The runner up in the Baseball-Bundesliga, Buchbinder Legionaere Regensburg, introduced on Monday their new manager Martin HEMLIG and new catcher Markus GIENGER. They also confirmed that the Phillies minor leaguer Jakub SLADEK will play for the club until he finishes school in 2009.
HELMIG was the head coach for the Paderborn Untouchables the past ten years. He led the club to six national championships between 1999 and 2005. The 46-year-old resigned last summer after losing in the first round of the playoffs against the Heidenheim Heidekoepfe. He replaces Martin BRUNNER, who will stay with the team as an assistant coach. He supported the acquisition and can concentrate more on the development of their big pool of prospects.
One of them is SLADEK, who came to Regensburg last September and signed with the Phillies organization this winter. He will join their spring training camp but returns to Europe to finish school in 2009. Until then he will play for Buchbinder.
The Legionaere also have reached an agreement with the highly regarded catcher GIENGER. The 27-year-old is the son of former gymnastics world champion Eberhard GIENGER. He was with the Cologne Cardinals the past seasons. He hit .364 (OBP .490/SLG .403) with 19 runs scored and 18 RBI in 2007, starting all 24 games during the regular season behind the plate. He threw out 26,3 percent of potential base stealers. He also was a member of the national team at the Baseball World Cup in Taiwan (three hits in ten at-bats) and the European Championships in Barcelona (one hit in three at-bats).
Regensburg finished in second in the German Championship in 2006 and 2007. They will start the new season on April 5th on the road against the Gauting Indians.