Preview Austrian Baseball League Part One

The Austrian Baseball League (ABL) kicks off their schedule this weekend with three doubleheaders. The VIENNA METROSTARS are the reigning champion winning for the third consecutive year. They beat the UNION KUFSTEIN VIKINGS in four games in the final series. The MOSQUITO ATHLETICS ATTNANG-PUCHHEIM finished third, defeating the regular season winner SUPERFUND WANDERERS in three games.

The DIVING DUCKS, who didn’t play a single game last season and the RAVENS TULLN got relegated and will be replaced by the LINZ BANDITS and the SCHWAZ TIGERS. The STOCK CITY CUBS and the DORNBIRN INDIANS complete the eight-team league lineup.

They are going to play a double round robin over the course of 14 game days with doubleheaders each weekend to bring the total for all clubs to 28 games. The top four advance to the playoffs.

Schedule for the opening weekend:
{mrb-schedule:2008-04-12|2008-04-13|AT}
Complete Schedule

The Austrian champions in this century:
2000 Vienna Bulldogs
2001 Hard Bulls
2002 Kufstein Vikings
2003 Dornbirn Indians
2004 Kufstein Vikings
2005 Vienna Metrostars
2006 Vienna Metrostars
2007 Vienna Metrostars

To take a last look at 2007, follow the link.

Players to look for
Pitchers:
Tim Patrick (Metrostars)
Jose Castillo (Tigers)
Walter Strasser (Athletics)
Werner Harrasser (Vikings)

Position Players:
Arian Quirantes (Athletics)
Peter Ferak Jr. (Metrostars)
Hiroki Sakanashi (Wanderers)
Nick DeForest (Wanderers)

Check part two of our preview for some notes on the eight teams.