Check part one of our preview for more informations.
Some notes on the eight clubs:
Vienna Metrostars:
They won the Austrian title for a third time in three years, after finishing the regular season with a 19-5 record in second place.
They rely on the same team as last year and aim for the four-peat. VIENNA brings back a pitching staff with Tim Patrick at the top, which led the league with a 3.18 ERA. Of course Patrick isn’t going to start every game anymore. Nevertheless others like Andreas Kriszan and Christoph Bernacki are good enough to be competitive on the highest level in Austria. Offensive wise they hope for a similar productive season from Peter Ferak Jr., Lutz Rauch and Dominik Loeffler, who each batted higher than .400 in 2007.
The METROSTARS have the same roster on hand as last season and the younger players developed further, which should lead to another title run.
Prediction: A fourth consecutive title is possible.
Union Kufstein Vikings:
The VIKINGS reached the finals and lost to the METROSTARS. Their success covered the dismal regular season, where they finished in fourth with a 12-12 record.
New head coach Todd Fairbrother will also pitch and has with Werner Harrasser and Koichi Hida two good hurlers on his side. Harrasser and Hida are also the top batters of the club. Offensive wise the team had an overall batting average of .267 and are in need to get better to reach the playoffs for a ninth consecutive time. A new wave of young players, which will be integrated into the roster, could bring some energy.
Prediction: They are in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Mosquito Athletics Attnang-Puchheim:
The Athletics won 15 games last season and finished in third in the final standings. They are on the verge to become one of the best teams in Austria and could compete with the METROSTARS in the long run. They are a highly motivated organization and will feature a new ballpark after the completion of the renovations of the last years.
ATTNANG-PUCHHEIM brings back slugger Arian Quirantes, who will stabilize the offense. A few days before the opener they also introduced a new head coach with Mike Schulz. For their success it is important that they find a second strong starter besides Walter Strasser. The goals are high as they aim for the playoffs and a spot in the finals to clinch a berth in the European Cups 2009.
Prediction: They are in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Superfund Wanderers Vienna:
They had a curious season in 2007. They received a bunch of players from the withdrawing DIVING DUCKS, including league MVP Clemens Cichocki, which put them in the drivers seat right from the beginning. They finished first in the regular season with a 20-4 record, but were upset by the VIKINGS in the first round of the playoffs. They also lost in the series for third place and were ranked fourth in the final standings.
Cichocki left the club this winter for the German DISCIPLES. Julio Ortiz is also gone. Players from the farm team will replace both. Francois DuTroit appeared already ion some ABL games. Lukas Vecerek goes into his first season with the big leaguers. Besides these changes head coach Nick DeForest can rely on the roster of last year. He and Hiroki Sakanashi are the main sources for production out of the batting order. The WANDERES hit a league best .320. During the preseason they finished a good third at the warm up cup in the Czech Republic against Extraleague squads. They also made some changes in the organization, taking over full responsibilities for the ballpark in Vienna and installing an indoor batting cage, which is not common in Europe.
Even without Cichocki they should be the main rival to challenge the Metrostars for the top spot in the standings. However this depends on the pitchers, who need to make a step forward.
Prediction: They are in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Dornbirn Indians:
The Indians missed the playoffs in fifth with a 10-14 record.
Luke Krahe, who had played for the team in 2005 and 2006, returns to the club as new head coach and set the playoffs as goal for the season. Fellow Australian Luke Suters takes over the foreign starter spot in the rotation, alongside of Reinhard Rauser. Rauser also was a mainstay for the offense, which had a pretty good .288 batting average in 2007. They also count on Michael Salzmann and the Venezuelan Richard Bermudez to repeat the performance of last year.
If Suters stabilize the pitching staff well enough they could be in the hunt for the fourth spot. Their offense is certainly strong enough. Now its time for the pitching department to do the same.
Prediction: They are in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Stock City Cubs
The CUBS finished in sixth with a horrible 6-18 record.
But they are hoping for a better season in 2008 with new head coach and pitcher Jim Malec. They also brought in Michael Gehringer right before the opener to strengthen the roster further. Besides the two foreign born players, they signed prospect Matthias Koppensteiner, who was a member of the European MLB Academy and hopes to reach the camp this August again. Their best batter Ben Cumiesky, who hit .500 in 2007 left the club, which leaves a hole that cannot be closed. Besides Malec, Harald Kainz will start.
It is hard to imagine that they can be in the race for a playoff berth. However in leagues like the ABL, one or two great imports could change the landscape. But this happens not very often.
Prediction: They definitely will win more games than in 2007, though will miss the playoffs nonetheless.
Schwaz Tigers:
After being relegated in 2005, the TIGERS are back in the ABL.
It is good to welcome back in the league, as they are one of the colourful teams in Austria. They signed Jose Castillo of the Belgian League, who should provide some leadership on the mound and behind the plate. He also is supposed to strengthen their weakest part, the offense. Franz Haisjackl is the second starter besides Castillo.
Despite the high hopes, the SCHWAZ faces a difficult season and needs to adjust fast to the higher playing level. Nevertheless the presence of Castillo will help.
Prediction: They will miss the playoffs but will stay in the league.
Linz Bandits:
They are the second promoted club and open their first ABL season since 1999.
The BANDITS go into the season with nearly the same roster as in 2007. From the United States they signed Cagney Brigham, who will start and is also capable to play the infield. Still they are defiantly the underdogs of the league. At least they should win more games than the RAVENS last season and will fight with the TIGERS and CUBS against relegation.
Prediction: Someone has to be the eighth.
Conclusion: Overall the Austrian Baseball League is more competitive than in recent years and the gap between top teams and the bottom half clubs is getting closer. Nevertheless the METROSTARS are the heavy favorite with the WANDERERS, ATHLETICS and VIKINGS to follow.