German left-handed pitcher André Hughes, who signed with the Dutch Hoofdklasse club HCAW MR COCKER this winter, will help out his former team SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS during the quarterfinals. The champion of 2006 announced the reinforcement in a press release on Tuesday afternoon. Due to the World Port Tournament break in Netherlands Baseball, Hughes will be the second starter for the northern champion in the first round of the playoffs, which start this weekend. The ALLIGATORS will square off with the MAINZ ATHLETICS in a best-of-five series.
Despite by good numbers from his replacement Jens Cornelsen (6-2, ERA 3.33) this season; Hughes will be an improvement in the second starting pitcher slot besides Enorbel Marquez-Ramirez (9-1, ERA 0.91). The national team hurler put his game on another level, quickly emerging as the best pitcher on his new team in Bussum, Netherlands.
In his first year in one of the two top leagues in European Baseball, Hughes has a 3-3 record with an ERA of 2.62 in twelve starts. He struck out 69 in 75.2 innings pitched, walking 30. He is sixth in the league in innings pitched, fifth in strikeouts, seventh in quality starts (nine) and tenth in ERA (among pitchers with at least 50 IP). After the quarterfinals against the A’s he will join the German team on their trip to the World Baseball Challenge in Port George, Canada. He then will return to HCAW for the stretch run.
What’s the rule on playing for 2 teams in Europe then? I thought once you play for a second team in Europe you have essentially transferred and can not move back to the original team again…?
Apparently there is a loophole