(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
 15 Dutch players in European All Star Team vs. Japan
Nederlands
...The Tokyo Dome is the site for the 2-game series...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
 LAUSANNE (Switzerland) -
Reigning European champion Netherlands will be represented by 15 players in the European All Star Baseball Team, which will meet Japan on March 10 and 11 in a two-game series in the Tokyo Dome in Japanese capital Tokyo.
The team will be led by Manager Steve Janssen, who is the Manager of the national team of the Netherlands, which last year re-captured the European Championship-title, after being left empty-handed in 2010 and 2012.
In those editions, European archrival Italy defeated the Orange squad, but last year in the Czech Republic, the Dutch team was too strong for the Italians.
Janssen will be assisted by Team Italy-Manager Marco Mazzieri, who wil act as Assistant Manager.
In the 12-member staff, the Netherlands is represented by three coaches, while three other Dutchmen are part of the supporting staff.
It marks the first time that an European All Star Team will compete against Samurai Japan, the number one on the world ranking list of the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC).
The team rosters of the two teams were announced today (Tuesday, February 17), while the WBSC also announced that sportswear brand Asics has become the official apparel sponsor of Team Europe.
As baseball and softball's popularity steadily increases in Europe, the WBSC announced plans two weeks ago to ensemble the European All Star Team for the 'Global Baseball Match-Up 2015' to provide an additional platform with which to raise the profile and showcase the brand of baseball in Europe.
It marks the first time that an entire continent is represented in an official international baseball competition.
The European Baseball Confederation (CEB), which has 43 member nations, will be represented in Tokyo by players from five different countries.
Team Japan will be led by Manager Hiroki Kobubo, who will have a 26-man roster.
Nineteen of his players were on the roster in November last year for the Japan-squad that played a 5-game series against a Major League All Star Team.
Japan won that series.
Dutch designated hitter Andruw Jones highlights the 28-man roster of Team Europe.
Jones played 17 seasons in the Major League, primarily for the Atlanta Braves.
The last two seasons, Jones played in Japan, where he won the championship in Nippon Professional Baseball in 2013 with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
While playing in the Major League, Jones won ten Gold Glove Awards.
Also on the European roster is Dutch pitcher Rick van den Hurk, who played in parts of six seasons in the Major League.
The previous two seasons, Van den Hurk played in the professional Korean baseball-league, where he won the championship back-to-back with the Samsung Lions.
This year, he will play in Japan.
Besides Jones and Van den Hurk, Janssen selected five more active Dutch professional players, being pitchers Shairon Martis and Loek van Mil, infielder Curt Smith, outfielder Kalian Sams and utility player Yurendell de Caster.
The remaining eight Dutch players are playing in the Dutch big league.
They are pitchers Diegomar Markwell and Orlando Yntema and catcher Gianison Boekhoudt from Dutch champion Curaçao Neptunus, pitchers Rob Cordemans and Kevin Heijstek and infielder Michael Duursma of L&D Amsterdam Pirates and pitcher Tom Stuifbergen and catcher Dashenko Ricardo of Corendon Kinheim.
Italy is represented by pitchers José Escalona and Alessandro Maestri, infielders Juan Carlos Infante and Alessandro Vaglio and outfielders Mario Chiarini and Stefano Desimoni.
Four players come from Spain: pitcher Leslie Nacar, catcher Blake Ochoa, infielder Oscar Angulo and outfielder Fernando Martinez.
Coming from Germany are pitcher Luke Sommer and Jan-Niclas Stoecklin.
The final player comes from France and is pitcher Owen Ozanich.
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...Steve Janssen (Manager) & Marco Mazzieri (Assistant Manager)...
(© Photos: Henk Seppen) |
Janssen selected 14 pitchers for the 2-game series.
Besides them, there are three catchers on the roster, five infielders, four outfielders, one utility-player and one designated hitter.
The coaching staff looks as follows:
Steve Janssen (Manager), Marco Mazzieri (Italy, Assistant Manager), Wim Martinus (Assistant Coach), Sidney de Jong (Hitting Coach), Martin Brunner (Austria, Pitching Coach), Ben Thijssen (3B Coach), Augusto Medina (Italy, 1B Coach) and Gianni Natale (Italy, Strength & Conditioning Coach).
Active in the supporting staff are Gijs Selderijk (Delegation Leader), Peter Meijers (Business Manager), Rob Tamminga (Manual Therapist) and Massimo Baldi (Italy, Trainer).
(February 17)
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