Michael Vielhaber had another round of rumors from the Austrian Baseball League online at sportnet.at last week. Let’s take a look at the new stuff.
The 26-year-old Hiroyuki Sakanashi is apparently thinking about a return into his home country Japan. The SUPERFUND WANDERERS would like to extend with him and even thinking about to give him more responsibilities as a coach. Sakanashi led the team with a .374 batting average (OBP .565/SLG .484), 40 runs scored and 16 RBIs. He also appeared in five games as a pitcher and had a 3.14 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings, while walking six.
Jose Castillo Ojeda, who is currently working as a coach with the ALB ORKAS in the Venezuelan Liga Paralela, is leaving the SCHWAZ TIGERS. The 31-year-old might stay in Austria and is looking for a new team. He batted .398 (.458/.688) with seven homeruns, 25 runs scored and 32 RBIs in 2008. On the mound he had a 2-5 record with an ERA of 5.68 and 35 k’s in 50.2 innings pitched, walking 17.
The Australian first baseman/pitcher Anthony Gover, who also threw a perfect game in the second division in Austria this year, is expected to stay with the promoted club SCHWECHAT BLUE BATS. The 23-year-old hit .448 (.515/.759) with seven runs scored and 16 RBIs in ten games. He had a 9-1 record as a pitcher with an ERA of 0.83 and 130 strikeouts in 67.1 innings pitched. He allowed just 31 hits, 18 runs (8 ER) and eleven walks all year long.
Prospect Philipp Brenner from the VIENNA METROSTARS, who raised interest from the German champion BUCHBINDER LEGIONAERE, will stay at least till the summer of 2009. The 15-year-old batted .289 (.398/.422) with 18 runs scored and eight RBIs in 21 games for the METS this season. He also pitched in three games in the ABL, going 1-0, allowing one run on eleven hits and seven walks in 10 2/3 innings, striking out six.
Another Australian, Luke Krahe of the DORNBIRN INDIANS could return as a coach. He also was an active player this past year, batting .350 (.458/.475) with five runs scored and seven RBIs in 19 games. He also had a 1-1 record with two saves, alongside an ERA of 3.86 in 32 2/3 innings. He struck out 35, while walking 21.