(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen)
      Netherlands opens World Baseball Classic with win against Cuba
Nederlands
 TAICHUNG (Taiwan) -
The Netherlands, or Team Kingdom of the Netherlands as it is called in international tournaments, had a great start of the fifth edition of the World Baseball Classic.
On Wednesday (March 8), the Orange Team played the opening-game of the global event against Cuba and recorded a 4-2 victory.
In the evening, Panama recorded a big 12-5 win against host Chinese Taipei
For the Netherlands, this was its fourth win against the Cuban Team in five head-to-head games played so far in the five World Baseball Classics since 2006.
The Orange Team played a good game today.
Despite facing an early Cuban scoring threat in the first inning and facing an 1-0 deficit in the second inning, the team recovered, came alongside, took charge of the game and turned it around in the sixth inning.
The Netherlands pitching did very well and gave up only three basehits to Cuba, which has a long tradition of being one of the biggest baseball-powerhouses.
But today, Cuba was unable to do some scoring in the first inning and failed to take more distance when it took an early lead.
Instead, the Cuban pitching faced a tough Orange batting.
And although the Cuban pitchers struckout thirteen batters, they also gave up seven basehits, some of which were hit just at the right moment.
...Starting pitcher Tom de Blok...
...first pitching-outing since September 2021...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
Orange-Manager Hensley Meulens fielded a team today with nine position-players who ALL had Major League-experience!
Overall, the nine have a total of 66 Major League-seasons combined, played in 6,330 games and collected 5,754 basehits, including 660 homeruns.
The longest tenured Major Leaguers are Didi Gregorius and Andrelton Simmons, who both played in eleven Major League-seasons.
Both are currrently Free Agent.
Xander Bogaerts played in the most games (1,264 in ten seasons) and collected the most basehits (1,410).
Jonathan Schoop recorded the most homeruns (174).
The lone player without Major League-experience in the starting line-up was starting pitcher Tom de Blok.
But the righthander played professionally for three seasons (2017-2019) in the Minor Leagues in the Detroit Tigers-organization.
In those seasons, De Blok pitched in 64 games (51 starts) and was 11-21 with a 3.91 ERA, striking out 234 batters in 294 2/3 inning.
In the abbreviated 2020 season, he returned to the Netherlands and pitched again for L&D Amsterdam Pirates for whom he also played in 2021.
During the 2021 season, he threw a 7-inning Perfect Game in May.
In June, De Blok had a strong outing (6 strikeouts, 5 2/3 inning) for the Netherlands Team in a thriller against the Dominican Republic (in what was a 4-3 loss) during the WBSC Baseball Final Olympic Qualifier in Mexico.
A day after that event ended (in which the Netherlands was eliminated for the Olympic Games in Japan), De Blok signed a professional contract with Pericos de Puebla in the Liga Mexicana de Béisbol.
However, less than two weeks later, after having made one start for Puebla, De Blok was released due to an injury.
The righthander returned to Amsterdam Pirates, then made his next pitching appearance in early September, throwing one inning during the Play-Offs against HCAW.
That was to be his final appearance.
Due to his injury, De Blok didn't throw the entire 2022 season.
This year, he will be on the mound for Curaçao Neptunus.
That also meant that today, De Blok pitched in his first game for the Orange Team since pitching against the Dominicans on June 24, 2021.
Besides that, this was his first time back on the mound in a game since September 5, 2021.
Duringt the preparations for this years Classic, De Blok last week pitched in two intrasquad-games in Arizona (USA).
Cuba plays with a team with some wellknown veteran players, who have played in many international tournaments, including the Baseball Week Haarlem and the World Port Tournament, the two tournaments in the Netherlands.
Besides that, the team also has some players with Major League-experience.
That includes two active Major Leaguers, third baseman Yoán Moncada Olivera and centerfielder Luis Robert Moirán, Jr..
The 27-year old Moncada plays in the Major League since 2016.
In that year, he played for Boston Red Sox, since 2017, he plays for Chicago White Sox.
At Boston, Moncada was a teammate of Xander Bogaerts.
Overall, he played in 643 Major League-games.
25-year old Robert also plays for Chicago White Sox since 2020.
He appeared in 222 Major League-games.
Also playing for the team is 37-year old veteran (DH) Yoenis Céspedes Milanés, who played in 834 Major League-games for Oakland A's (2012-2014), Boston Red Sox (2014), Detroit Tigers (2015) and New York Mets (2015-2018, 2020).
Short stop Erisbel Arruebarrena Escalante played in 22 Major League-games in the 2014 season for Los Angeles Dodgers, where he was a teammate of Orange-outfielder Roger Bernadina.
Catcher Lorenzo Quintana Fernández played in the Minor Leagues for Miami Marlins in 2018-2022.
He was released in August.
First baseman Yadir Drake Dominguez (2015-2016) and second baseman Yadil Mujica Díaz (2011-2012) also played in the Minor Leagues.
Another veteran on the Cuban roster is 36-year old Alfredo Despaigne Rodriguez, who plays in the professional league in Japan since 2014.
Despaigne won the Japan Series four times with Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, where he was a teammate of Dutch pitcher Rick van den Hurk in four seasons.
Despaigne didn't play in today's game against the Netherlands.
Tom de Blok quickly got the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, although he also struckout a batter.
The righthander walked lead-off hitter Roel Santos Martinez and Yoán Moncada.
Santos played in Japan for Chiba Lotte Marines in 2017.
De Blok then struckout Luis Robert, Jr., but got the bases loaded when he also walked Yoenis Céspedes.
But with three runners on base and only one out, the scoring threat ended when Lorenzo Quintana grounded the ball to short stop Xander Bogaerts, who started a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
But in the top of the second inning, Cuba did open the score.
With one out, De Blok walked Yoelkis Guibert, who last year played for the Canadian team of Quebec Capitales in the Frontier League, which is a professional Independent League.
With two outs, Guibert scored on a double by Yadil Mujica, but he stranded on second base.
In the third inning, De Blok retired the side, including striking out Robert for the second time.
Cuban starter Yariel Rodríguez Yordy began by striking out Jurickson Profar, who last season played for San Diego Padres, but currently is a Free Agent.
The righthander then walked Roger Bernadina, but also struckout Xander Bogaerts, who signed an 11-year contract (280 million dollar) with San Diego Padres in December.
Bernadina stranded on first base, as the at bat ended with a grounder by Didi Gregorius.
He played for Philadelphia Phillies last season, was released in August and still is a Free Agent.
In the second inning, the Netherlands got two baserunners off of Rodríguez, who plays in Japan for Chunichi Dragons since 2020.
Rodríguez hit lead-off hitter Jonathan Schoop with a pitch, then also hit Josh Palacios with a pitch with one out.
They also were left behind, as Rodríguez then struckout Andrelton Simmons and Chadwick Tromp.
Simmons last year played for Minnesota Twins, also was released in August and also is a Free Agent.
But in the bottom of the third inning, the Orange Team came alongside.
With one out, Roger Bernadina reached on an infield-hit to his former teammate Erisbel Arruebarrena.
Bernadina moved into scoring position on a following grounder by Xander Bogaerts, then scored when Didi Gregorius hit the ball into leftfield for a single.
...Orange-Manager Hensley Meulens...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
The Cuban offense was silenced from the third inning on.
First by Tom de Blok in the third, then by relievers Derek West and Eric Mendez Matos, who both made their international debut in the Netherlands Team.
In the top of the fourth, West got three grounders in a row.
With two outs in the fifth, West walked Roel Santos, then Mendez took over the Orange-pitching.
He saw Santos steal second base, but then got an inning-ending pop-fly in foul territory.
In the sixth, Mendez walked Yoenis Céspedes with one out, but he stranded on first base.
The Netherlands left another runner behind in the bottom of the fourth off of Yariel Rodríguez, who struckout six batters.
With two outs, Andrelton Simmons singled, but Chadwick Tromp then grounded out.
In the fifth inning, Onelki García took over the Cuban pitching.
The 33-year old lefthander played in the Major League in 2013 for Los Angeles Dodgers and in 2017 for Kansas City Royals.
Thereafter, García played in Japan for Chunichi Dragons (2018) and Hanshin Tigers (2019-2020).
García retired the side, including striking out Roger Bernadina.
But in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Orange Team struck and turned the game around.
First, Didi Gregorius led off with a walk, then Jonathan Schoop singled.
That led to a pitching change and Carlos Viera took over.
He began by striking out Wladimir Balentien, but then gave up a single to Josh Palacios, who also made his international debut in the Orange-squad.
On his basehit, Gregorius scored to put the Netherlands ahead, 2-1, while Schoop advanced to third base.
Viera then also struckout Andrelton Simmons, but he then gave up another productive basehit, as Chadwick Tromp delivered a 2-run single into centerfield.
Schoop and Palacios scored and that lifted the Orange-lead to 4-1.
Viera ended the inning by striking out Jurickson Profar, but despite having three strikeouts, Cuba also trailed.
In the top of the seventh inning, Kevin Kelly took over the Orange-pitching and gave up the second Cuban run.
The righthander was greeted with a lead-off double by Yoelkis Guibert, who then advanced to third base when next batter Erisbel Arruebarrena flied out.
Next, Guibert scored on a grounder by Yadil Mujica.
But this would be the last Cuban run given up.
The Netherlands also would stay scoreless in the remainder of the game.
The team got close to another run in the top of the bottom of the seventh off of new pitcher Miguel Romero, who plays then Minor Leagues for Oakland A's since 2017.
Last season, Romero pitched 38 games in relief in Triple-A and was 2-1.
Roger Bernadina led off with a single and stole second base while next batter Xander Bogaerts struckout, then moved to third base on a grounder by Didi Gregorius.
But he stranded there, as Romero closed by striking out Jonathan Schoop.
Franklin Van Gurp was on the mound for the Kingdom-team in the top of the eighth.
That at bat ended with a confirmed call after a challenge.
With one out, Luis Robert, Jr. (who had struckout three times) doubled, but was unable to advance on a grounder to short by next batter Yoenis Céspedes.
Moments later, Robert was picked off at second base by catcher Chadwick Tromp.
Cuba challenged the call from American 2B Umpire Dan Iassogna, but after reviewing the play, the call from the experienced Major League-umpire was upheld and the inning ended.
Cuban reliever Liván Moinelo Pita retired the Netherlands-side in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Orange-closer Wendell Floranus did the same in the top of the ninth to earn a save.
| Netherlands vs. Cuba, World Baseball Classic |
| Date | Score | Site |
| March 9, 2006 | 11-2 loss | San Juan (Puerto Rico) |
| March 8, 2013 | 6-2 win | Tokyo (Japan) |
| March 11, 2013 | 7-6 win | Tokyo (Japan) |
| March 15, 2017 | 14-1 win (7 inn.) | Tokyo (Japan) |
| March 8, 2023 | 4-2 win | Taichung (Taiwan) |
  |
For the Netherlands, the following players came into action today:
Jurickson Profar (LF, 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts), Roger Bernadina (CF, 2-for-3, run, walk, strikeout, stolen base), Xander Bogaerts (SS, 0-for-4, 2 strikeouts), Didi Gregorius (1B, 1-for-3, run, RBI, walk), Jonathan Schoop (2B, 1-for-3, run, 2 strikeouts), Wladimir Balentien (DH, 0-for-4, strikeout), Josh Palacios (RF, 1-for-3, run, RBI, 2 strikeouts, stolen base), Andrelton Simmons (3B, 1-for-4, 2 strikeouts), Chadwick Tromp (C, 1-for-3, 2 RBI's, strikeout) and pitchers Tom de Blok, Derek West, Eric Mendez Matos, Kevin Kelly, Franklin Van Gurp and Wendell Floranus.
(March 8)
Related Articles:
 Netherlands closes exhibition-series in Taiwan with loss. (March 6)
Netherlands suffers small loss in exhibition in Taiwan; Fransen replaces Farley. (March 5)
Netherlands Team loses last exhibition-game in Arizona. (February 27)
Netherlands Team wins first exhibition-game via homerun-comeback. (February 25)
Netherlands Team suffers big loss in second exhibition-game in Arizona. (February 21)
Netherlands Team opens exhibition-series in Arizona with loss. (February 19)
Roster Netherlands Team announced for World Baseball Classic. (February 10)
|
First game World Baseball Classic 20223.