With a matchup between the Vienna Wanderers and the Vienna Neustadt Diving Ducks starts the Austrian Baseball League into the new season. It is a rematch of last year’s finals with game one being played on Saturday at 7pm and game two on Sunday at 4pm.
The Vienna Wanderers captured the title last season and were able to maintain most of last year’s championship team. Hiro Sakanashi is back as head coach and also welcomes Joe Wilson for a second season. Austin Stuart is gone. Vladimir Eugia, who pitched for the Philippines at the WBC Qualifier last November, will take the mound for Vienna this year. Felix Zimmerle and Christian Tomsich won’t be available throughout the whole season due to college obligations.
The Vienna Neustadt Diving Ducks have high expectations for the 2013 season. In their first season back in the ABL they already made it into the finals and now will play in a European Cup Qualifier. New head coach Ryan Myers came together with Wayne Ough and Jake Turcato. Ryan Kroko will stay as well.
The Athletics Attnang-Puchheim started into last year’s campaign as the favorite, but in the end they were eliminated in the semi-finals. John Dobkowski has taken over as head coach and will try to manage the A’s baseball and softball program to another level. Meanwhile Kris Edwards, Jhonny Kashuba, Horst and Markus Efferdinger have left the club among others. Another import player is expected to join the team before the season starts.
Record title holder Vienna Metrostars won the regular season last year and also had a 2-0 lead in the semi-finals against the local rivals from the Vienna Wanderers. However in the end they were eliminated and ended the season empty-handed. Jeff Tezak and Ross Gusky won’t return for another run with the Mets. TJ Hilliard and Marcel Ceska come back after injuries. Will Owens will support head coach Tim Patrick as player-coach.
The Dornbirn Indians finished the season in fifth place last year, just short of the playoffs. Now the coaching staff with Danny Hall, Devery van der Keere and Matt Patrick hope to make another step forward. Paul Astl, Franz Haisjackl and Matthias Lechner have joined the team, reinforcing the Austrian element of the roster.
The Stock City Cubs are the sixth and last team in the reduced Austrian Baseball League. After starting the season with six wins in six games they ended up in sixth in the final standings, avoiding relegation and staying in the ABL. The team is led by Austrian national team manager Robert Buchelt and assistant coach Arian Quirantes and added a strong player with Robert Strecker, who played NCAA Division I ball in the US. More imports are expected to follow during the summer. Seth Blevins is no longer with the Cubs.