(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
 Starting Pitchers opening games Holland Series
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
The probable starting pitchers have been announced for the first games of the best-of-seven Holland Series, which begins coming Saturday (October 10).
Of course, as always, starting assignments can change on game-days.
Like last season, L&D Amsterdam Pirates and Curaçao Neptunus have qualified for the Holland Series
This season marks the fifth consecutive year that the two teams will face each other in the Championship Final.
Last year, Neptunus won the first three games of the best-of-seven.
Thereafter, Amsterdam Pirates became the first team in history to win the next four games and capture the Championship Title.
Last Sunday, Amsterdam Pirates played its last make-up game against HCAW.
The day before, Pirates had become the second finalist.
On Sunday, Pirates completed a 3-game sweep against HCAW by winning 11-4.
With Sunday's win, Amsterdam Pirates moved into first place in the Top-4 Pool, two points ahead of Neptunus.
The team that would end up in first place in this Pool would have home-advantage in the Holland Series.
But there were three make-up games left.
However, it was reported in the weekend that late last week it was agreed by Neptunus, Amsterdam Pirates, HCAW and the KNBSB that when the second finalist would be determined, the remaining make-up games (scheduled for this week) were not to be played.
This to secure the Holland Series could open on October 10 and also to eliminate unnecessary traveling after stricter measures were announced earlier last week against the spread of the coronavirus.
And so, the two scheduled make-up games between Amsterdam Pirates and Neptunus (Tuesday in Rotterdam, Thursday in Amsterdam) were cancelled.
The remainder of the halted game between Neptunus and HCAW was never re-scheduled.
That game was halted by rain in the top of the fourth inning on Tuesday, September 29 with HCAW leading 1-0.
The remainder was re-scheduled for the next day, but HCAW then filed a complaint against the re-scheduling, stating it would create an overload for its players.
When the halted Neptunus vs. HCAW game would have been completed (this week), both finalists would have played its entire 3-games series against both HCAW and Hoofddorp Pioniers.
And only the two Pirates vs. Neptunus games would have been left over.
That would have at least created a standings with both Pirates and Neptunus having played equal games against the same opponents.
While Amsterdam Pirates finished in first place, the ranking for first and second place for the Holland Series was decided otherwise, as it was determined that the Top-4 Pool could not be completed.
Instead, it was reported that the head-to-head results of the three regular season-games plus the lone Top-4 game were used.
Neptunus won three of those games and so, it got home-advantage in the upcoming Holland Series.
A Holland Series which will be played without spectators, as that is prohibited at the moment due to the stricter corona-measures.
How was it done last season?
Last year, the two finalists were determined via two best-of-five Play-Offs.
The first Play-Off was played between the winner of the regular season and the team that finished in fourth place.
The second Play-Off was played between the numbers two and three of the regular season.
This season, it was opted to return to the Top-4/Bottom-4 format again.
Of course, we have a completely other sitiuation this year, but when the Top-4 Pool (and Bottom-4) competition-format was used in previous seasons, all games were played also when the two finalists were known, just as in the regular season.
(October 8)
| GAME 1 HOLLAND SERIES |
| Roster | CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS (0-0) | vs. |
L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES (0-0) | Roster | Game-info |
| Starting Pitcher |  | G | Starting Pitcher |  |
| Date, Time & Site |
#35 LHP Diegomar Markwell
Season: 3-0
Top-4: 1-0 |
1 | #38 RHP Rob Cordemans
Season: 1-0
Top-4: 1-0 |
Saturday, October 10, 2:00 PM
Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark
Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam |
| GAME 2 HOLLAND SERIES |
| Roster | L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES (0-0) | vs. |
CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS (0-0) | Roster | Game-info |
|
| Starting Pitcher |  | G | Starting Pitcher |  |
| Date, Time & Site |
#50 LHP Jim Ploeger
Season: 1-0
Top-4: 1-0 |
2 | to be determined |
Sunday, October 11, 2:00 PM
Loek Loevendie Ballpark,
Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Rotterdam |
| SCHEDULE HOLLAND SERIES |
| Roster | L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES | vs. |
CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS | Roster | Game-info |
|
| # | Starting Pitchers Pirates | G | # | Starting Pitchers Neptunus |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 38 | RHP Rob Cordemans (0-0) | 1 | 35 | LHP Diegomar Markwell (0-0) | Sa.Oct.10,2:00 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| 50 | LHP Jim Ploeger (0-0) | 2 | | to be determined | Su.Oct.11,2:00 PM,Amsterdam (2) |
| | to be announced | 3 | | to be announced | Th.Oct.15,7:30 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| | to be announced | 4 | | to be announced | Sa.Oct.17,2:00 PM,Amsterdam (2) |
| | (*) | 5 | | (*) | Su.Oct.18,2:00 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| | (*) | 6 | | (*) | Sa.Oct.24,2:00 PM,Amsterdam (2) |
| | (*) | 7 | | (*) | Su.Oct.25,2:00 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| (*) = if needed |
| (1) = Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam; (2) = Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam |
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