(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Tom de Blok's season ends; Remaining games cancelled due to Hurricane
Nederlands
  LAKELAND / ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (USA) -
The season of Dutch pitcher Tom de Blok has ended abrutply, as all remaining games of the season in the Florida State League (Single-A Advanced) and Gulf Coast League (Rookie League) have been cancelled.
The reason to cancel all remaining games is the possible impact of Hurricane Dorian, which approaches the State of Florida.
The GCL announced the decision on Wednesday (August 28), the FSL followed the next day.
In the Gulf Coast League, the final games were played on Thursday.
Six games were scheduled for that day, but two games cancelled due to rain.
For Friday and Saturday, eleven games were scheduled to be played on each day.
On Sunday, the Semi-Finals were to be played, to be followed by the best-of-three Championschip Series from Monday on.
The Florida State League has the same scenario.
Seven games were played on Thursday, but hereafter all games in the remainder of the regular season were cancelled.
On Friday, eight games were scheduled, six more on Saturday and four on Sunday.
Starting on Tuesday, the best-of-three Play-Offs were to be played.
Next Friday, the best-of-five Championship Final was to begin.
In the Gulf Coast League, the three Division-champions already were known when it was decided to cancel the remainder of the season.
Tim Brunswick, Minor League Baseball's Senior Vice-President of Baseball and Business Operations, stated: ,,In an effort to ensure that all players, coaches and staff members have a chance to evacuate and prepare for the storm, we have decided to cancel the final regular season games, as well as the playoffs.
After discussing the options with the teams, the decision to end the season early was the best choice for the safety of everyone involved as that is our top priority''.
Ken Carson, President of the Florida State League, said on Thursday:
,,This was a tough decision to make.
The safety of our players, staff, umpires and fans are top priority to us.
Team travel is also a great concern during hurricanes''.
In 2017, the Finals in the FSL also were cancelled due to a Hurricane.
On Thursday, Tom de Blok was the starting pitcher for Lakeland Flying Tigers (Detroit Tigers) in what was to be the team's final game of the season in the Florida State League.
At Clearwater Threshers (Philadelphia Phillies), De Blok threw 6 2/3 inning.
The righthander struckout six batters, gave up five hits and two runs and was the losing pitcher.
With this, De Blok closed the season with a 2-13 record.
In 21 games (20 starts), De Blok struckout 85 batters in 111 1/3 inning, walking 43 and giving up 98 basehits.
He closed with a 4.04 ERA.
Three other players from the Netherlands made their professional debut this season, playing in the Gulf Coast League, being pitchers Jiorgeny Casimiri and Sem Robberse and catcher Denzel Bryson.
Jiorgeny Casimiri pitched in nine games, all in relief for GCL Blue Jays (Toronto Blue Jays).
He threw 14 innings and struckout 13 batters.
Casimiri was 0-0 with no saves and a 2.47 ERA.
Last Tuesday, Casimiri was assigned to Bluefield Blue Jays, which plays in the Rookie Advanced League.
Sem Robberse also pitched for GCL Blue Jays.
He pitched in five games (three starts) and was 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA.
Robberse threw 10 1/3 inning in which he struckout nine batters.
Robberse and Casimiri both joined the team in July.
Both are currently in Busan (South Korea), where they participate in the Under-18 World Cup with the Netherlands Under-18 Team.
Denzel Bryson played in 27 games for GCL Braves (Atlanta Braves) since June.
He batted .065 (4-for-62) with two doubles, scored seven runs and batted in none.
Five players coming from the Antilles also are active in Florida.
For four of them, the season also ended.
Curaçao-born catcher Hendrik Clementina, second baseman Kevin Josephina and outfielder Shean Michel and Saint Martin-born outfielder Izzy Wilson all play in the Florida State League.
Clementina batted .249 in 91 games for Daytona Tortugas (Cincinnati Reds), Josephina batted .258 in 112 games for Florida Fire Frogs (Atlanta Braves), Michel batted .214 in 73 games for Fire Frogs and Wilson batted .270 in 20 games for Charlotte Stone Crabs (Tampa Bay Rays), whom he joined in July.
Wilson started the season with Fire Frogs, but was released in June.
Curaçao-born short stop Ceddane Rafaela played for GCL Red Sox in the Gulf Coast League and batted .248 in 41 games.
However, his season continues in another league.
On Friday, Rafaela was assigned to Lowell Spinners, which plays in Single-A Short Season.
On Friday-evening, Rafaela was the starting second baseman for his new team.
(August 30)
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