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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Freek Bouw) Andrelton Simmons plays in first Spring Training-game Nederlands TEMPE / PHOENIX, Arizona / TAMPA / KISSIMMEE / FORT MYERS / SARASOTA / JUPITER, Florida (USA) - On Wednesday (February 28), Andrelton Simmons played in his first Spring Training-game of the year. The short stop of Los Angeles Angels was 0-for-2. Today, seven players from the Netherlands got into action, the second highest total so far this Spring Training. On February 24, eight players participated in the games. Besides Simmons, the other players who played today were Xander Bogaerts, Ray-Patrick Didder, Didi Gregorius, Spencer Kieboom, Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop. (February 28) Related Articles: Seattle adds Aruban Eugene Helder for Spring Training-game. (February 27) Jonathan Schoop homers for Baltimore. (February 26) Spencer Kieboom collects 2 basehits for Washington. (February 25) Baltimore adds 2 Curaçao-players for Spring Training-game. (February 24) First Dutch players in action in Major League Spring Training. (February 23) Major League Spring Training-season opens. (February 21)

...Andrelton Simmons... (© Photo: Freek Bouw/Phrake Photography) At Tempe, Los Angeles Angels played at home against Cleveland Indians at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Angels led 2-0 after three innings, but in the end lost with a 15-3 score. Cleveland collected 23 basehits, which included a grand slam homerun from Todd Hankins in the seventh inning. For the first time this Spring Training, all regular players of the Angels were in the starting line-up. Curaçao-born Andrelton Simmons played in his first game of this years Spring Training. He started as short stop and batted in eighth place in the batting order. Simmons was 0-for-2. In the bottom of the second and fourth inning, Simmons grounded out. In the top of the fifth inning, Simmons was replaced by Juan Graterol, who became the new catcher for the Angels. Colin Walsh took over as short stop. The 28-year old Simmons plays in the Major League since 2012 when he made his debut with Atlanta Braves. After the 2015 season, the short stop was traded to the Angels. Since making his debut, the defensive qualifties of Simmons were always praised. He won the Gold Glove three times, the Platinum Glove once and was the Defensive Player of the Year four times. Last year, Simmons played in 158 games, the most ever in his career (he played in 157 in 2013). He batted .278 (164-for-589) with 38 doubles and 14 homeruns, scored 77 runs and batted in 69.

At Phoenix, Texas Rangers played at Chicago White Sox. Texas led 4-0 halfway the seventh inning, then Chicago scored its first run. In the bottom of the eighth, Chicago rallied for four runs and went on to win 5-4. José Abreu hit a 2-run homerun to make it a 4-3 score, then two runs were added on a single by Seby Zavala. Jurickson Profar started as short stop for Texas, was 1-for-3, scored a run and also batted in one. In the top of the first inning, Texas opened the score off of starting pitcher Lucas Giolito. With one out, Shin-Soo Choo walked and the Korean player scored when Profar followed with a double. Profar moved to third base when an error was made on a grounder from Nomar Mazara. With two outs, Profar scored the second run for Texas on a single by Drew Robinson. Profar led off the third inning and then grounded out. In the fifth, he flied out to end the at bat. In the bottom of the sixth, Profar was replaced by Michael De Leon, who also became the new short stop.

At Tampa, New York Yankees lost 9-6 at home against Detoit Tigers. The Yanks took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but Detroit then scored four runs in the third at bat. Trailing 6-2, the Yankees rallied for four runs in the bottom of the eighth to come alongside, highlighted by a 2-run single from Estevan Florial. Detroit then re-took the lead in the ninth, scoring three runs, including two on a double by Dominic Ficociello. Didi Gregorius started as short stop for the Yankees and was 0-for-3. In the second inning, Gregorius led off and struckout. In the fourth, the Yankees had runners on first and second base with one out after Giancarlo Stanton led off with a double and Greg Bird walked. The latter was then forced out on a grounder by Gregorius. That moved Stanton to third base, but he was left behind, as Gregorius himself also was forced out. In the sixth, Gregorius grounded out and he was replaced in the top of the seventh by Tyler Wade. For the first time this Spring Training, homerun-hitters Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton were in the same line-up. Judge, who underwent shoulder-surgery in the off-season, played in his first game and was 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Stanton was 2-for-3 and scored a run. Judge was the starting designated hitter and Stanton started in rightfield.

At Kissimmee, Atlanta Braves hosted New York Mets and lost 6-4. Atlanta led 4-3 after eight innings, but in the top of the ninth, after two strikeouts, the Mets scored three runs on a single by Jeff McNeil and a 2-run homerun by Arnaldo Berrios. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Atlanta trailed 4-2. New pitcher Jacob Rhame was greeted with singles from Charlie Culberson and Christian Colón, which gave the Braves runners at the corners. When Colón reached first base, Ray-Patrick Didder was inserted as pinch-runner, who then stole second base. Moments later, Culberson and Didder both scored on a single by Ronald Acuna. Didder's run gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead, but that was shortlived. Didder remained in the game and became the new second baseman in the top of the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Atlanta had runners on first and second base with two outs when Didder stepped up to the plate. But he popped out to end the inning.

At Fort Myers, Boston Red Sox won 4-3 vs. Pittsburgh Pirates. Trailing 3-0, Boston scored a run in the bottom of the third and fourth inning. The team then took a 4-3 lead in the seventh on a 2-run double by Brett Netzer. Xander Bogaerts started as short stop for Boston, was 1-for-2 and batted in a run. In the first inning, Bogaerts flied out. He got his second at bat in the third inning. In the top of the third, Pittsburgh scored three runs. Pittsburgh-starter Chad Kuhl retired the side in the first and second inning, then was relieved by Trevor Williams in the third. He began with two strikeouts, but then gave up a single to Austin Rei and walked Brock Holt. Hereafter, Bogaerts delivered a runscoring double that produced Boston's first run. Damien Magnifico then took over from Williams and got an inning-ending grounder, meaning Boston left runners behind on second and third base. In the bottom of the fourth, Boston got three baserunners with one out (all walks), but scored only once. In the bottom of the fifth, Brett Netzer was inserted as pinch-hitter for Bogaerts and then became the new second baseman. Chad De La Guerra moved from second base to short stop, taking over defensively for Bogaerts.

At Sarasota, Baltimore Orioles led 9-1 after six innings against St. Louis Cardinals. But in the top of the seventh inning, the Cards suddenly came to an 8-run rally that tied the score! In the eighth, St. Louis scored another run and went on to win 10-9. Jonathan Schoop started at second base for the Orioles, was 1-for-3 and scored a run. Schoop struckout in the first inning, then contributed in a productive third at bat in which the Orioles scored four runs. Caleb Joseph led off with a single and Colby Rasmus walked. The bases then got loaded when Schoop also singled. Hereafter, Manny Machado drilled the ball over the fence in left-centerfield for a grand slam homerun! In the bottom of the fourth, Schoop flied out. Baltimore then scored four more runs in the fifth on back-to-back homeruns by Chris Davis (3-run) and Trey Mancini. Schoop was replaced in the top of the sixth by Ryan Mountcastle, who became the new third baseman. At second base, Ruben Tejada took over. In the seventh inning, St. Louis rallied for eight runs on six basehits, including two homeruns by Yairo Munoz. He led off with a homerun, then closed the rally with a 2-run homerun. A single by Alex Mejia then gave St. Louis the lead in the eighth at bat.

At Jupiter, Washington Nationals played at Miami Marlins and lost 3-1. Washington scored its lone run in the top of the seventh inning. Spencer Kieboom catched for the Nationals and was 0-for-1 with a walk. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Kieboom entered the game as catcher, taking over from Miguel Montero. In the top the seventh, trailing 2-0, Washington got the bases loaded. New pitcher Dillon Peters walked Kelvin Gutierrez and Andrew Stevenson. After a strikeout, the bases got loaded when Kieboom also walked. Washington then scored its lone run when next hitter Adrian Sanchez also walked. That brought in new pitcher Drew Rucinski, who got out of the inning, thanks to a double play. In the ninth inning, Kieboom grounded out.

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