 Roster Dutch Team (with 10 pros) for EC announced
Nederlands
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
On Thursday-afternoon, Dutch National Team Manager Brian Farley announced his 24-man roster for the upcoming European Championship, which opens on Friday.
Included in the roster are ten players, who are currently playing professionally for American and Canadian teams, four of them being a pitcher.
Fifteen players who were part of the successful squad that captured the World Championship-title last year in Panama are back with the team to go after the European title.
Two years ago, the Dutch Team lost the EC-final against Italy when the event took place in Germany.
The Dutch Team opens the Championship on Friday-evening against Belgium in Rotterdam, starting at 7:30 PM.
The ten professionals in the EC-team are pitchers Shairon Martis, Loek van Mil, Tom Stuifbergen and Juan Carlos Sulbaran, catcher Danny Arribas, infielders Yurendell de Caster, Curt Smith, Hainley Statia and Nick Urbanus and outfielder Kalian Sams.
All played in the Dutch Team before, with Arribas making his debut in March of this year during St. Petersburg International Baseball in Florida.
Shairon Martis, who in 2008 (5 games) and 2009 (15) pitched in the Major League for the Washington Nationals and threw a No-Hitter during the first World Baseball Classic, this season played for four different teams.
He started the season in the Pittsburgh Pirates-organisation, pitching for Altoona Curve (AA) and Indianapolis Indians (AAA).
In June, he was purchased by the Minnesota Twins, where he pitched for New Britain Rock Cats (AA) and Rochester Red Wings (AAA).
Overall, Martis was 11-6, pitching in 29 games, including 21 as starter.
In 139 1/3 inning, he struckout 87 batters.
Loek van Mil pitched for three teams this year.
He appeared in eight games for Salt Lake Bees, the Triple-A team of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, then moved to the organisation of the Cleveland Indians, where he pitched for Akron Aeros (AA) and Columbus Clippers (AAA).
Van Mil threw 41 games in relief, was 2-1 and struckout 49 batters in 64 2/3 inning.
Tom Stuifbergen was 6-7 and pitched in 15 games for Fort Myers Miracle (Single-A, Minnesota Twins) and Juan Carlos Sulbaran was 7-11 pitching in two teams.
He first threw in 19 games for Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Double-A, Cincinnati Reds), then appeared in six games for Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Double-A, Kansas City Royals).
Danny Arribas played in 64 games in his second professional season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing in the Dominican Summer League (Rookie League).
The catcher batted .308 with 69 basehits, including 15 doubles and one homerun, while scoring 39 runs and collecting 37 RBI's.
Yurendell de Caster played in three Major League-games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006.
This season, he played in 89 games for the Canadian club Winnipeg Goldeyes in an Independent League, hitting .327 with 112 basehits, including 10 homeruns.
1B Curt Smith was named Most Valuable Player after the World Championship, which contributed in his signing a contract with the Miami Marlins.
This season, he played for Jacksonville Suns, the AA-team of the Marlins, and batted .261 in 96 games, hitting 70 basehits, including nine homeruns.
Middle Infielder Hainley Statia played for two minor league-teams of the Milwaukee Brewers, this season, being the Nashville Sounds (AA, 49 games) and Huntsville Stars (AAA, 59 games).
Combined, he batted .257 with 88 basehits and scored 33 runs.
Infielder Nick Urbanus played in two Single-A teams of the Texas Rangers in his second professional season, Spokane Indians and Hickory Crawdads.
In 53 games, Urbanus batted .236 with 41 basehits and scored 28 runs.
Kalian Sams, who homered in his first at bat last Tuesday in the first exhibition game against Germany, played for Jackson Generals (Double-A, Seattle Mariners), where he batted .242 in 76 games with 62 basehits, including 11 homeruns.
Eight other players on the Dutch squad played professionally in the past.
The roster is as follows:
Pitchers (10):
Arshwin Asjes, David Bergman (both Corendon Kinheim), Rob Cordemans (L&D Amsterdam Pirates), Berry van Driel, Diegomar Markwell (both DOOR Neptunus), Shairon Martis, Tom Stuifbergen (both Minnesota Twins), Loek van Mil (Cleveland Indians), Juan Carlos Sulbaran (Kansas City Royals) and Orlando Yntema (UVV).
Catchers (3):
Danny Arribas (Pittsburgh Pirates), Quintin de Cuba (Kinheim) and Rudy van Heydoorn (AamigoO ADO Lakers).
Infielders (7):
Yurendell de Caster (Winnipeg Goldeyes), Michael Duursma (Vaessen Pioniers), Bryan Engelhardt (Kinheim), Dwayne Kemp (Neptunus), Curt Smith (Miami Marlins), Hainley Statia (Milwaukee Brewers) and Nick Urbanus (Texas Rangers).
Outfielders (4):
Wesley Connor (Amsterdam Pirates), Shaldimar Daantji (Neptunus), Danny Rombley (UVV) and Kalian Sams (Seattle Mariners).
Coaching Staff:
Brian Farley (manager), Ben Thijssen (1B coach), Wim Martinus (3B coach), Tjerk Smeets (hitting coach), Steve Janssen (pitching coach).
Supporting Staff:
Rob Tamminga (physical therapist), Pepijn van Ingen (physical therapist), Ton Meiresonne (equipment manager), Peter Meijers (team manager), Dave Draijer (scout), Duco Abspoel (media officer).
(September 6)
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