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Updated: January 17, 2013
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Dutch World Baseball Classic-roster announced
Nederlands
AMSTERDAM (Neth.) - Six players who performed in the Major League in the 2012 season, are part of the 28-man roster of the Dutch National Baseball Team for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Also included in the provisional roster are six players (all pitchers) from the Dutch big league. All other 22 players are active professional players. The provisional rosters for the 16 participating teams were announced on Thursday, January 17. Final rosters have to be handed in on February 20.


...Rob Cordemans => 3rd World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
David Bergman (Corendon Kinheim), Rob Cordemans (L&D Amsterdam Pirates), Bayron Cornelissen (Vaessen Pioniers), Berry van Driel, Diegomar Markwell and Orlando Yntema (all DOOR Neptunus) are the six players, who play in the Dutch big league.

Roger Bernadina (Washington Nationals), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers), Andruw Jones (New York Yankees), Jair Jurrjens, Andrelton Simmons (both Atlanta Braves) and Jurickson Profar (Texas Rangers) all played in the Major League last season. Of these six, Jones signed a contract in Japan in December, while Jurrjens currently is a Free Agent.

Before turning professional, Bernadina played in the Dutch big league, as did Loek van Mil (Cincinnati Reds), Tom Stuifbergen (Minnesota Twins), Kalian Sams (Seattle Mariners) and Nick Urbanus (Texas Rangers), who were also named to the Dutch WBC-roster.

Four players will make their debut in the Dutch National Team, being pitcher Jonatan Isenia, catcher Spencer Kieboom, infielder Jurickson Profar and outfielder Randolph Oduber. Making a comeback in the squad is outfielder Wladimir Balentien, who last played for the Orange team during the Olympic Games of 2004 in Athens (Greece).

Curaçao-born righthanded pitcher Jonatan Isenia, who turns 20 in March 31, made his professional debut in 2012, pitching in 13 games for the Rookie League-team of the Baltimore Orioles in the Dominican Republic. There, he was 0-1 as a reliever, striking out 10 batters in 18 1/3 inning.


...Kenley Jansen...
...catcher in 2009; pitcher in 2013...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen)
Catcher Spencer Kieboom, who turns 22 on March 16, was born in Marietta (Georgia, USA) and also made his professional debut last season, playing in 41 games for Auburn Doubledays (Single-A Short Season, Washington Nationals). There, he hit .258 (33-for-128), scored 13 runs and had 20 runs batted in. Spencer, who was drafted from Clemson University in June last year during the Amateur Draft, is the son of Alswinn Kieboom (also a catcher), who played in the Dutch competition for Twins and HCAW, including in the Dutch big league.

Outfielder Randolph Oduber, who turns 24 on March 28, plays professionally since 2010 in the organization of the Washington Nationals. Last year, he played for Potomac Nationals (Single-A Advanced), appearing in 80 games and hitting .252 (69-for-274) with 35 runs scored, five homeruns and 27 runs batted in.

Infielder Jurickson Profar, who like Isenia and Oduber comes from Curaçao, turns 20 on February 20, made his professional debut in 2010 in the organization of the Texas Rangers. Last year, he played for Frisco RoughRiders (Double-A) in 126 games, hitting .281 (135-for-480), scored 76 runs, hit 14 homeruns and collected 62 runs batted in. He was recalled to the Major League-team of the Texas Rangers early September, then made his big league-debut as a second baseman on September 2 at age 19. It was a memorable debut, as he hit a homerun in his first at bat. Leading off the third inning against the Cleveland Indians, he connected well on the fourth pitch he saw from pitcher Zach McAllister. The homerun was the first run scored by the Rangers, which went on to win 8-3.

Thirteen of the selected players were members of the team that captured the World Championship-title in Panama in 2011. Short stop Mariekson 'Didi' Gregorius, who also was with the team back then, is not on the WBC-roster, due to an injury.

In October, Hensley Meulens, the Hitting Coach of World Series-champion San Francisco Giants, was named Manager of the Dutch squad for the Classic.

The Dutch Team will play the First Round of the Classic March 2-5 in Taichung (Taiwan). There, playing in Pool B, the Orange squad opens against Korea in March 2, then meets Chinese Taipei and Australia. The winner and runner-up of this pool then advance to the Second Round, which is scheduled for March 8-12 in Tokyo (Japan).

With this selection, you can say that the Netherlands now has two different national teams, just like most of the other countries participating in the Classic. The USA already had two different national teams the last few years. The national amateur team (compiled from college-players) participates in such events as regional tournaments and for example the Haarlem Baseball Week and World Port Tournament, while a professional team is compiled for tournaments like the World Baseball Classic, Olympic Games, Intercontinental Cup and World Championship.

The roster is as follows:

Pitchers (13):
David Bergman (Corendon Kinheim), Rob Cordemans (L&D Amsterdam Pirates), Bayron Cornelissen (Vaessen Pioniers), Berry van Driel, Diegomar Markwell, Orlando Yntema (all DOOR Neptunus), Jonatan Isenia (Baltimore Orioles), Kenley Jansen (Los Angeles Dodgers), Jair Jurrjens (Atlanta Braves), Shairon Martis, Tom Stuifbergen (both Minnesota Twins), Loek van Mil (Cincinnati Reds) and Juan Carlos Sulbaran (Kansas City Royals).

Catchers (2):
Spencer Kieboom (Washington Nationals) and Shawn Zarraga (Milwaukee Brewers).

Infielders (8):
Xander Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox), Yurendell de Caster (Winnipeg Goldeyes, Independent League), Jurickson Profar, Nick Urbanus (both Texas Rangers), Jonathan Schoop (Baltimore Orioles), Andrelton Simmons (Atlanta Braves), Curt Smith (Miami Marlins) and Hainley Statia (Milwaukee Brewers).

Outfielders (5):
Wladimir Balentien (Yakult Swallows, Japan), Roger Bernadina (Washington Nationals), Andruw Jones (Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Japan), Randolph Oduber (Baltimore Orioles) and Kalian Sams (Seattle Mariners).

(January 17)


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