskoga took three runs off Lindquist in the second one. But the Sharks were relentless and put up a picket fence in the box score to have the game tied at three runs a piece heading in to the fourth.

That is when the flood gates opened.

Lindquist battled valiantly in the heat but could not sustain the Karlskoga onslaught. The interim manager probably left him out there to long and, once again, was not happy with himself:

“Mikael pitched a great game, those runs should be charged to me,” he said after the game.

After the Bats put up an eight run fourth inning, the air went out of the Sharks. ‘Swirvin’ Shervin Shakki came in and pitched 2 & 1/3 inning of two run ball (none earned) before Joel Earnest made his comeback to the mound, pitching one inning giving up one run.

In the second game, the Sharks started off a bit sloppy behind Mokhlad al-Ghaminis solid start. The picket fence this time belonged to Karlskoga as they one run innings through three leading the game 3-1. al-Ghamini ended his four innings of work giving up three runs (none earned) on three hits, walking four and striking out eight.

Heading in to the bottom of the fifth, this one was slipping away from the Sharks. But the Hajarna faithful got what they wanted as the Shark bats started to come alive. A five run inning provided much cheer all around the park as the Sharks to a two run lead.

In the top of the sixth, a controversial play came to decide this one. With runners on second and third, the Karlskoga batsman looked to be hit by a pitch from relief pitcher Toofan Khazal but as the call was not made, the runners came in to score. The interim manager came out to argue but to no avail, Karlskoga was back in this one.

With the scored tied at eight runs a piece heading in to the seventh, the Bats added two more which the Sharks couldn’t handle and the Bats took the sweep, winning game two 10-8.

“The second one was a very winnable game. I guess it’s a step forward at least,” the interim manager said.

“Also, winning is better than losing,” he added as he left the stadium.

The Sharks head for Karlskoga on Saturday for the first round of playoffs, facing the Karlskoga Bats. First pitch is at 12.

Notables:

Mokhlad al-Ghamini ended the season tied for first in stolen bases (26) and had the most strikeouts (67).

Niclas Ekström narrowly missed out on the OBP throne, finishing second with .641.

Isak Voigt Jansson had his first two hits of the season.