The 2014 baseball season in Switzerland is off to an unprecedented off season. Normally in Swiss baseball you see very little player movement from team to team. This off season has seen some major player moves.
It starts with two teams removing themselves from the Swiss NLA, the Embrach Mustangs and the Wil Devils have chosen to drop down to the NLB for 2014. This leaves the NLA with 6 teams and a potentially very competitive league.
The big mover this off season has been the Zurich Barracudas. They have added Swiss National team players Harry Wischnewski (Embrach) and Marc Oboussier (Bern) as well as new national team member Josh Crouse(Embrach), in addition Stephan Pribitzer comes over from Embrach. The ‘Cudas also have reached a deal with Albert Marsinek the American catcher who spent 2013 with the Bern Cardinals and will still bring in a pitcher to fill their 2nd foreign player spot.
The Luzerne Eagles are also a big player in the 2014 off season. National team pitcher Andrea Girasole comes over from the Zurich Challengers and he brings left-handed pitcher/outfielder Patrick Maier with him from the Challengers. In addition the Eagles have signed American import Michael Settle, and Canadian (Greek passport) Andy Orfanakos. The rumor mill also potentially has Samuel Paulino leaving the Bern Cardinals and joining the Eagles.
The Zurich Challengers team is pretty much set and is more than likely adding Swiss national team pitcher Ryan Byrne from the Bern cardinals. This deal is not done yet so it’s wait and see.
The Therwil Flyers will have their team back intact but will have to replace American import Josh Tamba. The Flyers have not reached a deal yet with their new player but are negotiating with a number of players. National team pitcher Daniel Levine will also be back with the Flyers in 2014. The team with the biggest changes of all will be the Bern Cardinals. They have been hit hard with player loses and retirements. Losing players Ryan Byrne, Albert Marsinek, Raphi Hanzi, Tinu Gygax, league MVP Patrick Lawson, Angelo Rodriguez, Rudi Vargas and potentially Samuel Paulino. These losses are huge and will be hard to replace.
No information has been provided from the Zurich Lions so they will remain a mystery.
Based on this off season the 2014 season is shaping up to be one of the best and most competitive seasons in Swiss baseball history. Based on all the new players added to an already strong team it looks as if the Zurich Barracudas will be the team to beat in 2014 with the Flyers, Challengers, Eagles and Cards battling it out for the other three playoff spots.