(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photo by Henk Seppen)
     First Spring Training-appearances Simmons & Jansen; Kieboom injured; Apostel to Minors
Nederlands
     FORT MYERS / NORTH PORT / WEST PALM BEACH, Florida / SUPRISE / TEMPE, Arizona (USA) -
Short stop Andrelton Simmons and closer Kenley Jansen have made their first Spring Training-appearance for their new club.
Other 'Dutch' news this week was that infielder Carter Kieboom will be sidelined for at least two months and that infielder Sherten Apostel has been sent to Triple-A.
On March 15, Simmons signed an one-year contract with Chicago Cubs after having played for Minnesota Twins in the 2021 season.
On Thursday (March 24), Simmons played in his first game for his new club in am away-game against Los Angeles Angels in Tempe.
Simmons batted second and was the starting designated hitter for Chicago, which lost 5-4.
He had a good debut for Chicago, as he singled in his first at bat in the top of the first inning.
Moments later, Simmons scored the first run on a double by Yan Gomes.
He reached on a force play (fielder's choice)-grounder in the third, which also led to a run, as a throwing error was made trying to complete a double play.
After reaching base, Simmons was replaced by pinch-runner James Triantos.
Kenley Jansen pitched for the first time for Atlanta Braves on Friday (March 25).
Jansen signed an one-year contract with Atlanta on March 18 after having played for Los Angeles Dodgers since 2010.
Playing at home in North Port, Atlanta faced Boston Red Sox and won 6-3.
With Atlanta leading 3-0, Jansen took the mound in the top of the fifth, becoming the third Braves-pitcher in the game.
As starting pitchers don't need to throw the necessary five complete innings to become the winning pitcher in exhibition games, starter Ian Anderson was the pitcher-of-record after having throw the first three innings.
In the fourth, Tyler Thornburg threw for Atlanta, then Jansen in the fifth.
The righthander got two quick outs, but then walked Ryan Fitzgerald, who advanced to third base when Christian Arroyo singled.
When this was followed by an outfield-error, Fitzgerald was able to score.
A grounder ended the at bat.
As Jansen entered the game in a save-situation (as did Thornburg), he was credited with a Hold.
Earlier in the week, on Monday in Surprise, Arizona, Texas Rangers announced that third baseman Sherten Apostel had been optioned to Round Rock Express (Triple-A).
Apostel is on the 40-man roster of Texas, but had not played in this years Spring Training.
He played in 23 Spring Training-games for Texas in the previous three years combined.
...Jonathan Schoop homered for Detroit Tigers...
...On the photo, he homered for the Netherlands...
...during the 2017 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Also on Monday, at its Spring Training-site in West Palm Beach, Florida, it was announced that third baseman/short stop Carter Kieboom was placed on the 60-day injured list by Washington Nationals.
Kieboom had not yet played this year.
It was reported that Kieboom has right forearm flexor mass and ulnar collateral ligament strain.
Also playing in his first Spring Training-game this week was catcher Chadwick Tromp.
On Tuesday, he hit a double and scored in a 4-0 away-win against Minnesota Twins at Hammond Stadium in Fort Myers.
With a scoreless tie, Tromp took over the catching for Atlanta in the bottom of the sixth.
In the top of the eighth, with Atlanta now leading 2-0, Tromp hit an one-out double, then scored on a pinch-hit single by Stephen Paolini.
Hendrik Clementina, who is a non-roster player with Atlanta Braves, has played in three games so far.
The catcher batted 0-for-7 with four strikeouts.
Ray-Patrick Didder, who was added as additional player to the team of Miami Marlins last weekend, played in four games through Thursday.
The outfielder batted .333 (2-for-6) with a triple, scored three runs and batted in two.
On March 17, Ceddanne Rafaela and Izzy Wilson were added to the team of Boston Red Sox.
Since then, Rafaela played in four games, hitting .200 (2-for-10) with a double, while scoring three runs.
Wilson also played in four games and batted .400 (2-for-5) with one walk and scored three runs.
And of course, regulars Ozzie Albies, Xander Bogaerts, Didi Gregorius, Jurickson Profar and Jonathan Schoop also has seen action.
Through Friday, Albies (Atlanta Braves) played in five games and collected only one basehit in nine at bats.
Bogaerts (Boston Red Sox) played in four games and produced two basehits (one double) in eight at bats.
Gregorius (Philadelphia Phillies) also played in four games and collected four basehits in nine at bats.
Profar (San Diego Padres) played in four games (his last on Tuesday) and is hitting 2-for-11 with one double, while scoring twice.
Schoop (Detroit Tigers) appeared in five games.
He recorded two basehits in ten at bats, but one of them was a homerun last Tuesday against Philadelphia.
(March 25)
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