(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Quick Amersfoort & Marco Stoovelaar)
 Quick Amersfoort adds Venezuelan pitcher Luis Figuera
Nederlands
 AMERSFOORT (Neth.) -
The pitching-staff of Cityside Apartments Quick Amersfoort is expanded with the addition of righthander pitcher Luis Figuera Roman.
The Venezuelan arrived on Thursday (April 19) and his addition to the roster has been announced and confirmed by the club.
...Luis Figuera Roman...
...in 2016 with Kinheim...
(© Photo: Marco Stoovelaar) |
The name of the 27-year old Luis Figuera Roman might sound familiar and that's correct.
In 2016, the righthander pitched for Haarlem-based Corendon Kinheim in the Dutch big league.
During that season, Figuera appeared in 11 games (all starts) and was 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA.
He struckout 54 hitters in 74 1/3 inning, walked 39 and gave up 56 basehits.
Figuera threw one complete game, which he did on June 25, 2016 against Hoofddorp Pioniers.
In that game, he struckout 13 batters and gave up only three hits.
Kinheim won the game 1-0, thanks to a runscoring single by Bryan Engelhardt, who now also will be his teammate at Quick Amersfoort.
Engelhardt contributed in bringing Figuera now to the Amersfoort-team.
With Kinheim, Figuera qualified for the Play-Offs.
In the postseason, the righthander was 1-1 with a 7.40 ERA, pitching in four games.
In those games, he struckout 14 hitters in 18 innings, but also gave up 25 basehits and 15 earned runs.
Before coming to play for Kinheim, Figuera played for Marlboro Red Machine, with whom they won the Aruban championship in 2015 in the Aruban Dobbel A League.
In the deciding championship-game against Atro Concrete Indians, Figuera was the winning pitcher.
Figuera pitched professionally for three seasons in the organization of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 2008-2010, he played for its Rookie League-team, which was based in Venezuela.
...Luis Figuera is picked up at the...
...airport in Amsterdam...
(© Photo: Quick Amersfoort) |
In his professional career, Figuera was mostly used as a reliever.
Of the 46 games he pitched for VSL Pirates, Figuera started only four, which was in his first season (2008).
In his three professional seasons, he was 11-4 with a 3.53 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 97 innings pitched, while walking only 29 hitters.
On March 17, 2016, Figuera was the starting pitcher for Red Machine in an exhibition game against Curaçao Neptunus, which then stayed a week on Curaçao as part of its preparations for the new season.
Coming weekend, Quick Amersfoort closes its exhibition season with two games against De Glaskoning Twins.
In an announcement, it is stated that it is ''expected that with the addition of the righthanded pitcher, Quick will have a competitive team and be a contender in the Dutch big league''.
Quick Amesfoort opens the regular season on Thursday, April 26 at home against HCAW.
With that game, the team will make its comeback at the highest level.
Hans Bakker, Chairman of the club, states: ,,Because of some injuries, but also for some of the younger players in the team, the experience of Luis is a nice addition.
,,With a schedule of three games per week, you need three starters.
We can do that now and still give young players a chance.''
,,I'm very happy with his coming'', added Head Coach Marco Wels.
,,He will have an additional value to this group of players with mostly young guys.
When with Kinheim, he has proven to be a more than solid pitcher.''
(April 19)
Scores
Complete Schedule Exhibition Season & Regular Season
|
