 Opening Day Starters
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Opening Day has arrived in the Dutch Major League!
Tonight, Thursday, April 11, the new season opens with eight teams competing for the 92nd Dutch championship title.
Tonight, five Head Coaches will make their big league-debut, while another one starts his first full season in the highest league.
This season, teams play a home game on Thursday-evening and Saturday-afternoon, then travels to its opponent on Sunday.
When a Thursday-game is postponed, it will be re-scheduled for the following day.
Of course, Grand Slam * Stats & News weekly will bring you the starting pitchers of all games again, as far as announced.
And so, today, we present the starting pitchers for the upcoming Opening Series.
Corendon Kinheim vs. Vaessen Pioniers
Reigning champion Corendon Kinheim opens the new season with two home games and meets Vaessen Pioniers.
Hans Lemmink, who took over the coaching during last years Play-Offs and led the team to the championship, will lead the squad in his first full season as Head Coach.
The team from Haarlem added 1B Jeffrey Arends (Neptunus) and lefthanded reliever Jean-Paul Gulinck (Pioniers) to its roster after last season, while righthander Jorn van Ingen left to play for DSS.
Recently, Kinheim also added righthander Leon Boyd, who will arrive on May 1.
Pioniers is led again by Robert Klaver, who starts his seventh season as Head Coach.
After last season, RHP Joran Klarenbeek (DSS), IF Vince Rooi (Amsterdam Pirates), OF Phil Ortez (ADO Lakers), OF Danny Rombley (UVV) and OF Chris Williams (Rotterdam Orioles) came to Hoofddorp.
Leaving Pioniers were LHP Jean-Paul Gulinck (Kinheim), IF Michael Duursma (Amsterdam Pirates) and IF Gyenuar Lopez (Neptunus), while RHP Joey Evans returned to the USA and 1B/DH Jourick Blanco returned to Aruba.
Zerzinho Croes appears to be the new lead-off hitter for Pioniers, taking the place of longtime lead-off batter Michael Duursma.
Pioniers has to do without outfielder Jefferson Muzo, who is currently on the disabled list.
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP David Bergman (0-0)
LHP Nick Veltkamp (0-0)
RHP Steven van Groningen (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
LHP Mika de Lincel (0-0)
LHP Josh Rickards (0-0)
RHP Tim Miner (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Haarlem; Sunday at Hoofddorp (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2012 |
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ADO Lakers vs. L&D Amsterdam Pirates
L&D Amsterdam Pirates, the Dutch champion of 2011, opens the new season with two road-games in The Hague.
The team begins the season with a new coachingstaff, headed by former catcher Sidney de Jong.
He will be assisted by Percy Isenia and Rob Cordemans, who both will continue as player.
Cordemans will be the Pitching Coach and also will be the ace of the pitching staff again.
In the off-season, Pirates added four players to its roster, being RHP Kevin Heijstek (Neptunus), LHP Kyle Ward (UVV) and IF Michael Duursma (Pioniers) and promoted RHP Daan Hendrix from the Pirates Rookies.
Not returning in an Amsterdam-uniform this season are LHP Jerremyh Angela, RHP Ian Delemarre (both UVV), LHP Rik Geestman (DSS) and IF Vince Rooi (Pioniers).
Catcher Sidney de Jong retired and succeeded Charles Urbanus as Head Coach.
Righthander Frank van Heijst is still with the club, but will pitch on a lower level due to his arm-injury.
Dave Daniels returns as coach of ADO Lakers and this year will be assisted by Win Bonafacio.
ADO Lakers added RHP Timo van Ancum (UVV), RHP Evan Simons (Tridents), 1B DJ Cleofa and OF Koen Huijgens (both Sparta-Feyenoord).
Six players from last year are not returning in ADO's line-up: RHP Thomas Macy (back to USA), C Rudy Van Heydoorn (Neptunus), C/OF Remco Seitzinger (Blue Birds), IF Kevin Nieveld (HCAW), IF Evan Porter (back to USA) and OF Phil Ortez (Pioniers).
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP Timo van Ancum (0-0)
LHP Wimsley van Heijningen (0-0)
RHP Laurens Oele (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Rob Cordemans (0-0)
RHP Kevin Heijstek (0-0)
RHP Jos de Jong (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at The Hague; Sunday at Amsterdam (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2012 |
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DOOR Neptunus vs. Mampaey The Hawks
Multi-champion DOOR Neptunus opens at home with two games against Mampaey The Hawks, which will make its debut in the highest league.
The two Head Coaches of the two teams will both make their debut on the highest level.
Evert-Jan 't Hoen takes over at Neptunus for Jan Collins, who now will handle the pitching and catching in the coachingstafff.
Martin van Zeist returns as Head Coach of The Hawks, who he led to promotion last season.
Neptunus added three new players in the off-season, RHP Orlando Yntema (UVV), C Rudy Van Heydoorn (ADO Lakers) and IF Gyenuar Lopez (Pioniers).
Eight players left after last season: RHP Bobby Carrington (back to USA), RHP Kevin Heijstek (Amsterdam Pirates), RHP Dushan Ruzic (back to Australia), RHP Kevin van Veen, IF Urving Kemp, IF Gregory Trinidad (all The Hawks), 1B Jeffrey Arends (Kinheim) and IF Mike Bazuin (UVV).
During the season, players from DOOR Tridents, the Rookie-team, will rotate in the big league-team.
Joining The Hawks after last season were RHP Rick van Dijk (Twins), RHP Henk van Heijningen (Rotterdam Orioles), RHP Elton Koeiman (Sparta-Feyenoord), RHP Pim Swinkels (did not play), RHP Kevin van Veen (Neptunus), C Koen Merkx (PSV), IF Urving Kemp, IF Gregory Trinidad (both Neptunus), OF Frans van de Heuvel (did not play) and OF Allard Lammerts van Bueren (Euro Stars).
Righthander Jurjen Klaverdijk retired and utility Louie-Jay Sienders left to play for Euro Stars.
Thirteen players on the roster of The Hawks have big league-experience.
| Starting Pitchers |
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LHP Diegomar Markwell (0-0)
RHP Orlando Yntema (0-0)
RHP Tim Roodenburg (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Kevin van Veen (0-0)
RHP Pim Swinkels (0-0)
RHP Elton Koeiman (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Rotterdam; Sunday at Dordrecht (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2012 |
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Mr. Cocker HCAW vs. UVV
The match-up between Mr. Cocker HCAW and UVV is another one between two rookie Head Coaches.
Ivan Rodriguez took over at HCAW, replacing Rudy Dirksen and Ferenc Jongejan is the new Head Coach of UVV, where he succeeded Frank Koene.
Besides having a new coachingstaff, HCAW added six new players: RHP Jasper de Heus (Almere '90), RHP Sedley Karel (UVV), C Max Clarijs (Pirates Rookies), IF Kevin Nieveld (ADO Lakers), IF Dillon True, IF Tim Vermij (both RCH-Pinguïns) and three players from the HCAW Rookies, being RHP Roel Bellinga, IF Arjan Elshof and OF Sergino Martis.
On the other hand, eleven players left after last season: RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (UVV), RHP Kyle Putnam (back to USA), C Joep van Els (he became the new Pitching Coach), IF Seb Visser (DSS), OF Rick Kuipers, OF Zamir Lijde (both RCH-Pinguïns), UT Randy Reiph (retired), while RHP Jerrold Martijn, C Kenny Rinkema and OF Glenn Romney are also not returning in Bussum.
On Wednesday, HCAW announced the addition of two foreign players: LHP Ivan Granados and infielder Jesus Latte, who both will arrive today (Thursday).
UVV also has a complete new coachingstaff and saw a lot of transfers after completion of last season in which it narrowly missed qualification for the Play-Offs.
Fourteen new players were added: LHP Jerremyh Angela, RHP Ian Delemarre (both Amsterdam Pirates), RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (HCAW), RHP Oscar Meuris, 1B/OF Ferd van Stekelenburg, 1B/OF Ricky Daal, OF Jordan Illis (all RCH-Pinguïns), IF Mike Bazuin (Neptunus), IF Dennis De Quint (Hoboken Pioneers, Belgium), OF Joris van Ballegooy (Robur '58), OF Daan Cornelissen (PSV) and IF/OF Rossini Frolijk, Thomas Smits and Hylke van Viersen from the UVV Rookies.
Twelve left the team from Vleuten: RHP Timo van Ancum (ADO Lakers), RHP Sedley Karel (HCAW), RHP Derek Tarapacki (initially Pioniers), LHP Kyle Ward (Amsterdam Pirates), LHP Joep de Wit (Domstad Dodgers), C Lindell Finsy, IF Mitchel Koot (both DSS), OF Brian Biezen, OF Shurty Tremus (both Twins), OF Danny Rombley (Pioniers) and OF Jeff Delfina.
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP Sander Helmendach (0-0)
LHP Ivan Granados (0-0)
RHP Kaj Timmermans (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Jurjen van Zijl (0-0)
to be announced
to be announced
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Bussum; Sunday at Vleuten (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2012 |
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(April 10)
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