(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
 Twins adds experience to 2016 team
Nederlands
 OOSTERHOUT (Neth.) -
Twins returns to the big league next season.
After completion of this years season, the Oosterhout-based team swept Mampaey The Hawks 3-0 in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off, resulting in a comeback to the highest division in 2016.
The team added experience to its roster with the coming of first baseman Jeffrey Arends (Corendon Kinheim) and veteran pitcher Elton Koeiman (Vaessen Pioniers).
More big league-experience comes from Belgian infielder Dennis De Quint (UVV) and catcher Jarreau Martina, who returns to the team after having played this season for HCAW.
Righthanded pitcher Floris Timmer (Curaçao Neptunus) also has some big league-experience.
Making his debut in the highest league next year will be righthanded pitcher Brendan Schoemaker, who was the pitching ace the past seasons for The Orioles, which was a contender of Twins in the 'Overgangsklasse', the second highest league.
Almost the entire squad of the successful season will return to the roster for next season.
Canadian Codi Chartrand will not return to the team next season, while three players will play for the club's Rookie League-team in 2016, being pitcher Brian van Gaever and outfielders Kevin Karper and Tair Vrutaal.
Kevin Roovers returns as Head Coach next season.
Joining his staff is Kevin Knollenburg, who was an Assistant Coach at UVV the last two years.
,,We were happy to learn that a lot of players wanted to come to Oosterhout'', said Team Manager Patrick van Gool when announcing the transfers on the team's website.
Kevin Roovers added:
,,With the coming of some experienced big league-players, young talent and former Twins-players we keep the balance in the team.
We will have to play and work hard, but with the intrinsic motivation this team has, we will enjoy that very much.''
Jeffrey Arends batted .279 this season (39-for-140) for Kinheim and scored 19 runs, while batting in 25.
Arends played for Kinheim since 2013 after having played several seasons for Neptunus.
Veteran righthander Elton Koeiman was one of the starters this season for Pioniers.
He was 5-4 with a 3.66 ERA and struckout 34 batters in 66 1/3 inning, appearing in 14 games, 11 of which he started.
In 2014, Koeiman led the Pioniers-staff with an 1.98 ERA and won six games.
In the past, Koeiman also pitched for The Hawks, Sparta-Feijenoord, ADO and Neptunus.
But now, the 42-year old Koeiman returns to Twins, where he made his big league-debut in 1994.
Jarreau Martina was the HCAW's leading hitter this season with a . 266 batting average.
He led the team in basehits (33) and doubles (5) and was third in runs scored (13), while batting in eight runs.
Besides doing the catching, he also was a utility player, being used as second baseman and in the outfield.
Belgian infielder Dennis De Quint was the third-best hitter this season for UVV, hitting .259 (36-for-139).
De Quint, who mostly played at short stop, scored 18 runs and led the team with 18 runs batted in.
He also hit one of the team's two homeruns this season.
Righthanded pitcher Floris Timmer appeared in only four games this season for Neptunus and was 0-0 with four strikeouts in 6 2/3 inning.
Righthander Brendan Schoemaker has been a major contributor in the success the last years for The Orioles in the second highest divison.
In 2011, he pitched for Euro Stars in the Promotion/Relegation Play-Off against ADO.
Also returning to the club after having played for HCAW this season are infielder Rikkert Kempen and outfielder Brian Briezen.
But they probably will play for the Rookie League-team.
Besides Kevin Knollenburg joining the coaching-staff, the supporting staff got a new addition in Jerry de Cloe, who has been the Team Scorer the past seasons for Mampaey The Hawks.
..Jarreau Martina... |
...Dennis De Quint... |
...Brendan Schoemaker... |
| (© Both Photos: Henk Seppen) | (© Photo: The Orioles) |
(November 1)
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