[NovaNation19]

#1 Tokyo Giants (92-58, APBL) vs. #16 Lautoka B.C. (74-76, AuBL)
TOK Key Players
DH Kazuhiko Tanimoto (.300/.380/.443 – 13 HR – 89 RBI – 3.1 WAR)
CF Tyler Ross (.301/.354/.488 – 12 HR – 109 RBI – 5.5 WAR)
3B Won-sik Kim (.291/.383/.536 – 27 HR – 114 RBI – 6.8 WAR)
SP Koryusai Yamasaki (10-5 – 2.62 ERA – 15 GS, 127.1 IP – 4.3 WAR)

LAU Key Players
SS Jordan Rosales (.287/.389/.442 – 15 HR – 83 RBI – 2.3 WAR)
3B Tekori Wikoli (.268/.378/.442 – 17 HR – 81 RBI – 3.9 WAR)
RF Cam Sorensen (.269/.365/.393 – 13 HR – 72 RBI – 3.0 WAR)
SP Alejandro Ruiz (19-8 – 2.86 ERA – 32 GS, 264.2 IP – 6.5 WAR)

Prediction
This is one of the biggest mismatches in any tournament. The champion of the premier league in the region versus a sub-.500 team in a brand new league? Yeah, we’re gonna pick the Giants to move on easily.

#8 New Taipei City Guardians (90-60, CPBL) vs. #9 Adelaide Bite (90-60, AuBL)
NTC Key Players
3B Jack Lohrke (.292/.375/.523 – 30 HR – 86 RBI – 5.1 WAR)
C Matt Batts (.287/.352/.415 – 13 HR – 68 RBI – 3.8 WAR)
SP Ferdynand Rolla (15-7 – 3.24 ERA – 32 GS, 225 IP – 4.5 WAR)
SP Romuald Czaplicki (9-8 – 3.88 ERA – 27 G/18 GS, 139.1 IP – 2.3 WAR)

ADE Key Players
CF Bill Bristcoe (.331/.412/.458 – 7 HR – 62 RBI – 7.3 WAR)
DH Burt Murphy (.301/.428/.472 – 15 HR – 90 RBI – 3.9 WAR)
SP Brendon Edwards (5-1 – 3.12 ERA – 12 G/4 GS, 57.2 IP – 1.2 WAR)
SP Connie Marrero (12-11 – 3.76 ERA – 35 G/24 GS, 218 IP, 4 SV – 4.2 WAR)

Prediction
Unfortunately for the Bite, they enter the tournament thinking about what could have been – the 5 injured Adelaide players combined for 11.8 WAR, including 4.8 from 3B Raymond Snijders. Because of all those injuries, we’ll go with the Guardians to lean on their Polish SP duo to move on.

#4 Tokyo Swallows (80-70, APBL) vs. #13 Perth Heat (86-64, AuBL)
TOK Key Players
RF Conan McKenzie (.278/.337/.474 – 15 HR – 110 RBI – 3.1 WAR)
1B Byeong-ju Park (.276/.362/.407 – 16 HR – 78 RBI – 2.8 WAR)
SP Earl Beesley (11-4 – 2.58 ERA – 16 GS, 132.2 IP – 3.8 WAR)
SP Hayao Yamane (17-10 – 2.99 ERA – 31 GS, 250 IP – 4.0 WAR)

PER Key Players
DH Matthias Vivarini (.311/.415/.451 – 14 HR – 64 RBI – 3.0 WAR)
LF Kent Atteridge (.250/.362/.446 – 24 HR – 101 RBI – 2.5 WAR)
SP Val Perez (14-10 – 3.18 ERA – 28 G/27 GS, 218 IP – 4.0 WAR)
SP Alan Wilson (9-9 – 3.92 ERA – 21 GS, 167.2 IP – 4.3 WAR)

Prediction
Anticipate this one to come down to pitching – neither offense has any kind of star. Beesley is by far the best pitcher that either team has, and will be the X-factor that leads Tokyo to the series win.

#5 Yokohama BayStars (79-71, APBL) vs. #12 Lamigo Monkeys (86-64, CPBL)
YOK Key Players
SS Zenpei Sato (.286/.361/.427 – 14 HR – 77 RBI – 4.2 WAR)
LF Shintaro Yoshida (.278/.347/.411 – 15 HR – 60 RBI – 3.0 WAR)
SP Katsuo Mishima (5-3 – 2.10 ERA – 12 GS, 81.1 IP – 1.7 WAR)
SP Ken Heintzelman (12-7 – 3.02 ERA – 24 GS, 179 IP – 4.5 WAR)

LAM Key Players
1B Manchu Cao (.322/.396/.465 – 19 HR – 76 RBI – 4.0 WAR)
LF Valentin Gablits (.284/.376/.445 – 18 HR – 97 RBI – 3.0 WAR)
SP Yin-Xiang Hsueh (22-7 – 1.90 ERA – 32 GS, 241 IP – 7.5 WAR)
SP Chung Chew (13-14 – 3.67 ERA – 31 GS, 228 IP – 4.9 WAR)

Prediction
This appears to be a pretty even matchup on paper – both teams lean towards being more pitching-oriented but don’t have barren lineups. Heintzelman is probably the best SP either team offers, but it’s not a runaway. We’ll go with the Monkeys to pull off the big upset on this side of the bracket.

#2 Incheon Wyverns (85-65, APBL) vs. #15 Sydney Blue Sox (75-75, AuBL)
INC Key Players
LF Vince Parks (.295/.354/.517 – 30 HR – 97 RBI – 5.0 WAR)
2B Myon-ki Kim (.273/.392/.390 – 10 HR – 64 RBI – 4.4 WAR)
SP Joseph Kana (18-12 – 2.98 ERA – 32 GS, 244.2 IP – 5.5 WAR)
SP Taishi Enomoto (16-8 – 2.98 ERA – 29 G/25 GS, 214.1 IP, 1 SV – 4.3 WAR)

SYD Key Players
CF Phillip Withers (.292/.339/.433 – 12 HR – 69 RBI – 3.4 WAR)
C Lance Fou (.290/.389/.446 – 8 HR – 42 RBI – 2.7 WAR)
SP Maurice Moore (7-5 – 2.82 ERA – 20 GS, 134 IP – 3.5 WAR)
SP Walter Dembroge (11-14 – 3.89 ERA – 29 GS, 222 IP – 1.5 WAR)

Prediction
The 2/15 matchup is pretty similar to the 1/16 matchup. A strong contender from the premier regional league versus a middling, .500 team in one of the less prestigious leagues. The Wyverns shouldn’t have any trouble moving on to the Round of 8.

#7 Tianjin Lions (95-55, CPBL) vs. #10 Brisbane Bandits (89-61, AuBL)
TIA Key Players
2B Nellie Fox (.329/.367/.486 – 1 HR – 74 RBI – 4.2 WAR)
C Avram Jonas (.289/.380/.429 – 10 HR – 64 RBI – 4.1 WAR)
SP Mao-you Ngui (9-8 – 3.33 ERA – 30 G/24 GS, 181.1 IP – 3.3 WAR)
SP Xiao-yong Li (17-3 – 2.86 ERA – 26 G/21 GS, 182.2 IP – 2.3 WAR)

BRI Key Players
2B Randall Coles (.310/.396/.464 – 16 HR – 86 RBI – 4.9 WAR)
3B Elias Barrera (.297/.363/.389 – 3 HR – 48 RBI – 3.8 WAR)
SP Josh Martinez (22-5 – 2.37 ERA – 32 GS, 270 IP – 8.2 WAR)
SP Dan Williams (8-6 – 3.58 ERA – 20 G/15 GS, 125.2 IP – 1.7 WAR)

Prediction
Josh Martinez is the best pitcher in this series by a wide margin, but unfortunately for Brisbane, he’s the only star they’ve got. It won’t be by a landslide, but the consistent (albeit star-less) lineup of the Lions will be able to win the series once they get past Martinez.

#3 Gwangju Tigers (82-68, APBL) vs. #14 Tainan Unilions (82-68, CPBL)
GWA Key Players
LF Jun-young Kim (.324/.417/.529 – 20 HR – 76 RBI – 7.2 WAR)
3B Genichi Ito (.297/.388/.417 – 13 HR – 91 RBI – 4.9 WAR)
1B Matt Sandblom (.294/.349/.456 – 13 HR – 94 RBI – 2.9 WAR)
SP Eugene Kelly (15-11 – 3.42 ERA – 32 GS, 247.2 IP – 2.3 WAR)

TAI Key Players
RF Guo-dong Tsu (.331/.448/.592 – 28 HR – 116 RBI – 7.8 WAR)
1B Olav van der Velde (.280/.365/.449 – 26 HR – 115 RBI – 3.5 WAR)
3B Johnny Delgadillo (.287/.387/.445 – 14 HR – 78 RBI – 5.2 WAR)
SP Yuan Jianbua (15-14 – 4.46 ERA – 32 GS, 234.1 IP – 1.5 WAR)

Prediction
What the UniLions have in their favor is a star-studded lineup led by Guo-Dong Tsu. What the UniLions don’t have in their favor is that’s it – they have essentially no pitching. If Gwangju was a pitching-oriented team, the UniLions would stand a chance. But the Tigers led the APBL in offense and have no real weakness, and should feast on the thin Tainan staff.

#6 Osaka Buffaloes (78-72, APBL) vs. #11 Shanghai Golden Eagles (88-62, CPBL)
OSA Key Players
C Takahiro Watanabe (.323/.403/.471 – 13 HR – 83 RBI – 5.7 WAR)
SS Futoshi Sakai (.274/.385/.401 – 14 HR – 77 RBI – 6.3 WAR)
CF Hae-won Jung (.310/.360/.485 – 11 HR – 47 RBI – 2.3 WAR)
SP David Martinez (3-0 – 3.27 ERA – 3 GS, 22 IP – 0.3 WAR)

SGE Key Players
2B Manchu Kwan (.346/.393/.474 – 10 HR – 88 RBI – 6.2 WAR)
CF Byung-gyu Yoo (.304/.381/.527 – 22 HR – 110 RBI – 6.2 WAR)
SS Orlando Cruz (.305/.372/.406 – 3 HR – 72 RBI – 4.5 WAR)
SP Xun Xi (17-13 – 3.69 ERA – 34 GS, 239.1 IP – 4.2 WAR)

Prediction
Neither team has a loaded pitching staff, but the Buffaloes are relying on a 37-year old with just 3 GS who spent most of the season on the reserve roster to lead them off. Both teams are without a doubt focused on outscoring opponents, but the Golden Eagles have just enough pitching to outlast Osaka and pull off the upset.

Quarterfinal Predictions
#1 Tokyo Giants def. #8 New Taipei City Guardians
#4 Tokyo Swallows def. #12 Lamigo Monkeys
#2 Incheon Wyverns def. #7 Tianjin Lions
#3 Gwangju Tigers def. #11 Shanghai Golden Eagles

Semifinal Prediction
#1 Tokyo Giants def. #4 Tokyo Swallows
#2 Incheon Wyverns def. #3 Gwangju Tigers

Championship Prediction
#1 Tokyo Giants def. #2 Incheon Wyverns