(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Jan Kruijdenberg)
  Norbert Jongerius to play for France in World Baseball Classic Qualifier
Nederlands
 UTRECHT (Neth.) -
Norbert Jongerius, outfielder of Dutch big league-team UVV, will play for the French National Team in the upcoming World Baseball Classic Qualifier, RTV Utrecht reported on Friday (March 4).
With the French squad, Jongerius will travel to Panama, where the event opens on March 17 in capital Panama City.
There, France meets Colombia, Spain and host Panama.
The winner qualifies for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Last month, Australia won the first of the four scheduled Qualifying Tournaments this year.
Another tournament also opens on March 17 in Mexicali (México).
The fourth tournament takes place in September in Brooklyn, New York (USA).
Jongerius, who has played in the Netherlands Junior Team in the past, is eligible to play for France, as he has a French mother and has a dual citizenship.
,,For the Netherlands Team, there is a lot of competition.
With France, I now have the opportunity to participate in a big international tournament, which I wouldn't have gotten with the Netherlands Team'', Jongerius said against RTV Utrecht.
The French National Team is led by Manager Éric Gagné, who was the team's Pitching Coach during the 2012 World Baseball Classic Qualifier.
In 2013, the Canadian was named Manager of the squad.
Gagné played in the Major League in 1999-2008 for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1999-2006), Texas Rangers (2007), Boston Red Sox (2007) and Milwaukee Brewers (2008).
He won the National League Cy Young Award in 2003 when he equalled the record with 55 saves.
In 2007, Gagné won the World Series with the Red Sox.
,,I can learn a lot from him, as I also will be pitching fro UVV this season'', Jongerius said.
In September, France will participate in the European Championship, which will be held in Hoofddorp and Nieuw-Vennep in the Netherlands.
And who knows, Jongerius also might be dressing up for the French in that event.
(March 4)
Related Article:
 Australia wins first World Baseball Classic Qualifier. (February 14, 2016)
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