Despite several announcements that shortstop Chris Beck would not return for the 2009 season, he is coming back anyway. SOLINGEN ALLIGATORS president Lutz Traebert surprised the club members at the annual assembly this weekend that Beck agreed to come back for a second year in Germany. Traebert also confirmed that they didn’t offer more money to jeopardize the future of the organization.
The 23-year-old American was probably the best player in the northern conference of the German Baseball-Bundesliga last year. He batted .531 (OBP .595/SLG .854) with one homerun, six triples, 16 doubles, 45 runs scored, 31 RBI and 18 stolen bases in 23 games. Beck led the league in batting average, on-base-percentage, slugging, hits, doubles, triples, runs, RBI and stolen bases. He also struck out just three times in 96 at bats.
Beck served as the leadoff hitter last season, but could drop down the order, as the ALLIGATORS bring in David Hissey in May to serve this role. New head coach Andy Fleischacker will be happy to have Beck in his lineup. SOLINGEN starts against the HSV STEALERS into the new season on April 5th.
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