The NAMUR ANGELS of the Belgian 1st Division have made first changes on their roster. They are losing six players, including the three Americans Morgan Brown, Erik Hufnagel and Caleb Calarco. In addition third baseman Xavier Pierreux, outfielder Florian Lekeu and pitcher Nicolas Migeot will return to their former club LOUVAIN LA NEUVE in the second division due to school or work-related reasons.
To cushion the losses, NAMUR already brought in four new players. They all played in Belgium last year. Three are coming from league rival BRUSSELS KANGAROOS, one from FRAMERIES. The ladder is Alexandre D’Hallewin, a 20-year-old prospect with raw talent, an athletic player, who is getting a chance to compete for a spot in the first team next season.
Belgian champion PORT OF ANTWERP GREYS and the BRASSCHAAT BRAVES were also interested in the three new additions from BRUSSELS. 17-year-old Victor Gérard is a utility player with the ability to play all nine positions. According to his new head coach Christophe Dassy he probably gets the most playing time behind the plate. Vincent King played shortstop for the KANGAROOS and is a candidate to take over third base with the ANGELS. They also have high hopes for his offensive capabilities, as he is expected to bat in the second or fifth spot of the batting order. Harold Gérard is a left-handed pitcher, who had a rough 2008 season. However they are anticipating a breakthrough year from him next season and would like to slot him in their rotation as the number one Belgian starter.
Due to new rules by the Belgian Federation regarding foreign players, which limits the playing license to the length of the official stay, NAMUR wasn’t able yet to sign new American players, which are also supposed to assist in the coaching department. The ANGELS finished in fourth place in the final standings behind champion GREYS, runner up HOBOKEN PIONEERS and the MORTSEL STARS.
