The Austrian Baseball League is opening the 2016 season this weekend. Six teams will compete for the championship in Austrian Baseball. The defending champion are the Vienna Wanderers. They will compete against the Athletics Attnang-Puchheim, the Vienna Metrostars, Diving Ducks Wiener Neustadt, Dornbirn Indians and Stock City Cubs.
The Wanderers continue to hope for positive Japanese influences on the field with Hiro Sakanashi as head coach and players Chikara Igami and Ryoma Watanabe. Additionally they have signed Samuel Hackl, but will miss Fabian Hirnschal after an ACL injury.
The Diving Ducks added Michael Vykoukal from the Arrows Ostrava to the roster. Charlie Letourneau is going to be their foreign starting pitcher in game two each week.
The Metrostars had their biggest change off the field. Martin Langlois is taking over as head coach for Tim Patrick. A new import player is expected to arrive midway through the season.
Stockerau signed a left-handed import pitcher with Dustin Hamilton. The 24-year-old is a Tommy John surgery survivor and is supposed to throw 90 MPH.
Also Dornbirn has seen a coaching change during the offseason. Dan Hall moved to Switzerland, while Devery Van De Keere is succeeding him at the helm. Former Minor League pitcher Chris Squires (with the Florida Marlins) will be their import pitcher. Christobal Hiche transferred from the British Herts Falcons to Austria.
Attnang-Puchheim is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Jimmy Jensen moved on to France and got replaced by Steven Johnson. New player coach is David Brandt. With Ryan Rupp the A’s also acquired a second pitcher.
Two doubleheaders will be played in week one. The Cubs face the Diving Ducks, while the Indians travel to Vienna for a matchup against the reigning champions.
| Saturday, 16. April | |||||
| Stock City Cubs | Diving Ducks Wr. Neustadt | Cubsfield, Stockerau | 13h | ||
| Stock City Cubs | Diving Ducks Wr. Neustadt | Cubsfield, Stockerau | 15h30 | ||
| Vienna Wanderers | Dornbirn Indians | Sportzentrum Spenadlwiese, Wien | 16h | ||
| Vienna Wanderers | Dornbirn Indians | Sportzentrum Spenadlwiese, Wien | 18h30 | ||