(Story by Marco Stoovelaar; Photos by Henk Seppen & Major League Baseball)
   Jurickson Profar back with Padres; First female Umpire in Spring Training in 17 years
Nederlands
 PEORIA, Arizona (USA) -
Outfielder Jurickson Profar is back on the roster of a Major League-team.
After completion of last season, the 31-year old Curaçao-born Profar was a Free Agent.
On Saturday (February 24), it was announced that Profar had re-signed with San Diego Padres, where he also played in the second half of the 2023 season.
...Jurickson Profar with the Netherlands Team...
...during the 2023 World Baseball Classic...
(© Photo: Henk Seppen) |
It was reported on Saturday that San Diego and Profar already had agreed on an one-year contract two weeks ago.
However, due to visa-problems, Profar arrived later at the Padres Spring Training-site in Peoria (Arizona) on Saturday.
Because of the delay, his phyical had to be postponed.
That was now done on Saturday and after he had passed it, the deal was confirmed.
Profar made his Major League-debut in 2012, playing in nine games for Texas Rangers.
After having played in 85 games in 2013, Profar missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons due to an injury.
He then was a regular for Texas from 2016 through 2018.
In December 2018, Profar was traded to Oakland Athletics for whom he played in 2019.
A year later, Oakland traded Profar to San Diego Padres, where he became an utility player.
Profar was a Free Agent after the 2020 season, but signed again with San Diego in January 2021.
Profar was a Free Agent again after the 2022 season.
It then took some time to sign with another club, but during Spring Training 2023, one-and-a-half-week before the start of the regular season, Profar signed with Colorado Rockies.
Profar played in 111 games for Colorado, hitting .236 (98-for-415, 8 homeruns, 45 RBI's), but on August 27, he was released.
Four days later, he signed a Minor League-contract with San Diego Padres.
After having played in four games for El Paso Chuhuahuas (5-for-11, 2 homeruns, six runs, eight RBI's) in Triple-A, Profar's contract was selected by San Diego on September 8.
The next day, Profar made his comeback in the Major League and was 3-for-4 with a double and homerun against Houston Astros.
Since then, Profar played in 14 games for San Diego and batted .295 (13-for-44, one homerun, seven RBI's).
Last winter, Profar played for Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Republic.
Earlier this month, Profar participated in the Serie del Caribe in Miami, Florida (USA), with Curaçao Suns, representing Curaçao.
The team qualified for the Semi-Finals.
Profar participated in three World Baseball Classics with the Netherlands Team, in 2013 (when he replayed injured Yurendell de Caster), in 2017 and in 2023.
In the first two tournaments, the Orange-squad reached the Semi-Final.
Last year, the unexpectedly was eliminated in the First Round.
In the meantime, Major League Spring Training has begun and the first exhibition-games were played since last Thursday.
At the moment, Jurickson Profar is one of ten Dutch players in Spring Training.
At San Diego, Profar (who has not played yet) is a teammate of Xander Bogaerts, who has moved from short stop to second base.
Bogaerts played in two games so far, batted 1-for-4 and scored once.
The other Dutch players (or with a Dutch background) are pitchers Kenley Jansen and Sem Robberse, catcher Chadwick Tromp, infielders Ozzie Albies and Carter Kieboom and outfielders Josh Palacios, Richie Palacios and Ceddanne Rafaela.
All are on the 40-man rosters of their respective teams.
Except for Tromp, who is a non-roster player.
Albies and Tromp are with Atlanta Braves.
Albies played in one game and was 0-for-2, Tromp also played in one game, was 1-for-1 and scored a run.
Jansen and Rafaela both are on the roster of Boston Red Sox.
Rafaela batted 1-for-5 (a double) in two games, Jansen has not pitched yet.
A week ago, it was rumored that Jansen might be traded by Boston.
Robberse, who is with St, Louis Cardinals, also has not pitched yet.
Kieboom played in two games for Washington Nationals and was 2-for-3 with a double.
Richie Palacios played in one game for his new team Tampa Bay Rays and was 0-for-1.
His brother Josh has not played yet for Pittsburgh Pirates.
...Jen Pawol...
(© Photo: Major League Baseball) |
Some history was written on Saturday in the game between Washington National and Houston Astros in CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach, Florida.
In that game, Jen Pawol was the 3B Umpire and became the first female umpire in Spring Training in 17 years!
After the first three innings, she rotated to second for the three middle innings, then was at first base for the final three innings.
On Sunday, she was the Home Plate Umpire in the game between Miami Marlins and Washington at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in Jupiter, Florida.
The 47-year old Jen Pawol is the first female umpire to officiate in a Spring Training-game since Ria Cortesio in 2007.
The first was Pam Postema, who was in Spring Training in 1988 and 1989.
Postema was the first female umpire in Triple-A, Pawol became only the second last year.
Pawol made her Minor League-debut in June 2016 in the Gulf Coast League (Rookie League) and then became the seventh female umpire in Minor League Baseball.
The others are Bernice Gera (1972), Christine Wren (1975-1977), Pam Postema (1977-1989), Theresa Cox Fairlady (1989-1991), Ria Cortesio (1999-2007) and Shanna Kook (2003-2004).
At Hofstra University, Pawol was a catcher while playing softball.
Before becoming a professional umpire, Jen Pawol had been an amateur umpire for ten years.
In 2001, Jen Pawol was a member of the American Women's Baseball Team that participated in the first edition of the Women's World Series, which was held in Toronto (Canada).
Also participating were the National Teams of Australia, Canada and Japan.
The USA won the tournament, which was the predecessor of the Women's Baseball World Championship/Cup, which was first organized in 2004.
The Women's World Series was annually through 2006.
What makes Pawol's assignment even more interesting is that she is part of the group of Triple-A Umpires, who were named to the so-called MLB Call-Up List some two weeks ago.
Only umpires who have been invited to work games in Spring Training are named to that group.
Umpires on the Call-Up List can be called up to fill in during Major League-games in case of injuries or sickness or needs additional umpires.
When Pam Postema was in Spring Training, she came very close to reach the Majors.
Now that Pawol is on the Call-Up List, she has moved a step closer to become the first female umpire in the Major League.
This season, Jen Pawol will be a crew chief in Triple-A.
(February 25)
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