(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
 Neptunus-catcher Dashenko Ricardo announces retirement, effective immediately
Nederlands
 ROTTERDAM (Neth.) -
Dashenko Ricardo, catcher of reigning champion and current league-leader Curaçao Neptunus, has announced his retirement, effective immediately.
Neptunus announced the news this afternoon (Tuesday, June 7).
In the report, it is stated that Ricardo cannot motivate himself anymore to play baseball.
There have been several talks between Ricardo and the board of the club to change his thoughts.
But Ricardo has said that after several intensive years, he has not the motivation anymore that is need to play.
The board of Neptunus respects his decision.
Ricardo, who also was a member of the Netherlands Kingdom Team, will return home to Curaçao.
After completion of last season, he was named Most Valuable Player of the Dutch big league.
Last week, Ricardo participated with the Rotterdam-squad in the European Champions Cup-tournament in Italy and San Marino.
There, the team was dethroned by L&D Amsterdam Pirates, which went on to win the trophy the next day.
Neptunus finished in fourth place after losing the bronze medal-game on Saturday to UnipolSai Fortitudo Bologna (Italy), 7-6.
Ricardo didn't play in that game.
With the departure of Ricardo, Neptunus is losing a very productive player.
He currently is the second best hitter in the league with a .434 batting average, trailing only teammate Rien Vernooij (.464).
He has the third highest slugging average (.592) and also third best on-base percentage (.477).
Ricardo leads the league with 33 basehits and 24 runs batted in.
Ricardo had homered twice and has played in all 20 games so far in the regular season, his first with Neptunus.
He also shares the team-lead with six stolen bases with Dwayne Kemp.
Before coming to Neptunus, Ricardo played two seasons in Haarlem for Kinheim.
He batted .266 with three homeruns and led the team with 28 RBI's in his first season.
Last year, he was Kinheim's best hitter with a .420 batting average and also led with 71 basehits and 40 runs batted in, which earned him the MVP-title.
His 71 basehits were the most in the league, while his 40 RBI's were second best to Gianison Boekhoudt (42), who now almost likely will become the prime catcher for Neptunus.
Last season, Boekhoudt caught most games for Neptunus, but this season, he primarily plays at first base or as designated hitter.
Shadrach Meulens, who joined the team a month ago and caught last Saturday's game against Bologna, will then become the back-up catcher.
Ricardo played professionally in 2007-2013.
He initially played in the organization of the Baltimore Orioles (2007-2010) in Rookie League and Single-A.
In 2011-2012, he played at the same levels for the San Francisco Giants.
In 2013, he played in his last professional season for three minor league-teams of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
He then played in 26 games in Single-A, nine games in Double-A and two at the Triple-A level.
With the Netherlands Kingdom Team, he reached the semi-final of the World Baseball Classic in 2013.
Last year, he participated with the Orange squad in the first-ever Premier12.
In 2014, he won the title at the European Championship with the Dutch team.
(June 7)
|
