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1983 Preview
March 30th 1983 - Another off-season without much free-agency movement promises to lead to a season where the teams that were good last year are good this year. We did think that before the 1982 season as well though and most of the 1981 playoff teams had a poor season.
A few teams have made some aggresive trade moves. Copenhagen made a trade for reigning WL Glove of the Year for Right Field, Vitaly Woevedin. He is a career .284 hitter and is 35 years old, but he should make the team better for this season. They also brought in 1982's AAA Hitter of the Year, Antosha Litvintsev, who becomes their best (and youngest) first baseman.
There was also one huge other trade, with 2 men who were drafted in the top 10 of 1981's inaugural draft swapping teams. The Oslo Metros sent Bernard Wulker (#8 overall, average year .322/10/72) and relief pitcher Vavrinec Puskar to Prague in return for Ian Meoni (#2 overall, average year .289/22/87) and a minor league shortstop with no chance of making the EBL.
Magnus Leeuwenburgh (Vienna) and Eskil Junge (London) have both returned to the EBL after long term injuries, but as both are over 35, it is probably the case that they will not be the same as they were before their time out.
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