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Baseball playoffs begin

Krč relies on pitching depth, loses Čása

By Dave Faries
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
September 19th, 2007 issue

Krč Altron worked hard to hang on to the crucial third-place slot in the Extraliga baseball league, keeping them out of harm’s way, or rather, out of the path of Draci Brno during semifinal play.
Now, as the playoffs begin, the team must contend with MZLU Brno — and likely without star right fielder Tomáš Čása.
The playoffs pit 12-time champion Draci Brno against fourth-place Arrows Ostrava, while Krč tussles with MZLU. Winners of each five-game series advance to the Czech World Series in October. Meanwhile, the league’s bottom-dwellers battle it out to avoid being cast into next month’s relegation series against top teams from the second division.
Altron, Prague’s top team, ended the regular season on a confident note. Veteran hurler Jan Homolka regained his form after struggling in the early going, finishing with a 2.55 ERA and pitching well in the European Championships. Young lefty Matěj Hušek showed more than star potential, winning five games and logging a 0.70 ERA. With the steady performance of Jakub Jonák (4-3, 1.66), Krč has three reliable pitchers going into the postseason.
But the possible loss of Čása — a .313 hitter with five outfield assists — to graduate school in the Netherlands could weaken the chances of Krč’s modest lineup against MZLU’s Leoš Kubát (7-1, 1.01) and Vojtěch Jelínek (3-0, 1.60).
Draci Brno is the class of Extraliga. Their batting order features a string of sluggers: Michal Břeň (.405), Martin Veselý (.389), Tomáš Polanský (.346) and others. As a team they hit .304 on the year and pitchers like Martin Schneider (6-1, 1.84) and Marian Gajdoš (6-1, 1.55) kept opposing teams off the board.
They may be vulnerable, however. Břeň went hitless in the European Championship while Pavel Budský grounded into five double plays. And Schneider was rocked in his only start, giving up seven hits over two innings.
The Tegola Titans from Prague 12 meanwhile face Skokani Olomouc in the relegation series.

Dave Faries can be reached at dfaries@praguepost.com


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