Belgium Represented by Two Teams in Baseball European Cup

Tomorrow, the Baseball European Cup (formerly known as Confederation Cup and CEB Cup) will start in Rouen. Belgium will be represented by two teams for the first time.

As Belgian champion, Hoboken Pioneers earned the right to participate in this tournament, but also runner up Deurne Spartans will represent its home country.

In the championship series of last year, Hoboken Pioneers beat Deurne Spartans 3-1 in a best-of-five series.

Hoboken will play in group A together with Austrian champions Diving Ducks Wiener Neustadt, Spanish runner up Tenerife Marlins and Montpellier Barracudas. The Barracudas did not make the championship series in France, so it is not clear why they took the spot of runner up Savigny-sur-Orge Lions.

Deurne Spartans will play in a three-team group B with French champions Rouen Huskies and Austrian runner up Vienna Metro Stars.

Even though Hoboken may be a dangerous outsider, both Tenerife and Montpellier may be the favorites to advances to the semi-finals. In group B, Rouen likely will advance to the next round together with Deurne.

Since the Tenerife Marlins are loaded with South- and Central-American players (just like the Spanish “national” team), they are the big favorite to win this tournament in my book.

The winner of this tournament will earn a promotion to a devaluated Baseball European Champions Cup.

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