| 2009 IBL Standings | |||
| W | L | GB | |
| Bologna | 30 | 12 | - |
| Rimini | 30 | 12 | 1.0 |
| San Marino | 26 | 16 | 5.0 |
| Parma | 24 | 18 | 6.0 |
| Nettuno | 23 | 19 | 9.0 |
| Grosseto | 17 | 25 | 13.0 |
| Godo | 10 | 32 | 21.0 |
| Reggio Emilia | 8 | 34 | 21.0 |
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| WEDNESDAY, APRIL 01, 2009 | prec | blog | succ |
2009 Italian Baseball League Preview |
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Just eight days until the 2009 Italian Baseball League schedule opens with newly promoted Reggio Emilia hosting defending champion San Marino next Thursday, one day before the rest of the teams start their season. The offseason has had a lot of changes among the teams, and promises to deliver an action packed season with more balance and uncertainty than ever before. Starting at the bottom, newly promoted Reggio Emilia has put together a very interesting team, backed by some star foreign pitchers including Abe Alvarez and a great defense, the team should be much stronger than the Redipuglia team they replace. On paper the team appears to be the strongest newly promoted team seen in recent years, and no opponent will want to take them lightly. Godo struggled last year, but managed to distance themselves from last place Redipuglia in the head to head matches. But Godo has improved their team significantly with strong foreigners with Major League experience, including Pete Rose Jr, and the veteran addition to their bullpen of Roberto Cabalisti. Ten time champion Rimini missed the playoffs for the second straight year last season, but has reloaded with an eye toward returning to the top right away. The biggest news is the return of Mazzotti as manager ten years after he last managed the team. The team has made some key acquisitions on the field as well, and should be one of the most improved teams. Parma looks to return to the playoff picture with some significant roster turnover. Most significant is the addition of superstar second baseman Davide Dallospedale, starter in the recent World Baseball Classic. Their are some question marks on the pitching staff, but the talent and depth to excel if some of those players come through, and Parma should be considered a definite contender. Grosseto looks to rebuild competitively despite some budget issues. New manager Mario Labastidas can count on a competitive roster despite the key loss of Dallospadale to Parma, and while lacking depth, the team has many of the key pieces that have managed two championships in the last five years. If ace Riccardo De Santis can return from elbow surgery for the playoff stretch, the team could be very dangerous. Bologna dominated the last regular season before struggling in the playoffs, and returns much of the team that was so strong last season. Several question marks swirl as star slugger Richard Austin likely will not fit into the Bologna budget, but the team has too much talent, depth, and experience to not be a force in the 2009 season. Perennial power Nettuno looks to finally return to the top after losing a heart breaking game 7 of the finals and come up 1 game short of a championship. They likely start the 2009 season as the strongest and most balanced team, and seem a lock for a playoff appearance. It will depend on how their foreign pitchers perform (they lost all three foreign pitched games in the finals to San Marino last season) to see if they can find a way to be one game better than they were last year. First time champion San Marino, the cinderella of 2008, has few changes to a team that exceeded all expectations last season. After sneaking into the playoffs last season in the final weeks, their foreign pitching and veteran lineup carried them all the way. Their Italian pitchers struggled in 2008 despite the team success, and their performance in 2009 could be the key to continued success. We hope everyone is looking forward to an exciting 2009 season, which in terms of talent, fan interest, and competitive balance could be the best season to follow in a long time. |
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| Aggiunto alle 12:04 PM da Michael | |
