 Opening Day Starting Pitchers
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
It's Opening Day in the Dutch big league on Thursday-evening.
A week later than last year, the new season opens with the same eight teams as in 2013.
Tonight, it's Game 1 of a 3-game series, which have the same format as last season, meaning the first two games (Thursday and Saturday) will be played at one site, then Game 3 (Sunday) moves to the opponent's site.
Last year, DOOR Neptunus captured the 92nd Dutch national championship-title with a 4-0 sweep in the Holland Series against Vaessen Pioniers.
L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Corendon Kinheim were the other teams that qualified for the Play-Offs.
Since 2007, these four teams dominate the big league and reached the Play-Offs since then in seven consecutive seasons.
This season will have a different format, as the schedule of 42 games is cut into two 21-game periods.
The two best teams of the first half will qualify for the Play-Offs, as do the two best teams of the second half.
When that are the same two teams, the numbers 3 and 4 of the second half qualify.
The overall ranking after 42 teams will decide the home advantage in the Play-Offs.
Of course, Grand Slam * Stats & News will cover all games again as complete as possible and bring you the starting pitchers.
DOOR Neptunus vs. ADO Lakers
Reigning champion DOOR Neptunus opens the season at home vs. ADO Lakers, which last season prolonged its stay in the highest division by winning the best-of-five Promotion/Regelation Play-Offs vs. Twins, 3-2.
Neptunus is led again by Head Coach Evert-Jan 't Hoen, while Eugene Henson makes his debut as Head Coach of ADO Lakers.
In the off-season, Neptunus promoted righthanded pitchers Misja Harcksen and Floris Timmer of its Rookie League-team (Tridents) to the main squad.
They were joined by 1st baseman Shurman Marlin, but he is currently sidelined, as he broke his ulna two weeks ago after being hit by a pitch.
Infielders Urving Kemp (The Hawks) and Stijn van der Meer (UVV) came to Rotterdam.
The latter will join the team somewhere in May after completion of his collegiate season in the USA.
Pitcher Kevin Kelly then also will arrive in Rotterdam.
Three players left after last season, being RHP Tim Roodenburg (DSS), catcher Rudy Van Heydoorn (UVV) and 1B/OF Rafaël Jozefa (retired).
Melfried Comenencia, who last year was the Head Coach of Tridents, will make his debut as 3B Coach, replacing Jeroen Sluijter, who retired.
At ADO Lakers, Eugene Henson succeeded Dave Daniels as Head Coach.
He will be assisted by Win Bonafacio, who also was with the team last season.
After the tough last season, ADO Lakers added LHP Jurandi Girigori (Zwijndrecht), catcher Brian Raap (Zwijndrecht), infielders Stephen Henson (Tridents) and Joshua Zara (UVV Rookies) and outfielder Jasper van Anker (Amsterdam Pirates Rookies) to its roster.
| Starting Pitchers |
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LHP Diegomar Markwell (0-0)
RHP Orlando Yntema (0-0)
RHP Floris Timmer (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Ibrahim Redan (0-0)
RHP Dennis Burgersdijk (0-0)
RHP Timo van Ancum (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Rotterdam; Sunday at The Hague (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2014 |
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Mr. Cocker HCAW vs. Vaessen Pioniers
Last year's Holland Series-losers Vaessen Pioniers opens on the road with two games at Mr. Cocker HCAW.
The team then will play at home on Sunday in its new stadium in Hoofddorp, which was officially opened last week.
Pioniers, where Robert Klaver returns as Head Coach for his fourth consecutive season, added several new players to its team after last season.
This includes righthanded pitchers Reggie Bomberg (ADO Lakers), Steven van Groningen (Kinheim), Sedley Karel (HCAW) and veteran Elton Koeiman (The Hawks).
Another veteran that joined the Hoofddorp-squad was lefthanded hitting outfielder Dirk van 't Klooster, while catcher Shane Boeree was promoted from the Pioniers Rookies.
The team recently added lefthanded Venezuelan pitcher Ricardo Hernandez to its roster, as well as lefthander pitcher Scott Ronnenbergh, who last month was released by the Seattle Mariners-organisation.
Ten players of last season are not returning this year, including American pitchers Eddie Aucoin and Josh Rickards.
Four more pitchers left Hoofddorp: RHP Shane Gnade (RCH-Pinguïns), RHP Joran Klarenbeek, RHP Kevin Miner (Alcmaria Victrix) and RHP Daley Paalvast (HCAW).
Catcher Skip Visser (RCH-Pinguïns), infielder Michael Pluijmers (Alcmaria Victrix) and outfielder Jefferson Muzo (Kinheim) also changed shirts.
Ivan Rodriguez returns as Head Coach of HCAW, which saw six players come to Bussum: RHP Daley Paalvast (Pioniers), RHP Miakcel Rietel (Amsterdam Pirates Rookies), infielders Rossini Frolijk (UVV), Roy Seltenrijch (Kinheim) and Kevin Weijgertse (Amsterdam Pirates) and catcher/outfielder Peter van Doesburg, who was promoted from the HCAW Rookies.
Venezuelan lefthander Ivan Granados returns and arrived in Bussum earlier this week.
Some players left after last season, including pitcher Sedley Karel, who is now in the bullpen of Pioniers.
RHP Jasper de Heus (Almere '90), infielder Jesus Latte (back to Venezuela) and outfielder Dylan de Mello (UVV) also left.
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP Sander Helmendach (0-0)
LHP Ivan Granados (0-0)
RHP Tony Kreisel (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
LHP Ricardo Hernandez (0-0)
RHP Steven van Groningen (0-0)
RHP Elton Koeiman (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Bussum; Sunday at Hoofddorp (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2014 |
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L&D Amsterdam Pirates vs. UVV
L&D Amsterdam Pirates opens the season at home, hosting UVV in the first two games.
Charles Urbanus is back in Amsterdam as Head Coach after an one-year absence, succeeding Sidney de Jong, who now is the Hitting Coach of the Netherlands National Baseball Team.
The team didn't changed much after last season.
It added righthanded pitcher Chris Mowday (RCH-Pinguïns) and outfielder Remco Draijer (Kinheim), who already had played for Amsterdam in the past.
Infielder Kevin Weijgertse left to play for HCAW, while RHP Nick Stuifbergen and outfielder Wesley Connor both retired and RHP Ben Grover returned to the USA.
UVV is led again this season by Ferenc Jongejan, who also is on the active roster as a player.
He already made a comeback during the exhibition season, playing at first base.
UVV added RHP Kevin Noordzij (The Hakws), catcher Rudy Van Heydoorn (Neptunus), infielder Max Bijster (Euro Stars) and outfielders Gilmer Lampe (Rookie League Seattle Mariners) and Dylan de Mello (HCAW) in the off-season.
Infielder Stijn van der Meer left to play for Neptunus, while three players opted to play in the second highest division for RCH-Pinguïns: RHP Hylke van Viersen, 1B/OF Ferd van Stekelenburg and infielder Andy Raaff.
Infielder Rossini Frolijk (HCAW) and outfielder Daan Cornelissen (retired) are also not returning in Vleuten.
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP Rob Cordemans (0-0)
RHP Kevin Heijstek (0-0)
RHP Jos de Jong (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Gilian van Lith (0-0)
RHP Kevin Noordzij (0-0)
RHP Duko Jansen (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Amsterdam; Sunday at Vleuten (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2014 |
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Corendon Kinheim vs. Mampaey The Hawks
Corendon Kinheim opens at home vs. Mampaey The Hawks, which will play in its second season at the highest level.
Kinheim is led this season by Wim Martinus, who last year was the 3B Coach and now succeeds Hans Lemmink.
Making his comeback in the coachingstaff is Mike Crouwel (with beard), who last season coached the Rookie League Team of the club.
The Hawks is also led by a new Head Coach, as Dino Anasagasti took over from Martin van Zeist.
Anasagasti was active with a youth team of Jeka last season, but in 2012, he was the Head COach of Sparta-Feyenoord.
Kinheim added seven players to its roster after completion of last season: LHP Gerald Martin (ADO) Lakers), RHP Glenn Wassink, catcher Sander Paap (both Kinheim Rookies), infielder Calvin Martinus, outfielders Bruce Martinus (both Euro Stars), Jefferson Muzo (Pioniers) and Sven van der Sanden (DSS).
Last month, Kinheim added catcher Dashenko Ricardo after he was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The team lost RHP Steven van Groningen (Pioniers), RHP Dion Steijl (RCH-Pinguïns), infielder Roy Seltenrijch (HCAW) and outfielders Remco Draijer (Pirates) and Dirk van 't Klooster (Pioniers).
The Hawks added seven players in the off-season: RHP Marlo Alvarez (Euro Stars), RHP José Moreno, RHP Quinn Tramm (both Tridents), RHP Evan Simons (Zwijndrecht), catcher Aschwin Rokx (didn't play in 2013) and outfielders Jules Peters (Tridents) and Robert Jan Sinders (Euro Stars).
Nine players left Dordrecht.
Catcher Coen Merkx, 1B Erwin Bonis, IF Friso Arkenbout and OF Allard Lammerts van Bueren all went to Euro Stars.
It also lost four pitchers, being RHP Rick van Dijck (Twins), RHP Elton Koeiman (Pioniers), RHP Kevin Noordzij (UVV) and RHP Pim Swinkels (Saints).
Infielder Urving Kemp returned to Neptunus.
| Starting Pitchers |
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RHP David Bergman (0-0)
LHP Nick Veltkamp (0-0)
RHP Glenn Wassink (0-0) | |
Game 1
Game 2
Game 3 | |
RHP Evan Simons (0-0)
RHP José Moreno (0-0)
RHP Ronald de Bont (0-0)
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Thursday (7:30 PM) & Saturday (2 PM) at Haarlem; Sunday at Dordrecht (2 PM)
Standings, Schedule & Scores 2014 |
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(April 16)
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