(Story by Marco Stoovelaar)
 Starting Pitchers coming series; Amsterdam Pirates-HCAW series postponed
Nederlands
 AMSTERDAM (Neth.) -
Most probable starting pitchers for the upcoming 3-game series have been announced.
Of course, as always, starting assignments can change on game-days.
The postseason of the 2020 season began with two postponed games in the Top-4 Pool.
The game scheduled for last Saturday between reigning champion L&D Amsterdam Pirates and last years Holland Series-loser Curaçao Neptunus was initially postponed to last Tuesday due to a possible case of the coronavirus.
The next day, Amsterdam Pirates announced that two persons were tested positive and with that, Sunday's game and Tuesday's make-up game were both postponed.
New make-up dates have not yet been announced.
On Wednesday (September 16), it was announced that the upcoming 3-game series of Amsterdam Pirates against HCAW also has been postponed.
The teams were scheduled to open on Thursday in Amsterdam, then play again on Saturday and Sunday.
On its website, Amsterdam Pirates issued the following statement on Wednesday;
,,In recent days, another player from L&D Amsterdam has tested positive for corona.
Because of this and the previous cases, the playoff series against HCAW tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday has been postponed.
As soon as we know when the games will be made up, it will be published via the website.''
in other news...
 DSS/Kinheim has adjusted its starting rotation somewhat for the 3-game series against Twins Oosterhout.
Lefthander Bas Timmer has been named the starter for Game 3 on Sunday.
In the regular season, Timmer started one game (September 6 vs. Quick Amersfoort) and pitched in relief in five games.
He also pitched in relief in one game in the previous series against Silicon Storks.
Timmer takes the place of Glenn Wassink in the rotation, who started Game 2 last Saturday.
Steven van Groningen, who then started Game 3, will now start Game 2.
Hoofddorp Pioniers also adjusted its rotation for its series against Curaçao Neptunus.
Lefthander Chris Pfau, who was the starter in most opening games so far, will now start Game 2.
Righthander Yassir Lachkar has been assigned for Thursday's opener.
In the regular season, he threw in six games, including one as a starter.
On September 1, he threw the first inning of a make-up game against Silicon Storks.
In the rotation, Lachkar takes the spot of righthander Scott Prins, who had been the starting pitcher in most Games 3.
Last weekend, Prins traveled to the USA to start his study there.
Righthander Lars Broersen will start again in Game 3.
He was added to the rotation some weeks ago when Lars Huijer left the team.
Quick Amersfoort has currently three injured players, who all are solid powerhitters, being outfielders Roger Bernadina and Ademar Rifaela and first baseman Bryan Engelhardt.
(September 16)
| TOP-4 QUALIFYING POOL HOLLAND SERIES |
| Roster | CURAÇAO NEPTUNUS (1-0) | vs. |
HOOFDDORP PIONIERS (2-1) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Neptunus | G | # | Starting Pitchers Pioniers |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 35 | LHP Diegomar Markwell (0-0) | 1 | 6 | RHP Yassir Lachkar (0-0) | Th.Sep.17, 7:30 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| 38 | RHP Orlando Yntema (0-0) | 2 | 47 | LHP Chris Pfau (1-0) | Sa.Sep.19, 1:00 PM,Hoofddorp (2) |
| 27 | RHP Kaj Timmermans (0-0) | 3 | 25 | RHP Lars Broersen (0-0) | Su.Sep.20, 2:00 PM,Rotterdam (1) |
| (1) = Neptunus Familiestadion, Sportpark Abraham van Stolkweg, Rotterdam; (2) = ETO Ballpark, Sportpark Hoofddorp Pioniers, Park21, Hoofddorp |
| TOP-4 QUALIFYING POOL HOLLAND SERIES |
| Roster | L&D AMSTERDAM PIRATES (0-1) | vs. |
HCAW (1-2) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Pirates | G | # | Starting Pitchers HCAW |
| Date, Time & Site |
| | Game postponed | 1 | | Game postponed | Th.Sep.17, 7:30 PM,Amsterdam (3) |
| | Game postponed | 2 | | Game postponed | Sa.Sep.19, 2:30 PM,Bussum (4) |
| | Game postponed | 3 | | Game postponed | Su.Sep.20, 2:00 PM,Amsterdam (3) |
| (3) = Loek Loevendie Ballpark, Sportpark 'Ookmeer', Amsterdam; (2) = Rob Hoffmann Vallei, Sportpark Zanderijweg, Bussum |
| BOTTOM-4 POOL |
| Roster | TWINS OOSTERHOUT (1-2) | vs. |
DSS/KINHEIM (3-0) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Twins | G | # | Starting Pitchers DSS/Kinheim |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 34 | RHP Stefan Iannelli (0-0) | 1 | 23 | RHP Jelle Bing (0-0) | Th.Sep.17, 7:30 PM,Haarlem (5) |
| | to be decided | 2 | 31 | RHP Steven van Groningen (1-0) | Sa.Sep.19, 2:00 PM,Haarlem (5) |
| | to be decided | 3 | 20 | LHP Bas Timmer (0-0) | Su.Sep.20, 2:00 PM,Oosterhout (6) |
| (5) = Pim Mulier Stadion, Pim Mulier Sportpark, Haarlem; (6) = Sportpark 'De Slotbosse Toren', Oosterhout |
| (*) - Thursday's home-game of Twins Oosterhout will be played at the site of DSS/Kinheim in Haarlem |
| BOTTOM-4 POOL |
| Roster | QUICK AMERSFOORT (2-1) | vs. |
SILICON STORKS (0-3) | Roster | Game-info |
| # | Starting Pitchers Quick | G | # | Starting Pitchers Storks |
| Date, Time & Site |
| 14 | RHP Jan-Willem Geerts (0-0) | 1 | 25 | RHP Twan Naessens (0-0) | Th.Sep.17, 7:30 PM,Amersfoort (7) |
| 18 | LHP Brian van Laar (0-0) | 2 | 85 | RHP Nick Winkel (0-0) | Sa.Sep.19, 2:30 PM,The Hague (8) |
| 52 | LHP Jhan Rifaela (0-0) | 3 | 66 | RHP Ronald Bloem (0-1) | Su.Sep.20, 2:00 PM,Amersfoort (7) |
| (7) = XL Leas Park 'Dorrestein', Amersfoort; (2) = Sportpark 'Kijkduin', The Hague |
|
