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(Story by Marco Stoovelaar) Five Netherlands-players in Spring Training-action on Saturday Nederlands BRADENTON / LAKELAND / NORTH PORT / WEST PALM BEACH, Florida / PEORIA / SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (USA) - On Saturday (February 22), all 30 Major League-teams were scheduled to come into action for the first time during this years Spring Training. However, due to weather conditions, six games were cancelled in the Cactus League (Arizona). In the Grapefruit League (Florida), all scheduled games went underway, but eventually one was cancelled due to rain after two innings. While it was sometimes windy, cloudy and chilly with a bit rain in some locations, but in general, it was around 21 degrees Celsius (71 Fahrenheit). On Saturday, five players from the Netherlands came into action. Jonathan Schoop (Detroit Tigers), Ozzie Albies (Atlanta Braves), Calten Daal (Minnesota Twins) and Chadwick Tromp (San Francisco Giants) all played their first game, while Zander Wiel played in his second exhibition game. It could have been seven, as Carter Kieboom (Washington Nationals) and Jurickson Profar (San Diego Padres) were in the starting line-ups, but their games rained out. Daal was added to the team of Minnesota earlier in the day, which brings the total of players from the Netherlands in this years Spring Training to twelve. Hensley Meulens, who was named Bench Coach of the New York Mets in November, today was the Manager of a split-squad of the Mets. That team lost 2-0 at St. Louis Cardinals. On Saturday-evening, defending World Series-champion Washington Nationals was to play at home against Houston Astros. In last years World Series, Washington defeated Houston 4-3 in the best-of-seven final for the Major League-title. In recent weeks, a lot has been said about the Houston Astros, as the team is involved in a big sign-stealing scandal. After an investigation, Major League Baseball reported in January that Houston had violated rules by using technological equipment to steal signs from opposing catchers during the 2017 season in which the team went on to win the World Series. MLB suspended Houston's Manager A.J. Hinch, as well as its General Manager for the entire 2020 season. Shortly after that announcement, both were fired by Houston. Alex Cora, who was the Bench Coach of Hinch in 2017, was also mentioned in the report, as was then-player Carlos Beltrán. Since 2018, Cora was the Manager of Boston Red Sox, while Beltrán was named Manager of New York Mets in November. A day after Hinch was fired by Houston, Boston and Cora also separated. Two days later, the same happened between the Mets and Beltrán. In following weeks, veteran Manager Dusty Baker was named as the successor of Hinch to lead Houston this season. Luis Rojas succeeded Beltrán at New York and Bench Coach Ron Roenicke was named Interim-Manager as the successor of Cora. The 70-year old Baker is now entering his 23rd season as Major League Manager. He led San Francisco Giants (1993-2002), Chicago Cubs (2003-2006), Cincinnati Reds (2008-2013) and Washington Nationals (2016-2017). Baker played in the Major League in 19 seasons for Atlanta Braves (1968-1975), Los Angeles Dodgers (1976-1983), San Francisco Giants (1984) and Oakland Athletics (1985-1986). Since the MLB-report was published, several players, coaches, clubs ans fans have voiced their disapproval of what had happened in 2017. Most also wondered why the players who were involved in the scandal were not disciplined. As was agreed with the Players Association, the players were given immunity in exhange for their statements of what had been going on during the 2017 season. (February 22) Related Articles: 10 Kingdom-players open Spring Training on Major League-rosters. (February 20) Sherten Apostel & Zander Wiel first Netherlands-players in action in Spring Training. (February 21)

At LECOM Park in Bradenton, Minnesota Twins played an away-game at Pittsburgh Pirates. For the second day in a row, Zander Wiel was the staring first baseman for Minnesota. On Friday, Wiel recorded his first-ever Spring Training-basehit. On Saturday, batting eighth and wearing uniform number 12, Wiel got his first at bat in the top of the third inning and then walked. With one out, he moved into scoring position on a single by Luis Arraez, then scored the first run when next batter Willians Astudillo also singled. Moments later, Arraez also scored whenJake Cave recorded the third consecutive single. Wiel flied out in the fourth inning, then was replaced in the bottom of the fifth inning. In the top of the ninth inning, Calten Daal entered the game for Minnesota as pinch-hitter. He led off, but grounded out. Daal stayed in the game and was the short stop in the bottom of the ninth. After completion of last season, Daal was a Free Agent. On January 28, he signed with Minnesota Twins and was assigned to its Triple-A team. Today, Daal was added to the team as an additional player. Minnesota won with a 2-1 score.

At Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Detroit Tigers played at home against Phlladelphia Phillies. Jonathan Schoop started at second base for Detroit, his new club. Didi Gregorius, who will be the short stop for Philadelphia, this season, didn't play yet today. With number 8 on his back and batting fifth, Schoop got his first at bat in the second inning. C.J. Cron led off with a double and scored when Schoop singled in his first at bat for Detroit. That was the start of a productive rally, as next batters Jeimer Candelario and Christin Stewart also singled. Schoop scored on Stewart's basehit. After a double play, Detroit added another run on a single by JaCoby Jones. Schoop grounded out in the third inning. He then left the game after having played four innings. The game ended with an 8-8 score after nine innings.

At the beautiful Cool Today Park in North Port, Atlanta Braves hosted Baltimore Orioles in its exhibition-opener. Atlanta moved into their new site in March last year, towards the end of Spring Training. Ozzie Albies was the starting second baseman for Atlanta. Wearing his usual uniform number 1, Albies was the second batter in the batting order of Manager Brian Snitker. Like Zander Wiel and Jonathan Schoop, Albies also contributed to an early lead of his team. In the bottom of the first inning, Ronald Acuña led off with a single, then Albies walked and the bases got loaded when Freddie Freeman also walked. Hereafter, Adam Duvall followed with a runscoring single. Moments later, Albies scored head first on a sacrifice fly into foul territory in rightfield by Dansby Swanson. Another sacrifice fly followed, this time by Ender Inciarte to make it a 3-0 score. In the third inning, Albies led off with a single and moved to third base on a single by Freeman. Next batter Duvall then grounded into a double play, but that enabled Albies to score his second run in the game. Albies was replaced after four innings and Atlanta recorded a 5-0 shutout-victory.

At FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches at West Palm Beach, defending World Series-champion Washington Nationals played at home against Houston Astros. Both teams share this new facility since 2017. In last years World Series, Washington defeated Houston 4-3 in the best-of-seven. Since a few weeks, Dusty Baker is the new Manager of Houston and in this game, he faced his former club. Baker led Washington in 2016 and 2017. The game was interrupted by heavy rain when the top of the third inning was about to start, just before the first at bat in the game for Carter Kieboom. Washington was retired in order in the first two innings by Dominican righthander Cristian Javier, who struckout three batters. Max Scherzer started for Washington. The righthander gave up a 2-out single to Taylor Jones in the first inning, but he was left behind. In the second inning, Scherzer walked lead-off hitter Ronnie Dawson, who later was caught stealing. Kieboom, wearing number 8, was the seventh hitter and starting third baseman for Washington. But he never got his at bat, as the game was eventually cancelled after a long rain-delay.

At Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, San Francisco Giants played at home against Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday-evening. Los Angeles struck early, scoring two runs in the first inning and three in the third at bat. The Dodgers went on to win 10-4. With Los Angeles leading 8-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning, Chadwick Tromp led off for San Francisco as pinch-hitter for designated hitter Darin Ruf. Tromp, wearing number 82, was hit on his left hand by a pitch from Nolan Long. After striking out the next batter, Long walked Peter Maris. The righthander then followed with another strikeout, but got the bases loaded when he walked Joey Bart. Hereafter, Joe Broussard took over the Dodger-pitching and he got an inning-ending flyout. After Los Angeles had added two more runs in the top of the ninth, Broussard struckout the side in the bottom of the ninth and earned a save.

At Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, San Diego Padres was the home-team against Seattle Mariners, with whom they share the same Spring Training-facility. Jurickson Profar was scheduled to be the starter at second base for San Diego. In December last year, Profar was traded to San Diego by Oakland Athletics. However, due to inclement weather, the game was cancelled. Six of the eight games scheduled to be played in Arizona rained out.

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